Mistletoe

December 23rd

Tuesday December 23rd

12.05pm

One of the perks about having the entire house to yourself is that you can put your music on the surround system and crank the volume up as much as you'd like. Our stereo had a phone docking so I didn't even have to burn a cd first or dig out a cable.

I was still in my pajamas as I couldn't be bothered to change, and I relished in the loud music as it drowned out my own thoughts. It had been nice to finally catch some sleep and it had helped with getting myself together, at least a little. At least now I didn't feel like I was going to keel over with just a breath of wind.

There was absolutely no logical pattern in which my body moved to the music because seeming as nobody was watching I didn't care what I looked like. With my hair flailing in every direction I kept throwing my head around while alternating between jumping and stomping, and other moves I came up with on the spot.

I had a scone in my hand that I kept taking a bite out of as I slid across the living room floor. It felt good to act out everything that was going on inside of me without using words or a pen, or sitting alone; thinking. The loud music was pretty much perfect right now. Sergeant had fled down into my room the moment he'd sensed my intentions, which only allowed me to turn the volume up higher without having to feel bad for him.

Occasionally I slid back into the kitchen to take a sip of my coffee, simply because I knew that if I held it in my hand then I'd spill it everywhere. It was just safer this way. Less work on my part.

By now I was panting, but I didn't care. My heart was racing as well and it felt glorious, even though I was covered in a light sheen of sweat. Nobody would have to sign up for a gym membership if they did this every day.

'Storm Warning' by Hunter Hayes was playing as I slid across the living room and belted out the lyrics at the top of my lungs, not minding at all that I sounded totally tone deaf. "Gonna wish I had a sign. I'm gonna wish I had a little heads up, a little leeway, a little more time," I sang at the top of my lungs finding it uncanny how much these lyrics fit me right now.

A low ringing sound sounded over the music and I halted to listen. Several seconds passed before it came again and I realized what I could hear was the faint sound of the doorbell. I shifted my course and leapt towards the front door ready to tell whatever salesman was at my porch to just carry on towards the next house.

I opened the door wide ready to say hello, but the greeting got stuck in my throat and my hand flew to my mouth as my heart stuttered and took off full flight. In that moment I was pretty sure that my stomach ate itself several times over. My eyes immediately filled with tears as I looked into Parker's deep icy blue orbs and without thinking I immediately threw myself around his neck and began sobbing into his shoulder.

"Are you crazy?" I wailed at him over the loud music and squeezed him tighter. He returned the pressure. 

Parker's warmth seeped into me and I could feel my legs going limp from the emotional turmoil that settled over me. Of course I'd wished to see him again sooner rather than later, but had I expected it to happen? Absolutely not. We broke apart and I stepped back to take the whole of him in. I had to take a second to mentally pinch myself, but it was true; Parker was here. He was standing before me in jeans that were ripped from being worn too much and leather jacket that was lined to hold back the cold. His wavy blonde hair was standing out at different directions like he'd raked his hands through it too many times for it to settle back down, but his actual hands were now stuffed in the front pockets of his jeans, his shoulders hunched and his head was ducked as he looked at me shyly.