When Sparks Fly (in editing)

Chapter 14

"You'll do great. Don't worry." He smiled and squeezed my hand before walking to the stage. I ordered myself a cinnamon dolce latte before sitting down at a table for two. I had a perfect view of the stage and saw some girl singing "A Thousand Years" into the microphone. She finished and then stepped down as people clapped. Drew walked up with his guitar in hand.

"Hello everyone. I'll be singing "Photograph". Thank you." He sat at a stool and began to strum the chords to the song.

I watched his as he began to sing the words and I felt a smile cross my face. His eyes met mine as he sang and didn't take his eyes off of me. He smiled as he sang and winked, making me laugh. I bent my head down, feeling heat rush to my cheeks, and my hair falling into my face. I looked back up and Drew was still staring at me as he sang.

Drew finished the song and applause erupted when he got off the stool. He was grinning ear to ear and I clapped along. He reached me and I saw his hands shaking with nerves and some adrenaline.

"Little hard to play with shaky hands, isn't it?" I asked, teasing. His grin grew wider as he hugged me.

"Thanks for coming. It was easier with someone I knew."

"Are you kidding? It was amazing. You're voice is great and you have this presence on that stage. Like you draw people to you." Drew ducked his head, flushed and I knocked his shoulder with mine, at least as much as I could with our height difference. "You don't need to be embarrassed. It was beautiful. Now go order your coffee."

"I'm gonna stick with hot chocolate, but thanks. For the compliments."

I ignored his second comment and gave him a look. "So what? You go to a coffee shop and don't even get a coffee. What is wrong with you?" He only laughed and pushed me a little before going to get his coffee, leaving me smiling behind him.

~~~

"I'm just saying you should take more pride in your skill. You're really good." I said, walking into my house, Drew following. We had stayed at the coffee shop to watch a few more people perform before coming to my house.

"And I'm just saying it is embarrassing so can we please stop talking about this?"

"Fine, I'll stop. Now do you want something to eat?"

"Christmas cookies?"

"Don't got any. I'll get our store bought chocolate chip ones from the pantry." I went to get the cookies, and when I got back to Drew, I saw him turning in circles as he observed my home. "You good?" I asked, sitting at the counter.

"All you have is a tree."

"What?"

"Your decorations. You only have a tree. I mean where's the mistletoe or the elf on the shelf or a Santa toy or anything? Like you don't even have Christmas cookies and Christmas is in two days."

I only managed to shrug as it wasn't a big deal. "Well, it may come as a shock to you but my Christmases tend to stay a little more tame than yours might be. We keep it simple." I couldn't help but feel my chest tighten, remembering all the times my dad went to work instead of stay home.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning it isn't the biggest deal."

"Meaning you don't celebrate." I set the cookie I was eating down on the counter. "Your dad works doesn't he? Aren't every places off on Christmas."

"Yep. They are."

"But he still goes in to work."

We were silent for a minute, but I spoke up. "Christmas is his busy time. He needs to finish his work before celebrating some dumb holiday. It is fine."

"Fine? Cassie, he chooses to work over spending time with you!"

"Don't say that. He gets busy. He works. And does it suck sometimes? Yes, it does, but it is how we live. And he doesn't miss every Christmas. Just the past five." 

"Soon to be six." Silence fell upon us again. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just...it's unfair to you. Everything a normal kid gets, you seem to miss because he is always working. I know you say he is your best friend, but it doesn't always look like that from where I'm standing."

"But I'm fine. I don't mind him working. He's been through a lot. He doesn't need me complaining."

"Cassie you've been through a lot too. Losing your mom, moving all the time, not having any real friends or losing them because of moving, dealing with your dad losing it after your mom left, Bethany...It all piles up. You deserve to have a good and traditional Christmas in the least."

"Well what do you want me to do? Tell him to ignore it all and spend time with me? That isn't how it works."

Drew hesitated before speaking again. "Spend it with me."

"What?"

"Christmas. Spend it with me and my family. You'd love it. We all have a big breakfast, open presents, and then Elizabeth and John come over and we all spend the day together. I was gonna bring it up to you and have you come when the others do, but you should just stay with us on Christmas Eve and in the morning."

"Drew..."

"What? Is that overstepping. You could room with Alyssa. My family would love to have you."

"It isn't practical. You'd have to make even more for breakfast, I'd be intruding on your tradition, then all my presents my dad got me will have to be brought over, and I can't just ditch my dad."

"One, breakfast is no problem. We always have extra anyway and my step-mom loves cooking and baking. Two, my family would love to have you come and keep Alyssa from arguing about opening presents. Three, I can help bring your crap over. It can't be too much. Four, your dad already ditches you anyway. Just tell him that this time, you won't be alone."

"I just don't know."

"Cassie, I'm telling you. My family won't mind at all if you come. They'd love to get to know the girl I've been spending all my time with."

"Fine. As long as your family agrees and so does my dad. But you have to promise me your family won't be upset."

"Done."

~~~~~

Ugh! This is making me want Christmas to come now. Right now all that is coming up is school. And I am so sorry for not updating. Updates will now be more sporadic because school starts up in like four days or so and I will be loaded with homework and tests. Plus I still have summer work. Like this chapter is a result of 12 a.m. writing and avoiding my summer work. You know how it is.

Again, please ignore grammar or spelling mistakes. I'm not bothering at all to check this because I need to put something out. So if something doesn't make any sense or you are confused, sorry, but I won't be fixing it for awhile. Anyway, that is it. I need to go to bed. Love you all!

-Clara :)