Before Then

3: We laugh

On Christmas eve the shop is always open later than normal for people like me with no one to spend the night with. For a few years, I went there to be with Kate and enjoy the soft music and warmth, but this night the store wasn't open. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to go back to my apartment and I had only one friend in the city, but she would be gone by now on a flight back to her home to see her family.

Then you tapped my shoulder. I jumped when I felt your finger and spun around so fast almost hitting the two cups out of your hands. You laughed, an actual laugh, you laughed for the first time, and you weren't trying to piss me off or be smug. "Marry x-mas." You never liked the word Christmas because of the way it was spelled.

"Hi." I said, as I blushed at how I must have looked when I turned. You handed me one cup and I wasn't sure what to do. You took a sip of yours and started walking away, and I just stood there letting the cup warm my hands. You looked back after you got a good 10 feet away and turned around to me.

"Let's go to the mall, they have a small event going on." I didn't want to go back to my apartment, so I followed you. We didn't talk, and frankly I was more worried about myself because of how cold it was. I don't mind the cold, actually liked it more than anything else, but I didn't live far from my work or the shop, so I never really walked in the cold all that much until now. I was shivering and soon even the coffee couldn't keep my hands from turning to ice.

I noticed you looking over to me a few times but whatever you were thinking you didn't say anything. By the time we got to the mall my hands and nose were burning, and when we entered the store the heat only made it burn more. It wasn't snowing yet outside, and I was kind of sad it wouldn't be a white Christmas, but inside the mall the walls and shops all had lights and fake snow in the front display cases. I didn't even know the mall was still open on that day. You lead the way to the middle of the mall. There was a fake Santa sitting with adults and kids of all kinds standing in line waiting to sit on the man and wish for their dreams.

Next to Santa were his little elves that happened to be taller than me, and walking through the line was frosty the snow man handing out candy canes and chocolate kisses. You grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the line and I shook my head. "I don't, really like crowds." When you looked at me you nodded and we walked away, down a different part of the mall. Most stores were closed but the few that were open didn't have any people so we ended up walking through them and looking at every little piece of clothing or toy. When I had my back turned to you, you ended up buying something but I couldn't see as it was already in a bag.

We got to the last store and it was a book store. I watched your eyes light up and you walked briskly to the back of the shop, ignoring the Hello from the guy at the cash register. You looked like you were on a mission, and I followed behind slowly. By the time I was back with you, you already had 3 books in your hands and I found myself laughing. "You must have a pretty good job if you buy all these books all the time." I smiled as you looked at me.

"I actually do have a nice job and I already own these books." You smiled back and I gave you a confused looked. You ignored my look and I grabbed one of the books from your arms. It was a teen novel. I understood then that it didn't matter what you read as long as it was something, and so I walked to the front of the store and payed for it. I then handed it back over to you and you gave me a shocked look.

"Merry Christmas." I smiled and I watched your eyes widen then your cheeks turned red. You ended up buying the other two and we left the store. I didn't understand then why you would buy a book you already owned but you were weird, and I didn't feel like asking a lot of questions knowing you would either avoid them or flip them to me making me mad.

We ended up walking around until 9 pm and a security guard had to tell us to leave as the mall was closing. We walked out the same doors we came in though with a bunch of other people and you looked down at me the moment the cold air made me shiver. I tucked my hands in my pockets preparing for the long walk home when you handed me the bag with the item I didn't see you buy. "Now were even." You said as I opened it and found a pair of black gloves with little white snowflakes on it. I didn't know what to say at first and I felt bad with just saying thank you.

Shockingly they were very warm for finger gloves and I was so happy by this. You started walking again and soon we were back at the coffee shop, still closed and with no people on the street. "Do you need me to walk you home?" You asked and I shook my head.

"I don't live far. Thank you, again." We stood there for a while longer before you cleared your throat and held out your hand.

You weren't very good with goodbyes and I ended up laughing while shaking your hand feeling how cold it was through the glove. "Will I see you after Christmas?" You gave me a soft nod and then turned to leave. I watched you walk away until you turned a corner and I was left alone again. I sighed and watched my breath float up, and then a small snowflake fell right in front of me. I gasped and looked up and soon snow was floating all around me and I smiled.

I guess a white x-mas was in store.