Together Forever - A Collection of Will/Alyss One-Shots

Day 4: Secret Santa (Alyss's POV)

It's absolutely freezing out.

Alyss shivers violently, pulling the edges of her too-small cardigan more tightly around herself. It doesn't help. If Alyss was smart, she would have found a way to get a warmer jacket. If she was lucky, she would already have one. But she isn't, and she doesn't, and this is slightly better than nothing.

She shivers again, and winces as her back twinges in pain. Last night was a bad night. They're careful only to hit her where it won't show, but it still hurts. It's worse than usual. Suddenly self-conscious, she releases the front edges of her cardigan to try and pull her sleeves down over her wrists. It doesn't work, because her cardigan is too small, but it's a reflexive action, a habit by now.

Her nose begins to run as she nears the high school, and she sniffles, dragging the back of one chapped hand across her nose. The rest of her peers are laughing and chattering as they pour into the school building. They're happy and carefree, unburdened by the things Alyss has to bear, and for a moment she's wildly jealous. But the feeling quickly fades, to be replaced by the lethargy that seems to rule her life now. Alyss doesn't feel much anymore. She's only tired, so very very tired, and not from her sleepless nights. 

No one would notice if you didn't come back after winter break, that small, powerful voice in her head whispers. Alyss closes her eyes momentarily and imagines, just for a few seconds, what it would feel like to finally let go. It's not like anyone would miss her.

Alyss enters the school building, sticking to the shadows, though as usual, no one pays her any attention. It's like she's invisible. But she's used to it by now. She slips her single Secret Santa present onto the table with the other gifts. It looks so drab and out of place compared to the other brightly wrapped packages. But it's not like she had any money to buy a present with. This was the best she could do.

For a moment, she idly wonders what her Secret Santa will give her this year. Hopefully it won't be as bad as last year, when a dead cockroach awaited her inside a small cardboard box, disguised by the festive wrapping paper. Or the year before that, when someone just gave her an empty box. Once, Alyss might have blinked back tears, but now, it's doesn't really matter. No one notices her anyway.

After the presents have been distributed, she slips unnoticed into the classroom, taking her seat in the back corner. She pushes her ragged backpack under the chair and sits down, slouching painfully in her seat and dipping her head forward so her hair covers her face. The single package on her desk catches her interest for a moment. It's about the size of a book, and flat, and her name is neatly typed on a label adorning the front. Then she shrugs. She doesn't particularly care what's inside. Especially if it's from one of the kids who thinks it's funny to wrap up something nasty - or worse, nothing at all - and call it a Secret Santa present.

The rest of the class settles into their seats, and gradually quiet as Mr. Baron calls them to order. When he finally gives the okay to open presents, the entire class explodes in the sound of ripping paper and excited gasps. 

Slowly, Alyss reaches out. Unhurriedly, she works her finger under one of the pieces of tape, carefully peeling it up so it doesn't tear the paper. Painstakingly, she unwraps the present, careful not to damage the paper. She takes a deep breath, and unfolds the last bit. What she sees brings tears of joy to her eyes.

It's not what she was expecting at all, and it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. Blinking back the tears, holding her hands over her mouth, she looks at the perfect sketchbook sitting before her, at the perfect pens - fancy art pens - sitting next to it. And Alyss begins to wake up.

Slowly, the bland lethargy within her fades, to be replaced by emotions so unfamiliar that Alyss can't name them. Joy, maybe? Excitement? The world around her seems sharper, the colors more intense.