The Beauty Underneath

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Tickets

On the right, you could see a picture of Winston (Ramin Karimloo). Yeah, I know what you're thinking. ;)

_____ 

“Merry Christmas!” Gina greeted me as I walked down the stairs.

I beamed at her. “Merry Christmas,” I replied. “I just learned that it’s snowing! Isn’t it amazing?”

She laughed that high-pitch laugh. “Super! I thought it wouldn’t snow then I woke up and saw the snow. It’s very awesome. So, what’s your plan for today? Are you going out with Winston?”

“Later this afternoon. To see our friends and exchange gifts with them,” I said with a shrug. “Speaking of gifts, yours is upstairs!”

“Then you better get it, or else you wouldn’t have my gift.”

I rushed back upstairs to my room to get Gina, Simon and Josephine’s gift. I saw them on my bed and I made a move to get it but then Winston came out of the mirror and made me stop. My whole face actually lit up when I saw him. I smiled. “Hey there. Merry Christmas!”

He grinned. “Merry Christmas,” he said and approached me to kiss my lips. “These are for…?”

“Gina, Simon and Josephine.”

“Where’s mine?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “I think the boyfriend’s supposed to have his gift too.”

“Yours would be given tonight. Not now.”

He smiled wickedly and playfully bumped his hip against mine. “I guess I know what that is.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Puh-lease. It’s not that thing you’re thinking about. It’s different.”

“Aww.”

“You’re cute when you’re upset,” I said, flicking his nose.

“Don’t call me cute. It’s not… manly.”

“And being defensive also makes you cute.”

He gave me a look. “Will. You. Stop.”

“Nope,” I said, popping the p. “Come on, let’s go downstairs. You can help me deliver my friends their gifts for today.”

“Okay,” he said and on his hand were also his gifts for Gina, Simon and Josephine. “I think your aunt and Simon don’t have any gifts for me.”

We went out of my room and I patted his arm. “That’s okay. It’s the thought that counts, remember?”

He wrinkled his nose. “I guess.”

We reached the dining hall. Gina, Simon and Josephine were already opening their gifts. I sat down beside Gina and Winston sat down across me. Gina was frowning at him as he sat down. “Where did you come from?”

Winston blinked. “Um, from my mother’s egg cell and my father’s sperm cell?”

I stifled a laugh and Gina glared at him. She hates sarcasm but if she’s the one using the sarcastic joke, then it’s perfectly fine. “I mean, how did you get inside this house? I didn’t hear you go in.”

“Oh, Erin opened the door for me,” he made up quickly. “Here’s your gift, Gina.”

Gina’s expression immediately changed as she snatched her gift from Winston’s hand. She opened it and then placed a hand on her heart. “This is so cute,” she announced, raising a pink photo album. Then she looked guilty. “I’m sorry I didn’t get you anything.”

He waved her off. “That’s okay.”

Gina gave me her gift, which was a journal notebook. Simon gave me a Broadway keychain. Josephine, with a smile, gave me a cooking book – which I really need since I want to learn how to cook. Winston gave Simon a shirt and Josephine a novel that she really liked. Simon said he didn’t have anything for Winston but there was one thing he could spare. He went up to his room and dropped three packs of condoms on the dining table. I went red, Gina looked shocked, Josephine was horrified and Winston considered the condoms with an amused expression.