Landview✔️(Wattpad version)

We wish you were here: A Christmas Chapter

Since I wasn't going home for Christmas, I got a tree for my apartment along with some decorations. I wanted to have a little piece of home here. I went to the store and bought a four-inch tree where I could sit it on a table, and it wasn't dinky.

I bought bulbs, lights, garland, and candy canes. You got to have candy canes; it's a necessity. As I was shopping for odds and ends, Erik spotted me in the store.

"You don't peg me for the artificial trees," Erik said, walking up to me and looking into the cart.

"Real trees are a no-no in an apartment, so I got a fake one," I shrugged.

"Where's lover boy?" Erik asked.

Before I answered, Ryan walked up with some ornaments. "What do you think?" Ryan asked.

"They look great," I answered.

"Yeah?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah," I said with a smile as Ryan kissed me.

"I'll leave you both to it," Erik said, walking away from us.

"What was that about?" Ryan questioned.

"Honestly, I don't know. One minute Erik tries to help when we are fighting, and the next, he seems jealous," I said.

"Maybe he's lonely," Ryan mentions. "I never saw him with any girl except one while we were growing up."

"You guys grew up together?" I questioned.

"Yeah, Matt, Erik, and I are best friends. It's been that way our whole life. We also grew up with Ashley and Bree, well, went to school with them. They were bitches back then, and they are still bitches today," Ryan remarked.

"That explains a lot," I said with a smile, causing Ryan to laugh. "So, Erik doesn't date?"

"I've only seen Erik with one girl. They dated, and the girl broke his heart. Since then, he hasn't dated," Ryan explained.

"Maybe he's gay," I suggested.

"Maybe, but honestly, I don't know why Erik doesn't date anyone," Ryan said abruptly.

After that, I dropped the subject. I felt it irritated Ryan somewhat to discuss Erik. Who wants to listen to their girlfriend talk about their best friend?

We finished my Christmas shopping and took the decorations to my apartment. Ryan thought it was weird that there's no snow around Christmas, but I was used to it. It hardly snowed in California. The snow was a rarity if we got it. I wasn't a fan.

Once we got back, we unpacked everything and set up the tree on an end table that I had Ryan move by the balcony. We decorated it and listened to Christmas music. It was nice to have this time with him. I knew he was going home as the others were for Christmas, so I wanted to make the most of my time with him before he left.

I saw him and the others leave. Ryan gave me the sweetest and passionate kiss ever. God, I would miss him.

"Are you sure you don't want to come home with me?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, your parents aren't high on my list," I said.

"Okay, I'll call you every day," he said, giving me one more kiss before boarding a plane for home. I watched as his plane took off and once flew away; I made my way back to my apartment.

It's funny how lonely it can be around the holidays when there is no one around here. Well, at least, I have my tree.

The next few days, I walked around town. Most of the kids went home for Christmas, and there wasn't enough business at the cafe to justify working. As much as I wanted to go back, I knew staying was the best decision.