Christmas when you were mine

Chapter 3: Baby its cold outside

I yawned as I made my way downstairs lazily. I quickly snatched up a cinnamon bun before pouring myself a coffee. I sat at the table letting out a soft happy sigh. I savoured the taste happily. I was lost in my own little perfect world. Just like old times. When life was simple.

"Morning sunshine," Jude's voice breathed as he stepped into the kitchen. He was still wearing a knitted hat that had snow still clinging to it.

"Morning," I smiled. "Do you know where my parents went?" I asked since clearly he had been up for a while.

"Um, I think they said they were going to the grocery store," he smiled tugging his hat off. "So I figured we would leave in an hour," he stated grabbing himself a coffee.

"Yeah okay," I nodded. We settled into a comfortable silence as we finished breakfast. As soon as I was finished I placed my dishes into the dishwasher. I made my way upstairs to get dressed. I didn't bother to over do it. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a warm white sweater my mom made for me last year. I brushed my hair and teeth before putting on some mascara and lip gloss. Good to go. I made my way back downstairs to find Jude standing by the door.

"In a hurry much?" I teased.

"I have some very special people who still need gifts," he shrugged. "Bundle up baby its cold outside," he winked making me blush.

"Really Jude? Typical of you to leave it until the last second. When will you learn boy?" I asked ignoring his last statement. I just hoped he didn't notice the slight change in the colour of my cheeks.

"Probably never," he winked once again. "Ready to go?"

"You bet," I smiled grabbing my coat and purse that were sitting by the door. "Who do you still have left anyway?" I asked as we stepped outside.

"Everyone," he shrugged making me roll my eyes. Today was going to be a long one.

The mall was fairly crowded when we arrived there. Busy people rushed past us in attempts to get their holiday shopping done. I frowned when we shoved our way through the crowd.

"This is why I always get my shopping done early," I sighed.

"Yeah but then you miss out on some good deals," Jude argued.

"No, that's why I don't want to pull my hair out by the end of the holidays," I retorted.

"Cheer up sunshine," Jude breathed patting my back like someone teasing a small child or a good friend.

"I wish you would stop calling me that," I breathed.

"Why you're such a delight to be around. Like a warm ray of sunshine," he laughed.

"Ha ha very funny," I snapped. "I'm not that bad."

"Keep telling yourself that," Jude winked. My heart beat began to race. I really wish he would stop doing that. In all honesty I wasn't sure how much of his charming self I could take. "I could call you tiny cactus," he added. I swatted him in the stomach. I was definitely not a cactus.

"You're a jerk Jude," I snarled.

Christmas music sprang from the various speakers filling the mall with that Christmas cheer. I walked alongside Jude quietly as he looked at different things. Like always first on his list was his mother and sure enough he wanted to get her a sweater. I just nodded and smiled as I followed him around giving him advice when needed.

Three hours later we had all but two gifts left but ha decided to take a break to get something to eat. I sat across from Jude who was smiling like a loon once again. I tried hard to focus on the food in front of me but it was turning out to be difficult.

"What?" I asked finally having enough.

"Nothing," he smiled. Something was definitely up with him today. I raised my eyebrow at him in suspicion.

"Jude?" A female voice from behind me broke my concentration.

"Mindy," Jude smiled over my shoulder. Making me shudder slightly. Mindy was one of the popular girls when we were in high school. She wasn't a horrible beast but she wasn't all lollipops and rainbows either. We didn't get along that was for sure. Mindy and Jude had had a little fling back in our senior year. Lets just say Mindy didn't like Jude being friends with me. One because well I wasn't overly popular. Two because I was a girl.

"Oh my gosh you look so good," she gushed in her overly sweet voice. "Are you just home for the holidays, or have you finally moved back home?" She asked taking a step closer. It was quite apparent she hadn't noticed me yet or she was just ignoring my existence like old times.

"I'm actually back for good. I'm taking over my parents shop next year," Jude smiled. My heart raced at  the thought that Jude and I had both decided to move back this year. I felt my skin begin to sizzle with this new information. Were things going to go back to what things were like before we both went off to college or were things going to get really weird. I mean really we were young adults now not teenagers.

"What are you doing at the mall?" She asked. I rolled my eyes at her stupid question. What do normal people do at the mall Mindy?

"Lila and I are just finishing up some Christmas shopping," Jude answered motioning in my direction. Amusement thick in his brown eyes.

"Oh," she breathed sounding slightly annoyed. "Are you two like a thing?"

"What if we were?" I questioned. I was sick of her attitude.

"Nothing," she answered with a small voice. I watched a cocky smile spread across Jude's face. He was loving each and every second of this. "I just thought you two were like into the same thing," she breathed making me whirl around. I could hear Jude burst into a fit of laughter that was surely gaining the attention of everyone near by.

"Excuse me?" I snarled.

"I just figured you were into girls," Mindy smirked.

"I got that Mindy," I barked.

"Hey, hey, hey girls lets not cause a big scene," Jude's voice broke in. "I mean its Christmas can't we all just get along?" He asked like he wasn't secretly enjoying every second of this conversation.

"Shut up Jude," I spat my eyes trained on Mindy. I wanted to smack that smug look right off of her makeup caked face.

"Delilah," Jude warned using my full name. I turned to glare at him. He knew I hated when he called me that. He quickly wrapped an arm around my shoulder . "How about we finish up so we can go home and wrap these gifts. I know how much you love doing that," he smiled calming me quickly.

"Fine," I huffed.

"See you later Mindy," Jude breathed turning away from her. I smiled inwardly. I was happy Jude didn't want her to stick around.

"I really hate that girl," I breathed as soon as she was gone.

"I know," he replied as he scooped up the shopping bags.

"I can't believe you dated her," I added.

"Me either," he smiled making me smile back at him. This is what I liked about Jude. He always knew how to make me feel slightly better.

***

The air outside had turned bitterly cold. The frost nipped at my skin as we rushed back into the house. We carried the bags up to my room to wrap. It was nice being with Jude like this once again. I remembered sitting up in my room wrapping gifts often. Well I wrapped the gifts while Jude lazed about. He always said it was because I was better. Which was most likely right. If Jude had it his way everything would be wrapped with news paper and duct tape. What can I say he was a resourceful guy.