A Dream Come True

Chapter 18

{Lauren's POV}

The early morning sun is making its slow ascent into the cloudy winter sky. I have already done my morning routine (shower, change, breakfast, makeup, etc., etc.) with nothing to do now. I plop myself down on the couch, and turn on the small vintage TV set, subconsciously ignoring the small crack in the top right corner of the static glass screen.

"...Slightly cloudy, but that should clear away by noon, presenting perfect conditions to go do some Christmas present shopping." Everything stops, evening my breathing and thinking, as at my horror I realize that we have done nothing for Christmas, or at least I haven't.

"Megan!" I yell. "Get your sleeping ass in here!" I wait to hear sounds of bumping around in her room, which were followed by a loud groan or sigh. Finally she came into sight, looking like she woke at some ungodly hour, was chased by a horde of angry bulls, then got caught in a tornado, which then deposited her figure in the middle of a 1980's rock concert (which I can assure you is NOT pretty. Look at your own risk). No exaggeration. Okay, well maybe a little, but omg, what is with her hair?

"Are you going to stare at me like a prev, or is there an actual reason for me to be here?"

"Oh, right. Have you gone Christmas shopping at all this year?"

Her face shifts and she glances around the room, something she sometimes does when thinking. "Nnnoooo." She drags out. "Why?"

"I don't know, maybe because Christmas is just FOUR DAYS AWAY!"

Megan blinks in surprise and nearly completely wakes up from sudden loudness. She raises her hand and physically whacks herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand. "Oh my god, I'm stupid."

I tilt my head to give her a stern look. "No. You're not." She looks at me with a facial expression that says are-you-kidding-me and please-stop.

"Come on, it's nearly Christmas, and I didn't even notice. Are you sure I'm not stupid?"

I'm about to say something about how she isn't, but, "Well, maybe a little."

"So, are you doing anything today?"

"No. Why, you think we should go shopping?" I say, a devious smile forming as a talk, Megan matching me.

"Yep."

***~***

"Nope. No way. I'm leaving." We just spent the last ten minutes driving around the parking lot through rows and rows of cars until at last we found a spot the farthest away from the large building. Now we stand at the entrance, a step in front of the sliding glass doors, looking wide-eyed at the amount of people rushing about, resembling a frantic inferno of crazy.

She turns to leave, but I grab her arm and spin her back around, switching my hold on her arm. "Come on, we have to do this." After mentally preparing herself, she nods, reluctantly agreeing.

We take three steps and already some pushing/shoving action happens, but mildly. I keep my tight grip on Megan's arm, not to prevent her from leaving anymore, but so we stay together. We duck into the first store we come across.

The interior is dark, displaying violent and confusing shirts. The store is definitely Hot Topic. My shopping partner shrinks several centimeters in fright. "Oh come on, it's not that bad." I say to her.

That's when I hear her gasp. I look to her to see that she is staring at the wall. I follow her gaze and what I see makes me gasp as well. There, hanging on the wall was the most precious thing, a robe, with the TARDIS on it. A TARDIS robe. Not only that, but the material looks so soft.

"Are you looking at what I'm looking at?" She asks me. I simply nod, speechless.

"I am so getting that."

"Me too."

"Can that be your Christmas present from me?" Megan asks.

"If that can be my present to you." I respond.

"Okay, deal."

We politely ask a lady showing off her tattoo sleeves in a dark tank to take down two of the robes, to determine which size we are.

After figuring that out, we cautiously step out of the store and into the fray, this time linking our arms at the elbow as to have a more secure lock on each other. We get pushed around some more, until we see the overly large sign for Macy's and hurry inside.

Honestly, inside this store wasn't much different then where we just were outside of it, but every bit helps. Nearly having it figured out how to move without getting jostled so much, we stay together as we walk around the store looking for appropriate gifts to give.

We pass by a glass counter when something pink catches my eye. Oh my god they have it. They have, "That Moment" perfume. I drag Megan to the glass counter, and together we stare in awe at it.

"I think we have just found April's present." Megan says to me. I nod,

"How much is the smallest bottle?" I whisper back.

"Umm..." We look around for a price tag.

"Excuse me, much is That Moment?" I ask a lady behind the glass counter who turns to us when I speak.

"We have three sizes; the 100mL is £42, the 50mL is £39, and the smallest bottle is 30mL and that is priced at £29."

"Okay, we will like to buy the 30mL bottle, please."

She reaches beneath the counter and selects one of the tiny rose bottles. I hand her my credit card and she swipes it through the scanner, handing it back afterward. We thank her and grab the tiny plastic bag with the box containing the precious perfume and hurry out of the store.

"Do we have yet to buy a present for some one?" Megan asks.

"I don't think so... Should we buy a present for the boys?"

"The boys? Who's 'the boys'?"

"I mean Harry and Zayn and them."

"I don't know. What would we get them?"

"Well, boys like video games right? We could buy them a few." I suggest. She agrees and we decide it best to leave the mall and buy them at a video game store where they hope it's not so congested.

There's one that is near where we live, Megan has visited there several times to buy some of her nerdy games. On our way home we stop by the store.

The door to our apartment closes with a semi-loud bang, shutting out the freezing weather that is currently molesting London and roaming the halls of their building. We each set down several bags of gifts, sighing in relief of the weight from the stress of Christmas present shopping and being in the comfort of home once more.

"Glad that's over," I say, fatigued.

"Agreed."

We decide to completely finish presents so while I get wrapping paper and tape, Megan brings the colored bags into the center of the living room.

When I come back we start unpacking, separating what we pull out into two different groups. Okay so maybe we didn't just get presents and some time during our trip we stopped by a few stores and bought a few more things for ourselves.

We take the items that were not going to be presents to our rooms and come back with wrapping paper, tape, scissors, etc. that are required for wrapping gifts.

Once we finish there is wrapping paper, tape, boxes, and bags scattered throughout the area around us. We store them in a small closet in our hallway. We spend the rest of the day studying for our individual university classes.