I glide the red lipstick across my lips before cleaning the edges, making sure it looks good and proceed to the next step which is mascara. I quickly put a layer on making sure it doesn't look too clumpy. I clip on my mini gold hoop earrings and spray perfume on my wrist and behind my ear.
Once I'm done, I leave my bathroom and go to check my outfit in the full-length mirror and nod in approval.
I had put on a pair of blue straight leg denim jeans, a white knitted jumper and my white trainers. I fix the roll neck of the jumper and check the time on my phone.
Shit! I need to go.
Elise has been waiting for me for 10 minutes. I quickly throw on my white faux leather coat and grab my bag.
"Are you going, honey?" My mum asks me from the couch.
She and dad are watching another Christmas film together whilst drinking wine.
"Yeah, I'll probably be back by eleven, " I say, grabbing my keys from the side table and throwing them in my bag.
"Okay sweetheart have fun!" my dad says.
I blow them a kiss before leaving.
It doesn't take us long to arrive at Felix's place and everyone is already there.
"Hey guys, Merry Christmas!" Elise yells, rushing to hug everyone whilst I remove my jacket and follow after her.
"Merry Christmas!" I say to them as well before sitting down to eat.
Felix is good at cooking, so he made a couple of things and Sydney's mum also made a chocolate cake for us and it looks delicious, all the food does.
As we eat and talk and laugh, I found myself thinking about Ian.
It feels like something is missing from tonight. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be spending my time with my friends and it's fun but, I still miss Ian's presence. We spend so much time together lately, that it feels odd if I don't see him even for a day.
"Earth to Chloe, " Jacob says, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, what?" I look at him and then everyone else, laughing silently at my daydreaming state.
"Fuck off guys, I'm here okay!" I say, defending myself before laughing as well.
"So, Felix any new amore?" Alice asks, wiggling her eyebrows at him.
"Well, not exactly, " he says, looking down on the table.
"Excuse me, why didn't I know about your new flirt?" I ask, weirder out because Felix always talks about who he's seeing and flirting with to me.
"I didn't tell you because it's fresh and it's with someone you wouldn't expect to see me with so, I'm keeping it a secret for now and I'll tell you when we figure things out."
My jaw is on the floor by the time he finishes his sentence, making me even more curious to know now who the hell is the other person?
"Oh, come on! Are you really going to leave us hanging over here? " Elise whines.
"Yes, I will leave you hanging babes, " he says smiling, looking very pleased with the situation.
"Ah, " Alice groans.
"What a tease, " Sydney says, shaking her head and continuing to sip on her white wine.
"Should we exchange gifts now that we're done eating the main course? " Jacob asks, already going to grab the gift he brought.
"Yes!" Elise exclaims cheerfully, jumping out of her seat.
Every year we buy someone new from our group a gift for the holidays. It's kind of a new tradition we have adopted for the last three years now. This time around it was my turn to buy Jacob something and he to me.
I grab the present I got him and sit back down next to him.
"Ladies first, so here you go, " he says, giving me a small bag.
"Why thank you," I say smiling.
I peek inside the bag first, eager to see what it is only to see a small velvet box restricting my view from the actual gift still. I reach inside and grab it, holding it in my palm. The soft fabric underneath my fingertips feels nice as I open it only to find a stunning thin gold chain bracelet that has a baby blue and gold butterfly hanging from it.
"The butterfly was the closest thing available to a pigeon that I could find, that's why I choose that, " he says, smiling at me.
"Oh my God, " I say before laughing.
"This is amazing, but how exactly is a butterfly similar to a pigeon? " I say, smiling.
"They can both fly, " he says, making me throw my head back and laugh.
Aww, he's so thoughtful, he knows I love pigeons and that I only wear gold jewellery.
"This is amazing! Can you clip it on for me?" I ask him.
"Of course, " he says and helps put it on me.
"Thank you! I hope it didn't cost too much," I say, smiling as I wrap my arms around his neck.
"No need to thank me, and don't worry your pretty little head about the price, it wasn't too expensive, but it is good quality so, it won't wear off easily, " he says, running soothing circles on my back.
"Okay, your turn now, " I say, pulling away from him to grab his present.
"Here, " I say, handing it to him.
"No way, " he says, smiling wider than before.
"When did you buy this?" He asks, examining the hoodie I got him.
When we all went out for a walk around the shops one day this was a hoodie that Jacob saw and really liked it but he didn't have enough money on him to buy it that day.
"The very next day after you saw it! I knew you weren't going to go back and get it and then you broke your leg so, you couldn't go, and I was glad, not that you broke your leg but that you didn't buy it yourself, " I say.
"Luck work in your favour I see, " he says, smiling.
"Yeah, but just so you know I might steal it from you sometime cause it's really soft on the inside and warm, " I say, feeling the inside of the hoodie.
"You can steal it whenever you want Chlo, " he says, smiling at me.
Jacob is a sweet, caring and funny guy with the people he feels comfortable with so, like his family and friends. When it comes to strangers though, he doesn't warm up easily to them and can get quite judgmental sometimes, but I do know that he is working on that so, I'm glad.
He comes from a middle-class family like all of us in this room are and he is a very good student. He's tall but not too tall, he's 6 foot 1 so a little bit taller than Ian and much taller than Felix, he's 5 foot 9.
"Dessert time now fam, " Felix says, cutting a piece for every one of us as we move to sit in the living room where we're going to watch a comedy film.
I sit in between Jacob and Elise and eat my piece of cake quietly. It's so delicious, the chocolate is so rich in flavour, that it doesn't take me a long time to finish it. I put my plate down on the coffee table and grab my water taking a sip whilst keeping my eyes on the tv screen.
Jacob nudges me carefully pointing at the last piece of cake on his fork lifting it up for me to eat. I lean forward and open my mouth eating it before getting more comfortable on the couch. Jacob puts his arms behind me on the couch like he usually does.
As we sit here watching movies and laughing the only thought on my mind is how I wish Ian was here, he would've liked it.
A/N
Did your opinion on Jacob change after this chapter?
What do you think of him?
I hope you liked this chapter, next one comes on Friday!
Feel free to comment & vote ❤️
Hope you have a lovely day/night! Xx
All the love - M ❤️