It was finally the thirteenth of December. My favourite day of the year because it was the day the Christmas decorations got put up. When it came to Christmas decorations I was fairly traditional so they went up twelve days before Christmas and came down twelve days after. No ands, ifs or buts. I had already dragged the boys shopping to buy a tree, baubles, lights, ceiling decorations and Christmas ornaments yesterday so everything was ready for today.
I spent all day tidying up making sure everything looked presentable for the decorations going up. I went through our dorm room from top to bottom cleaning literally everything I had in my sights. My roommates complained several times saying I was making too big a deal out of it considering I wasn't even going to be here for Christmas. I made the very valid argument that that is not the point and continued with my tidying mission while they just say in the living room chatting and playing Xbox.
Finally the sun set and I was ready to put the decorations up. I dragged the boys out of the position on the couch with much protest. "Can we not put them up tomorrow?" Cal whined as I physically pulled him up off the floor.
"No because they go up twelve days before Christmas." I groaned throwing my hands up in the air to emphasise my distress.
"I'm sure one more day won't make that much of a difference." He argued and I fake gasped in shock. The others had already started to pull the tree out of the box because they knew arguing was futile but Cal quite clearly didn't want to. I stuck my bottom lip out and looked up at him with pleading eyes.
"I will literally get down on my hands and knees and beg." As soon as those words had left my mouth I regretted it because the others stopped doing what they were doing.
"Oh really?" Ash smirked walking over. "I'd like to see that." I looked around the room and the others were all smirking at me. "I don't think you'd do it. You've got way too much dignity and pride." He was right. It would kill me to have to beg but if it needed done it needed done
"Fine." I ground out through gritted teeth lowering myself to my knees and clasping my hands together in front if myself. I put a smile on my face and began to speak. "I am absolutely begging. Will you pretty please help me put the decorations up?" They all burst out laughing nodding their heads and I took that as my queue to stand up. We proceeded with our previous actions and it was quite funny to watch us trying to pull the tree out of the box. Luke and Ash were pulling the top of the box while Mikey and Cal were pulling the tree from the bottom. I grabbed my camera and started taking a couple of pictures, I snapped a perfect one as the tree came flying from the box and all four boys landed on the floor with a very loud and audible thud. They all burst out laughing and I placed my camera to the side so we could take photos as we went and went to start spreading the tree branches apart ready for the baubles to be hung on.
Sometime during spreading the branches the boys had started to sing along to the music playing through the TV and I enjoyed listening to them quietly humming along to the tune. "Who's going to hang the first bauble?" Ashton asked all of us looking at each other. I have never hung the first bauble since my brother always used to so I was hoping one of the boys would volunteer. When none of them did all eyes turned to face me. "Kenzie would you like to hang the first bauble on the tree?" Ash smiled at me.
"Sure." I smiled happily grabbing a blue bauble since blue was my favourite colour and adding it to the tree. The boys then all went in age order from youngest to oldest to hang a bauble on the tree before we all got to work. I quietly slipped off into the kitchen to get some scissors. I grabbed a piece of tinsel and tied it round my head like a halo tying it at the back and then cutting off the excess. I then went and gave all of the boys a tinsel halo. I wanted a picture of all five of us so I placed my camera on the settee setting the timer but right at the last second Cal sneezed. It took a further four tries before I managed to get a decent photo. It took us a lot longer to put the tree up than I was expecting but I wasn't complaining and it was eventually done. Now time for the lights.
Although the boys were all over six feet tall none of them could reach the top of the window to secure the lights. I struggled to supress my giggles as they fought over who was standing on whose back before I finally settled the argument. "I'll do it." I tied my hair back out of my face and they all looked at each other with smiles on their faces. "Kenzie even if you're stood on one of our backs you won't reach." Michael smirked at me quickly rushing out. "No offence." I wasn't offended, I know I'm small and to be completely honest I like being small. It comes in handy at times.
"Just watch me." I smirked. "Cal and Ash can you get ready to hand me the lights and cable ties please." They both nodded walking away with amused looks on their faces. I thought they would have learnt by now not to underestimate me but quite clearly it hasn't sunk in yet. "Luke and Michael turn to face each other and intertwine your own fingers." They followed my instructions without arguing both just staring at me. I kicked my shoes away placing a hand on Luke's shoulder for support and placing my foot in his hands. I pushed myself up placing my other foot in Mikey's hand and steadying myself on both of their shoulders as they wobbled slightly. "Oh my god Kenzie what the hell are you doing?" Luke rushed out.
"Hanging the lights up." I stated simply taking them from Ash and a couple of cable ties from Cal.
"If you fall you're going to go out of the window. Oh god don't fall." He seemed very nervous as Michael chuckled at him and the boys just continued placing ornaments around the room.
"Luke mate relax. We've got a hold of her and I'm damn sure you won't drop her will you?" Michael chuckled and I joined in while Luke shook his head. I let go of their shoulders and began securing the lights in place wobbling slightly as the two boys holding me up became unsteady. I fixed the last cable tie tugging slightly on the lights to make sure they wouldn't fall down. "Ready." I warned the two boys who were still holding me up. Well it wasn't much of a warning but then it would be no fun.
"What for?" Mikey asked looking up at me. I bent my knees and launched myself up and backwards landing on the floor and bending my knees to soften the impact landing safely on the floor. I swear both boys had a heart attack as they went deathly pale and spun around trying to stop me falling. "For that." I smirked and I'm sure they were ready to either kill me or hug me so I started to help the others.
Luke had just placed the last ornament and we sat down just as it started to snow. It had been snowing for the last couple of days but it had always been when we were asleep so as soon as the boys saw it they leapt up and ran to the window. "Oh my god Kenzie it's snowing." Ash shouted jumping up and down excitedly along with the others.
"You'd think you'd never seen snow before." I laughed.
"We haven't." He said running over to me and dragging me to my feet. "Come out side please?"
"Okay." I giggled. "Go get ready." All four of them bolted off to their rooms to get on some shoes and probably wrap up warm. I just pulled on some shoes and sat on the couch waiting for them. Before I had time to process what was happening I was dragged out of my seat and already halfway down the stairs but thankfully I had managed to pick my camera up in the rush. As soon as we were out of the door and on the grass outside of our building I was set free and it was only then that I realised that they had literally been dragging me behind them. A snowball was thrown in my direction and it hit me directly in the middle of my chest soaking straight through the fabric of my t-shirt. "This means war Clifford." I shouted picking up a snowball and launching it at him. He ducked to avoid it moving his head right into its path and the snowball knocked his beanie off. That was one hell of a shot. The boys all threw snow balls at each other and made snow angels.
Cal suddenly had the genius idea to build a snowman. It wasn't that genius but all of the others thought it was so I wasn't going to argue with them as long as they didn't break out into a frozen sing along. It was ten o'clock at night, freezing cold and we were pretty much the only idiots brave enough to face the cold. I saw someone walk out of our building and I ran over to them. "Hey could you take a photo of me and my friends please?" I asked politely.
"Sure." The stranger smiled taking my camera from me. "Nice touch with the angel halos by the way." He chuckled and I remembered about them smiling slightly.
"Right guys everyone round the snowman."
"Her name's Lisa." Calum shouted at me. Typical of them to name a fucking snowman. We all stood around the snowman, sorry I mean Lisa, and the stranger took a couple of photos before handing me back my camera. "Thank you." I smiled.
"No problem." Was all he said before he left. He left pretty quickly not that I blame him though he must be fucking freezing considering he was only in a t-shirt. "Who wants hot chocolate?" I asked beginning to make my way back in side. I was answered with cries of yes and thank you as they raced up the stairs not that I could tell you why because I'm the only one with a key in. The first thing they did was wrap up into the blankets while I made the hot chocolates for them. "How are you not cold?" I heard Luke mumble into my ear as his cold hands wrapped around my waist.
"I guess I just don't notice it." I answered truthfully turning to stare into his dazzling blue eyes. I've always had a really high tolerance to the cold so now I don't even feel it.
"Yeah well I'm cold so give me cuddles." He pulled me into his chest and I wrapped my arms around his waist quite content just standing cuddling him while the kettle boiled. "So when are you flying to Australia?" I asked out of curiosity.
"We're not." He mumbled and I felt bad for asking.
"Why?"
"It's too expensive." He shrugged and I felt sorry for him.
"You could come to Newcastle with me if you want. The boys can come as well if you want them to my parents won't mind."
"Are you sure?" He asked tensing up at the mentioning of my parents.
"You finish making these and I'll go get it all sorted."
"Okay." He smiled at me kissing me quickly before letting me go. I phoned my mam straight away and she picked up on the third ring. "Hello Kenzie why are you calling so late?" She yawned and I felt guilty because I had forgotten it was quite late at night now.
"I was wondering if I could bring my roommates down to spend Christmas with us. They're from Australia and can't afford to fly home and I really want you to meet my boyfriend." I asked getting straight to the point.
"How many is there?" She asked.
"Four."
"Of course they can dear. Just drive them down with you. Love you goodnight." She couldn't wait to end the conversation but I probably woke her up and she hates it when people do that.
"Goodnight, love you too." I hung up and ran into the living room practically bouncing with excitement. The boys all looked at me expectantly so I'm guessing Luke told them. "Christmas is at my house boys." I shouted throwing myself into the middle of them all for a group hug.