December 24th, 1996
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Kat's POV
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"I can't believe your birthday is three days before Christmas," Shawn told me. He and Paul taken me out for my first legal drinks. Which of course, just resulted in Paul and I carting Shawn home.
"My mom specifically made sure I would be here before Christmas," I explained, putting another bulb on the tree. "She didn't want me to be a Christmas baby."
"Why not?" He fumbled with a hook.
I took it from him, fixing it and putting it on the ornament. "You'd have to ask her for that one."
"Yeah, well, we didn't exactly get off on the right foot," he answered. He hung up the last ornament.
I didn't comment on that. Our relations with my family were the last thing I wanted to think or talk about. Especially since we were supposed to be having a good time.
"I think it's done," I said, stepping back to admire the tree. "It's beautiful."
Shawn wrapped his arms around my waist and laid his head on my shoulder. "So are you."
I giggled, shaking my head. "If you keep flattering me all the time, I'm going to start having an ego as big as yours."
He scoffed. "So I try to be nice, and you just attack me like that. Maybe you won't get your surprise," he teased.
I caved. "No, I want my surprise! I'm sorry."
"I think you owe me more than that."
I turned around in his arms and leaned into him, softly kissing his lips. "Now can I have my surprise?"
"Not yet," he answered. He was just pulling me along at this point. I pouted.
"Don't give me that face. You'll have your surprise soon enough," he told me.
He sat back on the couch. I made myself comfortable in his lap, gazing up at the tree.
"I love Christmas. I don't know what it is," I said.
"Well, it is a hell of a season."
"So," I sat up, turning my attention to him. "What do you want to do?"
"Whatever you want," he offered.
My eyes lit up as I came up with an idea. "We should go caroling!"
"Um, no. I don't sing."
"Come on!" I begged. "You sang your theme song."
"And I sound passable, at best. And that's after whatever magic they do to make it sound good. I am terrible," he argued.
"It doesn't matter. You don't have to be good, it's for fun. If it makes you feel any better, I can't carry a tune if my life depended on it."
"You're lying to make me feel better, but thank you," he replied.
I pushed against his chest. "I am not! I can't sing either."
He would not give in, no matter how much I argued. Finally I just gave up.
"Okay, no caroling. What do you want to do?"
"How about we go for a walk?" he asked. I could see that charming smile of his forming, meaning there was some sort of significance behind this walk. What kind of significance, I couldn't tell.
"A walk? It's late." It was evening, nearly dinner time. It was pitch black outside.
"Are you afraid of the dark?" he teased.
"No."
"Then what's the problem? I'll keep you warm. Let's go get some fresh air." He didn't seem to be giving up.
I gasped, thinking I had it figured out. "Are we going to walk to my surprise?"
"Hmm. Perhaps." A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.
I leaped up from his lap. "Then what are we waiting for? Get your coat!" I urged, attempting to pull him up.
He laughed at my excitement as he stood up. I grabbed his jacket as well as my own, slipping mine on. He took his as we walked out into the chilly night air.
I shivered and leaned into him as we walked, taking him up on his offer to keep me warm. It wasn't as cold as it would get back home, but I had always been a cold person regardless. And maybe I'd just wanted to snuggle up to Shawn.
I had already asked: there was pretty much no chance of snow in Texas. The thought made me kind of sad. A white Christmas was something I had always been used to.
As my mind wandered, I was not-so-happily reminded of the previous Christmas.
I had just come home for the holidays. I was over the moon to see Steph and Shane, pleased to see my mother, and lukewarm to see Dad, of course.
Everything started out fine. We celebrated, and everyone had a good time. The problems came at dinner.
"How are your classes?" Dad suddenly asked, causing all conversation to turn to me.
I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat. I knew the news would not go over well. But It had to be done. I cleared my throat and declared, "I've decided to drop out of college."
The air was sucked out of the room at that moment. I watched in slow motion as my mother's wine glass toppled out of her hand and clattered to the floor, shattering in a million pieces and spilling scarlet liquid everywhere. My father's face grew so red, I thought he was going to have a heart attack.
"Surprise?" I tried to lighten the mood. Needless to say, it didn't work.
That day wasn't exactly happy, but it was one I would always remember.
I shook off the bad memories. This Christmas with Shawn was going to be nothing like that. We were going to be happy, and have a good time.
I noticed we passed the street leading to town. I had almost gotten the geography of where we lived down. Of course, it would help if we were home more often, but it was what it was.
"Shawn, where are we going?" I asked. I don't know why I felt the need to whisper; we were the only ones out. The night air just carried this haunting feeling I couldn't shake.
"There's this place I want to show you. It's not that way," he answered.
We admired all the decorated houses and twinkling lights as we went. I was always particularly amazing by the rainbow-colored strings of lights.
Suddenly, we stopped. Shawn pulled me into place beside him, whereas I would have kept walking.
"This is it?"
"Yep." He saw my puzzled face and spun me around. "Well, you have to look this way."
I was amazed. You could see practically the whole town, with all the Christmas lights glowing bright. I wasn't sure, but I thought that house way back there might've been ours.
"It's gorgeous." I turned around to talk to Shawn about it, but found him kneeling on the ground. In his hands he held a box, and though I could barely see it in the darkness, there was a ring laying inside.
My breath hitched in my throat. It was like trying to breath through a straw. I covered my mouth with my hands, even though the gesture was pointless. I was speechless.
"Surprise."
For the life of me, I couldn't form any words. It wouldn't have helped me anyway, I didn't have a clue what to say. I mean, I loved Shawn, but marriage? We had been together less than a year, and I had just turned 21 years old.
"Look, I know what you're going to say," he began. "You're going to tell me this is all too soon, and that I should remember what happened last time I gave a girl a ring for Christmas. But, I don't care." He took in a deep breath. "This doesn't mean we have to get married tomorrow, or next week, or hell, even next year. This just means, whenever you decide you're ready to get married, it'll be to me."
Before, I'd said I could never see Shawn and I settled down. I wasn't sure if I could see it now. But I wanted to. More than anything. And I did love him.
"Yes," I breathed. I was as quiet as a mouse.
"What?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed. "Shawn, yes!"
He stood, sweeping me off my feet and swinging me around. Once I was back on the ground, I reached up and brought my lips to his. I would never get tired of that.
He slipped the ring onto my finger.
"It's beautiful."
He chuckled. "You can't even see it, you liar!"
"Yeah, I can't really see it," I admitted. "But I'm sure it's amazing," I assured him
"Kev told me you'd like it."
"Kev was in on this?" I questioned.
"Are you kidding? All the boys were in on this! They're my wingmen."
I rolled my eyes. "I think you're only supposed to have one wingman."
"I needed a whole council on this one," he answered. "Probably the biggest decision of my life."
I knew that it was for me, too, but I pretended to think about it. "I'm pretty sure mine was dropping out of college."
"Yeah, I'm sure it was," Shawn joked. He threatened to tickle me until I said otherwise.
I still refused, up until the moment he actually began to tickle my sides, when I gave in. "Fine, fine! Maybe this was the biggest decision I've ever made." I entwined one of his hands in mine, turning us both to the view. "I'm glad I made it."
Maybe it wouldn't happen tomorrow, or next week, or even next year. But I couldn't think of anyone else I would rather spend my life with.
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-A/N-
OH.MY.GODDDDDDD.
Also, look who's on time this week! That's right, ME, bitches! I am so proud of myself.