"Merry Christmas, baby" Hailee smiled, pressing her lips to Niall's underneath the mistletoe that hung right above the doorway to the kitchen. Foley and I were eating breakfast and I couldn't help but keep my gaze on them instead of my cereal that was slowly getting soggy. I wish I could say I wasn't hurt, but I most definitely was.
"Merry Christmas, petal" Niall breathed out once they pulled away. I immediately darted my attention back to my cereal, hoping they didn't catch my stare.
Hailee spent the night last night so that she would be able to spend Christmas morning here since she would be at her family's after lunch. I don't have a problem with because she's so sweet and so friendly, I just have a problem with their relationship. (To no fault of her own)
"Morning guys! Merry Christmas!" Hailee cheered as she approached the counter.
"Merry Christmas!" Foley and I replied in unison, looking over at each other and giggling.
They joined us at the table and we made friendly conversation. I felt Niall's start from time to time, but I couldn't find it in me to look at him. I could barely handle the pet names between them, and I just had to watch them kiss right in front of me. It sucked, but what could I do? I know I said that I was over it, but it didn't mean that it didn't affect me anymore. I was over being mad at Niall, but most definitely not over the feelings.
Thankfully, breakfast went quick. Foley and I decided to give Niall and Hailee some alone time downstairs and went to the guest bedroom for a bit before going back down to open presents.
On Christmas Eve, Foley and I took a trip to Rodeo Drive for some last minute Christmas shopping. I already had Niall's gift, but we had to get something for Hailee. After much browsing, we decided on a nice shirt for her from the both of us. Foley also picked up some cool socks for Niall, because everyone knows how much Niall loves his socks.
My gift for Niall has honestly been wrapped and ready since a few days after he asked me to spend Christmas with him. I had put a lot of thought into it and was really proud of it, but now I'm too scared that it might seem too much of a 'girlfriend' gift. That wasn't a worry for me before, but now that he actually has a girlfriend, it didn't seem like the best idea.
After a bit, I received a text from Niall telling me to come down for gifts because Hailee was leaving soon. Foley and I grabbed ours and met them downstairs.
"And these are for Foley and Gabi!" Hailee cheered, handing us both neatly wrapped boxes.
"Aw, thank you!" I exclaimed before handing her her present, "And that's for you. From Foley and I"
"You guys are too sweet" She smiled. I really liked Hailee and in all honesty, if nothing had happened between Niall and I, I would think that her and Niall were cute together. But, things did happen between us and a small piece of me can't help but think that Niall and I would be cuter. Unfortunately he doesn't think so, or else it would be the two of us kissing underneath the mistletoe.
Hailee squealed when she saw the top from Free People, hugging both Foley and I as a sign of thanks. We did the same after opening the presents to find a cute beanie with a pom pom at the end for me and a cozy brown scarf for Foley.
She then gave her present to Niall which was a striped navy blue and white t-shirt, which he of course loved.
I secretly thought to myself how my gift was better and more sentimental. That was until Hailee pulled out part two of his present which was wrapped in a cute little box that fit in the palm of his hand. He gave her a curious look, chuckling playfully at the small size, and rattled it, hoping to hear what was inside.
"Enough of that, baby. Open it!" She commanded, letting her excitement get to her. Niall laughed and undid the ribbon, allowing him to open the box. When he did, my heart nearly dropped for what seemed to be the millionth time this trip.
Inside the box laid a metal guitar pick on a key chain that had the pun "You rock my world" engraved onto it.
It killed me knowing that my gift for Niall held the exact same thing.
"Oh my god, petal!" Niall laughed, "This is incredible. I love it"
"Really?" Hailee asked as her eyes lit up.
"Absolutely" He smiled.
"Good" Hailee giggled, kissing him while simultaneously killing me.
Foley gave me a look of sympathy, knowing that I had gotten Niall the same key chain.
When thinking of gifts for Niall, I didn't have the biggest budget but I wanted to get him something sweet and sentimental. So, I went on Etsy and combined two of his favorite things: music and corny humor. I was so proud of the gift, until now.
After Niall gave Hailee her present, a necklace with a teeny tiny music note on it, she had to bid her farewell to us so that she could make it in time to her family's Christmas lunch. I put on a fake smile as I hugged her goodbye.
When Niall returned from walking Hailee out, he grabbed two boxes from under the tree and handed it to us, "Merry Christmas!"
"Dude!" Foley exclaimed with a smile, "We told you not to get us anything! The trip here was more than enough already"
"I couldn't help it!" Niall laughed.
"Well, I got you something too" Foley replied as he handed Niall a festive bag containing his just as festive socks.
Realizing that I couldn't give Niall his present after he just received the same thing from his girlfriend, I lied, "I'm so sorry, Niall. I, uh, left your present at home"
Niall chuckled and shook his head, "No worries, darling. Just you bein' here is enough"
I gave him a soft smile and watched as he opened Foley's present. He broke out into the biggest smile and gave Foley a huge hug as he sorted through the several pairs of wacky socks.
We then opened our presents from Niall. Foley nearly screamed when he unwrapped it to find an Apple Watch. I would be surprised, but y'know, Niall bought me $900 worth of clothes the day after we met so this was fairly normal for him.
I was nervous to open my present, hoping it wan't something too extravagant considering the fact that I couldn't even get him an original present that cost over $20. Niall smiled at me excitedly, waiting for me to see what was inside.
When I finally unwrapped it, I gasped. It was a Nikon D850, also known as one of the best cameras that costs nearly $4000.
"Oh my god, Niall" I looked at him with wide eyes as I held my dream camera in my hands, "I can't believe this"
"Now you can really get started with your photography career" He smiled.
"You're insane" I chuckled as I broke out into a smile and got up, throwing myself into his open arms for a hug. I mumbled into his neck, ""Thank you"
"Of course, petal. Merry Christmas"
NIALL'S POV
Gabi, Foley, and I spent the rest of the day watching Christmas movies, cooking lunch and dinner together, and making sugar cookies and hot chocolate for dessert so that we would have some snacks to eat while playing Monopoly. It was a fun and festive day that I was very happy to spend with them.
It was around 11 at night when we decided to call it quits and head to bed. Just as I entered my room, I noticed that there was a little box sitting on my bed.
Confused, I walked up to it and picked it up, flipping over the tag so I could read it.
Niall,
Merry Christmas!!!
Hope you like what I 'picked' out :P
Xoxo,
Gabi
From Gabi? What? I thought she left my present at home...or at least that's what she said..
I shrugged off the thoughts and undid the ribbon so I could open the box. When I did, my mouth fell open.
Gabi got me the same thing as Hailee.
Oh my gosh, that's why she said she left my gift at home. I couldn't believe it, she must have felt so bad when I opened Hailee's present and gushed about it.
As I held Gabi's present in my hand, I thought about her. Just everything about her. The way she looks after laughing at one of my dumb jokes, pieces of her hair covering her face from throwing her head back in pure joy. The way she makes me feel by simply walking into the room. How I had no problem flying across the country to celebrate her birthday with her. How simply sitting next to her causes my stomach to explode. How even when I'm with Hailee, she's still the number one thing on my mind.
I thought about how I wanted her. God dammit, I thought about how I needed her. I didn't care if she wasn't "famous". I cared that she was Gabi and that's all that mattered to me.
I gripped the keychain tight in my hand and immediately left my bedroom.
I knew what I had to do.
As I made my way to the guest room where Gabi and Foley were staying, I passed by the bathroom where I heard the water running and "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons playing. I had assumed that Foley was in the bathroom because that's his favorite band and I know that Gabi doesn't bring her phone into the bathroom when she showers because she's afraid that the steam will create water damage in her phone.
I stood in front of Gabi's door and hesitated before knocking three times. I knew that if I didn't do this now, I probably wouldn't do it ever.
Gabi answered the door dressed in her old high school sweatshirt and plaid pj shorts. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she looked at me confused.
"Hey Niall" She greeted anyway, "What's up?"
Suddenly, I was at a loss for words. I couldn't figure out what to say. She definitely noticed my lack of talking because she spoke up again.
"Is everything ok--"
I didn't know what to say, but I did know what to do. So, I grabbed Gabi's face and just kissed her. I don't think I was able to get my message across in a better way.
For a split second I was worried that she would shove me away and tell me to piss off, but that quickly dissipated when she immediately kissed back, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me as close to her as possible. I brought my hands down to her back, pulling her into me as our lips worked eagerly together. This is where we belonged and this is exactly where I wanted to be.
After a few more moments, I pulled away and looked at her confused face with her red tainted cheeks. She was utterly taken aback by what just happened.
"What-what was that for?" She choked out, her breathing still heavy.
I looked down into her warm brown eyes and finally figured out what to say,
"I 'pick' you, Gabi"