(Picture of Ally Edison)
• • •
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose."
"Shut up, Andrew." I yell out from my bedroom. The door's left open and his voice is ringing throughout the house. Clearly, it's way too early to be singing Christmas carols at 9AM in the morning.
"Come down and help me or I'll keep singing!" He shouts back.
Cass and Drew had just come back from Florida after spending Christmas Eve with their family. Somehow, the both of them figured out their home is pretty near to each and made plans to fly in and out together. Ally also spent Eve having dinner with her family. Only Zac and Carson stayed with Wayne and I here in the house, watching Christmas movies and playing video games.
We all specifically planned to spend Christmas day itself together and weirdly, they decided it'd be good to start the day this early.
I ignore Drew's request, still lounging on my bed lazily scrolling through my phone. Wayne went out to pick Ally up while Carson picks Cass up from campus dorm.
"All of the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names!"
I groan, annoyed at Drew's attempt of bad singing. He absolutely cannot sing for nuts and add it up with my morning crankiness.
"Shut up!" I yell once again.
I faintly hear Zac's chuckles from downstairs before he joins in. "They never let poor Rudolph, join in any reindeer games."
I head downstairs, just in time for Wayne to arrive home with Ally following behind. After all these time, they're still relatively awkward with each other. Ally sees me descending the stairs and jumps up cheerily, racing to wait for me at the foot of the steps.
"Kelsey!"
"I don't get it. How is everyone so happy on a holiday morning? My day don't start until like 2 o'clock." I grumble, shrugging her hands off me as I head straight towards the couch.
I see Drew standing up on a chair, taping up the garlands I bought previously. That was supposed to be my job but my short-ass decided I can't reach the ceiling no matter how I try. I then left the bags of decorations in the middle of the living room floor so that someone else will do the work. How smart of me.
"How did you like my singing?" Drew says in a sing-song voice, mocking me.
"Yeah, my ear drums needed immediate medical attention. Thank you for your concern."
"Someone's snappy today." Wayne comments, dropping his keys into the dish bowl before checking out the food on the dining table.
Zac abruptly appears from behind me, shoving a cup of hot chocolate in my hands. "Drink this, princess. Your attitude can kill." He chuckles, sneaking a kiss on the top of my head when no one's watching.
Short while later, Carson finally comes back with Cass. They hold hands shamelessly and even swings it high as they walk through the door.
"I get it. You two are happy lovebirds. Tone it down." I narrow my eyes at them. I'd bet people must be thinking I'm probably on my period.
"Wow?" They say in unison before untangling their intertwined fingers.
"Someone pooped in your cereal, Owens?"
"How?" I shoot back. "How on earth are you so awake right now when you were the one who refused to put down the damn phone until 4AM?"
"Ohhhh," Cass trails off knowingly. "It's the lack of sleep acting." She pats my head. "To be fair, I was ten minutes late when Carson reached the dorm. Man, I need one of those hot choco you have." She stands up and heads to the kitchen instead.
In the end, they couldn't say no to me when I go back to my room for a nap. I needed it badly before I lash out at absolutely nothing again.
———
When I wake up, it's already noon and I've slept for a good three hours. As soon as I open my bedroom door, everyone looks up at me from downstairs—through the railings, and Cass sarcastically throws her hands up in the air yelling 'she lives!'
The tree has been fully decorated and presents are placed neatly under it by now. Cass, Ally, Carson and Drew are playing UNO while Wayne and Zac plays their PlayStation game on TV.
"Tell me there's food. There's food, right?"
"Of course." Zac answers me. "We've been waiting for you to wake up for lunch, princess."
"Call me princess one more time and I'll go back to bed."
They quickly finish up their games and join me at the dining table where I've already stolen a nugget or two. We have a roast turkey, pizza, wings, fries, nuggets and basically a whole table of unhealthy food.
I'm seated in between Ally and Zac on the bench. His hand comes to grab my thigh and lifts it up to place it over his own. I feel Ally nudge me in rib as she can clearly see what's going on under the table. I grab a slice of pizza and shoves it on her plate in exchange for her silence.
Drew has a turkey leg in one hand and a chicken drumstick in the other. He simultaneously eats both, gobbling them like he hasn't eaten in years.
"Jeez. This isn't the hunger games." I mock him, throwing a single fry in his direction where he sits across me.
"Don't you dare waste food like that, young woman." He says with his mouthful, throwing a nugget back at me regardless.
"That's a nugget!" I gasp dramatically.
"Hey hey hey, stop that." Wayne orders us like the bossy person he is. "Absolutely no throwing food at this table."
Despite that, Drew goes ahead and pick a single pepperoni that's on a pizza slice and somehow flicks it onto Wayne's face. It hits him right on the nose and slides down; his aquamarine eyes darken with a hint of mischief.
"Goal!" Drew cheers for himself, raising both animal legs up in the air like a pompom.
"You started this war, Andrew Miller." My brother smirks, shooting us a quick glance. "Fire!" All of us pick up something and dumps it in Drew's direction.
At the end of the food fight, everyone falls back into their seats and laughs about it despite the mess we've created. Drew has to go take a shower since he's the most dirty of us all while the rest of us try to clean up a little before changing into clean set of clothes.
"Gift time! Gift time!" Drew yells childishly, going to the tree and shaking every box under it—trying to hear what's in them.
We all then gather around on the floor in a circle with the present we bought in hands. Each of us numbered our wrapped presents from 1 to 7 and placed numbers in a glass bowl. Everyone will then take turns to pick a number from the bowl, then in turn take the present with the specific number on.
We did a quick game of 'scissors, paper, stone' in order to determine who gets to pick first and last. Ally is the winner.
"Five," she announces her number, then goes to search for the box with number five. It's a small, squarish box wrapped in reindeers. We all agree to wait for everyone to finish picking first before we unwrap the gifts.
"Two."
"Six."
"One." My heart picks up. My present was tagged number one.
"Four."
"Three."
"And that leaves me with seven." I say, looking nervously at my brother who's gotten my number one box.
"Open!" Cass says excitedly, tearing the wrapping paper up mercilessly.
I slowly tear open mine carefully. It's a medium-sized rectanguler box but it's incredibly light, making me wonder if there's even anything in there at all. Who knows, one of us can be that lame to gift an empty box. However, it turns out, the box contains just a pair of socks that reads 'Do not disturb, I'm gaming' on its soles. I chuckle, knowing this is most likely Carson's gift. That boy can never steer away from anything video game related.
At the same time, Wayne is also opening up what's supposed to be my gift—but clearly, he doesn't knows it yet. The priceless look when he opens up the box and stares wordlessly into it made me burst out laughing.
"Kel!" He looks at me incredously. "Is this your stupid idea?" He holds up the handcuffs with his pinky finger.
Everybody laughs at it, snatching it from him to feel the furry material while he experiments with the leather whip.
"Hey. You never know. You might find it handy." I wiggle my brows suggestively at him.
In the end, everyone finds something to laugh about their gift. Cass got a $50 gift card to a sex shop, Ally got a pair of shark slippers, Zac got a mug that reads 'Shuh Duh Fuc Cup', Drew got a cute apron printed with Santa Claus while Carson got a tin of chocolate wafers.
I proceed to retrieve the individual presents I bought for each of them nervously, fearing that they might not like it as much as I expect them to.
I hand Ally and Cass their jewelry first. Both of them gets the earrings from me.
"I knew it! You wouldn't make me choose for nothing." Cass smiles at me, inspecting the hoops she chose herself.
Ally, too, seems to like the pair of doves I picked for her. "It's gorgeous, Kelsey. Shit, I'm so sorry. I didn't prepare anything." She sounds genuinely guilty.
"It's okay. I didn't buy these for you just to get something back. I bought them because I wanted to." I assure her.
Next, I hand both Drew and Carson their gifts. It's the lighter and underwear respectively.
"Calvin Kleins?" Carson raises a brow. "Have you been snooping into my closet or what? How else would you know my boxers have holes in them?" He laughs.
"I'm glad you find it useful."
"Damn! This is dope!" Drew opens up his and plays with the red Supreme lighter. Out of everyone, I knew he'd be the one who'd appreciate the gift most. And it makes me happy to make someone who's always us happy, happy.
"Holy," Carson snatches it from Drew's hands to inspect it. "I've seen this online! It costs $100!" His jaw drops.
"What? $100?" Drew stares at me too. "Are you crazy, babe?"
I grin from across him. "But you like it?"
"Of course I do! I've always wanted a cool lighter like yours!"
"Well, you have a cooler one now! Mine barely costs half as much as yours."
"Man. I don't even know what to say. You're the sweetest, Kelsey."
I see my brother looking at me with a faint smile. He's happy. Drew has always been his closest friend and the fact that I treated him good probably makes him proud. I then go to last two boxes and pick up the lighter one, handing it to him.
"I have one too?" Wayne seems surprised. He should've known by now he's grown on me.
I nod and sit back in my seat, watching as he tear open the wrapper carefully. As soon as he sees the MCM box, he can no longer fight the huge grin on his face. His eyes flickers between me and the wallet, before he silently whips out his own wallet from his pants pocket and remove the cash and cards from his old one into the new one I got him.
I smile at that, knowing he isn't good at thanking people and this is his way of telling me he likes the gift.
Last but not least, there's Zac's present left and I struggle to decide whether to give it to him in the presence of everyone or in private. His present is the most expensive of all. But when I look at his wrist and sees the Rolex he's already wearing, I begin to feel like it was a bad idea to get him a watch that barely competes with the one he's wearing.
He's not going to like it.
"Is that for me?" He looks at me hopefully with the last box I'm holding.
I reach out my hands only to retract them again, sighing. "I don't think you'll want it. Never mind. I'll get you something else."
He reaches into the back pocket of his jeans and whips out a very distinguished blue box.
Cass gasps. "Tiffany & Co!"
"I bought you something too." Zac smiles charmingly, placing the box in my lap.
I haven't for a moment imagined that I'll be getting something and that was all it takes for my eyes to water. Dammit. Why am I even tearing up for?
With shaky hands, I pull open the white ribbon and open up the box to reveal a beautiful charm bracelet that he must have customized for me. I stare at it wordlessly, feeling a single drop of tear roll down my cheeks.
It wasn't a long time ago when Cass managed to convince me to ditch the hairties on my wrist. I've went from ten, to eight, to five, and now I have only two left that was meant to be used when I needed to tie my hair.
On days when I don't wear long sleeves, I have a couple of random bracelets that Cass shopped with me for which I use to cover up those scars I've always been ashamed of. Needless to say, Zac has seen me naked countless of times and he always knew I've been insecure about it.
Maybe that's why I can't help but find this gift immensely thoughtful. And expensive.
"Baby..." I whisper softly so that only he hears it from next to me.
"Shhhh. I'll wear it for you." He rolls up the sleeve of my pullover and puts on the bracelet on my wrist. His thumb gently caresses the sensitive spot of those scars. "Perfect. It's perfect on you."
"But, this is so expensive." I finally look up at him to meet his eyes. This must've costs more than a thousand.
Zac shakes his head at me. "Don't argue with me about that. Now, can I have my gift?" He points at the present still in my lap.
"I... okay."
I observe him as he opens it carefully too until it shows the Emporio Armani watch. Oh, no. He's gonna wonder why I even bother buying him something so cheap.
"I like it." He smiles at me, leaning over to peck me on the lips. I remain frozen and wide-eyed, momentarily recalling everybody is still seated in a circle around us.
"Oh, god. Don't do that again." I hear my brother groan.
"You-you do?" I respond to Zac.
"Of course I do. Were you afraid I wouldn't like it?" He tilts his head.
"I-I mean... you already..."
He simply smiles at me before removing the Rolex on his wrist. We all watch as he puts on the Armani I bought him and I can't help but feel my chest warm up again.
"I like it, I really do. I don't care about the value, baby. It's you that chose and bought me this that matters." He pulls me in with one hand and wraps around my shoulder. "Sorry, bro. I can't do this anymore." He chuckles.
Wayne rolls his eyes.
"What?" I ask.
"Your brother. He made me promise never to kiss you or do couple-y things in front of him. But you know what? I don't care anymore. I want to kiss you in front of everyone."
With that, he smashes his lips against mine once more and this time, all I feel is bliss.
• • •
A/N: If you think this is happily ever after, this is not. We have a hell of a rollercoaster ride ahead.
On a side note, thank you for the reads and votes! I'm always open to receive fan designed book covers. If you'll like to submit one, feel free to send me a message through my inbox :)