Three of us, with our equally large appetites, devour the large box of pizza. A good outcome because my mother would freak out about me wasting money on food when there's still food in the house. Nonetheless, the pizza dinner was successful.
After eating, we sit in the family room, watching some T.V.. I sit on the couch directly in front of the television, while Eliza drags James beside her on the other couch. Ignoring the two, I resume my episode of Full House, but upon a few minutes of the episode, Eliza starts talking. If you didn't think that was disrespectful, her words overlap whatever Uncle Jesse was saying.
"-so the game starts at 7, so do you wanna pick me up at 5:30?" Eliza starts saying to James. Meanwhile, Uncle Jesse and Joey are probably saying something quite comedic and I am unable to hear it.
"Sure, that'll give us a bit of time to get there and get in." he replies.
"I'm so excited. What are the odds of me winning that radio contest?"
"You're a lucky person I guess."
"You're a lucky person, I guess." I mumble to myself, mocking his tone of voice. Still, he doesn't seem to notice me.
They begin to do more "hockey talk" which honestly annoys the hell out of me. First of all, Eliza's there like a bloodsucking leech. How close does she have to position herself beside someone else's boyfriend. It's insane! Any closer and they might accidentally kiss.
Let me vomit a little in my mouth.
Whatever they're saying goes over my head entirely because I'm too busy steaming from watching them together. The way they're acting right now reminds me of how they acted when they were thirteen.
"So, guys," I interrupt, "What are your plans for Christmas?" I attempt to change the subject, but I feel like I've just increased the awkward level in the room.
"Well..." Eliza begins, and my mind tries to think of the best possible outcome.
Oh Lara, I'm going to be moving out on Christmas Eve, so you get the whole room back to yourself! Also, we're going to be moving back to the Philippines and we'll never ever come back. From then on, I'll only be able to annoy you on Skype. Better yet, I'll stop leeching on your boyfriend!
I smile at the thought.
"Lara?" Eliza calls, dragging me out of the best day dreams I've had in days.
"Huh? What were you saying?"
"Well, we're obviously spending Christmas together, silly. But, the family should do something fun. How about your folks, James?" she turns to ask him. At the same time, she twirls a piece of her long hair around her finger. How is it that whenever she starts talking to me, she finishes with James.
I don't get her.
"Well, our families usually spend Christmas together." he says, looking at me. He turns back to Eliza, "We usually do the same thing every year. We have dinner at Lara's house, she gets a good present from my mother and a fun one from me."
This is the point where he shoots me a smirk and I shoot him a glare.
"What makes you think that fake cockroaches are fun?" I tell him in a monotone voice.
"It's fun for me to see the look on your face." he replies, clearly amused by the past memory.
When I don't reply, he immediately backtracks, "But I will get you an actual good present this year, I promise. No more cockroaches, worms, or empty boxes."
"What a great boyfriend." I answer sarcastically.
He grins, "You know it, Sweetheart."
"I think we should shake things up this Christmas." Eliza pipes up. Is it just me or are all of her ideas just plain bad?
"How?" James asks, prodding the bear to demonstrate her attack.
"We should do something fun. I know! Let's go skating in the afternoon!" she suggests excitedly.
"I don't know-" I start, but James interrupts me.
"That's a great idea! Sounds fun, right Lara?"
"Super." I agree unenthusiastically. It's obvious that nobody actually cares about my opinion, so I keep the fact that I don't even know how to skate, to myself.
They continue to exchange ideas, while I sit there like I'm invisible, mindlessly staring at the television. I look back and forth at them. I scoff at the sight and try to focus on my T.V. show but the little green-eyed monster within me leaves me restless. Abruptly, I turn off the T.V. and leave the room to let myself give off steam.
I head into the kitchen and sit down at the table by myself. Perfect, I think, I'm the third wheel in my own relationship, and in my own house. I'm starting to think that being left out is really part of my destiny...
James leaves the house at about 7 o'clock and I see him off at the door. The snow outside is falling softly, contrast to our particularly wild array of blizzards within the week. Through the door opening, I see the glimmer of the street lights, lighting up the dark evening.
"Goodnight De la Cruz." James says.
"Goodnight." I reply, and he turns around, with me slowly shutting the door.
"Wait-" he starts, turning back to face me.
"Yeah?"
"I know you've been real busy lately and the real reason I came over was to spend a little more time with you. You've been cramming like crazy and I always have practice after school. I feel like I only get to see you during the mornings or when you're not studying during lunch."
"It's okay. We went to the mall the other day...we just didn't really spend a lot of time together." I reply, trying to mask some of the disappointment in my voice with a half-smile.
"Yeah, I was with Eliza." he recounts.
"Yeah."
"Are you-" he starts but I interrupt him.
"Don't worry about me. I trust you and I know you would never do anything intentionally to hurt me."
"I'd never want to hurt you again."
I believe him, I really do. But everyone never wants to hurt others, it jusy happens.
"Okay. Goodnight James." I repeat, attempting to close the door another time but he pushes it back open.
"I forgot something."
"What is it? I'll get it for you."
"I meant I forgot to do something." With Eliza upstairs and the two of us alone at the door, he grabs my waist with both of his hands and pulls me towards him. Sweeping strands of my hair from my face, he leans over and places his lips on mine.
His kiss doesn't falter, even for a second.
And for a few moments, we are alone again, and things feel like the way they should be. I kiss him back, unwilling to let go of him just yet, not ready to step back into reality. I know that when this is over, I might break down again.
When I finally break the kiss, he keeps me close. With his arms wrapped around me, I find myself breathless against his chest. And so we stand, both of us silent, breathless as though the air has suddenly got thin. The only sound I hear is the rhythmic beating of his heart.
"James?" I finally break the silence.
"Yeah?"
"Why did you-" I start, but he cuts me off.
"I thought that it's been a while since I kissed you like that." he answers, not needing to hear the full question. (Well, that's what I was going to ask anyways). When I don't respond to that he adds, "Lara, please don't be mad at me."
"I'm not angry at you. Plus, if I was, a measly kiss wouldn't solve the problem. I guess I was just a bit...a bit..." I start, but I can't possibly say the next word.
"A bit?"
"Please don't make me say it." I whine, slapping him on the arm. I can tell by his amused grin that he already knows what I meant to say.
"I really do not know what you're talking about, Sweetheart." he replies, almost laughing.
I roll my eyes. The nerve of this guy! I breathe in deeply. Okay, I'm just going to say it. It's just a word.
"Fine. I was jealous. I was jealous of you and Eliza." I finally get the words to come out. It feels like a weight coming off of my chest.
"Jealous? Of what? We're just friends." he almost laughs, making me feel a bit concerned.
I huff. "You're just friends, now. It doesn't change the fact that you guys were together before." I explain.
This time, he actually does laugh. "We were thirteen! What we had was a mere infatuation. It's barely significant, to be honest."
Barely significant my ass, I think in my head.
From what I recall, the James and Eliza days were filled with swooning, non-stop talking about her, non-stop dates with her, and non-stop third wheeling (well, in my shoes that is).
"Well that's not what Eliza thinks." I mutter.
"Since when do you care what she thinks?" he asks.
"I don't."
"Good because you're mine and nobody could ever change that." he tells me, putting both his hands on my shoulders and giving me an assuring gaze.
I finally smile, letting go of any anxiety that I held for Eliza and James. Although I trusted him from the start, it feels good to have some kind of reassurance.
"Sweetheart, if you don't want me to go with Eliza on Friday, just say the word and I'm out." he says.
Knowing that he doesn't have eyes for anybody else, the thought of him going to that game doesn't make me feel anything. I don't feel worried that Eliza's going to snatch him away anymore. If she tried, she surely wouldn't succeed.
Now it's my turn to put a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for the offer, it means a lot to me. But you go and have fun! You love watching people almost die on ice, so you have to go."
"Really?" he questions, almost surprised.
"Yes, really." I confirm, this time actually being okay with it.
He gives me one of those undeniably cute grins and pulls me in for a hug. "Thanks. Well, I guess I should be on my way then?"
Letting go, I give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."
***
Friday arrives with a tumbling series of school events. Among various Christmas festivities are mountain loads of holiday school work. For the holiday season which is supposed to be about friends and family, it's quite ironic that I've barely had time to greet any of the people around me.
If anything, I'm even crankier during the holiday season.
However, the challenges seem to come to an end in the afternoon (well, except for the Functions exam review that Ms. K seemed so excited to give out). At least she gave candy canes along with them.
I get home at about 3:30 with Eliza, after stopping by at Starbucks for her afternoon coffee run. I myself, ended up getting a super overpriced peppermint latté under her influence. I also ended up enjoying it way too much.
I also passed by a shop for James' Christmas present, but Eliza was too busy to notice me doing anything.
As we enter the house, the family is crazy once again. Several other cousins are over, and 25% of the children are crying and throwing tantrums. At least Maya is sitting peacefully at the table with a picture book in her hands.
"Ninang Kath! Ninang Kath!" I call out. If Maya is reading here, and Maggie is wailing, Ninang must be somewhere in the house.
"Ara, I'm in the kitchen!" she shouts back.
Eliza and I walk over to the kitchen, where I see my wonderful multi-tasking Godmother, whipping up something strange on the stovetop. Meanwhile, she's also going, "Yes...50 of them...yes..." on her cellphone.
From the look on Eliza's face, she seems to be questioning this entire situation. Unfamiliar with my Godmother's tendency to randomly come into our house and cook stuff, she's probably in shock.
"It's almost Christmas, so she's doing Christmas baking." I explain.
Her mouth forms an "O" shape and she nods. "Anyways, I'm just gonna get ready for the hockey game." she says, before heading upstairs.
Ninang Kath ends her call and I go up beside her to examine the bowl of brown goop in the pot.
"Chocolate." she states immediately, before I have a chance to mention anything else.
"So what was the call about?" I ask curiously, taking a seat on the countertop.
"I'm ordering Christmas macarons." she replies and my eyes immediately light up. 1 word, macarons. French macarons are probably my most favourite expensive dessert. Although they can range from two bucks to anything higher, I can't help myself to just one.
So when I get to eat them and not pay...that's my kind of holiday.
"Have I told you that you're the best Godmother?"
"You don't need to, I already know." she says with a sassy hairlip. "Do you mind watching the girls while I bake?"
"I'm all on it."
I pick up a crying Maggie from her position in her high chair and miraculously, she cries even louder. Well, what can you do about that?
A lot of minutes later, Maggie finally stops crying and finds herself asleep in my arms. Maya on the other hand, switches from trying to self-interpret her picture book, to making me read it to her. To make things even better, she has a whole stack of picture books that she wants me to read and act out.
Suddenly, Eliza rushes back downstairs and our jaws drop in shock.
ANOTHER UPDATE? WHO IS SHE?
Hey Guys, currently writing from yet another airplane. With my lack of updates, it seems like only a few chapters ago, I was also on vacation. Well, I'm on my way back to the Dominican Republic and there's some annoying kid behind me who keeps kicking my seat.
Gugh. What luck.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter and stay tuned to what shock Eliza has put-upon the people. Also, I just want you guys to know that I'm also working on a prequel for this novel (I just do it when I have writer's block for this) and I'll be dropping some stuff when I finish this up.
Anyways, I'll leave y'all with another fact about my eternal singleness. So, I'm gonna be a Godmother and of course the Godfather whom my cousin picked for her child is not from this country. Basically I've upgraded and will be the only single Godparent, without a partner, during the baptism...
Wonderful.
Ciao my friends! Summer :)