I smiled at myself as I gazed at the purple dress that fit my shape perfectly. Westly really did have good taste in dresses. Maybe he would be useful for the future.
Did I really just say that?
I grabbed some brown sandals from my closet and then a jean jacket. I knew all too well that I was probably gonna freeze to death. I mean, I live in New York City, and it’s Christmas. Do you not think it would be cold? Apparently, however my brain works just tells me to tough it out.
Maybe Westly would keep me warm.
Okay, I’m officially going crazy.
I grabbed my bag, of which happened to match my shoes, off of my bed and walked out the bedroom door. I fixed some more hot chocolate and put it into a cute little thermos that I had for coffee. I didn’t drink coffee too much, because I drink stuff like Red Bull and Monster, but I would drink it sometimes around Daphne to keep me awake.
I walked out the front door and locked it and turned around to find Westly standing in front of me. His hair wasn’t as messy and he had on regular jeans and a light green button-down shirt.
I formed a smile on my lips. “You look nice,” I said to him. He did. It was quite impressive. I liked it but, I was starting to like him the way he was regularly.
“And as do you, Lanea.” He examined the dress on me. “Aren’t you gonna be cold?”
“I’m already cold, actually,” I informed him, trying not to think about it.
“Then go put on something else!”
“We don’t have time, Wes. And I don’t think my legs will freeze off. We’ll be in my car on the ride there, and then-“
“Your car?”
I looked up to meet Westly’s blue eyes and I nodded in a confused way. “Do you want to take yours?” I asked, pointing down the stairs.
He shrugged. “I really don’t care. I was just saying that.” He smirked at me.
I sighed in frustration and I walked down the stairs with him following behind me and my flowing dress. Walking out to the streets, people rushed past but I got to the street and looked up and down it.
“What are you doing?” Westly asked as he walked up behind me.
“Since, truly, I don’t want to drive out of the city. I want to take a taxi,” I said with a smile, and then stepped out a little further onto the ice covered street.
“Taxi!”
The yellow cab slowed to a stop and I motioned for Westly to follow me into the cab, and he did as he was told. We both sat down in the seats and I rubbed my arms through the jean jacket I had on. I was still freezing.
“Where to?” The cab driver’s voice startled me and I looked up at him. I forced a friendly smile on my lips and grabbed the address of the little restaurant that Kirk(or really Daphne) had picked out and that we were going to eat at. Honestly, I didn’t really know that many places were open on Christmas, and that taxis ran past six, but I guess we were lucky. I gave the paper with the address on it and handed it to the cab driver.
“Think you can get us there?” I asked.
The driver looked at the address then back up at me. I had on less make-up that usual and Westly thought I looked better that way. “Fine, but I better get a good tip for this!” the driver said, holding the paper up in the air and then setting it down somewhere that I couldn’t see.
I smiled wider. “Thank you, sir.”
Westly looked at the man in an odd way, like he was scared of him or something, and I looked at him. “What? Never been in a taxi before?” I asked with a slight smirk.
“I have, but I don’t get in them a lot.” The taxi began to move, and we were on our way. “And honestly, I don’t want to remember the reason why.”
~~~~~~
I paid the taxi driver, we got out of the taxi, and it drove away. I watched the trail of hot… whatever it was come out of the tail pipe as it drove away.
We looked around to find the restaurant we were supposed to meet Kirk and Daphne at. “Please tell me we aren’t lost again. I’ve already been lost enough with you,” I remarked quietly.
“You know you had a good day that day, Lanea. Don’t complain that I’m awesome.”
I rolled my eyes and I started walking down the sidewalk toward a nice little place that I could see out of the corner of my eye. Westly followed close behind me, and I noticed another couple coming to meet us in coats. When Kirk looked up, our eyes meet and I smiled at him.
“Hey,” I said to him as we met and I got up on my tiptoes to wrap my arms around his neck to hug him. It was a friendly, short hug. No biggie deal for Daphne or Westly to worry about.
I released him and looked back at Westly when I took my place beside him. “Sorry about not informing you about Wes coming along.”
“It’s fine, Lanea. It’s nice to have a date on Christmas,” Daphne said, her red lips forming a Barbie doll-looking smile.
I smiled back and nodded, but my smile was almost as fake as hers, but mine was a light pink, or maybe I had only put on chapstick. My lips were naturally pink.
Kirk opened the door for Daphne and I and Westly walked in last after Kirk. The little restaurant was quiet, and few people sat in any seat anywhere. At least there wouldn’t be a wait.
Kirk gave the information for the reservations and we were showed to a booth. I sat on the same side as Westly like a sane person would, and Daphne beside her fiancée.
After ordering something to eat and then wine, I felt honestly awkward. But it was easy to tell that Westly didn’t.
“So what have you two done all today?” Westly said in a calm voice.
Daphne looked up from the table and her blue eyes met his own. She smiled again. “We opened presents, ate my Christmas cooking, stuff like that.”
Westly and I both gave Kirk a look, and when Daphne said Christmas cooking, he nearly wanted to barf. Westly and I held in our want to laugh and then I started to think for a moment. Three goofy people and one who was a bit too proper in a nice restaurant. How was this gonna work out?
“What about you?” Daphne directed her question toward me, which wiped the smirk off of my face immediately.
“Exchanged presents. Actually, Westly got me this dress,” I said looking down at the purple dress that looked quite nice on me.
Daphne told me to stand up and I did so she could examine my dress. It fit me perfectly, but I found it a bit strange that he knew the size dresses I wore. She smiled in approval. “Great pick, Westly.”
I watched Westly and Kirk exchange stupid grin and I rolled my eyes before I sat back down.
I was glad that conversation was maintained until the food got there, because I honestly didn’t want to talk much. My headaches never helped. And my headache was the woman sitting across the table from me.
We at our food, and sipped on wine, and talked, and talked, and talked. We went through about two and a half bottles of wine before Kirk asked for the check and paid.
I gave Daphne an awkward but girly goodbye hug while Kirk and Westly shook hands, both smiling at each other.
Kirk leaned into the tall, dark headed boy and whispered something in his ear that made Westly nod.
The goodbye was short and sweet and then we were on our separate ways.
I looked up and down the streets again for a yellow taxi to drive by and it felt like the city was deserted where we were. Westly walked up behind me. “I’m thinking that we have to walk until we find one, sweetheart,” he said to me.
I sighed and he helped me back up onto the sidewalk again, and we started walking. We knew where we were, but we just wanted to go home and sleep. But truly, our Christmas hadn’t been that busy.
We walked quietly in the cold. Westly’s hands were shoved down his pockets and I was holding my jacket closed, nearly freezing to death.
“I told you you should have changed clothes,” Westly remarked.
I looked at him. “Be grateful that I’m actually wearing your dress.”
“Do you not like it?” Westly said, turning his head to look back at me. He almost looked offended.
“No, I do, I mean…” I just stopped talking before Westly and I could start an argument, and he would leave me in the cold left to wander and find my own way home.
But, really, something inside me told me that he wouldn’t just leave me behind like that.
“Thanks for that dock thing. Honestly, the shop gets boring really easy and no one plays the radio. It’s kinda dumb if you ask me.”
“Do the guys there like your music?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Probably. I’ll find out soon though,” He responded.
I nodded. “You’re welcome.”
“And I never gave you all of your present, Lanea.”
“There’s more than just this dress?” I looked down at myself and the dress, then back up at his ice blue eyes. His eyes reminded me of the snow.
“Yeah, but it’s at my apartment.”
My smile faded and I hit him in the shoulder. “You got me all excited over nothing!” I said, and he laughed.
“It’s something, not nothing. You just aren’t getting it right now.” He smiled as we continued to walk, and he shifted so his leather jacket was more closed so he wouldn’t be as cold.
He looked over at me, and I was pulling my jacket closed once more. And before I knew it, his jacket was draped around my shoulders. I almost wanted to take it off and give it back to him but it was too warming for me to just let it go. And soon after that, a taxi passed by, and Westly started running.
~~~~~~
We paid yet another cab driver when we got back to our apartment and made note to ourselves not to take long trips across town in cabs.
I walked up the stairs with him and stood near him as he started to unlock his front door. He looked at me and smirked. “What?” he asked.
“ The other part of my present,” I said to him.
He grinned at me. “You remembered? Gosh, you sound like I did this morning.”
I rolled my eyes at him, and then he opened up the door. He let me into the room and his apartment was a lot neater than it was the last time he had invited me to hang out.
“Do you have maid or something to clean up after you?” I asked him, smiling.
He set his keys down on the breakfast bar he had. “No. I do live on my own you know. I can clean up after myself, and I can cook too.”
I smiled. “You mean you can dial a phone and order pizza.”
Westly looked at me. “Want me to prove it too you?” he asked me.
I shook my head at him. “I’d rather not eat your cooking,” I said to him.
Westly faked a gasp and I giggled at him. Then he disappeared down the hallway of his that he had, and then came back with something behind his back.
“What’s that?” I said curiously, playing along with him.
“Your present.” He revealed a small box and handed it to me. “Merry Christmas.”
I opened up the box to find a small star on a chain. It was a shining new necklace.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m not really romantic or anything and I thought it would be awkward if I gave you a heart and so…” he trailed off and I kissed his cheek.
“I love it. Thank you, Wes,” I said to him.
Westly smiled back at me courageously. “You missed.”
And then he kissed me.
A/N:
Sorry about the long awaited update. I'm kinda grounded from the computer, plus i'm really lazy.
The outift Lanea wears in this chapter is in the external link!
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I'm sorry if you didn't enjoy the chapter.. but please vote and comment and stuff anyway!!! :)
~Chey