Mary POV
I sigh, ignoring my phone ringing for the sixth time since I got off of the plane. I stare out the window of the uber car, watching the weird trail towards the house pass. I see the house getting closer and speak up, "There! Thank you so much!" I smile warmly at his as I get out, him nodding back in return.
I take a deep breath as I pull my suitcase out with me, and fix the jacket from before the plane where it's still hanging on my arm, pulling the case toward the house. I stop, staring up at it.
What am I doing? Why am I here? Why did I think this was a good idea?
I turn away, shaking my head. I shouldn't do this.
"Mary?" I freeze. I don't move, no matter how much every bit of my body and soul want too. "Mar." I look down, trying to fight the tears that threaten to spill finally, for the first time today somehow, at the pure joy hearing his voice brings me. "Mar, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't com... it doesn't matter, baby, look at me," I slowly turn around, and realize that he's right there. I see the grin in his face a a tear finally falls as his large hand teacher for my cheek.
"Hi," My voice cracks, a small smile forming in my face like his.
"Hi," He smiles, before picking me up and spinning me around, making me giggle and shriek loudly.
"Tayler! Put me down! I'm wearing a dress!" I laugh.
"Okay, okay, I will! Calm down!" He grins, leaning down and pressing a kiss to my lips. I close my eyes as they connect, but only let it last a few seconds. He sighs, looking into my eyes as if he can see the internal dispute I'm still having, "I thought you couldn't stay here for Christmas this year Mar, hell- heck sorry, your bag is sitting there. You told me you got on the plane safely yesterday! Did you lie?!" I just look down, feeling more tears fall again. "Hey, hey, no I'm sorry. I shouldn't have approached it like that. I'm just... did something happen? Are you okay?" I sigh taking one of my hands out of his and wiping my eyes.
"I was sitting in the middle of the service, exactly like I do every year. But since I moved here last January, Tay, I've changed. I'm not that... I'm not that girl anymore that day in church, their perfect catholic daughter! But Uve changed so much! And I kept thinking, they want her. They don't want me. Not who I am. I-I live in LA, I'm dating you, my best friend is Bryce Hall for.... for God's Sake. If they knew me, who I am now, they would never want me. Tayler, I couldn't stay there, I was... I was an im-imposter!" My voice begins to crack and I fall into his chest, feeling the tears flow.
"Hey, hey, none of that, okay," he pulls me away from his chest taking one of his hands up to my face, wiping the tears that are falling away from my face, despite how quickly they are replaced. "You, you, Mary, are perfect. Everyone changes, and you're nineteen. Okay? And I know your family, church, everything there, is your home and it means a lot to you but, we're your family too. You have us. And we're okay with whoever you want to be okay?" I smile, my eyes still watery, up at him, hugging him again tightly.
"Thank you Tayler." He rests his chin on my head, squeezing me back. "Is it okay that I came back here? I know you guys had plans, and I'm crashing, and I am so-" Tayler cuts off my mumbling with a kiss, then says,
"You don't have to thank me baby, because you're enough. Having you is enough. Everything about you is enough. And me? I will always want you here. I missed you so much, even since Tuesday. Never forget that, I always want you. Do you understand?" I glance down, smiling slightly as I nod. "Okay. Good. So, now. Do you want to go change? That dress, while you look hot," I giggle, looking down, "Also looks extremely uncomfortable." I smile, nodding.
"Yeah. But also, this dress is not supposed to make me sexy, it's supposed to be conservative, and display to the rest of my church that I'm a 'good, abstinent, catholic girl'" I say, doing air quotes for the last part as I smile up at the look in Tayler's eyes. He leans down and pecks my lips,
"Well, I might just see it that way because it does such a good job of hiding that not one of those things is true!" He laughs and I slap his chest, trying to hide the smile tugging at my lips.
"Tayler!" He laughs more, raising his hands in the air,
"Okay, okay," I smirk in satisfaction before he adds, "You're still technically catholic!" My jaw drops and I stalk past him, towards the front door, leaving my bad for him to bring inside.
"Oh come on Mar, what was I supposed to say! You left the middle of Christmas Day service to get on a plane to come see your boyfriend, and I think we both know you're not a goo-"
"Tayler!" I yell behind me,
"Well I'm just saying, certain things we've done may or may not rule out two of those things!"
"I hate you!"
"No ya don't!" I groan loudly, ignoring him and opening the door to the house I live in with my boyfriend. Yes, I do know that that proves his point. But a lot of our friends live here to.
Just saying.
"MARY! OH MY GOSH! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Aisha runs towards me and I giggle, hugging her back as she practically tackles me. Azra pushes her away, hugging me too. I hug and excitedly greet Nate, Olivia, Kellianne, Chase, and a bunch of other people, even J-Rod and Josh before seeing Bryce walking towards me.
"Hey! Shortstack! I see going to church service went well" I grin, giggling at the nickname,
"Hi Bry," I hug him back as he picks me up into the air.
"Hey, Bryce, hands off." Tayler jokes, pulling my bag through the door with him. I roll my eyes, smiling at Bryce as we pull away before walking back over to Tayler.
"I'm gonna go change," I smile, going on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.
"Alright," He smiles, pecking me on the lips before grabbing my face and looking me straight in the eyes. "I love you Mary, no matter if you want to go to church or not. You know that right?" I smile back, nodding,
"I know. I love you Tayler," Knowing he hates when I say "too", because he says it doesn't mean as much.
I hear the awes in the background, knowing that this is what's important to me on Christmas. My family, not my blood family, or my church, or even Bible hymns. My family that is next to me every day, holding me up and encouraging me.
That's all I need.
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Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate that, Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrates things during the winter weeks, and if you don't do any of that, I hope your day, your week, your month is everything you need and want.
I hope y'all liked this, and I hope you guys like everything else I post today.
Thank you for all of the support and I love you all!
Thank you for reading!