Short Story

I wrote this as a 16 year old. And just found it wandering about my computer. Figured I'd place it here. ;) Enjoy the sap.

 

It’s Christmas time again. School is in session, the snow is falling, and the common cold is being spread. Time for me to get my Scrooge on! Or, at least that’s what it WOULD have been like. If I didn’t have Kate. (She’s not fond of Scrooge, and if I attempted to emulate him, she would give me her own particular version of Scrooge’s dream: Past, Present, and Future attempts on my life! Nah. She likes me too much to do that over such a small thing. But, I didn’t know that until now.) So have a listen, and I’ll tell you the tale. More exciting than Santa Claus coming, sweeter than Christmas cookies, and warmer than a fire on a cold winter’s night.

One week to Christmas, I was working in the park. I was busily brainstorming ideas for a presents for my family. Each one of them has such diverse interests, and I wasn’t worried about money. (Well, not too much. I’m not a billionaire, but I do have a bit of money stashed away for a long winter’s nap. Or rather, a short shopping spree for those who matter to me.)

“Austin is going to get something nerdy. Like a dictionary. No wait, an encyclopedia set! Not that he needs one, considering his search engine brain, but it’s good to have just in case,” I mused. “Mom’s gonna get something craft related. I know how much she likes those craft thingies. She’ll like it. Dad gets something kitchen related. He’s always going on about some random piece of equipment he could use, from mandolins to meat tenderizers.” I said.

“Now… What to get those troublesome siblings of mine? Tobias gets socks and underwear. Anything else he’ll turn into a torture device of some sort, and I’m not even sure I trust him with those either. Maybe some candy, that way he’ll have something to eat while he plots and schemes. Penny, she’ll get something pink and girly. Cause that’s what she likes. I have no idea how to shop for pink and girly stuff, but I know someone who does.”

“Now, what am I to get Katie? I know she can help me shop for things pink and girly. But I want to get her something special…”  Suddenly, Kate burst through the door, excited about something or other. I quickly hid my list as she came over and smacked me on the arm in her excitement. (It’s a bad habit of hers…) Her green eyes flashed as she said, “Axel! Guess what?!”

“What?” I said, rubbing my arm
“It’s that time of year again! Christmas is coming, as they say. And the goose is getting fat. And I’m busy trying to balance school, and home, and still trying to find out what gifts to get everyone! I’m kind of going crazy!”
“You mean, I’M getting fat. All the food I’ve been eating recently is making me get a little chubby, and I think you passed crazy a while back. Now, you’re going completely insane.” I chuckled
 “Hey! I have not!” she said, smacking me on the arm yet again.
“Speaking of shopping, maybe you and I can get that done together. See, I’m in need of some assistance, seeing as I have no idea how to shop for pink, girly things for Penny.”
 “And yes. I’d be more than happy to go with you. I know how uncomfortable you are with things outside your realm of knowledge. Though I thought pink fluffy things always fell right underneath your category!” She laughed, as I glared at her.
“I beg to differ. On both counts. I have no idea how to do the whole “shopping for girls” thing, especially little girls. Pink and fluffy has so many definitions. Each girl has a different perspective, and Penny can be quite picky. And no. My category is manlier, like black belts and ancient Japanese weapons. So there!” I said, and then stuck out my tongue for good measure.
“Now now. It’s okay if you have a feminine side. I won’t judge. They say that real men wear pink.” She said, her eyes twinkling, and then before I could retort, she changed the subject, “So when are we gonna do this? Wednesday works for me, ‘cause there’s no school. How about you?”
“Wednesday is fine.” I said, making a mental note to find some way to get back at her later. “I’ll pick you up at your house at noon. That way you have time to do… whatever it is that you have to do. I know you’re so busy with coming up with ways to redefine crazy.” I said, grinning.

Her mouth formed a perfect O, as she gave a short laugh and then, unsurprisingly, hit me once more. “Hmph. Touché. Noon it is. I’ll make sure to have gotten most of me in order. Wouldn’t want to be predictable.”
“You?” I said mock incredulously, “Predictable? Perish the thought!”
“Uh-huh. Nice save, lover-boy. See you noon on Wednesday.” She said, as she walked away.
“Only for you. See you then.” I called. And then, under my breath, “If you only knew…”

So the next day, while anxiously awaiting the shopping date, I laid on my bed, deliberating what gift to get Kate. It couldn’t be too horribly romantic, but it had to be just right to convey my feelings for her. “Flowers?”, I said aloud,  “No… A ring? Only if I plan to propose… How about…” And so this continued, until I struck on the perfect gift. “Earrings! I will get her some earrings. That’ll be perfect!” Just then, Mom walked into my bedroom.

“What’s going to ‘be perfect’?” she asked. “N-nothing!” I hastily replied. “Just plotting and scheming as usual on what to give my lovely mother for her birthday!”
“Uh-huh. Flattery will get you nowhere, young man. And not getting your chores done won’t either. I know about your plans, so I suggest that those get done so you can go out.”
“What? How did you know I was going shopping?!” I gasped.
“I didn’t. But now I do. Which makes it even more imperative that you get your stuff done, or else you’ll have to disappoint her.” Mom said with a smile.
“How did you know it was a her?!” I asked incredulously.
“I didn’t. But I do now.” She said, barely keeping from busting out laughing.
 “I plead the Fifth!”
At that, she laughed aloud, and then turned and walked out of the room, doubtless off to go tell Dad about her victory.
“Mom!” I called after her, “You know nothing! If asked, I will deny, deny, deny!”

Very soon it was noon. I showed up at Kate’s house right on schedule. She opened the door and yelled, “Mom! Axel’s here! I’ll call you when we’re on our way home!” I heard a noise, which I can only assume was one of affirmation, and then we walked out to the street, where we began to walk to the mall. I glanced at her, and took in what she was wearing. She looked like a million dollars in her current clothes. A bright orange blouse, with a white shirt underneath, light colored jeans, and some sort of fancy shoes. (What? I can’t know everything. How am I supposed to know what type of shoes they are?) And the outfit fit her quite nicely, accentuating her figure very well. (Again, what? I’m a guy. Even though I don’t say stuff, I notice it. And when it looks that nice, everyone’s gonna notice it, most especially me.)

She noticed me looking at her, and she said, “What? Do I have something on my face?”
“No, no,” I said hurriedly, “You don’t have anything on your face. I was just looking at you and thinking about how nice you look.”
“Oh.” She said quietly, “Well then, thank you. I appreciate the compliment.”
“And I appreciate giving it to you. You know me. I’m merely being honest.”
“Oh, is that what it is? Just you being honest?” she said, making a face.
“No, no!” I said, “I’m just an honest guy, and I noticed something about you, so I figured I was safe to give you a compliment because you really do look nice. It wasn’t because it was an obligation, I promise. Normally I keep those things to myself, but for some reason, I couldn’t resist telling you aloud.”
“Oh.” She said, for a second time in as many minutes. But she remained silent.

I waited for a little while, and she didn’t speak. So I nudged her. “Hey. What’s up? You went all silent on me.  Did I say something wrong?”
“No, no.” she said quickly, “It’s nothing like that. I just... Don’t have many people compliment me very often. I was wondering how you had the guts to say it aloud.”
“Well then. I’ll make sure to give them out more often.” I said with a smile, “And you know me. No fear!”
“Uh-huh.” She said, “Okay, fearless, why don’t we stop the chatting and start the shopping. You might not have a fear of compliments, but how about… pink and fluffy girly stuff?”

I had been so focused on her that I hadn’t seen that we were rapidly approaching the mall. I clutched at my heart and jokingly said, “Oh! Still my beating heart! Not the girly stuff! Anything but that!”
“Yes, that.” She said, “So let’s get down to business.”
“Very well. Let’s get this over with.”

I won’t bother going into detail. I can’t risk having anyone important read this, it might spoil the surprise. But, Kate and I had a good time visiting all the stores in the mall. Not just the ones that dealt with girl stuff, but EVERY store. She dragged me into every store, and looked at everything she could. Not that I minded, of course. There was that cooking store which was wonderful. And the game shop, where I saw Kate’s nerdy side for the first time. (She geeked out over many a game. It was priceless to see. I actually got some video and a few pictures, but don’t tell her that! She’ll hunt them down.) After a few hours, I’d finally found everything that I needed. I had all of my family gifts, and Kate had a few too.

So I walked her back to her house. She wasn’t silent this time, and she chattered on and on about a million different subjects, none of which I could remember. I was too busy looking around. (Now, now. I know what you’re thinking. Yes, she is attractive, and her green eyes shine and her red hair reflects the sunlight very nicely, but that doesn’t mean she was the only thing I was looking at!) We eventually made it to her house, where I walked her to her door and we bid each other goodbye.
“Hey.” I said before she went inside, “Thanks for coming with me and helping me. I would have been lost without your help. I think she’ll be pleased with it come Christmas.”

“No problem. You’re good company surprisingly. And I’m glad I could help. You would have botched it somehow, I’m sure.” She chuckled
“Hey!” I said, mock offended, “I would not!” I moved closer to her.
 “Yes you would have! You wouldn’t have even known the first thing about girly stuff if it wasn’t for my help.”
“I think not!” I said, moving close enough to give her more of a piece of my mind.
“You would have!” She said, moving closer in response.

It was then that I noticed that she was close to me. I could smell her shampoo, an apple scented variety, which fit her nicely. She looked up at me, and her mouth opened slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she closed it, and instead embraced me. I returned the embrace readily, and we both stood there for a little bit. I could only assume that she was feeling the same way, cause even after a fair period of time she didn’t make any movements to leave. So, like a gentleman, even though I wished that she could stay there much longer, I said, “Hey, uh, Kate?”
“Yeah?” she said softly
“Um… Your Dad is giving me funny looks. I can only assume that he is telling me subtly to let you go so you can come inside.”
“Oh!” she quickly let go, her pretty, freckled face turning a beautiful shade of pink, “Well then. I can’t keep him waiting. Otherwise he starts to get suspicious. You have a good rest of the day, ‘kay? See you later!” And then she rushed inside, after giving me one more quick hug.

I watched her go inside, and then I walked back to my house in silence. I felt cold for once. And I wanted her back in my arms. But what really hit me, was the thought that maybe she wanted it too. And that excited me, beyond any excitement I’d felt before. As I walked back to the house, once I’d moved past Kate, I was figuring out a way to get my goods into the house and out of sight of everyone else. I planned on taking everything to my room, and then going and getting the wrapping paper.

And so I did. I snuck around corners, hid under the table, and moved sneakily towards my parents’ bedroom to get the paper, and then I ninja-sneaked to my bedroom. Let me tell you, wrapping is always an interesting experience with me. I have no particular skill in wrapping presents. Nobody knows what I’m getting them for Christmas because they can’t tell from the shape of the package. It’s a mass of wrapping paper, part ripped, part taped, all totally unknown gift. So, even though it’s uglier than some of my failed art projects, it works to my advantage because no one can tell. Ever. (Seriously, I should be thrown in the North Pole Penitentiary, because my wrapping ability is a crime against humanity.) Anywho, once I finished my ugly presents, I put them under the Christmas tree, to await their eventual unwrapping. But I wasn’t done. I still had to find a present for Kate.

This, I knew, would be quite a task. She’s not easy to shop for. But the real reason for it, is I know her interests. And I want to give her the perfect gift. Perfect. So I got to thinking, Winnie-the-Pooh style. “Think, think, think, think, think.” Tapping my head with each consecutive “think”. This went on for quite some time. Gifts from me have to be kind of special. They include two or three things, most of the time: One thing that you like, but that you don’t always have, like a blanket, that shows that I care and know what you need. And one thing that shows my interest or love for you. (In this case, jewelry.) 

Suddenly, it hit me. “Hot Cocoa!” I exclaimed. “The perfect gift. Kate’s always saying how she’s cold… And she goes through gallons of the stuff during the winter. And only slightly less during the rest of the year,” I chuckled. (Toy Santa from the second Santa Clause movie has nothing on her. She could outdrink him in her sleep.) She’s kinda picky though. She doesn’t like many additional things in her cocoa, she’s… a cocoa purist. Straight up milk chocolate is pretty much the only thing she drinks. Which I can admire, I mean, it takes a lot to be that decisive.

Having gotten the idea for the other part of my gift, I decided I needed to get right out and do it. I told my parents what my plan was, and they agreed to let me go. I planned on going to the local supermarket to get the cocoa, and then to the mall to make sure that I got the perfect set of earrings. “I’m headed out, Mom!” I said. And then my stomach rumbled. “Right after I eat some lunch!” So I rushed into the kitchen and began to raid the fridge for something to eat, busily thinking about how much Kate would love her gift.

And an hour later, I was at the supermarket. I grabbed a basket, bid a polite hello to the greeter at the front of the store, and headed off. I meandered through the store, seeing if anything else could catch my interest for a gift. Nothing really jumped out at me, so I just headed to the cocoa aisle. Slowly but surely, as was my lot in life. I’m not a fast guy, I prefer to take my time with my things, and hurrying never did anyone any good.

 I got there, and searched for the cocoa I was looking for. “Dark, no… Mint, no… Raspberry, absolutely not. White chocolate, no. Raspberry Cheesecake?! What has the world come to? Ah yes, Mi--” I finally got to the milk chocolate, but something was wrong. Very, very wrong. They were out. “Out?!” I said, exasperated. “OUT?! Of course. Just my luck. Any other day, they would have loads of milk chocolate cocoa. But today, of all days, they are out.” I facepalmed myself. Of course. I looked around. They had all sorts of other cocoa, of varying qualities. But like I said. She’s a purist. Only the best of the best would work, and I would settle for nothing less. I was freaking out something fierce, ‘cause I had a plan. I like plans, they’re good things. But apparently, it was not to be. (Best laid plans of mice and men, you know.) Every time I make a plan, something happens. Something like this. I cursed myself, and looked around frantically for anything that would save me.

But, what to my wandering eyes should appear, but one single, solitary can of cocoa. On the cart of an employee driving away to the next place he was going to go. “Holy Hallelujah! It’s a Christmas miracle!” I said to myself. And I gave chase to the employee with his cart. Not all that fast, you must understand. It is a store, after all. No need to get security called on me.

My adversary was a wily one, surprisingly. For having a heavy cart with lots of stuff on it, that guy moved really fast! It was all I could do just to keep up with him. (I got an image of Wily Coyote chasing the Road Runner whenever I thought of my situation.) And every time he made a stop, for some reason or another, I was just unable to reach him! In the electronics department, an elderly lady parked her scooter right where I needed to be!  In the Housewares/Domestics department, yet another trolley was parked, and unloading heavy furniture. By the time I got back around, he was gone! (I pushed past several people’s carts, quite rudely, I think. And I feel bad, but I really needed that cocoa.)

I finally cornered him in the Sporting Goods department. Nobody was there to intervene, nobody to stand in my way, and certainly no place to run! I slowly and quietly approached the cart, and sneakily pilfered the spoils from my foe. (It took everything I had to not make the LoZ treasure chest noises. Yes, I did just cross that line into Nerdville. Population: You and me.)  I was scot-free. Or so I thought.

Just as I exited the aisle I heard the words, “That’s the kid!” and then I turned to see two security guards running towards me. “Figures…”I muttered. “Couldn’t just get my cocoa and leave. Had to be chased by security guards, and then somehow escape without getting thrown out.” I started to run, and thus the hunter became the hunted. Luckily, these guys were a little slow. One of them looked like he’d cornered the donut section. Like, seriously, he almost looked like a donut himself. (Well, except… without the hole in the middle.) The other one just looked sick, like he had watched his partner put away all those donuts, and didn’t want see another donut in his life. But they were tenacious, despite their size and/or unwillingness to chase me.

I led them on a merry chase. Through the toy section, in and out of the dressing rooms, (I swear one of them accidentally walked in one someone. I say this, because I heard the sound of doors opening, and many people screaming. And they were not pleased.) Up and down the frozen food aisles, and past the bakery. (I know. I’m a troll. I just wanted to see the look on his face. Plus, who doesn’t like donuts?) And finally, I ended in the Men’s Clothes section. I lost them, temporarily, by hiding in a clothes rack. At one point, I was nearly caught, too. I was sitting in a rack when I heard them whispering, and smelled the odor of stale donuts. And then I saw a hand enter the rack, and I knew my time was up. So, I burst out and we played Ring –Around-the-Clothes Racks for a while before I placed myself inside another rack and hid low, so they couldn’t see anything.

I heard Donut saying something about how he was looking forward to catching me, and I heard his partner say something about feeling nauseous. I sat there and listened to them debate back and forth, all the while chuckling silently. “Good luck, Donut. You and your buddy look like you’re about to pass out. The last time you two had to chase someone was when that old lady was playing shopping cart tag. And as I recall, you didn’t catch her either.”

Having had enough of my would-be pursuers, I slipped out the back of my hiding spot and made my way to the checkout stand. I quickly purchased my hard earned prize, and made my way outside. I looked back, saw the “Now… To the mall.” I said, “And I hope to high heaven that nothing bad happens there. Could things actually get worse?” (I know. I broke the cardinal rule of situations like this: Never ask if things could get worse.)

It’s quite interesting how we all get the sense that something is going to go wrong. We just know. But, we go ahead and do it anyway. Such is being a human being, I suppose. And in the spirit of this, I entered the mall. I was nice and calm, even after my experience in the supermarket. I was ready to get my gift, eat some lunch, and maybe even do a little bit of people watching. Not stalking. Don’t confuse them.

 Stalking involves following the person day and night and generally always being creepily nearby. Watching them through the windows, following them through the halls, taking parts and pieces of their belongings, personal effects, etc. All with the intention of basically claiming them as your own. It’s actually quite creepy. (No, I don’t have experience.) People watching in the mall, is simply the observance of the behavior of those around you. I like to sit on the couch and watch as people walk by. Or make fools of themselves. I like to see if I can guess the type of people from what I see. Cheerleader, jock, nerd, social butterfly (with accompanying groupies), goofball, group date, stalkers, crotchety old men, etc. You name it, I could point it out. At least one person from every category is at the mall at any one point in time.

It’s actually quite entertaining. But I wasn’t there for the people watching. I was there for some earrings. Really nice earrings that I knew she would like. So I went to the closest jewelry store. Then I realized that I had a problem: Jewelry stores have a lot of earrings. Red ones, blue ones, small ones, big ones, ones with clips, dangly ones, hoop earrings, and even crazy ones. Literally, there were five entire rotating stations of earrings, plus a small wall covered in them. I gaped in awe, and started my work.

After a fruitless search of my own, I did what I thought would be useful: I asked a bunch of random people what earrings they liked. Got a few ideas. One girl pointed out these very interesting clip earrings, but Kate’s not horribly fond of those. Another girl pointed out a sapphire earring, which really looked “cute”. But, I didn’t really get the “Kate would LOVE this” vibe. Along with earring suggestions, I got a few funny looks and some knowing smiles by a few of the older people I asked. Because they probably saw right through me. (I also got a few phone numbers from a few girls, but don’t tell Kate. Just remember guys, if you want to get phone numbers, you go to a jewelry store. Or become a lifeguard. I suggest the first option.)

And then, I saw the perfect pair. Nothing fancy, no hoop or clip, or even a jewel. Just a plain, well-crafted pair of angel wing earrings. Nice and shiny, made of sterling silver, and just the right size for Kate’s ears. (Cute little ears, they are.) I immediately grabbed my purchase, paid for it, and quickly left the store. I went to get some lunch at one of the places in the food court, and after having sated myself, I went and sat down. I knew I’d have to go home eventually, (I never travel on a full stomach.) and I knew if I was late, Mom would have a fit.

But, I figured, I would have some time, so I sat down, and started the ritual of people watching. I only sat down for half an hour, but it was enough. I saw a husband and wife couple walk by, the husband carrying what looked to be like an entire freight truck’s worth of bags. (Many of them pink. Poor guy… There goes his paycheck. And his dignity.) I saw a security guard, faithfully doing his rounds. (He looked so bored. Wish I could have given him something to do, but I’d used up my one free pass at being chased, and was not in the mood for my luck to run out on me.) I saw countless other people, groups and single, each one better than the next.

 And then my eyes lighted upon a heavenly vision. One with red hair, a wonderful figure, and rather colorful clothes. “Hey…” I said. “She kinda looks like Kate.” Which, wasn’t a bad thing, ‘cause Kate does look wonderful. But, as she turned, the breath left my body. It was Kate! Not just a lookalike.  She saw me, and she waved, and started to make her way over to where I was sitting. Outwardly, I was passive. I smiled, and waved back. Inwardly, I was freaking out! “What? Why? How?! Of all the things that could possibly happen, this one had to happen. How am I supposed to keep this under wraps now? Man, if she questions me, I’m gonna have to do something to keep her off of the subject. And I don’t know how well that will work…” (Sweet cheese and crackers… This really wasn’t supposed to happen…)

Despite my very obvious freaking out, Kate continued to make her way over to me. And after I managed to collect myself, I quickly hid her gift and sat up, hopefully looking innocent and calm. She didn’t seem to notice, so I started to relax just a bit just as she got within hugging distance.
“Axel! How interesting meeting you here today! I thought that you’d gotten everything done with me the other day! What are you botching today?” She said, as she hugged me happily.
“It’s uh… Great to see you too, Kate. I… Wasn’t quite finished, I remembered, after I dropped you off.” I said. “And I’m not botching anything, I’ll have you know! I’m perfectly capable of shopping without other people. I just… Required some help, that’s all!”
“Sure, Axel. Whatever floats your pink, heart covered boat.”
“Hey! It’s not heart covered!”
“But it IS pink!”
“…Maybe. In a few places. Not that it matters! Color is totally not a sign of anything!”

My “boat” has no such pink on it. But I didn’t want to ruin the humorous mood and get myself interrogated. So I’ll let that go for now, and she can have her victory, that way I can keep it for another time.

“Hello! Earth to Axel!”
“Wh-, what?”
“You went all silent on me there! Like you were thinking or something. I was just telling you about how I was at the mall taking a stroll. Maybe doing some shopping. People watching. You know.”
“Better than you might think, yes.”
“You never told me what you were doing. I just kind of assumed. What ARE you doing here?”
“Oh, nothing. Just taking a stroll. Maybe doing some shopping. People watching. Same old, same old.” I said, grinning. (I’m so good I surprise myself.)
“Ah… A wise guy, I see.”

“Took you long enough to notice,” I said, smiling. “I’ve always been a witty one. But, even with my wit, I wouldn’t be anything without my comedic partner, the butt of my jokes, the recipient of all of my sarcasm and humor.”
“Oh? And who’s this wonderful and handy person?”
“Why, it’s you, of course. Who else would it be?”
“Ah. You’re right, you know. I am amazing, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone like me, and not just for comedy,” She said, totally deadpan.
“This is true,” I said, equally deadpan.

And here, we both busted out laughing. I have to admit, that it was nice to be having some good fun, even though in my mind, I knew that each second I spent with her, she would try to get closer to the truth. She’s so predictable in that way. If she doesn’t know, she’ll do whatever she can to make sure that she finds out. She never forgets. And she never lets anything go. And her next statement didn’t surprise me.

“So. What’re you shopping for? You never mentioned it.”
“Now, now, my dear,” I said, “If I told you what I got, it would ruin the surprise. And I can’t have that.”

Her mouth formed an O. And then the lightbulb lit up. “You were shopping for me? Aww!” And she hugged me again. I enjoyed the brief reprieve from my interrogation, and the closeness of her presence. Then she pulled away, and it was over. “Tell me what you got me.”
“I think not. I couldn’t risk letting you know ahead of time. That would ruin everything.”
“Tell me! I promise I won’t tell anyone else! I’ll even act surprised on Christmas when I’m supposed to open it!”
“I’m sorry, my dear. I’m not going to spoil it for you. You’ll just have to wait.”
“But, but…” And then, the puppy face. It took all I had not to tell her right then. That face is the bane of my existence. I can rarely ever stand to look at it, and not give in. (But, I’m a MAN! And I shall not give in this time!)
“Katie, my dear. It’s taking everything I have not to tell you what I have for you. But, I must insist that you not ask me to spoil the surprise. I know you’re going to love it, just as much as I know it’s killing you to not know. But have patience. Christmas is, after all, only a week away.” I put my hands on her shoulders, and lifted up her chin so she could look into my eyes. (And so I could look into hers.) And in her lovely green eyes, I saw many things. I saw a bit of sadness, knowing she’d have to wait. I saw some curiosity, very prevalent and strong. And then I saw a few other things. Happiness and excitement, knowing that I was giving her something for Christmas. And… maybe even just a pinch of love. Then she pulled away, and shifted a rather surprised look off her face.
“I.. I understand. But you know I’m still going to bother you about it, right? ‘Cause now that I know you’re getting me something, I’m gonna want to know even more,” She said, grinning and challenging me with her tone.
“I don’t just know. I expect it.” I said, smiling. “And you know that I’m not gonna tell you, right? Not until the moment you open it. That way I can be there and see the surprised look on your face.”
“Good.” She said, knowing she’d at least gotten part of her way. And then, “Okay… I suppose I can wait. But don’t keep me waiting too long, okay?” she said, quietly.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t dare.”
“Good.”

And then, a teeny tiny moment occurred. Just like the one on the porch. We weren’t touching, but I could feel something occurring between the two of us. I reached out, and I grabbed her hand softly. And in response, she squeezed it just a little bit. And then, we looked each other in the eyes, and after a long second, I pulled her into my arms. And there, we stayed for a little bit. I enjoyed that long few moments. The feel of her hair against my face and neck. How she fit just right in my arms. I felt marvelous. Until I had the misfortune of looking at my watch. And then I realized that time was short. And that this moment had to end, even though I wished it didn’t have to.
“Hey Kate.”
“Yeah?”
“As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I think that both of us had better be off. It’s getting late.”
She looked at my watch. “You’re probably right.”
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Okay.”

So, without letting go of my hand, we walked out to her car, and there she hugged me one more time before she got in.
“Send me a message when you get home, okay? So I know you got back safe.”
“You too, okay?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. Bye.”
“Bye.”

I moved out of the way while closing her car door, and waved at her as she drove away. I then trekked back to my own car, and drove home in silence. My body moved on its own; signaling, changing lanes, turning, accelerating, all of it. All while my mind was going over what had just happened. My mind couldn’t really process everything that just happened, but my heart could. And it knew what it wanted. This thought process of futility continued until I sighted my house, and turned into the driveway.

  I parked my car, and walked inside, and then began the rest of my less than eventful evening. I got my text from Kate just as I sat down on my bed. And I replied, and then went upstairs to eat dinner. The rest of the evening passed without incident; my family watched TV, and I went to my bedroom to go to sleep. All I could think about was her. And everything that comes with her. I thought about what had happened today. The fact that I’d managed to do the things I needed to do, and still manage to avoid revealing anything. And then, my mind wandered to what happened with Kate. That wonderful moment in time. It made me happy.

And that was the last thing that passed through my mind before I finally drifted off to sleep.

The next few days were… Less than exciting. Just doing things around the house to distract myself from the fact that Christmas was only a few days away. I’d been talking to Kate in the interim, but she was busy too, dealing with the drama that comes naturally in life. It was surprising to me when she called me up and invited me over to her house ‘cause she was “lonely”. This was a normal enough occurrence, but she usually called over one of her many other friends to spend time with her instead. I agreed, of course, and immediately made my way to her house. She met me at the door.

“Hey,” She said.
“Hey.” I replied, “So, what are you up to today that you required me to rid you of your loneliness?”   “What makes you think I’m lonely?” she asked, “Maybe I just wanted someone to talk to. Maybe I wanted you to come over here so I could tease you.”
“Oh?” I said questioningly, “So what’s the real reason?”
“Well, I just wanted to watch a movie, but I didn’t want to do it alone. My parents are home but they’re ‘Busy.’ No idea what that means, but they are hiding in their bedroom. I haven’t heard a single sound since I told them you were here.”
“Hmm…. I see… Well then. I shall do my best to keep you entertained. It’s my pleasure after all.”
“Uh-huh. So. What do you wanna watch?”
“I don’t care. You pick. I’m okay with whatever you want to watch. So long as it isn’t a zombie flick.”
“Aww… But I like zombie movies. All the brains and the violence…”
“Yes, I know you do. No, I don’t want to watch any zombie movies. That’s my only request.”
“Oh fine… We’ll watch something boring…” she said with a pout and a slight eye roll.

So we picked a movie and we took it downstairs. On our way, we made sure that her parents were okay and that they knew we were going downstairs. (Strangely enough, I still don’t know what they were doing in that bedroom… Just that they were completely silent. Perhaps they were watching a movie too…) We put it in, and Kate gathered her FDB (Food, drink, blanket) and we sat down on the couch as the movie started.

I didn’t get to watch most of that movie. For two reasons. One, I was very distracted by the fact that Kate was nearby. So I stared at her for a lot of the movie. And two, she was not watching the movie as much as you’d think. She actually spent most of the time attempting to distract me by poking me. Whenever she spoke, she would tease me, and that would make me look at her to return the favor. She also spent part of the movie making her usual sarcastic and humorous comments.

But that wasn’t all. She kept poking me, and I had no idea why. Face, stomach, ribs, neck. Anywhere she could reach without me blocking her. Eventually she ended up sitting on me, and several times I pulled her onto my lap after grabbing her wrists playfully so she could no longer poke me. (I just wanted to watch the movie… But I admit that playing around with her was also something very enjoyable, even if I was distracted.) When I would do this, she would just look at me, and I would look back. And then after a long moment, she’d look away, and scoot off my lap back to her spot where she would then be silent and watch the movie.

This, I admit, was strange to me. But I could understand. I mean, she’s got her personal space, and… I think I made her slightly nervous. So I could kinda see why she tried to keep inside herself. But, it wasn’t long before the poking began again. This time, I pulled her onto my lap, and I put her hands in between us and then pulled her in close, figuring that if I did this, she’d finally get so flustered that she’d not poke me again.

I was part right.
After she’d flailed until she was tired and had promised upon pain of tickle torture that she wouldn’t poke me again, she settled down, and for a while, just watched the movie without saying a word. But, that’s where things changed. Like I said, she was tired, and for some reason the blanket wasn’t enough to keep her warm. So… I was surprised when she scooted in close to me and started to snuggle right up against me. And it wasn’t a tiny snuggle, like a readjustment.

Oh no. It was full on. Her entire side was touching mine, her arm moving under mine, and her soft, delicate fingers weaving in between my own. She laid her head on my shoulder, and then… it was like she melted against me. She got nice and close so that she could be warm, and then I laid my head on hers. I gently rubbed her hand with my own, and I felt her relax even more, until I heard her breathing become slow and even. She’d fallen asleep on me.

“Oh, Kate…” I sighed. I leaned my head back and looked at her sleeping form… And I took it all in. The movie winding down to a close, the light starting to fade. How it reflected off her soft, red hair, and touched the gentle curves of her face.  I felt her slow breathing, and the feel of her body touching mine… And I felt content. As if I could stay like this forever. (And I would have liked to.)

I leaned my head back on hers and sat there for a while. Just reveling in this feeling. And then I figured I’d best leave. “But… Before I do that,” I muttered, “I should get Kate in bed… She needs to have a good place to rest.” So I slowly unwound my hand from her hand, picked her up off the couch, and carried her to her bedroom. “You’re so adorable… I… I wish you were awake to hear this, but I have a confession. I’m in love with you. I wish you could know that, but it’s okay that you didn’t hear me. That way I can say I’ve told you, even if you don’t know.” I whispered this as I carried her. (She’s so light… It’s like carrying a tiny, soft, redheaded cloud.) I walked into her bedroom and I laid her gently down on her bed just as she started to stir.

“Mmmm… Axel?”
“Yes?”
“Where am I?”
“In your bed. I carried you up to it after the movie was over. You kinda fell asleep on me, my dear.”
“Oh…” she said sleepily, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Kate. It’s okay. I didn’t mind. You’re cute when you’re sleeping, as you usually are.”
“Thanks… I had a good time. Even though I was sleeping through the last part….” She yawned, and she placed her arms around my neck. (Leading me to believe that perhaps she was more awake than she made it out to be.) She pulled me so close that I nearly fell on top of her, and there we stayed for a little while. I could feel her soft breathing, though she wasn’t asleep. She was… whispering to me. Most of it was unintelligible, but I did catch a few things.

“Axel… I enjoyed myself. And you make a very comfortable pillow. I have a confession to make… I wasn’t really as asleep as you thought I was. I was drifting though, like I am now. I felt you breathe. Felt you move. I know you were holding my hand back.” She chuckled a bit. “And I heard what you said.” And she removed her arms from around my neck.

At this, I was taken aback. She’d fooled me good. My mind started to race, thinking up all the possible things I could say that would draw her away from the subject. But she saw right through me, even half-asleep. (She’s very good at reading me, much to my chagrin.)

“Don’t you dare try to tell me otherwise or divert the subject. I know you said that. And… I have something in return to tell you.”
“Yes?” I said hopefully.
“I… I’m in love with you too, Axel. I have been for a while now.”

And it was then that my heart started to sing. She was in love with me too? “I.. I… I…”
“Oh stop it… You knew. You’ve known the whole time.”
“Well, I mean… I had a guess, but I didn’t know for sure…”
“And now?”
“Now… I don’t know what to feel except happiness.”
“Good…” She said. “Now, come here. I want to give you a hug, and then send you on your way, cause I’m about to fall asleep, and this would be really good to fall asleep to.”

(Who am I to argue with a beautiful, wonderful, half-asleep woman, eh?) I leaned in as she put her arms around my chest and hugged me. And I hugged her back. We hugged for a straight minute, and then she let go.

“I gotta go, Kate… Sleep well. Sweet dreams. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Yeah… Talk to you… tomorrow…”

And here she’d finally passed out. I walked out of her room, and closed her door quietly. I told her parents I was heading out and that Kate was in bed, and then I went home. My parents inquired as to my evening and I answered in kind, did my kitchen duties, and then I retired to my bed. I… I was so overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe it, even though in my dreams I’d often imagined this moment. But even my vivid imagination would never have been able to capture that experience. It was… marvelous.

Part of me couldn’t believe it… But the rest of me was overflowing with happiness because of those words. “I’m in love with you too. I have been for a while.”

 I sighed. And then I went to sleep, dreaming of wonderful things and awaiting the morning.

I woke up abruptly. I pinched myself too, so I could try and convince myself that it wasn’t a dream. It was Christmas! I could see the freshly fallen snow, white and clear, as it blanketed the ground. I ran outside to feel the flakes of frozen awesomeness. It truly was a white Christmas this year…

“Oho!” I said, “This is going to be a fantastic day!” Then I remembered what happened last night. And my excitement doubled even more. Today was THE day. I could finally give Kate her present. (And something even more, I’d decided.) I walked back inside, savoring the feel of the fluffy flakes on my arms and legs, and then sat down on the couch and began the long, tedious process of waiting. (My family is not all that good about waking up early on Christmas Day. Mom and Dad sleep in late, and the other two siblings of mine wake up at off times though still way before our parents.)

While I sat, I examined the gifts under the tree from my perch on the couch. I counted all of them, estimated their height, weight, width. And guessed as to what was contained within. “All of Toby’s presents are either candy or things that can’t be turned into weapons of torture and trolling. This is evidenced by the small size. Penny’s are pink, fluffy, and girly, ‘cause, well, I didn’t wrap them so well… But she’ll never guess what’s inside. Mom and Dad’s gifts are perfect for parents.” (Aka, gifts to get them to take some time away from their crazy, house-destroying, money-sucking rugrats.)

So I sat. And sat. And sat. And sat. And then Penny woke up. And we sat. And sat. And then Toby woke up, and we sat. And sat. And shook gifts. And sat. And then Mom and Dad walked out, and all heck broke loose. It was like Santa’s Workshop at midnight Christmas Eve. The little ones exploded off the couch, leaped onto Mom and Dad, and then nearly screamed in their ears, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

Needless to say, Mom and Dad were not pleased, but their displeasure soon left as we watched our Christmas movie, and then we opened our presents. I won’t go into what really went on, but needless to say, everyone was very happy with their presents.

And then, to my great surprise and happiness, my parents told me a very nice piece of news that made my 17 years.

“We’re inviting the neighbors over for dinner, son.”
“Which neighbors?”
“The Sages. We figured we’d like to have some company this time.”
At this, I kept silent on the outside, but inwardly, I was having a party in my mind. “AWESOME!”
 “So you get to cook a meal while your Mom and I go out and avoid our kids… I mean, run some errands.”
“Uh-huh. You do realize that all the stores are closed right? The best thing you could do is take a nice walk.”
“Darn! You’re right.” Dad said
“Yes. Now shoo. I’ll take care of dinner. Go run your ‘errands’. And remember, no kissing, no drinking, no corporate espionage, no flash mobbing, no ritual animal sacrifices of any kind! Oh goodness, I’m giving them ideas…”

At this my parents laughed and they left the house. I sent Penny and Toby downstairs to play with their new toys and/or plot and plan, and I went into the kitchen. I put on my “Please Do Nothing to the Cook” apron, and found my trusty cookbook, and started to prepare the feast. Things came together rather quickly; a nice crispy turkey, some lovely garlic mashed potatoes, some glazed carrots, and a cake. A very lovely cake. One Kate would appreciate. Chocolate Blackout Cake, with strawberries. (The beautiful union of the best chocolate cake ever and the fruit that goes best with chocolate.)

I slaved away in the kitchen all day. From 10 in the morning to six in the evening; baking, basting, whipping, mashing, frosting, etc. And all the while, I was only thinking of Kate. How excited she will be, how excited I was to see her. And I was REALLY excited to see her! The very thought put me in a state of excitement, and I had a nice plan for the evening. They were coming at seven, so I had just enough time to set the table and then take a shower and change into some comfortable clothes.

Just as I got out of the shower, Mom and Dad got back, and they settled down in the front room to await our guests. And they arrived. Five minutes early. We greeted them, and we all gathered in the dining room. I met Kate at the door and walked her to her chair, which I pulled out and seated her comfortably, and then went to my own chair.

We all chatted amiably throughout dinner. The Dads traded stories about work and sports, while occasionally involving themselves in every conversation they could find. The Moms talked with each other about various lady-like hobbies and craft things that were trending. (Oh, and motherly gossip. Lots of motherly gossip.) The two children kept quiet, just amiably listening to the conversations the parents were having, in between bouts of eating.

And me and Kate… Well, I was frantically eating and trying not to speak, because… Well, she was talking, and I knew if I spoke she’d try to weasel it out of me before it was time. But dinner went well, and we all retreated to the living room for some more friendly conversation. After everyone was well and truly embroiled in their conversation, I decided to get some air. So I put on a jacket, grabbed my present, and I walked out onto the porch. As I stood there in the lightly falling snow, looking out at the houses and lights, I heard the door open and shut behind me, and there she was.

“Hey.” She said.
“Hey.” I replied.
“So. Where’s this gift that you supposedly had for me?”
“Right there on the bench. But first. I have a question.”
“Yeah?”
“Did last night really happen? Like, really?”
“Yes. It did. And I really enjoyed it. I also meant what I said.”
“That’s good. I was a little worried when I woke up this morning. I thought that I’d dreamed it all up.”
“So did I. But I knew that it had happened, ‘cause my parents told me that you’d left after putting me to bed. Dad was jealous. That’s normally his job.”
“Well. I didn’t mean to steal his thunder. But I figured it appropriate.”
“Well thank you.  And now, let me open my gift and see what you got me.”

So I stepped aside for her to get her present and open it. She grabbed it, shook it, and then unwrapped it slowly. She pulled out the cocoa, and then the box with the earrings.

“Oh, Axel. Cocoa? Really?”
“Hey. You’re always cold! And I went to great lengths to get this thing! I chased down a rather wily storage cart, and then was chased by security guards for this!”
“Yeah, yeah. Now what’s in the box?”
“Go ahead and take a look.”

So she opened the box. And her face went through several phases. She looked slightly taken aback, then softly, and then she turned to me, and she asked me to come over to her. As soon as I complied, she pulled her hair away from her ears and said, “Would you… help me put them in?”

“By all means. Let me see them.”

So I came close. And I put in the earrings. First one, then the other. It was all I could do not to tremble and accidently poke her with the earrings… As I finished, she pulled back, and then she hugged me. And she whispered into my ear. “Thank you, Axel. They’re beautiful.”

“I know.” I said. “Just like you.”

She still hadn’t stepped away, so I figured now was the time. “Hey, Kate.”
“Yes?” She said softly, with a hint of eagerness.
“I neglected to tell you, but I have one more present for you.”
“Oh… You shouldn’t have. You’ve given me so much already…”
“Oh, Kate.” I sighed. “This gift didn’t cost me anything.”

And then, before I knew it, she’d moved in again. As if sensing what I was going to do. And as she moved in… I put my hands on her waist to hold her steady, and then slowly moved my right hand to her cheek. I could see the snowflakes on her red hair, and I saw her green eyes light up with surprise and a deeper feeling. One of longing, like she’d been waiting for a long time for this one moment. (Probably as long as I had. Maybe even longer.)

And as I gently pulled her close, and looked into her eyes, I put my lips over hers. At first, she seemed a bit surprised, but then, she gave into the kiss. Her body melted against mine as she returned my soft, yet passionate, show of my immense affection for her. There we stayed, the two of us, just reveling in our closeness. I could taste her soft sweetness, and I could feel her smooth hair as it moved against my hand at her cheek. We pulled back after a long moment, and we stared at each other.

“That… Was everything I ever thought it would be…” she said, breathlessly. (At this, I fist pumped in my head.)
“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that, my dear. And, it exceeded all of my expectations by far.” I said, slightly shaking.
“Oh really,” she said, “And you don’t think I have been waiting for it too?”

It was my turn to be breathless. I looked in her eyes, and I saw what seemed to be an unending amount of joy in them. She was genuinely happy, and she let me know. She didn’t have to say anything, but in her voice, her movements, and yes, in those green eyes… I could tell that THAT was the part she’d most enjoyed and would cherish forever.

And then, I heard laughing and clapping from inside. Our parents were watching this scene with what seemed to be great enjoyment. And, ever the showboat, Kate surprised me with a gift of her own. Cause, after a moment, she kissed me. A short one, but it conveyed her affection just… perfectly. She pulled back… And then she walked inside.

At this point, I was nonplussed. I was shaking pretty badly, though. It was kind of… nerve wracking. But… I had finally kissed that girl! (And, judging by her reaction, I’d done it pretty good too.) That… That was the perfect gift for me. The only gift I could have ever really wanted. As I walked inside, I marveled at how wonderful this Christmas had been. I imagined how much it would lead to in the future. And as I walked inside, and I grabbed her hand, I figured that whatever was in store… It’d be well worth the wait.