"Last Christmas I gave you my heart,
But the very next day you gave it away.
This year, to save me from tears,
I'll give it to someone special..."
A small smile played on Alyson's lips, as she listened to Wham!'s "Last Christmas" on the radio. It had always been one of her favorite Christmas-songs, but since last December, the song had a new meaning. This year it really reminded her of her last Christmas and all that had happened then. It reminded her of him.
"It's weird", she thought, "the song should've brought back my sadness and frustration, but...the memories are sweet. I guess one year was enough to get over him. Probably because we never came that far to claim we were in love?!"
Twelve months ago at this special time of year, she had met a very special man and had spent some days before Christmas with him. She had never enjoyed herself more than with him, with AJ McLean. Yes, AJ of the Backstreet Boys. It hadn't really mattered to her who he was. She had heard of the band a few times, but only after she and AJ had gone separate ways again had she actually noticed how popular they really were. It still didn't matter afterwards, even less than before. She didn't even have a single CD of theirs.
She had met him in San Francisco, where she had been on vacation. She had been snapping pictures of some older houses and skyscrapers on that day he had "discovered" her. Alyson was studying architecture, therefore she had wanted all the pictures of the houses, when suddenly some weirdo had started stopping right in front of the houses she was about to snap pictures of and making funny poses. Not long and she had been cracking up about the faces he made. He had introduced himself and they had spent the rest of their stay together.
The memories of the days with him ran through her mind like a mushy Christmas-movie trailer. But that's how it had really been...mushy and romantic and wonderful while it lasted. Candle-light dinner with wine and soft music, dancing, taking walks through the park and shopping around for presents for their families and friends. And having wonderful, passionate, unforgettable sex. But just like every movie has an end, their little affair came to an end soon after it had begun. He had called on Christmas Eve, that he had spent with his family down in Florida, while she had been back home in Maine, and promised to call before New Year. He had even wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve with her, wanted her to fly down to Florida. But after Christmas she had never heard from him again.
It hadn't crushed her world. Alyson had never seriously expected this fling to bloom into a relationship, but that didn't mean she hadn't hoped for that to happen. AJ was an amazing men, unlike anyone she had ever met and she could've pictured herself by his side for a very long time. But she had kept her expectations more than low, enjoying what they had while it lasted. The memories she had of that time were so great that they almost seemed unreal. As if he was a prince out of a fairy-tale, making her feel like a princess - if only for a few days...
"I'll give it to someone, I'll give it to someone special.
Special...
Someone..."
The song ended and Alyson was still smiling. She had been so occupied with reminiscing that she almost missed her exit on the highway. She was driving up to Trois Rivière in Canada, where she would spent the holidays in her uncle's house. Alone. At 24 it wasn't such a saddening idea anymore to celebrate Christmas without her family. They respected her wish and had told her they would kick her butt, if she wouldn't at least call twice! She snickered as she remembered how serious her mom had been about it.
Alyson wanted to use the time to gather new strength for her job and college and let go of the stress she had put herself through. She needed time to herself. She would decorate a small Christmas tree, would take her time while making dinner (she had sworn herself she wouldn't just eat some junk or fast food!) and just relax and enjoy the free time she had. She even had all her presents that she got from her family and friends in the trunk of the car! This was going to be a good Christmas...
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