“Oh my gosh. It’s so pretty,” I said, pulling a silver picture frame from a pile of tissue paper. “Mr. and Mrs. Harless, you didn’t have to get me anything.” It was Christmas morning, and it had been a good one so far despite the fact that Justin got Ozzie to wake me up. His mom had cooked a huge breakfast. They even went as far as to hang up two stocking for Drew and me on the fireplace with theirs.
“We couldn’t not get Justin’s girl…”
“Guest,” Justin interrupted his mother.
“Yes, we couldn’t not get you girls something, being Justin’s guest and all.”
“Well, thank you very much,” I said, tracing the intricate design that was carved into it.
“You can put a picture of me in it,” said Justin coyly.
“Oh, God. I wouldn’t want to ruin the frame.”
“Hey!”
“Okay, kids. You get clean up. You know where the garbage bags are,” Mr. Harless said as he slowly rose from the couch, cup of coffee in hand.
“Oh man!”
“Speaking of gifts,” Justin’s mom said. “Justin, didn’t you get the girls anything?”
“Yeah. I already gave Drew hers, and Lili’s is, uh, not wrapped yet, so I’m gonna give it to her later.” He looked over and winked at me. -
I shut my journal when I heard a knock on the door. “Yeah?”
“Lili?” Justin said, peeking his head into the room.
“Just me. Drew’s in the shower.”
“I thought I heard the water go on.” He stepped all the way into the room, holding a guitar case. “How’s your Christmas been so far?” he asked.
“Pretty good. I love the frame your parents gave me.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to put a picture of me in it?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Maybe I’ll put a picture of Ben in it.”
He scrunched up his nose. “I thought you didn’t want to ruin the frame.”
“Hey!”
“Sorry. Have you called home?”
“Yup. I talked to my mom. She’s okay, but kinda lonely, first Christmas all by herself.”
“I feel bad for taking you away now,” he said, kissing me lightly on the cheek before sitting down next to me on the bed.
“Don’t. I’m having lots of fun with you.”
“Yeah, I’m happy that you came. Do you, uh, want your gift now?”
“Sure.” He took the guitar out of its case and sat it on his lap beginning to fiddle around with the strings.
“I wrote you a song,” he said nervously. “So I, uh, hope you like it.”
I sat there quietly as he played, watching his fingers move skillfully up and down the neck of his instrument. His voice came out soft and smooth. As I listened I became overwhelmed with emotion. It was the most beautiful song I had ever heard.
“...Clearing away my darkest skies, you’re my angel in disguise,” he finished confidently.
“Justin, that was incredible. Thank you,” I said as he gently wiped a tear off my cheek.
“I’m glad you liked it,” he said sheepishly. “I was kinda worried that you wouldn’t, especially after I saw the locket that Ben gave you. I know it really doesn’t compare, but…”
“It‘s twenty times better. Although, I must say, your gift does seem sorta stupid now,” I said, eyeing the flat box that was sitting next to me.
“I’m sure it’s not.”
I reluctantly handed it over to him. “Here.” He slipped the ribbon off and slid his fingers under the paper, revealing a small blue book. “Okay,” I explained quickly. “I know you’re not the biggest reader, but you know how on the first night of the trip I asked you to keep our relationship a secret, and I told you it would be like ‘Romeo and Juliet’?”
“How could I forget?”
“And then you said, ‘They die at the end.’ Well, I kinda rewrote the ending.” An easy smile spread across his face as he opened it and ran his fingers across the handwritten print.
“This is so great, Lili.”
“D-do you like it?”
“Are you kidding me? I love it. This is probably the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever gotten,” he said, taking my hand. “I can’t wait to sit down and read it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. You worry too much.”
“Merry Christmas, Justin,” I said, laying my head against his shoulder.
“Merry Christmas, Lili.” -
“I know I’m forgetting something.”
“Justin, relax. I’m sure you’re not,” Drew reassured him.
“I am.”
“Okay,” I said. “Do you have your keys?”
He held up his hand, holding his keys. “Check.”
“Jonathan and Steven’s gift’s?”
“Check.”
“Your coat?” his mom called from the other room.
“Check!” he yelled back to her, slipping his coat on. “Oops.”
“Okay, that’s what you were forgetting,” Drew said, grabbing Justin’s hand and pulling him towards the door.
“No,” he said, taking his hand back. “There’s something else.”
“Justin, we’re only going to the other side of town. Your folks don’t live that far away. If you forgot something, it’s not that big of a deal.”
“Drew, I never get to see my family, never. Okay? So once I get there, I don’t want to have to leave again.”
“Mike’s gift?” I asked. He stared at me for a second.
“Yes! That’s it! Mike’s gift!” He started to run up the stairs, but stopped half way up and came back down. He gripped me by the shoulders tightly and quickly kissed me on the cheek. “I love you!” he said, shaking me.
“You too, buddy,” I said as he ran back up the stairs to his room. Drew looked over at me with one eyebrow raised.
“My, he’s a bit excited,” I laughed, shaking my head.
“Uh-huh.”
There is just something too cute about seeing your little brother hanging out with your girlfriend. Also something that drives you stark raving mad with jealousy when he gets to sit on her lap, and you don’t. I would kill to be six again.
“What did Santa bring you?” Lili asked Jonathan.
“Um, some new clothes.” He stuck out his tongue. “And this really cool laser tag game.”
“He did?”
“Yeah.”
“Is that what you asked for?”
“Yup, that and for Justin to come home.”
“Looks like you got what you asked for,” she said, smiling at him.
“Yeah,” he said, playing with the ring on her finger. “Lili?”
“Yup?”
“Did Justin ask Santa Claus for you?”
She looked up at me quickly. “I-I don’t know if he did.”
I looked over at Mike and Drew to see them deep in a conversation about God knows what, and, hey, I know an opportunity when I see one. “As a matter of fact, I did.”
“I hope you grow up to be as sweet as your big brother,” she said, her cheeks becoming flushed.
“I’m going to get something to drink,” I said, getting up from the couch. “You guys want anything?”
“Kool-aid!”
“No, that’s okay,” Lili smiled.
I walked into the kitchen where my dad and step mom were cleaning up from the party we had earlier. It had since ended, leaving a mess that made it look like Hurricane Timberlake had just torn through. “Hey, Daddy,” I said, pouring a cup of milk for myself. “Lisa.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but it looks like Jon is stealing your girlfriend,” he said.
“Geez, whatcha gonna do? I come home and look what happens,” I sighed, getting a sippy cup out for Jonathan’s Kool-aid. “I guess that just means that I’ve trained him well.”
“He was so excited when he found out you were coming home,” Lisa said.
“Yeah, he said he asked Santa for me to come back.”
“He did,” Lisa agreed. “It was the cutest list. He drew pictures of everything. Your hair was so big.”
“Ugh,” I groaned, pulling my baseball hat down further. “My afro. Well, it’s good to see him and Steve. I’ve missed them a lot.”
“It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah.” The temporary state of sappiness my family was falling into was starting to get a tad bit irritating. Granted I missed them and everything, but a change in subject was in order. “So, you got him a laser tag game?”
“It’s actually really cool. It’s these little guns and these arm bands.”
“It sounds pretty fun.”
“He’s been playing with it all day which means he should be falling asleep any second.” I looked over at Lili. Jon was sure enough sleeping in her arms.
“I’ll go put him to bed.” I walked back over to the couch and shook my head. “You’re that boring?”
“Ha, ha. He just got tired of waiting for you to come back with his Kool-aid.”
“It’s in the fridge. Come on,” I said, scooping the boy into my arms. “Let’s take him up stairs.” Lili followed me down the carpeted hallway and into Jon’s room.
“Justin?” he mumbled quietly after I tucked him under his blankets.
“Yeah, buddy?”
“What about my Kool-aid?”
“Tomorrow,” I laughed. He mumbled something else and fell asleep. “I love you, Jonathan,” I whispered to him as I folded the top of the blankets over. I looked down at my little brother sleeping peacefully, and began to wonder how much I missed when I was away.
“It’s hard, isn’t it?” Lili asked, almost as if reading my thoughts.
“Yeah, it is.”
“I couldn’t imagine being away from my family so much.”
“It basically sucks. I’ve completely missed Steven’s, like, first year, you know. I never see them. Thank God for cell phones.”
“It’s good that you’re close to them, though.”
“Yeah, I guess I’m pretty lucky, two brothers, two moms, two dads…” I trailed off, realizing that Lili had never mentioned her father. “Uh, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened to your dad?”
“He, uh, he died three years ago from cancer.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I said, reaching over to hug her.
“It’s okay. It was awhile ago. I’m used to it.” I felt like a jerk. I should have known that the answer wouldn’t be good. I looked quickly around the room to find something to change the subject to. My eyes landed on a small pile of guns and armbands.
“You wanna play laser tag?”
She turned around to where I was looking. “There’s only two guns.”
“So?”
“What about Drew and Mike?”
“They’re talking about high heels or shoes or something. We don’t need to bug them.”
“They’d make a cute couple.”
“Yeah, if she wasn’t so damn annoying.” Oops, that slipped.
“Justin! That’s it, you’re going down.” She picked up a gun and pushed it into my side.
“Ow!”
“I’m looking forward to kicking your ass now.”
“Hey!” -
I was crawling around the basement floor hiding from Lili. The basement was pretty big (and carpeted which was good for the knees) and full of good hiding spots. The lights were off in order to make things harder, and it was working. I still hadn’t found her.
Then I saw a dark figure crawl behind the couch. “There she is,” I whispered to myself. The Mission Impossible theme started playing in my head. Agent Timberlake spots the enemy from afar. She looks dangerous, moving sleekly like a snake around the corner. Wait, what is this? She’s armed! What’s the plan? Oh no. Communications are down. I must trust my own instincts for this mission. Should I sneak up from behind? A surprise attack? Perfect.
I rolled across the floor to the couch and began crawling behind her. One, two, three! I jumped on top of her and gently flipped her over to her back.
“Ahhhh!”
“Captured!”
“Not again,” she laughed.
“Your choices: surrender and live or not surrender and die.”
“You’re too chicken to shoot me,” she said with a coy smile playing on her lips.
“Am not. I’m a manly man. I could shoot you easily.”
“Bluff.”
“You’re not scared of me?”
“Should I be?”
“Um, yeah.”
“Nope, sorry. Not scared.”
“You’re really damaging my self esteem here, Lili.”
“Okay, okay, okay. If I surrender, I live, right?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe! What do you mean, maybe?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“So if I surrender, you won’t let me go free?”
“Why would I want to do that?” I asked, leaning closer to her. “I enjoy holding you down, remember?”
“Very well. So what? If I surrender, I die. If I don’t, I die.”
“Exactly.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.”
“Why do you sound so sure?”
“Cause you’re my Romeo,” she whispered, taking my hat off and running her fingers through my curls. There was something in her eyes when she said this that was absolutely, I don’t know, irresistible, and the feeling of her fingers softly tickling my neck as she played with my hair made it even more unbearable. Even though we were in my parent’s basement, I leaned over and kissed her hungrily. I don’t know for how long, I just became completely lost in her. That is, until the lights flickered on.
“Lili?”
“Oh, shit,” she muttered. We looked up to see Drew standing on the stairs.