Last Christmas (Alex Gaskarth)

7 days ago

Days before Christmas: 7 Time: 8:30 AM 

The smell of books took all of her stress away. 

She is trailing behind Jessica and Kat, looking for books that they could give for Christmas and books that could simply be placed in their shelves for the sake of it. Kat took one from the New Releases section and showed it to Jess, making her friend to squeak in delight. 

"Found anything?" Krista asks, directing to either one of them. Jessica nods and beams to raise the book Kat gave her, but she could not make out the title nor the cover, so she smiles at her friend, clueless. 

The three friends continue to look for the books as they separated on their way. The whole lot of this was Jessica's idea, since she insists almost every one of their friends reads and that it has been entirely long that they haven't went into a bookstore. Well, Krista hasn't told her that she gone into one, days ago to look for Callum's gift, but she decided to ignore it since she hasn't been here for a long time. 

The woman walks towards the reference section of the store, watching and scanning the books for classical music from the top while crossing her arms. There are gardening guides and space maps, previous year almanacs and yearbooks of different countries, and more gardening guides. She sees a book related to horoscopes, but she remembers none of her friends finds them interesting so she then lets out a disappointed sigh. 

"Find any luck?" Kat asks, watching the books from her back. Krista sees she's already found one, with the cover of a boy and a balloon that's- 

"No." She steps at her right and finds herself looking at a section centering on computers. 

"You'll find it" she responds. 

Why does Callum even like classical music? Every day she would get in his car with Mozart or Haydn or Schubert booming from the speakers, and she would never find herself not looking at the stacks of books and magazines about them composers and pieces in his house especially in his bedroom. Paintings of Beethoven and a few others are hanging in the hallways; even the house itself has this Renaissance feel into it.  

Callum doesn't even play a single instrument, just...listens. He tells her he's been listening to them since he was a teenager, and tells her he wants to become a composer like them someday, but when Krista asks him if he plays even one instrument, Callum tells her that he doesn't...because it is just a waste of time. What kind of person even thinks that way? He has a large, grand piano in his house, displays different violins in every size in the living room, and he's even planning to buy a harp, just to become a..a... décor piece. Krista remembers him talking about it from their first date at his house, after they went to this fancy restaurant. He was bringing two glasses and a bottle of wine at that time, as the woman couldn't help herself look at the grand piano in awe, stepping closer to look at its pieces, the structure. She hasn't seen an instrument so magical in a long time. "Wonderful isn't it?" 

"It's beautiful." 

Krista steps closer and touches its smooth lid, and drags her fingers to the keys. She plays a note, two, and three, when suddenly Callum grabs her wrist forcefully. "I think that's enough." 

They stare at each other for a few heartbeats but the man soon decides to push her hand away like he just got burned. 

One...two...three...four...five...si- "I'm sorry" he says. 

The woman nods but Krista tightens her coat she holds in her arms. Callum pours some wine to the glass before giving it to her, the woman slightly hesitant to take it. They drink in awkward silence.