Golden Girl

11. This is My Ugly Christmas Sweater

I woke up, with a sharp pain in my head. I looked around. My hair was covered with sticky string. I don't even want to know. I go out to walk over to the balcony, and I end up tripping on something. Well, someone. You can guess who it is.
"One part of me is telling me to ask, but the other, is telling me I don't even want to know."
You may think waking up on a balcony isn't all that strange, and it isn't. But waking up with purple hair, a coconut bra, and Barbie dolls in your hands, is a different story.
I groan.
I lightly kick Dylan and he wakes up.
"You are something else."
"What is my life?" I say to myself.
I walk in the bathroom, and I see Sienna sleeping in the bathtub with green highlights in her hair.
"Going to the other bathroom." I say.
I look at the date on my phone. December 23.
"CHRISTMAS IS TOMORROW!!!" I shout at the top of my lungs. The volume of my voice probably woke up the whole neighborhood. I counted Christmas Eve as a day of Christmas.
★
"I want this so bad." Sienna said holding up a Burberry perfume.
"Maybe Dylan will buy it for you." I said.
We are Christmas shopping, while the guys are buying a tree. And decorations.
"Whatever he buys me, I'm sure it will be sweet. What do you think Logan got you?"
"I really have no idea." I reply.
I look at the displays everywhere. Glass cases of perfumes, cosmetics, facial products, racks of clothes, shoes, and purses, and so much more.
I continued around the giant wonderland of Macy's until I had bought a gift for everybody.
★
We stumbled through the door, with at least ten shopping bags, and maxed out credit cards.
Dylan, and Logan were constructing the tree, and unpacking decorations.
"Hey." I waved.
"Hi." Logan and Dylan both said in a monotone way, not looking up from the tree.
"No no no, I don't need help with ten bags, that I carried up 13 stories. And may I say some of them contain your presents." I stated sarcastically.
I waited for someone to help us, until finally Logan got up, and took the bags to the guest room and set the bags on the bed. I hugged him in gratitude. As soon as he left, Sienna came through the door with wrapping paper roles, and cute boxes.
I sat on the bed, and placed one of the first gifts in front of me. It is a pink fluffy robe, with a set of lotions, perfumes, facial creams and body washes, from Bath and Body Works. I'm intending to give it to Jennifer for the holiday gifts. I also got the whole cast gifts, from The Prosecutor.

I took a box out from the pile Sienna had set them in, and placed the neatly folded robe in it, and shut the lid.
"Can you hand me the silver and gold wrapping, the sparkly one?" I ask Sienna.
She stops cutting, and hands me the role of thick wrapping paper.
I cut out an appropriate amount of paper, and neatly wrap the robe box.
★
~Christmas Eve~
"Can I please have the cookie cutters?" I ask. I look around.

Dylan is hanging mistletoe in random places, Logan is cutting a cucumber for salad, and Sienna is making soup.
I sigh and get the cookie cutters myself.
I stab the soft cookie dough with a star shaped cookie cutter, and move on to the next.

"You know Dylan, it would be really helpful if you get your ass over here and help!" I shout, as I slide the cookie tray in the oven.
"Fine." He reluctantly comes over to the kitchen.
I watch him as he takes out a sack of potatoes, puts them on a cutting board, and takes out a big wooden spoon.
What the hell is he doing?
I should have known. He takes the spoon and starts stabbing the potato.
"DYLAN!!" I shout, grabbing the spoon from his hand.

"You're supposed to boils the potatoes, cut them up, and then mash them... NOT WITH A SPOON!!!"

"Geez, I'll do it." he laughs.
I hold my head in my hands.
"I don't really find it funny when you are doing everything BUT help."

I slide a table cloth upon the dining room table, that we never use except for special occasions.
I put on fancy red, and green plates, with lace placemats, and eating utensils.
"When are the people coming?" I ask.
"What people?" Logan questions.
"Lucy and Jen."
"Oh. uh I think they were supposed to come at 6:30."

I looked at the clock.
"Oh Shit it's 5:50!" I rush over to my room and take the world's fastest shower.
I slide in a red dress with a belt, and put on a white cardigan. (This outfit is in the set above)
I rush into the bathroom, and brush my wavy blonde hair, and put it on one shoulder. I apply red lipstick, and waterproof mascara. After I put on all the artificial products on my face, I look in the mirror. I noticed that I have been wearing an unnecessary amount of dresses lately.

"Eh. Ditch the cardigan." I said to myself.

I walked out of the room with the cardigan still on for some reason. I immediately took it off and neatly placed it on the couch.
The doorbell rang. I looked at the clock above the couch.
6:31.

I opened the door, and Jen is standing in the doorway with a handful of presents, wearing white skinny jeans and a cute thin read sweater that reads,
This is my ugly Christmas sweater.
I laugh
"You're late!" I point to the clock
She laughs.
"Nice sweater." I say.
"I knew I should have dressed nicer." She said.
"No it's fine. This isn't a fancy party, it's just a small get together."
Jen ventures in, and sets down the presents under the Christmas tree.
I see Dylan walk to the table, and sets down a bowl of mashed potatoes.
I go into the kitchen, remembering the cookies.
★
I watch as Jennifer tears off the sparkly wrapping paper, and reveals the lotion set.
"Oh I love it!" She exclaims.
"Open the other one." I motion towards the box with the robe.
I watch her reaction as she sees the robe.
"Just what I need for the weekends!" She says.
"What do you do on the weekends?" Logan asks.

"I watch reality tv. I have no life. I know."
"How I ironic." I say.
I see Sienna opening her present from Lucy.
I see her hold up a pretty floral phone case.
She squeals.
"OMG! A real Aria outfit?!!!"
"Let me see!" I look in the box.
"Fresh from the set." Lucy says.
I recognize it as an outfit used in the newest season.

"Okay. Now for the real gifts."
Dylan says bringing two square boxes in blue snowflake wrapping, and a red bow.
"Hey." Lucy and I say in unison.
I open the box, marked from Logan.
I tear off the thin wrapping, and open the box. Inside the box is...
Just another box.
I open that box.
And another.
And another.
And another.
"Okay who wrapped this?" I say in annoyance.
Dylan snickers, "Me."
"I swear to-" I open the last box.
I look over to Sienna still struggling to open the boxes.
Inside of the small box is a diamond ring.
Oh God no not a proposal.
My heart rate starts to rise and my head is swirling with emotions.
I'm not ready to get married. I'm only 23. I have my whole life ahead of me and-
"Relax it's not a proposal." Logan interrupts my thoughts.
I exhale in relief, trying to make it unnoticeable. I don't want to hurt his feelings. Its just that, I'm not ready.
"Thank you so much!" I say and wrap my arms around him.

I see Sienna admiring a Pandora bracelet probably from Dylan.
Sienna and I now exchange gifts.
I open the box, and I see a scrapbook.
"OH my Gosh! I remember this!" It was a scrapbook Sienna and I made in Senior year of highschool.
"Yeah I sort of finished it." She said.
I flipped through the pages.
Siena's first People Choice Award.

Times on the red carpet together.

Of course there was a page of Dylan's randomness.

Nights at the club.

"Thanks so much." I give her a big hug.

"Awwwww." Dylan says.
"I know right? It's so sw-"
"No I meant she made a page of me."
"You're a terrible person."
"I know it's what keeps me awake at night."
I roll my eyes.
Sienna opened her gift, which was a picture collage of 2014 together, and the Burberry perfume she was dying for.
"You know I love it."
She pulls me into a tight hug.
I look at the clock.
12:03
"Merry Christmas Everyone."