Perfect For Me

CHAPTER 37 (Ryan Lander)

Christmas. I had never liked it. Usually we would go to a restaurant in the evening and the rest of the day we would ignore each other like every other day too. This year it would be different. At least that's what my parents said. We wouldn't go to some fancy restaurant but spend the whole day at home, watching movies, playing games, eating and finally exchanging presents like a normal, typical family. I liked the thought of that. But I also was scared I was going to be disappointed by my parents. Or be a disappointment to them. I sighed. Guess it really took some time to adapt to the changes in my family. But I didn't really mind. Changes meant it would get better.

Right at the moment I laid in my bed, staring at the big pin-board with the many, many song ideas on it. Since recently a drawing of three people inside a big red heart hung there too. And a picture of two boys. Ethan's drawing for me and the only cute selfie me and Liam ever made together. We both laid in his bed, me trying to kiss him on the cheek while he was laughing uncontrollably. I loved it. My eyes wandered over all the pieces of paper hanging there until they stopped at my piano. On top of it were two small presents, wrapped in blue paper. I had wrapped them yesterday evening after finally working up the courage to really give THIS to Liam. I was a bit self-conscious about it. After all we only had been together for about a month and it was kind of a big gesture. Well, not really. But it felt weird. I probably should have gotten something else!
I stopped myself overthinking it again. I had promised myself to give it to Liam. He would love it. I hope.

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"Riiiiing!", I jumped a little. I hadn't remembered the bell to be this loud. Fidgeting with my fingers nervously I waited for someone to open the door. It had taken me almost an hour to convince my parents to let me go for 45 minutes to bring presents to my friends. Jeremy and Andy both had gotten a blue scarf from me. They were kinda weird and liked to wear matching things, even tough they weren't even a couple. As far as I knew.

"Ry!" I laughed and squatted down to pick the boy up and swirled us around once. "Hey little man! Merry Christmas! Wohooo!", I cheered which caused Ethan to giggle. "Mewwy Chritmaaaaas!"

"Am I allowed to greet my boyfriend as well?", Liam made me notice his pouting self. With a laugh I put Ethan down again took a step forward to put my arms around Liam's neck. "Aww. Are you sad I didn't say hello to you first?" "Yes!", he fake-cried. With a smile he grabbed my t-shirt with both hands and pulled me in for a long kiss. "Merry Christmas.", I whispered slightly out of breath after he released me. My eyes scanned his body, taking in the light blue sweater he wore, accompanied by a pair of black dress pants. I couldn't claim to be surprised that he was dressed up, but that didn't mean I couldn't appreciate it!
"Merry Christmas! Come inside, I have to look for my present for you, I put it somewhere in my room and I'm not sure where anymore..." Liam awkwardly scratched his neck. I chuckled and took a step inside. "No worries, I'll occupy myself with Ethan in the meantime. Ethan?"

The little boy had disappeared. Like not really, I could hear him doing something in his room, but I couldn't see him anymore. Curiously I walked towards it. "Stop! Don't go inside!", Ethan's voice suddenly screamed from behind the closed door. Soon he opened it, a piece of white paper in his hands. He shoved it into my hands: "Merry Christmas Ryan! I did it all by myself. Almost. Lili helped me with the writing there... But it's my present for you!" I looked at it. I wasn't sure, what exactly the colourful lines on the paper showed, but I loved it anyways. Someone, well, Liam, had written "merry Christmas" on the top of the self-made card.
"Thank you so much Ethan! I've got a present for you too." With that I handed him the smaller one of the two I had kept hidden in the pockets of my coat. It was nothing special, just a Disney themed colouring book, but I was sure it was the right thing for him. Seemed like I had been right, because Ethan let out a little scream as he saw what it was and ran back into his room to position himself on the floor and started colouring.

With a smile I turned around and went to Liam's room. Oh shit, I was nervous! I really hoped he would like my present! Taking a last deep breath I pushed the door open, revealing a halfway under the bed hidden Liam. "Wait a second, I almost got it. Phew. I had put it there so you wouldn't find it on accident but now I almost couldn't find it myself.", his muffled chulckles could be heard. I shook my head. Oh, my chaotic boyfriend! Liam began to cough and mumbled a "Probably should clean here again...", before crawling out from his hideaway and extending a box to me: "Here! I hope you like it. You don't have to wear it. But yeah... we agreed on small presents and I thought....." Carefully unwrapping the small package Liam gave me I grinned when I saw what the present was. Or the presents. Because in the small box laid three bracelets. All of them knotted from red, blue, green and white strings. "I watched SO many YouTube tutorials-" Liam started rambling again, nervous about his present. I cut him off, crashing my lips against his. "I love them. Will you help me put them on?" I held out my wrist to him.

After the bracelets were put on my arm, it was my turn to handout presents. Oh holy sh-! I was so nervous. "Erm... yeah.... This is mine." Self-conscious I held out the present for Liam to take. Peeling off the wrapping paper he revealed a blank CD case. No song title, no artist. Nothing. "Erm,... you see, I make music. Like I play the piano and the guitar and... I... sometimes write my own songs. And at the start of the school year I was so confused about my feelings for you and wrote a song about it. And it kinda turned out as a love song?" Liam stared at me. I turned my head away. I had been right it had been a stupid idea. "This, this is your song? For me?" Carefully I looked Liam in the eyes again and nodded. "I haven't heard it yet, but I'm sure it is beautiful. Thank you!" With that Liam put the CD on his bed and to kiss me. Eagerly I returned the kiss. Why had I hated Christmas again?