Christmas Mornings (on hold)

Christmas Mornings and Holiday Sale

|| Fifth Christmas Morning. Saturday. December 20 ||

I was caught up in a heavy downpour without my umbrella. And that wasn't even half the worst part. Alonzo came to my rescue. A part of me (the bitter one) was annoyed that it had to be him and another part of me (the soft-hearted one) was relieved to see him. Despite the bickering inside my head, I had no choice but accepted his offer. I let him walk me to my car under his umbrella. He was just being nice after all. Besides it was just an umbrella. Who was I kidding? Actually it wasn't just the umbrella. No it was way more than the umbrella.

Having a soft heart and guilty conscience was my weakness. I was the type of person to pay back what I owed. So with the pouring rain and Alonzo stood outside my car, I rolled down the window and told him to get in. You knew what happened next. Yes, I offered him a ride home.

It was eerily quiet at first. The only sound I heard was the heavy drop of rain water on my Volks' roof. I tried so hard to drive safely with the slippery road in front and Alonzo seated very close beside me. His presence gave more danger to my driving than the wet road ahead.

We reached the first of the many traffic lights in the city downtown. As we waited for the lights to turn green, I turned on the radio to rid us of the awkward silence that was looming inside the car. I fixed my eyes on the road ahead but my mind was fixed at the intense heat between me and Alonzo.

"Err-Maddie?"

I froze. I didn't expect any exchange of words between us. All I really wanted the moment I offered him a ride was just to bring him straight home. No more. No less.

"Hmm?" Was all I'm able to get out of my mouth. I didn't dare look his way. I was anxious at what he might see through me because I knew for myself I was so easy to read.

"I'm sorry." He huffed out.

I gripped the steering wheel to keep my hands from shaking. Shit! This was the topic I had always dreaded treading into. Especially not with Alonzo.

"Whew, it's really getting hot in here don't you think?" I said changing the topic.

I fumbled with the air-con dials with shaking hands and accidentally turned the radio volumes up. Miley Cyrus' croaky voice blasted all over the car interior with the shrill chorus of Wrecking Ball.

Alonzo helped me with the volumes and managed to turn it down to an acceptable level. As he did so, his hands found mine and he held it. My hands stopped shaking but my heart continued to beat so hard I could almost feel it coming out of my chest. What have I done to deserve this?

I heard car horns blasting and we were brought back to reality. The traffic was moving but my mind seemed to do otherwise.

Snap. Snap. Snap. Snapping fingers brought me back to reality.

"Sometimes, I hate going out with you. I feel like a crazy bitch talking to myself in the middle of a crowded cafe."

I blinked at the frustrated face in front of me. I dozed off again. It was the second time today. Earlier after the mass while Jed and I hung out at the nearby bakery drinking coffee, my mind flew back to yesterday's awkward reunion with Alonzo. Jed had to pinch my cheeks to get my attention.

After another empty stare and memory hop to yesterday's epic event, I remembered I was in the middle of my lunch date with Allen.

"Do we have a problem Madison Vides?" That voice. She only used that voice when she was super annoyed and right now, I bet my life, her annoyance was aimed at me.