Shut Up And Kiss Me (gxg)

31. F*ck The Holidays

       TWO DAYS BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS break, I was sitting on the floor of Aaron's room, staring up at the American flag on the wall behind his bed.

       I said, "You know, if I didn't know you, I'd assume you were a raging homophobic conservative."

       Aaron shrugged. "My dad put that there when I was ten to support pride of our country and whatever. It's because my grandpa was in the war. And—" He had a strange look on his face. "Something my dad said, back when I was a kid. Never mind."

       "What?"

       "Nothing. Seriously." Aaron tilted his head in the mirror. "Is this black eye still bad or?"

       I glanced up. Seeing it every time always shocked me, just a little. 

       "Oh . . . no, it's . . . great."

       "Talia. I can tell that you're lying."

       "Okay, you look like shit."

       "It's been three weeks," he groaned. "Why is it still here?"

        I pulled up Google on my phone. "Apparently, it takes about two weeks to heal. But depending on the severity, maybe more. Monroe must've thrown a hard punch."

        From that video I saw—and the almost constant bruises on her knuckles—I wouldn't expect anything less.

        "Hey, Aaron?"

        "Yeah?"

        "How . . . why . . ." I could feel my face burning up. "You telling me you loved me, that was pretty sudden. What . . . brought that on?"

        "What do you mean?"

        "We never talked about it. Like, the falling in love thing." I cleared my throat. "Why?"

        If I had to explain any more, I'd probably have just left it at that right there. But mercifully, Aaron understood me.

        "Oh," he said. "Well . . . you . . . I . . . your hair has this really nice scent, did you know that?"

        "Lavender," I said. "It's my conditioner."

        "And you've got this great smile. Really. I just noticed it one day and thought, you know, what if we were a couple? And then I couldn't stop thinking about it. Because, wouldn't me and you just be good, perfect even? We know each other so well and . . . I thought to myself, if this isn't love, what is?"

        What is?  That was the big question, wasn't it?

        "Huh," I said softly.

        "What?"

        "I just never thought of it like that."

        ON CHRISTMAS EVE, AS PART of our tradition, the four of us gathered in a circle on the carpet of Cody's living room. Next to us, there was an enormous, frosted-white Christmas tree.

       "Who wants to open their gift first?" Skylar asked.

       Cody squinted at her. The dancing white lights painted his black hair in shades of silver. "Are you aware that you're wearing a polar bear onesie?"

       "Yes, and I still look hot. Can you say the same?"

       Aaron and I exchanged a glance, and burst into laughter. Skylar was probably the only sixteen year old girl in the whole fucking world who could pull off a polar bear onesie.