You'd Be Home

Dreams We Left Behind

In the week leading up to Christmas, Jade's demeanor around me completed changed. As soon as she arrived to pick me up for a date or hang out after school, she called Nadia or her father to let them know she was safe, what time she would be home, and then... she turned her phone off without even thinking twice about it. The same was true for Christmas Eve when Jade came by to help bake some desserts for the next day. Slipping her phone into her purse by the front door, she skipped to the kitchen in order to see me, virtually ignoring Trina who was still holding open the door.

She produced a light squeal wrapping her arms around me, "Hi there, gorgeous."

"Try to do one nice thing and receive no recognition for it..." Trina muttered behind her, rolling her eyes as I smiled into Jade's neck.

Jade's head snapped back to face her, before putting on her best fake high-pitched voice, "Oh my God, Trina. I'm like, so sorry." She walked back over to my sister, wrapping her in an uncomfortably tight hug. "How dare I ignore your sweeping gesture of acceptance into your home?"

"Ugh. Nevermind, I lied. No recognition is needed." Trina pushed her shoulder with her right hand trying to distance herself from my girlfriend. She looked up to see me bowled over laughing at Jade's charade. "Of course, you find my discomfort hysterical, Tor. Please. Let. Go."

Jade released her grip, chuckling into her hand as she watched Trina go upstairs without another word. "Too far?"

I walked back over to her, lacing my fingers around her neck, "Personally, I would say that it's not far enough."

"Mmm" She sighed, bringing me in for a kiss. Her hand lingered on my cheek as she pulled away before twirling a strand of her hair around her finger, "So, like, I need to talk like this to my girlfriend more often?"

"No, no. That's not what I said." I backed away, immediately.

"You're trying to tell me that this voice doesn't do it for you?" She continued, sauntering toward me as I escaped for the kitchen, attempting to hide behind the counter.

"Jade? Jadey?" I tried to remain serious though short laughs were still escaping my lips. "The blue hair and piercings really don't fit."

"So, you wouldn't like still love me if I talked like your sister all the time?" She caught ahold of the back of my Christmas sweater as I tried to run away from her once again. Spinning me around, Jade kissed my cheek before resettling into her actual voice, "Okay, okay. I'll stop."

"Thank you." I whispered, finally looking at her overall outfit. "I love that you stayed true to theme, babe."

She took a step back, rotating slowly in front of me in jeans and a sweater with Jesus and Santa riding on a bicycle together on the front. It was a stark departure from her usual black attire, now completely covered in green and red. "You like? I went to the mall yesterday and found the most polarizing outfit I could."

I smirked up at her, opening my eyes to take her clothes fully in. Due to the material of the sweater, it hugged her curves with purpose, sending the shivers down my spine into overdrive. "I mean, you look hot as hell. And you willingly changed your entire typical dress code just for me?"

"Hot as hell? Maybe I should be openly whipped for my girlfriend more often." She retorted, slinking her hands down her sides, stopping intentionally over her chest and waist for emphasis.

"Whipped? Does that need to go into the notebook?" I beamed.

"You can add whatever you'd like, Vega. But don't sell yourself short. I mean, have you seen how remarkable you look today?"

I looked down at my own sweater adorned with sparkly pom-poms covering a stitched Christmas tree and could only laugh. In comparison to the woman in front of me, my childlike attire paled in comparison. "You're fucking with me, right?"