Valeria's POV *December 21, 1964*
Things did get easier after I left. But it's finally Christmas break and I was so ready for this break. "So when do you set up Christmas lights?" I asked Dallas as we walked inside the crowded bar.
"Christmas lights?" He asked.
I gasped. "Do you not do anything?" I asked, in shock.
"I don't celebrate Christmas." He said.
I gasped again. "So you don't get extra Christmas lights and hang them around your room? Or drink hot chocolate while watching TV? Or... or... anything?" I asked.
He shook his head. "Nope never cared or had the time for it."
"That's changing this year. I can't live like that." I said with a laugh.
"You do you." He said walking up the stairs.
"I will. And actually, I'm gonna go get a bunch of stuff." I said running back down the stairs.
"Valeria, it's getting dark. Don't-"
Before he could finish his sentence I was already half way to the door and I couldn't hear him anymore. I ran to a store my mom used to take me to for Christmas stuff. It was a nice little shop downtown and it had everything Christmas. It was adorable. I got a bunch of hot chocolate mixes and indoor Christmas lights. I ran back to Bucks in record time. Dallas was sitting on the bed trying to get the TV to turn on.
"Are you doing this tonight?" He asked.
"Of course. Christmas is in four days. Sooner is better than later." I said with a grin.
"And I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you want me to help?"
I laughed. "Bingo."
He grinned and got up. "Alright. What did ya get?"
"Well, we're gonna do the lights first. My mom always had extra Christmas lights. So she gave them to me and I hung them around my room. And I can't reach the top of the room so that's your job." I said handing him the end of the string of lights.
"So how does it stay there?" He asked.
"I always just used thumb tacks in my room."
"Did you get some?" He asked.
"Of course I did. But we can't do it without listening to Christmas music." I said turning on the radio in the corner of the room.
"Oh God..." Dallas mumbled.
I laughed. "Come on." I drawled. "This is fun. I promise." I said trying to turn the knob to the right station. I eventually found it and Dally had a hard time finding out how to keep the lights up.
"I hate this. I give up." He said dropping it to the floor and sitting back on the bed.
"Don't be a baby and do it right." I said crossing my arms and pretending to pout. I knew he was playing so I figured two could play it that way.
He grinned. "You're ridiculous." He said, playfully.
"That makes two of us." I said, grinning, as he walked past me to the lights.
"Can we at least change this terrible music?" He asked.
"It's Christmas music!"
"I know..."
I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic comment but i came up behind him. "No, put the pin in the wall." I said getting impatient.
"But I haven't put the light up yet." He said, with confusion.
"Doesn't matter. Just trust me." He gave me a look of confusion and put the pin in the wall. "Alright. Now put another pin in the wall all the way at the end of the wall. But make sure they're even and next to each other." I said.
"You're not making any sense." He said grabbing another pin.
"Just trust me." I said with a small grin. He put the other pin in the wall and I grabbed the lights and tried to put it around the pin but I couldn't reach. "Y'know, now that I think about it, we should have definitely started on the bottom." I said, laughing.
I saw Dallas grin but he quickly stopped. "You can do that on your own." He said sitting back down on the bed.
"I don't think so. Come on, where's your Christmas spirit? It's the most wonderful time of the year!" I said picking up a pin and putting it in the wall.
"Most wonderful time of the year? Yeah, ok." He said, sarcastically.
I took a breath. "Fine, you ever want me to go to the dingo with you again, you'll help me." I said with a fake smile.
He groaned. "Ok, ok. Fine. I'll help." He said standing up.
I laughed and he walked up to me. "How long is this gonna take?" He asked.
"I guess you'll just have to see."
I tried to give Dallas the benefit of the doubt. Maybe when he lived back in New York, his parents made Christmas miserable because it wouldn't blow my mind if they did. Maybe he truly just didn't like Christmas. But by the end of the night, I don't think Dallas was having an absolutely terrible night. Hell, I don't think he was having a good time but definitely better than how he was before we started.
I had a great time. I rarely ever saw Dally smile. Like, actually smile. Not his playboy smile. When we finally finished putting up the lights, he actually smiled. And yeah, we were done. Maybe that's why he smiled. But it was something I didn't really get to see.
And maybe he had a terrible time. Maybe he'll hate me for this one day. But I really did enjoy myself. I loved being around him without any worry.
It was a small moment I'd remember forever.
I wished it never had to end.
YOU ARE READING
What We Once Were
Romance"I loved him. But it was too late." She didn't want to leave him. But they just were meant to be. And that was that. Valeria, years after they have seen each other, relives the memories they had with each other. And after all this time, she finally...
