Elliot

Two

"MERRY CHRISTMAS, ELLIOT!"

I woke up to Alvin screaming at me. God, I think my eardrums just broke. "What the fuck, Alvin?" I said.

"Wow, what a nice way to greet me back."

"What a nice way to wake me up."

"It's Christmas! Why would you sleep over the best holiday of the year?"

I pushed myself up. "I know it's Christmas, dipshit." I glanced at the living room window. Outside was beautiful. It was snowing. The world was cold and covered in white.

"Why did you sleep here?" Alvin said.

I looked at him. "I'm not gonna share a room with my sister."

"Why not?"

"'Cause she snores so fucking loud."

"Hey, I don't snore!" Clara said. She was rubbing her eyes, obviously just awoken from sleep. "You're the one who snores."

"I don't snore."

"Whatever." Clara made her way to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. I reached for my phone to check the time. It's nine in the morning. It's too fucking early.

I flopped myself back to the couch and pulled the blanket over my face. Then it was snatched away by Alvin. "Nope, you're not going back to sleep," he said.

"Fuuuuck off, Alvin."

He pulled me by my feet and dragged me down to the floor. Great, now my butt hurts. I glared at him again but he responded with a laugh. "Come on, Jameson. We're going to make hot chocolates."

I stood up. "Don't call me that."

"I don't understand why you don't like that name. It's cool. Very American."

"I told you, I hate that name."

"You never told me why," he said.

Clara punched Alvin in the shoulder. "He said he doesn't like being called by that, Alvin. Let it go," she said, still drinking the cup of water in her hands.

I shot Clara a glance. She nodded in return.

I never wanted to hear that name anymore. I don't want that name to exist. I want it erased in every single copy of birth certificates that I have. I just want to forget it.

Alvin kept his word and made three cups of hot chocolates. Not so long later, the old people woke up and then we started getting through Christmas.