my 'the summer i turned pretty'

christmas gifts pt. 1

december 2019.

we didn't plan on getting anything for each other for christmas.

in fact, we've never planned on giving each other anything.

but one christmas eve morning i checked my instagram and saw that my conrad had posted a story about a handsome squidward figurine he had 3d printed. he said that it was the greatest thing he's ever made.

that same night as he was leaving my house from our yearly christmas eve party, we stood there with his parents and my uncles next to the door talking. we had already given our signature goodbye hug to each other, but this time his arm stayed rested on my waist as we turned around to join the conversation happening between his parents and my uncles.

it only happened for a few more minutes until the conversation ended and his family had already walked out the door. however it didn't register to me that his arm was there until he removed it and my brain suddenly sparked up.

my conrad, just put his arm around my waist.

but it was already over and by the time i was about to say something he was already stepping out the door.

i joined him in opening the door as i wanted to hold the door open and stand there on the porch while i watched him leave. but he suddenly turned around and whispered to me "i have something for you". i was confused and asked him what it was, when he opening the side of his jacket and reached into the inside pocket, bringing out a ziplock bag and handing it to me. "here, i want to give this to you" he said smiling, and then quickly walked right out and left me dumbfounded.

i closed the door and stood there opening the bag.

inside was the 3d printed squidward from this morning. the same thing he called his greatest creation, was the present he gave to me.

you may not think it was the cutest gift. but to me it was everything, i meant everything. it had always been a running joke between us, and i wondered if he made it with the intention of giving it to me.

june 2022.

i used to carry it around almost everywhere i went, just for fun. and then when school started back up again, i kept it in my backpack as a good luck charm. every so often i would see it in my backpack and smile. my conrad gave this to me. this was mine, from my conrad.

when covid started and i no longer had to attend in person classes, i kept him on my desk right next to my monitor to keep me company while i did my homework. and when i was finally able to attend in person classes again, i put him back in my backpack and continued carrying him everywhere i went. one time in biology class my teacher had me take it out and do 'the anatomy of handsome squidward' on the board and placed it under the projector for everyone to see. my friend that knew the background story smiled and laughed with me, and i sat there proud knowing that the conrad had given that to me.

i switched backpacks my sophomore year and decided not to put it back into my new backpack. thinking that it was time i moved on.

and it wasn't until a few days ago until my little sister was going through my old backpack that i saw it again. it no longer held much meaning, as our relationship is almost nonexistent at this point.

but here it is, still on my desk from the day i found it. i mean to put it into my box of special things, filled with a bunch of other momentos from my crushes.

but i have been too 'busy' to do so.

a/n:

does anyone even read these alfkjlfjk

i wrote this chapter like six months ago. i still have newer chapters that i'm still writing but i needed a filler chapter so i had an excuse to post. i'm too lazy to proof read it or reread it before posting so i hope it's good hehehehehhehehe, stay tuned!