𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑱𝒂𝒅𝒆：𝐴 𝐿𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑚𝑖 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

Chapter Eighteen

                                   

         •Harumi•

I wake up on Christmas morning, still leaning on Lloyd, to the noise of the ninja running out of their bedrooms, and headed for the tree.

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Kai exclaims, and then dashes to the presents surrounding the tree.

I rub my eyes groggily, and then sit up. Lloyd notices that I have moved, and pulls me back into him, hugging me tightly.

"Oh no you don't." He says with a smile and a laugh.

I grin back, snuggling closer to him.

"Merry Christmas Greenie." I say happily, as I glance over at everyone starting to rip the festive wrapping paper off of the presents under the tree.

"Merry Christmas Rumi." Lloyd says giving me one more quick hug, and then taking my hand, helping me stand up, and then walking over with me to the tree.

I smile, watching as Zane hands P.I.X.A.L a silver box of new tools for building more mechs, and she hugs him with excitement.

Nya has given Jay a sled, who immediately wants to take it outside to test it out. I stare at the sled, thinking back at the memory of sledding with Lloyd the other day. I had not had that much fun in a long time!

Kai hands Nya a small box, wrapped with sky blue wrapping paper. She smiles softly, opening the box. Her face lights up as she find a pair of pearl earrings inside.

"I hope you like them Nya. I wasn't sure if-." His sentence is stopped short when she jumps into his arms, giving him a big hug. Kai smiles, hugging her back.

My heart melts seeing them. Lloyd had told me about how much they had been through together growing up, and it really touched my heart. I knew that they both meant the world to each other.

I stare at the Christmas tree as memories of different Christmas mornings come flooding back to me. I remember so much about the many Christmases I spent in the palace. The strange thing was, that I remembered less about my Christmases with my real parents, but the little bits I did remember, were much happier memories than my more recent Christmases.

My thoughts flood back to our Christmas mornings in our small cozy apartment. There was something about it that made it feel happy. I was always the first one up, running to my parents room to wake them up so that we could open presents.

Even though we did not have much money, my parents always tried to make Christmas happy and memorable. And it worked. Only now as I am older, do I realize that they sacrificed a lot to give me a good Christmas growing up. I only wish that I had the chance to spend one last Christmas with them.

My mind wanders back to the present, as Lloyd wraps his arm around me. I smile, and he takes my hand, pulling me over to the tree.

Lloyd reaches behind the tree, pulling out a small box wrapped in jade green wrapping paper, tied with a beautiful gold ribbon.

I beam as tears threaten to start pouring out of my eyes, as he hands me the box, which I carefully start to unwrap.

I tear away the final bit of wrapping paper, and uncover a velvety box. I slowly open the box, and a small gold necklace is laying inside. It is absolutely beautiful. A small gold heart locket, with flowers carved around the edges.