Mismatched Socks

Renée - Chapter 8: x

'Renée, have you seen my scarf?' Sophia asks while searching under my bed. 'What does it look like?' I ask and open my closet. 'The green one,' she says. 'Here you go,' I say and take the green scarf out of my closet and toss it to her. 'You had it all this time?' she asks surprised. I look at her guilty. 'You wore it the night we first kissed,' I say silently with a little blush on my cheeks.

'You're too adorable,' she says and stands to hug me and give me a kiss on the cheek. I laugh and hug her back. There's a knock on the door and Sophia and I release each other and go stand two meters apart. 'Yes,' I say. Colin opens the door and walks in. 'Haven't you packed yet?' he asks surprised when he sees my still empty suitcase on my bed. 'I was going to do it now,' I say. 'You better hurry, our mothers just arrived,' he says. Then greets Sophia and leaves.

I look at Sophia. 'I better start packing,' I say and take some clothes. 'I'll help,' she says and smiles at me. 'Do you always spend Christmas on a holiday?' she asks and hands me some t-shirts. 'Yes, every year since I can remember,' I say and put the t-shirts in the suitcase.

'When will you be back?' she asks. 'December 30th,' I say and look at her. 'Great! Then you can visit me December 31st and celebrate New Year's with me and I can introduce me to my parents and friends!' she says enthusiastically. 'Really?' I ask surprised. 'Yes, you're my girlfriend,' she says with a big smile. 'I know that's just that I haven't told anyone,' I silently say and put Leonard in my hand baggage.

'You haven't?' I can hear the disappointment in her voice. 'We're together for two months. Two whole months!' she says. 'I'll tell Matt and James,' I say and close the suitcase. 'What about your parents? And Colin?' I look at her seriously. 'My mother did not react well on my brother coming out and I can't tell Colin,' I say.

'Why not?' 'Because he's in love with me and it would break his heart,' I say. 'Ever considered that it may hurt me for not telling the people you care about?' 'I'm sorry but I can't tell him.' There's a long silence. 'Am I still visiting you?' I ask carefully. Sophia gives me a small smile and nods. 'Yes,' she says and kisses me.

We leave my room and walk outside. In the distance I see my mother, Anna – Colin's mother –, Colin and James waiting for me. We stop walking, I look at Sophia. 'I'll keep you updated,' I say and hug her. She laughs. 'You can say you're going to miss me, I'll miss you too,' she laughs and hugs me back. 'I'll miss you. Bye,' I say, let her go and go to my family.

I greet Anna and my mother and give James and Colin a hug. 'Now that you're finally here, we can leave,' my mother says irritated. I sigh and take a place on the backseat between James and Colin. My mother is all stressed out that we are going to miss the plane. 'The plane doesn't leave in another six hours, Sarah,' Anna comforts her friend.

Thirty minutes later we are at our houses. Our fathers, Mathieu, Juliette, and Patrick are waiting with their suitcases. 'Finally,' Tom says to Anna. 'Renée was a little late,' she says. I roll my eyes. My father gives me a stern look and Matt smiles. 'The taxi will be here in a few minutes,' Patrick says.

'We should probably go over the room arrangements,' my mother begins and looks from James to Mathieu. It would be childish of her to say they will be in separate bedrooms. For the last three years they were in the same room on every holiday. Colin and I usually shared the kids room with bunkbeds.

'James and Colin in one room, Renée and Mathieu in one and the still engaged couple in one room,' my mother says. No one protest, but I would if I were them. Three taxi's arrive, we put our luggage in the trunks and take our seats. I'm in a taxi with James and Colin. Juliette, Patrick, and Mathieu share one and our parents are in the last taxi.

One hour and thirty minutes later we are at the airport. Our mothers walk in front of us to guide trough the airport, the check-in, and the security. I text Sophia.