Last Summer 🔪Scream 1996

Ch. 20: Christmas Before the Last

As I'm eating my food, Stu cracks a joke making us all laugh. Sophia is halfway through her second plate as she watches all of us talk, stuffing her face with a worried look. Tiffany feeds Joseph a bite of her food as Billy drapes an arm over the back of my chair, sitting back and watching everyone with a stoic stare.

I see Milly walking towards us with something in her hand, a smile on her face as she moves behind me. She holds a rectangular object wrapped in a cloth out as I wipe my hands before taking it. I give her a confused look as I unwrap the cloth from around the object, revealing a beautiful picture frame of a familiar picture.

"Wow!"

I smile down at the three faces, remembering the exact moment the picture was snapped. Both Stu and Billy lean over my shoulders, looking down at it as Milly clears her throat. She rests her hand on the back of my chair as she smiles down at me.

"It's from the Christmas before last...you three were here exchanging gifts and you wanted me to get a picture, remember?"

"Yeah...Tiff! Look!"

I hold it across the table, smiling as she takes it. Both Sophia and Joseph look over her shoulders as they take in the smiling faces in the frame.

"This was right after you gave me my Belladonna Album, I had just give Layla a new sketch book, and she got you..."

"Mariah Carey tickets...."

"Yeah...she really went out with the gift exchange..."

I laugh as she looks down at the photo fondly, a small smile clear on her face. I look back up at Milly, a questioning look on my face.

"Why are you showing us know?"

"Well...I haven't really had time to get it printed out and framed until just last week...as well as your birthday is next week so I thought it would be great gift!"

I smile as I stand, pulling her into a hug. She squeezes me tight as she rubs my back, giving the type of hug only mothers can give. She pulls and holds me at arms length, smiling at me.

"I also got you something else...but you'll have to come back to get it."

"I will. I promise."

"You better."

I laugh as she nods at me, showing her adorably petty side. I give her a quick kiss on the cheek before turning around to sit back down. Tiffany is looking at me and the photo, a small pout on her face.

"Don't think I forgot about you...."

Milly pulls out another matching picture frame with a matching picture inside, holding out to me with a smile. I take it as Stu takes the last bite of his French toast. Billy is still sitting back, observing everyone as he fiddles with a butter knife.

"Who is that, again?"

Stu asks as he points towards the photo in my hands, swallowing the last of his food. I point towards it, my smile returning as I glance at him.

"This is Layla...she used to live here until last year when she had to move to New York...we still talk to her sometimes but it's honestly not the same as having her around...."

"I definitely agree..."

I laugh as I look at Sophia, who's rubbing her stomach with three empty plates in front of her. Tiffany looks at her up and down, confusion clear on her face.

"Girl...how did you fit all of that in you?"

Stu laughs beside me as I scoff, shaking my head before smiling at Sophia.

"Don't worry...you somehow managed to stay perfect!"

"Aww...thanks!"

"Wait...when's your birthday?"

"June 2..."

"She will be seventeen...."

I glare at both Tiffany and Sophia as they do fake posh accents, clinking their gasses together as they laugh. Billy looks at me as he lays the butter knife back on the table.

"What are you planning?"

"Well...considering we won't be back until late into the night the day after...I guess...packing up and preparing to come home?"

"We can't have that! You are going to have the best birthday of your whole existence...."

I smile at Sophia as she sips her water, looking at me with a serious face. Tiffany looks deep in thought as she fidgets with her bracelets. I look at her, my smile staying intact as she looks up at me.

"Is your mom still letting me come?"

"Uhh...I honestly don't know..."

"Well...I asked my mom anyways and she said that Bonnie has to come..."

"Okay..."

"She said it's because we're 'sisters' and we 'should spend more time together' but I think it's a ploy to try and get her away from Casey and Maddy...they bring the worst in her..."

"I actually like Casey Becker....she seems pretty nice..."

Stu chokes on his water, avoiding eye contact as he tries to catch his breath. I hand him a napkin as I look back at Tiffany, finding her looking at Stu with a calculated look. Billy glares at Stu as he finally catches his breath, looking at all of us as he clears his throat.

"Sorry...huhm...went down the wrong pipe..."

I look back at Tiff as she speaks again, rolling her eyes a little as she voices her reasoning.

"It's not so much Casey, but Maddy...she's the definition of a snobby bitch who thinks she's better than everyone...Bonnie claims to not like her, but every time they're together, Bonnie is worse than a grade A Bitch and I can't stand it...."

Milly walks up with a tray, ready to collect our dishes. I smile up at her as she smiles back at me before walking away with our dirty dishes. When she leaves, I pull out a twenty and slip it under the napkin dispenser. I look back up at Tiff as she continues talking.

"Besides...apparently Casey has a new boyfriend and is leaving Maddy and Bonnie high and dry every chance she gets..."

"Huh...sounds familiar..."

I smirk as she continues to ramble, not picking up on the playful dig I threw her way. Sophia snorts before covering it up with a cough, sipping her water as she glances away.

"Which means that Bonnie and Maddy end up hanging out together, alone. Which means she comes home bitchier than normal with this sudden need to criticize every little thing about every little...fucking...thing!?"

By this point, she's breathing heavily as she grips the fork that she still has as she stares off at nothing. Stu and Billy both watch her in amazed amusement as Joseph starts to rub her back in support. Sophia gently reaches out and pries the fork out of Tiff's hand as she rubs her arm.

"Okay...I'm just gonna take this..."

"You needed that didn't you?"

I reach across the table and grab Tiffany's hand, squeezing it as she starts to take deep breaths to calm down. She slowly nods as she exhales one last time before opening her eyes again.

"Yes...yes I did..."

                               🔪🗡

A/N

Fun Fact! The nickname that Christina calls Sophia, Smiles or smiley, is the real-life nickname of my crackhead neighbor who is trying to steal my dad's special plant!

I also just finished my...hold on gotta count....I think my seventh night of patrol and am in desperate need of sleep!

Stay hydrated!!!!!!!!!!!

Love
-the sleep deprived Author