Unexpected

Christmas

25th December

You wake up to your alarm blaring in your ear. You groan and reach across, prodding your phone screen until it stops. You turn over and put your arm back over the blonde next to you who takes your hand and pulls it close to her, holding you close. You hadn't been back to your house since the first night you spent at Leah's. You'd spent the last day looking after her, cooking and baking Christmas foods to enjoy leading up to today.
"I don't want you to go." Leah mumbles into your hand.
"I don't want to go either but it's Christmas." You kiss Leah on the crook of the neck sending a shiver down her spine.
"Don't start that now or I'll never let you leave." Leah bites her lip and her hand travels to between your legs.
"Le." You breathe, knowing you need to get up.
"What?" She runs her hand down your body and immediately your body starts tingling.
You barrel roll out of bed causing Leah to huff.
"I need to go, I need to go and get my stuff from my house or I'm going to be late. Then my Mum will not be happy with me." You take her hands in yours and sit back on the side of the bed.
"Okay. I'm going to miss you." Leah looks at you with sad puppy eyes that succeed in making you feel bad.
"I'm going to miss you too. But I'm going to see you this evening." You plant a soft kiss on her lips which continues for a few seconds before you have to pull yourself away.
"True. Take one of my hoodies?" Leah scoops a green Nike hoodie from next to her and throws it at you.
"You going soft on me, Williamson?" You smile.
"If you tell anyone, I'll have to kill you." Leah tried to say with a dead serious expression before the most beautiful smile spread across her face.
"Your secret is safe with me." You head downstairs holding Leah's hoodie and grab your car keys and coat.
"You can return those at some point." Leah gestures to your top and joggers which she had lent you over the past couple of days so you weren't stuck in smelly clothes.
"I might, I quite like them though." You smirk.
Leah walks towards you and puts her hands in the pockets of the joggers, pulling your body against hers.
"I do quite like you in my clothes to be honest." She winds her hands around your neck and kisses you deeply. This kiss was different, more desperate. More of a 'don't go' kiss.
You savour the taste of Leah's lips and finally pull away from the kiss, still holding her close.
"See you later." You try and say confidently, but you fight the lump in your throat. You knew you were going to see her later but you still didn't want to leave her side.
"Later." Leah kisses you one more time before you head out of the front door and down the steps to your car. You place your possessions down on the passenger seat and slide in, starting the engine. You look up to see Leah leaning against the door frame, gazing at you with eyes sparkling. You took a deep breath and starting reversing off of the driveway, as you pull away you blow Leah a kiss which she returns and you drive home in record time.
The roads were quiet as it was Christmas Day, you open your front door to see your doormat littered with Christmas cards from the last couple of days that you hadn't been home. You make yourself a quick coffee and sit down on the sofa to open them all. Your Mum and Dad had sent one along with your Auntie's and Uncle's. You go and change into a plain t-shirt and pull the hoodie that Leah gave you over the top, it smelt like her and the scent intoxicated you slightly, making you feel giddy at the thought of her. You throw an extra t-shirt and underwear into your bag and head back out the door to drive back to your family in Milton Keynes. You check your phone before you leave.

1 Message

Leah W

Just sending you my playlist in case you miss me on the drive down, can't wait to see you already x

You smile at your phone and head to the car. The drive was an easy one, the M1 was reasonably quiet so you turned your music up and sang freely to the playlist that Leah had sent you, reminding you of the drive to McDonalds only a couple of nights ago. You drive past the exit for Newport Pagnell where you'd be heading tonight and carry on to Bletchley, only an extra 15 minutes until you reach your parents house just down from where Leah used to train as a child. You pull onto the driveway and knock on the door. You're greeted by your Mum wearing her Christmas apron covered in gingerbread men, the smell of roast potatoes and goose fat filling your nostrils.
"Hi Mum, Merry Christmas!" She hugs you tightly and ushers you through to the kitchen where your Dad and sister are sat. They stand up to greet and hug you, you take a seat next to your sister grabbing a can of coke on the way.
"How's it going?" Your Dad asks.
"Really good. My injury isn't as bad as it looked, it was just bruised ribs." You laugh.
"Im glad you can laugh about it, ask your Mother, I was screaming at the TV. The neighbours probably wondered what was going on." Your Dad let out a belly laugh which never failed to make you smile. He took a big sip of his beer before speaking again.
"That Williamson was by your side though, I didn't think you two got on." He quizzed.
Your eyes went wide and you took a deep breath.
"Yeah. Funny that. We didn't get on for ages and then after that match we've been really um, close." You try not to laugh at your internal definition of close as you think about Leah on top of you in bed.
"That's good. She seems to really care about you." Your Dad says obliviously.
"She does. It just took us a while to get there." You smile and see your sister side eyeing you knowingly.
Your Dad gets up to go and help your Mum in the kitchen and she turns to face you.
"When you say close?" She smirks at you.
"Samara, stop." You feel your cheeks flushing red and you try to cover your face with the hoodie that smelt so strongly of Leah's perfume.
"Oh my god. You're seeing Leah Williamson aren't you?" She slaps the table and gasps. Your parents turn to look at you both.
"Everything okay?" Your mum asks.
"Yes. Fine. Samara is just being annoying, as per." You shove your sister playfully.
They turn back to the vegetables they were preparing and you turn back to your sister.
"Okay. Yes. We're seeing each other but don't say anything yet. It's only been like a week." You play with the strings on your hoodie.
"That's her hoodie too isn't it? It doesn't smell like you." She smirks even more.
"Yes. Oh my god. Stop." You laugh.
"Anyway, let's go and help Mum and Dad shall we? I didn't sign up for 20 questions." You stand up and get your phone out.

1 New Message

Leah W

Hope you're enjoying your day, my parents are excited to meet you, shall I swing by and say hello to yours? You can follow me back to Newport Pagnell then x

Panic sets into your stomach slightly. You weren't planning on telling your parents and you don't know what Leah has told hers. You type back a reply.

'Hey! I am thank you, my sister has already guessed this hoodie isn't mine 😂 I haven't told my parents yet but I'm just wondering what have you told yours? X'

You head to the toilet quickly while you wait for a reply. You knew it was too early to be labelling your relationship but at the same time your heart ached for her to be yours.

1 New Message

Leah W

It suits you though 😉😍 originally I just said that we were team mates and we'd gotten close recently but my mum watched the match where you got injured and she could see from my reaction that I care about you as more than a friend x

You smile at Leah's reply and take a deep breath before replying.

'My Dad said the same thing after watching that match. Clearly we were both oblivious, I'll tell them and then you can pop by x'

You put your phone back in your pocket and head back into the kitchen.
"Thought you'd fallen down the toilet." You Dad laughed.
"No I was just texting someone. I'm not going straight home when the grandparents arrive." You fiddle with your sleeves and your Mum and Dad both turn to face you. Your sister snickering to herself at the table.
"Oh yeah, what's going on then?" Your Mum asks puckering her lips.
"So, I'm going to Leah's after." You exhale.
"Williamson?" Your Dad asks.
"Yeah. We're actually seeing each other." A smile breaks out across your face, you couldn't help but smile.
"Ah. That's what you meant by close." Your Dad says using air quotations. Your Mum elbowing him in the side.
"Behave." Your Dad pulls a face at her and turns back to you.
"As long as my baby girl is happy then so am I." He smiles at you and pulls you into a hug.
"Well, she wants to swing by and say hello before I go with her, would that be okay?" You ask shyly.
"Yes!" Your sister shouts. "I like Leah more than I like you." She laughs.
"Thanks mate." You throw a tea towel at her from across the room.
"Thank you guys. She's different, she's special." You smile.
"Right, dinner is served!" Your Mum starts taking plates to the table and quickly pull your phone out to let Leah know.

1 New Message

Leah W

I was never oblivious, I've always cared about you, I just hid it x

You smile at your phone once again before replying.

'I always cared about you too, we're just too stubborn. I've told my parents, they're really happy and can't wait to meet you x

The grey typing bubbles appears straight away and Leah's message made your heart burst with feelings you'd never felt before.

Leah W

Amazing, I can't wait. Maybe they'll be my in laws one day x