When it Happens

Chapter 12

The snowfall around Walden increased as Christmas Eve approached. The expected answer, I know, but Christmas was always my favorite holiday. The white snow everywhere in sight, the Christmas tree glistening, the number of presents under the grew more and more as the day came. I told my mom after I found out Santa wasn't real that I still wanted her to pretend that he still was and put a majority of the presents under the tree Christmas Eve night while I was sleeping. Then, I would still have the excitement like every other kid in the United States. But once I entered high school, I didn't really care anymore. 

At around 7:00 on Christmas Eve, my mom and Bobby were settled on the living room floor, wrapping last minute presents. While I was mixing the batter for sugar cookies, I heard a knock on my door. As I walked to the door, my ugly Christmas jingled because of the bells glued on it. When I opened it, Nate's smiling face appeared in my eyes. His eye was still bruised from the punch he took a few days ago, but it only made his eyes sparkle more.

"Hi," He peeped.

"Hey, come on in," I say, but he doesn't. Instead, his eyes trailed to my cheeks he wipes off some flour that was on my upper jaw, almost driving me to an anxiety attack.

"I actually gotta run, my sister drove me and she's dragging me along to some movie she's been dying to see. But, I wanted to give you this." He handed me a small gift bag that probably didn't even weigh a pound. I was flattered. He didn't have to get me anything! 

"Open it!" He exclaimed and I laughed.

"Okay, okay, I will! Calm your horses!"

"Trust me, my horses are calm."

I chuckled slightly as I take the tissue wrap out, I grab out a little box that contained a yarn bracelet. It definitely didn't look like something whipped up in five minutes. This looked professionally made.

"Nate, it's beautiful!"

"I know, I made it myself."

I rolled my eyes. "How about that! The Nate Remington can knit!"

He frowned at the thought. "No, I was just kidding. I bought it in Peru when I went a couple years ago."

"And you're giving it to me?"

He shrugged. "Yeah."

"Thank you, Remy. That's sweet of you. I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting this! Otherwise, I would've gotten you something."

He waved me off, stuffing his other hand in his pants pocket. "No need, just had it laying around. Thought I'd give it to you."

We stare, nodding at each other for the next few seconds before he said, "Well, Carol's waiting for me..." He opened his mouth to say more but soon closed it into a smile.

I nodded, looking down at the bracelet, admiring its stitching. "Okay. Thank you for the bracelet! It's beautiful, really." When I looked back up, he had the biggest look of pure relief on his face. Maybe he thought I wouldn't like it, which would be crazy to think. Surprising me, he pulls me into a hug, and he started to leave.

"Adios, Ralphie."

Feeling a tremendous amount of butterflies in my stomach, I clutched the bracelet in my hand. As I walked back in the house, I clasped the bracelet on my left wrist. I couldn't help but think of me as Sally Field, where she said in her 1984 speech at the Oscar's,"You like me! You really, really like me!"

Even though she didn't say exactly that, it's close and you get the point.

Hell, the cookies could wait. I had to tell Shannon about this!

~~~~

I groaned that early January morning when I woke up on that first day back from Winter Break. I felt like all I did was sit around the whole break, hanging out with Shannon and watching movies. I accomplished nothing.

Besides making out with Nate.

...

In my dream two nights ago!

Oh, I wish I could see the looks on your poor faces! You thought I made out with Nate for a second! I wish. Got you there!

No, but seriously, it was just a dream.

Getting back to school and seeing all my friends for the first time in awhile was a relief. We hung out here and there during the break, but our parents demanding family time, along with the icy roads made a group hang out tough during the break. 

New Years Eve was the last time we all saw each other, one of the rare occasions Fryer threw a party during the cold season. Unfortunately, Nate was away skiing with his family in Vermont that night, so I can't report that we had our coveted first kiss at midnight. Bummer, I know. The way things were looking between us, though, I knew it was only a matter of time one of us made the move on each other. It was our last semester in high school, let alone Walden. Then, we were off to our respective colleges. Time was running out. Would a relationship even be worth it?

I had been thinking a lot about that night after the bar fight when I dropped Nate off at his house. His dad didn't even give a shit about him and his well-being. Seeing the glass of whiskey in his hand gave me an indication that maybe his dad was drunk. It shot a pang to my heart to even think of the fact that his dad could be abusing alcohol, like my own dad. I didn't have a problem with drinking, but I was hoping that Nate cleaned up his act so he didn't follow in the footsteps of his father. I was sure that when it was just us alone again eventually, the conversation would come up and I could get to the bottom of it.

Speaking of college, I had applied to a handful of schools around the surrounding states, but my first choice was UMass Amherst. Their creative writing program was top tier, and it was only a couple hour's drive from Walden. It was pure agony waiting for the acceptance letters to come into the mail, which were expected to arrive around March.

Nate walked into fourth period with a huge smile on his face, and I couldn't help but reciprocate. We made small talk about his ski trip before class begun and Campbell's demanding lecture filled the room. 

When we get to lunch, I head to the lunch line while he goes and sits at our table. I was halted in my thoughts when I saw a commotion a few people in front of me in line. Low and behold, I see Fryer and Dave wrestling for the last chocolate chip cookie, with the poor lunch lady trying to do all she could to get them to quit it, which they only did when they saw Sister Jean run into the area to see what was going on. 

There's high school lunch for you. A bunch of sweaty, teenagers fighting for the last of the normal food the cheat schools serve.

By the time I grab my food and head to the table, the gang is in full ball-busting mode. Specifically, Fryer and Dave as the rest of the group laughed at each outlandish statement the both of them said.

"No no no, Fry, I don't want to hear it." Dave waves his hand in front of Fryer as he stuffs his mouth with a dry hamburger. "You didn't close Ursula like you bet you would on New Years Eve. Now you owe me 20 bucks! Unless you don't know how a bet works."

Shannon audibly groans and rolls her eyes. "Yuck. You two are such stand-up guys. Not only betting whether or not you can sleep with a girl, but for 20 dollars. You two are pigs."

Fryer gives her a look and waves her off. "Shut up DiLaupher. It was getting too easy doing it for free."

"Getting paid to have sex. But it's not prostitution because 'it was getting to easy for free.' That'll hold up nice in court."

The group just about died at that comment from Shannon, and Fryer and Dave just decided to drop the whole topic. I guess they didn't want to dig themselves further into a hole and look even more douchey than they already are.

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