In The Spotlight Extras

What's that in your stocking?

Hey, it's Christmas Eve! Don't peek!

Well, since you already saw it was a chapter, I might as well explain. This is a chapter of all of the besties' 16th Christmases. Why did I choose age 16? Um. I don't know.

I just saw you look through your presents early, you're in no position to question me. You get to know more about the family dynamics and how things have changed. I can still take that all away if you aren't on Santa's nice list.

Anyway, enjoy!

I awoke that morning to yelling from the top bunk and a slap in the face. "Leafy! Leafy, it's Christmas!"

My sister had a crescent moon grin painted across her face. It made me want to punch her. She hung upside down from her bed like the Cheshire Cat. "Ugh! Don't wake me up like that! This is why people call you the evil version of me!" I shouted as I slugged to the bathroom to brush my tangle ridden hair.

"It's only because we look alike and you know it!" I heard Eve clamber down the ladder to the floor through the bathroom door. "And hurry up! Mama's making hot cocoa!"

That got me up and at 'em.

Next thing you know I was the Flash, running into the living room with our little tree where Mama already was, in her glasses and her old beat up hoodie she used for PJs. "Leafy, you gather up the presents for you, and put them in your spot. Your cocoa is on the counter but-" I rushed to the kitchen to take my hot chocolate, and heard my mom mumble "It's still hot," and then she left the room.

I took my place that I'd had for the last two years on the striped pillow between Tree and Eve. I promptly burnt my tongue on the cocoa. In walked Mama carrying a babbling Grassy on her shoulder, who she soon plopped onto the ground next to her. We all expected her to start the opening of the presents, but instead, there was a somber silence among the 5 of us for a moment. It was Tree's last Christmas in the house.

But, eventually she spoke. "Tree's the oldest. He goes first." He smiled. "Open the little one first," she said, gesturing toward a small square gift with shimmery paper.

"Okay. Here goes nothing." He peeled back the wrapping, and extracted a present from a box. It wasn't much, just a little mug with a college logo on it, but he started weeping like a baby. "Thank you," he choked out, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

"I figured with your early admission..." Mama trailed off, turning her attention to her younger boy, toddling toward the wire keeping the Christmas lights on.

"I love it."

And it was quiet again. In about two hours tops, we'd be packed and leaving to go to our dad's. But we never wanted this moment to end.

I'm sorry to do this to you so close to Christmas.

"Ugh!" My ex girlfriend's words are vibrating around in my skull, and this spiked eggnog isn't really helping.

My cousin Nickel rolls his eyes. "Damn. I get you loved her and she left you. That's tough. But it's Christmas Eve!" He flops facedown onto our grandparent's ancient couch that smells faintly of vanilla and old cat.

I sit down across from him. "What's that got to do with anything?"

He gets upright again. "C'mon. We're surrounded by loved ones, and we have basically every Christmas movie." Typical Nickel.

I drape myself across the chair I'm in with all the drama of a Shakespearean protagonist. "It doesn't matter what movie we watch. Life is meaningless and everything is temporary."