Only Us (Justin Fields)

|78| A Third Christmas

Jillian

Now that it's Christmas I find myself trying to enjoy it. Due to the adjusted timeline of the football season we wouldn't be able to go to Georgia for Christmas like we had years in the past. It sucks we were celebrating on our own but it is just another day in the end. We will all be together again once times allow it.

Justin invites some of his friends over for the holiday since they couldn't go home either and I do too. I have Anne from the cafe join us and a few people from class. A lot of the guys Justin invited had girlfriends I was friends with them too so they will come over. Even though our place isn't that big I think we will be fine.

After Justin comes back from church he helps me in the kitchen. And by help I mean he put on the smock then stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me as I tended to the ham.

"Can you believe it is already our third Christmas together" he whispers in my ear as he holds me tight.

"It's kinda crazy, isn't it? The first Christmas was wild. If I was sane I wouldn't have gone states away with a man I just met but lucky you I wasn't. Then last Christmas we were attending as friends and now look at us" I smile.

"We've come a long way. And I have plans for so many Christmas's from now" he claims.

"Oh" I ask.

"Who knows, I might be playing on Christmas next year. Or we might be in a random city or back home. To me it doesn't matter where I am as long as I'm with you" he claims.

I smile to myself as I work the glaze into the ham. "I'll be there. Always" I promise.

It gets a little later and I try and clean up before people get here. I find Justin sitting on the ground by the tree holding a golden wrapped box. "Come! Let's do gifts before everyone gets here" he insists.

"I thought you said you wanted to do them after" I ask. At least that's what he said before he left this morning.

"I don't want to wait" he smiles.

Of course.

I grab my gift for him out from under the tree. He pulls me into his lap before setting a box in mine. It was tall and long but not very thick, like a picture frame of some sorts.

I pull off the ribbon and wrapping paper easily. But the box was taped shut so I needed to be a little more aggressive to get it open. Once I finally do I see a chart of stars. It was a beautiful array, one I recognized. The date of our first date when we went to the planetarium and spent a hour watching the sky in white at the bottom of the frame.

I still remember that night like it was yesterday. He sat there and listened to me spout off facts about stars and he never told me to stop or even looked uninterested. I think it was then I really knew that we would last. Because I might not be into football but I have learned all there is about it so I can talk with him. And he had learned about my interests as well.

That will end up being my only first date ever so I'm pretty lucky it went so well. And now I have this to look at and remember where it all started.

"Justin" I whisper as I run my fingers over the glass. I feel his grip on me tighten. "This is incredible."

"It's us. That's what makes it so beautiful. The story of us is always changing, evolving. Just as our world rotates showing us different stars from time to time. But it's always a beautiful. I figured this is the closest I will get to showing that" he shrugs.

"It's perfect, thank you" I say. I turn around and cup his face before planting my lips on his.

"Your turn" I insist handing him a bag. But before he even looks in there he spots the first part of his gift.

It took me a while but I finally made him a new friendship bracelet. Now it's been damn near two and a half years since the last one he put on. He always wore it but it was getting old. The colors worn and thread frayed. The letters "O.Y" were still there and the same colors as well. But it was a different pattern this time around.

"Oh no way" he gasps as he snatches it off of the bag. In no time at all his hand was out and he was trying to get me to tie the bracelet onto him. Haven't even gotten the last one off.

Once he was satisfied with his new bracelet gets into the bag for the actual gift and pulls out brand new gloves for the rest of the season and a new pair of beats headphones because he asked his in his carry on last game.

"You didn't" he tries.

"I did. I don't believe in a lot of things. Not Christmas, not god, no miracles or nor chance. I don't even believe all of this is real. But I believe in you, Justin. What you are and what you want to do. That's real to me. I believe that you are going to do everything you say you will, never a doubt in my mind. Thank you for giving me something I've looked for for 22 years now" I say.

He just shakes his head before wrapping his arms around me. His hugs are better than the best medicine sometimes, I swear.

"I can barely stand when you say stuff like that" he whispers in my ear.

"It's true though. You are so worried that when you asked me to stay that you wouldn't be a good enough reason. Turns out you mean everything to me. And it's scary because I have come dangerously close to losing everything. But I'm willing to risk losing it all to have it all. With you" I say.

Eventually our friends join us and some of them drink the boozy hot chocolate while most of us just eat the food that was prepared and brought.

"Justin is that a new bracelet" one of his friends ask.

He holds up his wrist with the biggest smile on his face. "Yeah! It was a part of my Christmas present from Lilly. I don't think anything will ever top the friendship bracelets she makes" he claims. I love the childlike wonder of his heart. It's truly incredible.

"It looks nice. I want one" his friend says.

"No way! This is our thing" he claims as he pulls his wrist into his chest. Like I said... childlike.

"You're no fun" his friend pouts and I have to laugh. What a Christmas.