December 24, 2001: 11 Years Before
"You better go to bed or else Santa won't give you presents!" Mom told me softly and jokingly as she tucked the quilt up to my chin.
"Awww, but I'm not sleepy yet." I'm not! I don't even wanna sleep. Why do I even have to sleep? They stay up for hours every night! Why can't I do that?
"It's either sleep or no presents," smiling down at me, she kissed my forehead. That's not fair. Forcing me to sleep for presents is not fair. She made her way to the door.
"I love you." She whispered, but I could hear her.
"I love you." Then she shut the door.
I wasn't able to sleep because I started to hear mom and dad's voices from downstairs.
"What do you mean you don't have it?"
"That's... Exactly what I mean..."
"I told you one week before to not forget!"
"Well, I'm sorry, but I did!"
"YOU can't just keep forgetting!"
"I'm a forgetful person!"
"DON'T USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE!" Mom yelled at the top of her lungs.
"THANKS TO YOU, YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE MISERABLE ON CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A RUINED CHILDHOOD!"
"JUST BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO YOU, SERENA, DOESN'T MEAN YOUR KIDS WILL FEEL THE SAME!" I could feel my heartbeat beating hard against my chest.
"WHAT!! YOU. IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THIS! YOU FORGET MARCELLINE'S SINGING PERFORMANCE, DANIEL'S SOCCER GAME, BOTH THEIR BIRTHDAYS, AND OUR ANNIVERSARY!? DO YOU EVEN CARE!?" Dad stayed real quiet.
Does he really not care? Mommy told me that daddy didn't come to my soccer game because he was busy at work. She told me daddy forgot my birthday not because he didn't love me, but because he loved me so much he couldn't remember.
Was she lying? Was she lying to me and Marcy? Tears started to fall out of my eyes. Both of them are liars. I don't want them to lie. I don't want them to fight!
Santa, if you're even coming anymore, I want to change my present, okay? I want daddy to stop forgetting, and mommy to be happy, and Marcy to get the guitar she's always wanted. That's all I want tomorrow. Don't bring me anything else. Just that, please. I promise I'll always be a good boy if you give it to me tomorrow.
I'll even go to sleep so you can come and put that under the Christmas tree.
YOU ARE READING
Between You and I
Fiksi RemajaIt’s simply a story. My story. The one time I bring out my past, my present, and what I hope the future can be. Well, in the end, what else can we do besides hope?
