Crossing the line

29: A Christmas To Remember

AVA

The familiar stretch of highway leading home was both comforting and surreal as I watched the passing snow-dusted trees through the window of my car. Christmas music played softly in the background, but my mind was elsewhere. I couldn't believe it had already been a month since Jake had left my apartment, a month of late-night texts, video calls, and cheesy voice messages that made my heart race.

It wasn't that I hadn't missed him. I had, deeply. But we'd made it work. Despite the distance, the time zones, and the never-ending swirl of responsibilities pulling us in different directions, we'd found each other. We'd found a way to keep what we'd started over the summer alive, and it felt... good. No, not just good-amazing. Better than I'd ever imagined.

I smiled to myself, remembering one of those late-night FaceTimes. Jake had called me after his shift, his hair still damp from a quick shower, his eyes tired but lit up the second I answered.

"You look beautiful," he'd said, his voice soft and teasing, like he didn't care that I was in an oversized hoodie with my hair in a messy bun.

"You're just saying that because you miss me," I'd teased back.

He'd laughed then, shaking his head. "No, I mean it. But yeah, I miss you."

That's how most of our nights had gone-filled with small talk that turned into something deeper, into the kind of comfort you only get when you're with someone who knows you inside out. And now, after all that, I was finally heading home. Finally going to see him in person. And this time, things were different. This time, it was real.

As I pulled into the driveway of my parents' house, I could see the soft glow of Christmas lights twinkling from the porch, and my heart warmed. It was good to be back, good to be home. And even better to know Jake was here, waiting for me.

The second I stepped out of the car, the cold December air nipping at my skin, I heard the front door swing open. I turned, expecting to see my mom or Liam, but instead, there was Jake. His face broke into the widest grin, and before I could even react, he was striding toward me, his long legs closing the distance in seconds.

"Ava," he breathed, pulling me into a hug so tight I could hardly catch my breath. But I didn't care-I was laughing as I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in the warmth of his chest.

"I missed you," I whispered, my voice muffled against his coat, and I could feel the rapid beat of his heart beneath the layers.

"I missed you more," he said, pulling back just enough to look down at me, his blue eyes brighter than the Christmas lights behind him. He cupped my face in his hands, his thumb brushing gently over my cheek, and before I could say anything else, he kissed me.

It wasn't the kind of kiss we'd shared in secret over the summer, full of stolen moments and quiet desperation. This was different. This was real. It was soft and slow, filled with the kind of certainty that made my heart ache in the best way.

When we finally broke apart, I couldn't stop smiling. "You really missed me, huh?"

"You have no idea," he said, his grin matching mine. "A month's too long, Ava. Next time, I'm not waiting that long to see you."

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "I agree. But right now, I think we should probably go inside before my mom comes out and drags us in."

"Good idea," he said, his arm still wrapped around my waist as we walked toward the front door.

Inside, the house was filled with the familiar scent of pine from the Christmas tree and the warmth of a fire crackling in the living room. My mom was in the kitchen, humming along to a Christmas song as she set out trays of cookies. She turned when she heard us come in, her face lighting up at the sight of me.

"Ava! You're finally here!" she exclaimed, wiping her hands on a dish towel before hurrying over to pull me into a hug. "We've been waiting for you."

"I know, I know," I said, hugging her back. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"Well, at least you're here now." She glanced over at Jake, who was standing beside me, his hands stuffed in his pockets, but he was grinning like he couldn't help it. "And Jake's been waiting too, I assume."

Jake laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Well, make yourselves comfortable," my mom said, patting me on the arm before heading back to the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready soon, and Liam's running late-of course. He said he had a last-minute thing to take care of."

I nodded, exchanging a look with Jake. We both knew Liam well enough to know that "last-minute" probably meant he was picking up some ridiculous gift or doing something spontaneous.

Jake and I settled into the living room, the fire casting a warm glow as we sat together on the couch. I couldn't help but think about last Christmas. How everything had felt different then-new, exciting, but uncertain. I'd been starting to see Jake in a different light, noticing the way he looked at me, the way my stomach fluttered whenever he smiled at me. But back then, I hadn't been sure. I hadn't known what it meant, or if it meant anything at all.

But this Christmas, it was different. This Christmas, it was real.

"You know," I said, leaning into Jake's side, "last Christmas was when I started to notice things between us changing."

"Yeah?" Jake looked down at me, his arm draped around my shoulders. "I was thinking the same thing."

We sat there for a while, just enjoying the quiet, the warmth of the fire, and the feeling of finally being together. It was surreal, being back in this house, in this town, but knowing that everything between us had changed. And the best part? My family was okay with it. Liam had been surprisingly supportive after our conversation last month, and my mom seemed to have no issues with Jake being around. It was like all the pieces were falling into place, and for once, things felt easy.

A while later, the door swung open, and Liam finally strolled in, a grin on his face as he shook snow from his coat.

"There's my favorite sister!" he said, giving me a hug before glancing over at Jake. "And the guy who's stealing her away."

Jake laughed, standing up to give Liam a quick hug. "Not stealing, just borrowing."

Liam rolled his eyes but smiled. "Well, you better take care of her. You know the rules."

"I know, I know," Jake said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I've got it covered."

Dinner was a cozy affair, with my mom fussing over the meal while Liam and Jake joked around, their banter as easy as ever. It felt good to be home, surrounded by the people I loved, and knowing that Jake was a part of it all now made it even better.

After dinner, as we all sat around the living room, sipping hot cocoa and sharing stories, I couldn't help but steal glances at Jake. He caught me a few times, flashing me that knowing grin that made my heart flip. It was strange to think that just a year ago, I hadn't known how things would turn out between us. Now, here we were-together, happy, and with my family's blessing.

When the night wound down, and everyone started heading to bed, Jake pulled me aside as we stood in the hallway, his hand slipping into mine.

"I'm so glad I'm here with you," he whispered, his forehead resting against mine.

"Me too," I said softly, leaning into him.

He kissed me gently, and when we pulled away, I couldn't stop smiling.

This Christmas was different. It was everything I'd hoped for-and more.

I REALLY LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!! <3