Our different worlds

Not Home Alone

The dorm was completely quiet when a loud, insistent banging jolted me from my reading. I looked up, startled, hearing the knocks echoing down the hall. I glanced at my phone-4 p.m. It was odd for anyone to be visiting this late in the day, especially when the university felt so empty with everyone gone for break.

I opened the door just a crack and saw Alex standing there, hands in his coat pockets, looking both amused and serious. "Hey, Evelyn," he said, a smirk crossing his face.

"Alex?" I asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought you'd want to be with your family. You're coming with me," he said, his voice warm but firm. "Pack a bag, grab a coat. It's cold, and we need to get going now."

I blinked, trying to absorb what he'd just said. "Wait, really? But how... won't security stop us?"

He just grinned. "Don't worry. I've handled that part. Just hurry, or we're going to lose our head start."

Heart pounding with excitement, I threw some essentials into my bag, bundled up in a thick coat, and followed Alex out of the building. Outside, a sleek black Mercedes waited, engine humming softly in the dim afternoon light. As we drove away, the campus receded behind us, swallowed up by the early evening fog.

During the drive, I glanced over at Alex, still dazed by how quickly everything was happening. "So... you just decided to whisk me away for Christmas?"

"Yep," he said nonchalantly. "Figured you'd want a real Christmas, not cafeteria pizza and fire alarms."

"Well, thank you," I said, meaning it. "I can't believe you went through all this trouble."

He shrugged, though a faint smile touched his lips. "It's nothing. Just making sure you get the holiday you deserve."

Soon, we pulled up outside my family's house, and I jumped out of the car, feeling a rush of excitement I hadn't felt in days. The door flew open, and my mom and dad came running out, wrapping me in warm hugs, laughing in surprise.

"Evelyn! How did you manage to get home?" my mom asked, pulling back to look at me with wide eyes.

"Uh... it was thanks to my friend," I said, gesturing back to the car. "He helped me get here."

Mom looked toward the Mercedes and squinted, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. "Well, why don't you invite him in to join us for Christmas?"

I hesitated, not sure if Alex would want to come inside. But before I could reply, Mom nudged me insistently. "Go on! Invite him properly."

Reluctantly, I walked back to the car and knocked on the window. Alex rolled it down, raising an eyebrow. "My mom is really insisting you come in," I said, shrugging. "I told her you probably had plans..."

He glanced at the driver, who gave a slight nod, then looked back at me. "Alright. I guess I'm joining your family for Christmas," he said with a small smile, stepping out and grabbing a small overnight bag.

Once inside, I introduced him to everyone: my mom, Mary Kate, my dad, Michael, and my younger brother, Ethan, who grinned up at Alex with a look of awe that he rarely showed.

My dad clapped Alex on the shoulder and gestured toward the dining room, where his prized wine collection was displayed. "Do you like wine, Alex?"

"I do," Alex said, glancing over the bottles. His eyes landed on one, and he pointed. "That one. It would be perfect for Christmas dinner."

My dad's face lit up. "I would've chosen the same! Excellent taste." And just like that, they started chatting like old friends.

Meanwhile, Ethan tugged Alex away and started showing him his card tricks. It didn't take long for the two of them to end up on the floor, laughing as they played a game of cards. I couldn't help but smile as I watched-Alex looked like he was actually having fun, more relaxed than I'd ever seen him.