Holiday Bliss

Anne & Joseph

"You ready?" My sister Kelsey asks with a smile as the New York eventide begins to creep itself upon us, signaling our awaiting departure.

"Almost. Just gotta finish some makeup," I respond joyously yet with a slight uneasy tone.

It's currently 4:30 o'clock on Christmas Eve, and my sister Kelsey and I are currently in our Manhattan apartment getting ready to head over to a Christmas party hosted by our parents over in Brooklyn that will be starting at 6:00. It's gonna be really nice getting to see our parents and relatives again. Of course, I've always been a huge fan of the Christmas season; the decorations, the music, the get-togethers, that unique holiday cheer, and the overall genuine vibe of it, to be honest, but the only thing I'm a bit discomposed about is the fact that my childhood best friend, Joseph, is going to be at that party tonight.

Joseph and I had been best friends since we were in preschool, us having been neighbors for most of our lives; in addition to our parents being family friends as well. We've spent practically our entire lives together; preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school. We've made so many beautiful memories together and spent so much time together, I've always believed for us to be soulmates, hence our bond. However, after high school, that is when our story had unfortunately come to a cease. I stayed in New York, but he had gone to college over in Florida, where we had, overtime, lost touch. We still did keep in touch occasionally, of course, but as we all know as time goes on, and the longer time and distance keep two people apart, their relationship is bound to be affected in one way or another, and that's exactly what happened to us. I haven't seen or talked to him since our last year of college, which was around two years ago. We're both 24 now. Last I heard, my parents told me he was engaged to his college girlfriend Hazel around a year ago. I was very heartbroken to hear this news as my infatuated feelings for him began as a little girl, and developed into love as a young woman; and by the time high school hit, I knew I was in love with him, and there was just no other man for me. There would never be another man for me. Or, at least, that's what I thought. And I know that when I see him tonight, and potentially his fiancée, my heart would be conquered by that same pain all over again.

In the past, of course I've wanted to tell him about my true feelings, but I never exactly had the proper chance to. He was always dating other girls and I figured that he only saw me as his girl best friend, not his potential partner. I also didn't want to ruin our friendship, since I loved having him in my life and he was an amazing friend to me. He was consistently there for me, and was always very loyal, caring, etc. Nonetheless, I just thought, naively of course, that maybe one day he would eventually catch on to the feelings I had for him and that we would hopefully go from there. I just thought maybe he would one day tell me that he loved me too. That moment, unfortunately, had never come. And now he would be marrying another woman. And I would be seeing him tonight, heartbroken, with a fake smile plastered over my face congratulating him for his engagement.

I finish off the rest of my eyeliner and put it back in my makeup bag, setting on my dresser. Looking in the mirror, I gaze upon my long brown hair and green eyes, highlighted by peach eyeshadow and embroidered by a jet black eyeliner. I then slip on my long-sleeved sweater dress with a dashing red hue, symbolizing the festivity of Christmas, with some fleece-lined nude stockings. I then head over to my closet and grab some black heeled boots, situating them on as well.

Subsequently, I grab my blue winter coat as I head out of my room and walk over to the living room to meet Kelsey, where she is already prepared with her keys in hand, smiling.

"You ready to go?" She happily asks, looking gorgeous with her green sweater dress, black stockings and black heels, her brown hair in curls and her green eyes aglow, illuminated by the colors of her attire.