Romantic One Shots & Imagines

One Shot # 22: Home For The Holidays

                                "$45.92." The cab driver said as my shivering hands fiddled for my wallet.

                                "Here you go. Happy Holidays." We smile before I turn to face my childhood home.

            I pick up both my bags and head up the long walk way. That fiery red door from my youth was still there to greet me. I took a deep breath before knocking. Its been a few years since I've seen everyone. They're going to hound me with questions. The cold hits my cheeks as I take a moment out to embrace the calm before the storm.

                                  "Lucille! My baby is here!" My mom shouts. I was hoping someone else a little more...subtle would come to the door. Before I know it, she pulls me into a breathe escaping hug. "Norm, look who made it!"

                                   "Hi, dad." We hug after she lets me in.

                                   "How are you?" He asks genuinely.

                                   "I'm great. A little jet lagged, but I'll be ok."

                                    "I just bought a pack of Redbull. Its cranberry flavored for the holidays. I'll go get you one." He whispers. My mom despises energy drinks.

                                     She turns to me. "Your room is the same as it was when you left us."

                                    "Thank you." I respond a bit too dryly.

                                    "Everyone's already in the living room. Go in and say hi! I'll take care of your luggage. Oh! By the way, I invited the Billingsley's over. You remember them? Our old neighbors?"

                                     "Yeah...yeah...I do."

                                     "They're spending Christmas with us this year, so they're staying with us for a few nights." Wanting not to make a scene, I just sigh.

              As if the visit couldn't get any worse, The Billingsley's are here. Well, I have nothing against the family; its the son that I don't like. When my family moved here all those years ago, they were the only family that made sure we settled in well. Mrs. Billingsley invited us over for dinner the first day and sent us homemade muffin baskets every so often. She was perfect and at one point, I liked her better than my own mom. Their only child, Mark, was my age, so we became quick friends. Every afternoon, it was a play date either at his house or mine.

                It wasn't until the summer before freshman year of high school that everything changed between us. Well, it wasn't all at once; I should have seen it coming. When we graduated from elementary school, I assumed we were going to go to the same middle school. Instead, his parents sent him to a private school. The Billingsley's were always richer than us, but they never rubbed it in, especially not Mark. It wasn't until he left for private school, that he became snobbish. We would slowly stop hanging out. Most of the time, it wasn't enjoyable and I would go home after an hour, but sometimes the old Mark would come out and spend time with me.

                By the time we entered high school, they had found a bigger house across the country to move into. It broke my heart to officially lose my best friend, but ultimately, it helped. I didn't have many friends to begin with, but having to let him go forced me to break out of my shell.