A Christmas Surprise

Three

I could tell he was feeling a little awkward as we stood in the doorway. My taxi had arrived and it was that moment, the goodbye moment. I had tried hard to fix my hair, but the grease mixed with the way I had slept on Brandon's aunt's sofa help it stick up at one side. I also knew that what was last night's cool mascara and eyeliner was now transformed into lame smeared panda eyes.

"Thank you, Brandon," I said, suddenly wrapping my arms around his neck and laying my head against his shoulder. I felt his hands reach tentatively around the small of my back and then we were quickly apart.

"You're welcome, Jessica," he said rubbing his jaw and looking at the ground, he glanced up at me and smiled. I noticed in the morning sun that his eyes were more green than I had thought. I smiled back and ran down the path to my cab. I laughed to myself as I got in and clicked in the seat belt that this is almost like the walk of shame, but last night hadn't been like that at all, it had been innocent and beautiful. I waved to Brandon who watched me go from the front door, his hands in his pockets. I felt like I was alive, but I would soon be dead if my parents caught me getting out of a taxi cab, as Lori only lived two blocks away from my house. I got the cab driver to stop before he got anywhere near my house and I walked the rest of the way home, well scurried is maybe a better term. I bolted in the house and ran straight up to my room, as I knew my parents would be round the kitchen table at this point in the morning.

"Jess?" I heard my mom call as I stripped last night's jeans off me, "You ok?"

"Yeah," I shouted back, sticking my head out of my door, "Just heading in the shower, there was a big wait for the bathroom at Lori's so I just came home," I said scrunching up my face as I lied.

"Well, your dad and I are heading out to work, if you hurry you can get a ride to school."

"Great, Thanks Mom." I closed the door and took a breath. School? I hadn't even thought about school and Thomas? I forgot about Thomas, oh man, he was going to make me pay.

_

My mom dropped me off near the steps of the high school and drove off after wishing me a good day at school. I hopped up the steps still waiting to be caught out, like she was going to suddenly reverse the car and shout out the window, "I know what you were up to last night, young lady and you are so grounded!" thankfully that did not happen. I got into school before registration and headed for my locker to collect a few things, although I was spending most of my time in the art department. Since I was accepted at SVA, the school was fine with me working on my artwork, which suited me just fine too. Thomas was standing against my locker, his tall lean figure was a relief to see.

"So, I was almost totally arrested last night," Thomas said with a quiet, but dramatic voice as I approached him with a grin.

"Fuck, really?" I whispered, "What happened?"

"They called the cops after I tried to use my fake ID and they took me home after I broke down and told them my real age and that the ID was my cousin's friend's ID," he giggled.

"Are you serious? What did your mom say?" I said gaping at my friend.

"I'm grounded for a month," he shrugged, "it could have been worse, I suppose. Anyway, I was more worried about you, what did you do?"

"Well, I was just about to come and find you when I met Michael's friend, Brandon Flowers. He was the gooseberry between his friend and girlfriend who were already making out, so we kinda hung out and enjoyed the concert," I said as we walked along to our homeroom.

"Brandon Flowers? Isn't he quite shy and awkward?" Thomas said with his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"He's sweet," I said, thinking back to how he had made us hot chocolate to heat us up after sitting out in the cold looking at the stars, before we fell asleep mid conversation, "he let me put eyeliner on him," I giggled.