Demon Within

Chapter 19 - Christmas Special!

Kailee yawned as she stretched in her bed. Demon happily leapt around, eager for the day.

Kailee laughed and ruffled his fur.

She picked up her phone, one Miss Mona had bought her, and called Tray's number.

"Hello?" Tray's voice spoke on the other end.

"Hey! Can you come over for Christmas today? All of us here, including Demon and I, are celebrating and I want you to come!" Kailee invited him.

"Aren't we a bit old for Christmas?" Tray asked.

"Never!" Kailee gasped.

"Okay, okay." He chuckled. "I'll call up Henry and invite him too."

"Awesome!" Kailee cheered.

"Should I call up Will too? I don't want to be rude, but if your uncomfortable..." Tray trailed off.

"Invite him. It's not like I'm going to be 'demoning it up', as Henry calls it, even though 'demoning' is not a word. All of the kids who live here will be there. He can come. I want Will to be included, too. I can tell he's been feeling left out recently." Kailee smiled to herself, albeit sadly. (Not a typo. It's a word.)

"Cool. See you, later! Good thing I have gifts all ready and wrapped!" Tray laughed through the phone.

"Me too! I have for the past month. There are presents for all of you, even Demon! See ya!" Kailee ended the call on that note.

Happy. Excited. Curious.

Kailee smiled at her dog. "Yes, Demon. I have a gift for you, too. What do you think I've been hiding in my closet for a month?"

Demon peeked a glance at the closet.

"Oh No, you don't!" Kailee grabbed him by his collar and pulled him to the other side of the room, and rushing back over to shield it. "You are not seeing until Tray, Henry and Will get here!"

Demon huffed and walked down the stairs.

Kailee shook her head. "I spoil him too much."

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Henry and Tray both had backpacks slung over their shoulders, presents inside of them as they walked to Will's house.

As they got to Will's front door, their friend came out, waved behind him, and closed it.

He jogged over to the boys, a grocery bag in his hand, probably with presents, too.

"I'm ready." Will said and they headed off to the foster home.

Only a few blocks away, Will started up a conversation. "Why did you invite me?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Henry asked.

"It's just," Will started and shrugged. "You guys have been distant lately and since we are going to where Kailee lives for Christmas, I thought that she might not be particularly happy with me being there."

"Are you kidding?" Tray laughed. "I actually asked her if she didn't want to invite you because she wasn't comfortable around you. She absolutely refused to have me talk like that and insisted I invite you."

"Really?" Will was surprised. "I...didn't think she thought that much of me."

"She does. She even told me she'd had presents wrapped and ready for all three of us for the past month!" Tray assured Will.

Henry nodded. "I believe it. I mean, she feels horrible that we are keeping secrets from you."

"Henry!" Tray gasped, shocked that Henry could reveal that they were hiding things.