They Could Care Less

25: Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Thea woke up from her sleep when someone lightly shook her shoulder.

"Thea, wake up," Christina said in a whisper. Thea opened her eyes and looked at Christina in her morning robe and her hair tied up. "It's snowing outside!" she said with a big smile.

"About time," Thea mumbled and pulled the duvet over her head. Christmas Eve. That was the first thing that crossed her mind. She hadn't bought a single present yet. Just the thought of it made her head ache.

"Rise and shine! I'm making blueberry waffles á la Christina. Everyone's waiting for you to wake up!" Christina said and pulled the duvet away from Thea. The cold placed goosebumps all over Thea's arms and legs and she ached for the warmth of the duvet again.

"Fine, I'll get up," Thea finally gave in and sat up carefully. Christina placed Thea's red Christmas zip hoodie on her lap before she left the room. Thea picked up her red warm socks from yesterday off the floor and pulled them on before she walked out into the busy living room. Everyone was chatting and laughing and the Christmas glee was for sure being noticed by everyone. Christina's apartment was green, red, gold and white, she had really outdone herself.

"Thea!" Rebecca greeted her with a high spirit.

"Too early," Thea mumbled and pulled the hood up. They all just started to laugh. It wasn't just Thea's family there, she noticed. Some of Christina's friends and neighbors had stopped by and the living room was jam-packed. Thea walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water and to get away from the noise.

The smell of delicious waffles, coffee and tea filled her nose as soon as she walked into the kitchen.

"It smells great," she said and downed an entire glass of water.

"It tastes even better," Christina said with a confident smile.

"Have you seen my phone?" Thea asked and looked around.

"It's on the table," Christina answered and gave a quick nod back towards the kitchen table. Thea picked up her phone with too high hopes.

From: Ethan

Goooood morning, sunshine! I heard it finally snowed last night! The mountains over here are great but the service is terrible. Have a wonderful Christmas, my gorgeous little pearl and a happy new year! I can't wait to see your beautiful face soon!! :) :) :) P.s, I can't believe we started dating over a year ago, it feels like it's been forever. I can't way for the many years to come. I love you, my chocolate lover.

A smile spread across Thea's face and she felt her entire body warm up, nothing could beat down the warmth from the text, not even the cold New York weather. She smiled to herself like a fool as she read it over and over again until she realized she needed to type something back.

To: Ethan 

Morning, gorgeous! It did, it looks incredible but it's so cold that I can't feel my toes properly. See it as a good thing, you and your family have started a new tradition with the Meyers, Christmas in the mountains! I'll see you for New Year, not too long away now!!! I miss you and your sweet words :( I love you too, my knight in shining armor. <3

"Why are you smiling like that?" Christina asked and tried to take a peak at Thea's phone, but she quickly turned it off and placed it face down on the counter.

"Nothing!" Thea said innocently with a big grin.

"Alright then, will you stop the flirtatious texts with your boyfriend?" she requested nicely and handed over a plate of warm, delicious stacked waffles. Thea placed them in the middle of the table and looked at all the decorations on the table. Everything had already been put out and the only thing that was missing was the waffles. But now that they were there, Thea could finally feed the monster inside of her.