Becoming a YouTuber?!

Chapter 30: Lots of Christmas love

                 

I wasn't quite sure exactly when I had stopped being a teenager and turned into a young adult, bordering on adult. I had slowly and marginally grown up and now I had a life filled with an amazing boyfriend, lovely friends and a career path.

December had always been one of my favourite months because people just seemed cheerier and there were lights out everywhere. It was almost as if you could smell the festivities in the air, sometimes you could when stalls adorned the cobbled streets while selling everything from mulled wine to bratwurst.

Advent calendars were a wonderful bonus too and waking up to a piece of chocolate was an indulgent habit. Nate and I repeated the success of last year by wrapping small presents for each other on alternating days.

"Do you remember when you gave me the dog figurine?" I asked on the first day that I opened an advert present from Nate.

"Of course, I do," Nate told me, his voice still hoarse with sleep as he walked up behind me to sneak his hands around my waist. "I told you then that it was a promise. And look where we are now."

Nate nodded towards Patch, who was sitting beside me, wagging his tail excitedly. He'd gotten his very own dog advent calendar obviously.

Advent calendars weren't the only thing I loved about Christmas. I also loved Christmas parties with friends and colleagues. I never really used to be invited to Christmas parties and on the rare occasion that it had happened, I had backed out. I didn't do parties with loads of people that I didn't know.

The annual Gleam Christmas party somehow managed to top itself again. This was my third time going but it was the first time I was going to one as a YouTuber in my own right. They had rented out an entire property for us and it was so incredible even if I trembled slightly when I realised just how many were in our little management family.

Nearly 80 people had made it and we sat across five massive tables. Nate somehow got roped into cutting for our table. It's a slight mess as he tried to wield the giant knife and I instantly crowded back.

We'd gotten to design our very own Christmas jumpers and Nate's even had lights in it. Conversation flowed easily over the table and it was a pleasure to get acquainted or reacquainted with everybody.

I was only properly friends with a dozen of the YouTubers and a handful of the managers but I still felt an immersive togetherness sat in a hall with everybody. We were all on this journey together and I felt more comfortable than I ever had at university parties.

You vaguely knew who everybody was and I found myself chatting to essential strangers without much reserve. I trusted myself to speak without fearing their judgement. I dared to speak my mind, unapologetically. Even if it did make my heart race a couple of times, my utterance were always well received.

As we were finishing up the meal, I had leaned my head on Nate's shoulder and sighed contently. Nate had reached over to interlock our fingers and glanced down at me. The evening progressed and I found myself not looking for Nate constantly.

I could do this without him. I didn't need him as my clutch or to be by my side all the time. If I really needed him, I knew we would be nearby but it was exhilarating feeling like I could manage entirely on my own.

Later, I found myself almost forcibly dragging one particular group of YouTubers off to the side. They had all turned into friends and I was so thankful for being accepted into their otherwise tight-knitted group.

The Amity crew, or the British crew as they had also been called internationally, stood before me with expectant glances. We were only missing Louise, who'd been rather down about not going but Darcy's school play had kept her away. She was a mother foremost and I deeply respected that she'd prioritised her daughter's performance, especially when I knew how much she loved these Christmas parties.