If you ask me, there's something creepy about a talking doll, but my baby sister was officially enraptured with My Baby Alive. She sat on our living room floor for the better part of Christmas morning, having uncontrollable laughs as the baby doll giggles. I knew I was going to have to find a screw driver to deactivate the doll by taking away the batteries.
My mom came into the living room, out from the kitchen wearing her 'it's freezing Cold' sweater my dad had bought her. She carries two cups of coffee and plops down beside my dad.
What in the ever living hell were they doing? The cuddling wasn't like them at all, at least unto now. I looked the other way, not wanting to ruin the moment.
"Dad installed a few photoshop apps" mom said as I take off the excess tape off my Apple laptop box. I grin from ear to ear.
I hug my mom and dad, making sure to say thank you. I go upstairs with my laptop and set it down on my computer desk.
"Allie! Some boys' wanting to talk to you!" My mom calls downstairs.
I swear, if it's Sean...
"Hey". I greet into the other line as I grab the house phone. I walk back upstairs and crack the door.
"Hey Beanpole! Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas JJ! What'd you get?" An// I call him JJ for Justin Jr.
"Well, since you asked.. I got a new IPhone 7 plus, a Bluetooth speaker, and some new clothes. What about you?"
"A new laptop, three beanies-"
"Gosh Beanpole! Do you seriously need more? You could have enough to make a blanket out of them if you wanted too." A smile tugs on the corner of my mouth.
We laugh, like really laugh. It's been months since I've seen Justin laugh or yet alone even smile. Thanks to Lele, he hadn't even shown any feeling remotely to happiness.
"What else did you get?"
"Clothes, Lilah got a BabyAlive. She loves it."
"I bet."
"Are you ready for school next week?"
"Yeah, I miss it. I really miss the disgusting food, it sucks eating good at home". He says sarcastically.
"I miss being able to develop the pictures. I just need my dad to build me a dark room here."
"Why? Then you'd never leave."
"Exactly."
"So, they're having this festival thing downtown, do you want to go?"
"Sure! What time is it?"
"7:30. They have tons of Christmas lights that you get to see on the highway. They're also having a carnival there".
"Cool! I'm sure Lilah would have tons of fun! See you there!"
"Bye Beanpole! Tell the Family I said Merry Christmas!"
"Will do, see you there!" I look at my phone, it's not until another 3hrs. I hang up my outfit I'm going to wear and go back downstairs to put the phone back on the stand.
"So, you going on a date with this boy?"
"No dad, he just wanted to know if we wanted to go to a carnival tonight. He also wanted to tell us Merry Christmas."
"Oooh! Can we go Ryan? I'm sure the kids will love it!"
"Lilah will most definitely! C'mon Dad, it's Christmas!"
"Fine! It really bugs me not having one boy in this house, I'm outnumbered! We'll go when we have all this wrapping paper cleaned up."
••••••••
Later that evening, we load the Suburban up with the baby gear along with Lilah. Stroller, check. Diaper Bag, check. Enough toys for her small attention span, Check, check and check. We're good to go.
I heard that the Event was a beautiful sight. The trees are covered in lights, some stores give out free cookies and sweets, and we even get to take family photos! I think the coolest part of the Carnival is that the festival was always 'lit' 😎AN/ THAT WAS a Nice Pun) and had a beautiful incandescence.
"Mom, Dad, in going to walk around". I say grabbing my camera.
"Make sure to meet us back here around 8, meet us at the big Christmas tree in the middle of the park."
"Thanks Dad." I couldn't wait to take pictures of the lights and the crowd.
"You always have that thing with you don't you?" I hear a voice to my left say.
"The beanie or Camera?" I ask once I realize that it was Justin.
"Both". He smiles, allowing the one dimple to appear.
"Well, I just brought my camera with me tonight so I could take pictures of everything since I'd never been. The beanie is always with me".
"Oh, well cool."
"Yep. Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"How are the roller coasters this time of the year?"
I grin madly, he grabs my wrist and pulls me to the first roller coaster we come across.
••••••
"Hahahahaha! Your face was priceless! You were all- I make a weird face, which of course makes me laugh harder, knowing that i look atrocious.
"Let's take a picture, now seems like a good moment."
I grab the camera and angle it to us, but I can't even with the neck strap off. So a stranger offers to take the picture for us, I accept.
Justin slings his arm across the small of my back, I smile.
"There you go."
"Thank you. Merry Christmas"
We walk off into the food court and I immediately smell the scent of soft pretzels.
"What?"
"The scent of Soft pretzels is, mouthwatering. You know, I've never had one."
"Really, well, c'mon, lets go get one. We can split it, just in case you don't like it".
"Good idea. But just to let you know, if I think it's great, I'm keeping it."
"Okay. But I'm paying for it. So, don't even pull your money out".
I start to protest but he cuts me off. The man in the cart gives the pretzel to me, I tear off a piece and dip it in the cheese container that they gave us. I then hand the pretzel back to Justin.
"Is it good?"
"Yes! I think I just died, went to heaven, and died again!"
"That's a bit much don't you think?"
"Nope, they're that good. I can't believe I've never tried that."
"Me either. Want to ride the Farris wheel?"
"Sure. I'll race ya!" I dart off across the park and into the line. In a couple swift paces, Justin appears in front of me.
How did I think I wasn't going to loose? He's a football player, duh?
"Haha! I won!"
"That wasn't fair, I had to tie my shoe".
"Allie, your shoelaces are stuck inside your Chuck Taylors".
"Whatever. It still wasn't fair." I stick out my bottom lip, basically mimicking Lilah when she's pouting.
We climb inside the wheel and we slam the bar shut, the employee later checks to make sure it's shut all the way.
The wheel jerks upward, and we rise up. I look up at the midnight black colored sky the sunset is falling and the sky blends to darkness, allowing the lights to be seen from across the carnival.
"This is fun. Thanks for inviting me Justin."
"You're welcome Allie. I'm sorry we haven't talked in months, I've been thinking about three summers ago. I missed my best friend, hopefully she's missed me too."
"I missed you too. I'd take a bullet for you, best friend."
AN// Welp! Justin just friend Zoned Allie! Shocker! Pm or comment what you think!
Published:
Last edited: 2/19/17
Word count: 1255
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Tenacity {COMPLETED}
Random••• After everything we'd been through together, would time, space, and separate lives prove to be more than we could conquer? {COMPLETED}
