It was noon on Christmas Eve when Lyssa decided we all needed to exchange presents before she left for an impromptu trip to her aunts in San Francisco. She invited Echo as well as our main group. The only person who didn't come was Rory, and that was because he was hanging out with his friends that were actually his age rather than a year or two younger than him.
Mary seemed happy about it, but that was mostly because she was already high when Echo and I arrived. He seemed a little uncomfortable with the lit joint sitting on Lyssa's bedside table, but when I asked him about it he didn't say anything. We wedged into Lyssa's bean bag chair and she gushed about how cute we were and babbled on about some random shit until Jayden and Noah showed up together. Jay gave me and Echo a venomous look, but didn't out me, which I was grateful for.
We handed out our cheap Target presents and laughed loudly when we realized that Mary had bought us all something under the same category. Lyssa ended up with a bottle of strawberry flavored lube and I opened a box of vanilla flavored condoms that Echo nudged me at. I smacked his arm and avoided Jayden's gaze. I did look up when he opened up my gift to him.
I had bought him a phone case with his favorite anime printed on it. Inside I had written a little note in Sharpie, he must've liked it because it earned me a smile as he looked at me for the first time in twenty minutes. Then he handed me my present. I lift the top of the box slowly, feeling my stomach clench when I see the gleam of a jewel. Before I even look at it I gasp at Jayden.
"We said nothing over twenty dollars!" I fake a glare at him but he only laughs.
"Just open it Luce." He waves me off but smiles as I lift the top of the box the rest of the way off. It's a gold band ring with a small opal jewel set in the center.
"It's beautiful, Jay." I muse leaning over to hug my friend.
"Do you like it?" He asks when I pull back to look at his face.
"I love it, thank you." He smiles.
"I just hoped you weren't one of those girls who hated jewelry, because my cousin said you would like it." He shrugs.
"No, I love it, I'll wear it all the time." He grins as he watches me slide it on my left middle finger. I hold it up to the light, letting the white jewel shift in color. "Isn't it so pretty, E?" He nods and lets out a small hum. I look over and see his lips pressed in a tight line.
"I should've brought your present here, but I thought you would've liked it more on Christmas." He nods and leans his head against my shoulder. I lace my fingers of my opposite hand with his. He smiles in the corner of my eye and we go quiet as we watch my friend wreak havoc on Lyssa's room as they finish opening the presents.
===
Echo drives me back home around six. When we park in front of the house, I notice an unfamiliar station wagon sitting in the driveway next to Patrick's car. I furrow my eyebrows, a little confused but figure I'll find out who's over soon enough. I twist around to say goodbye to Echo and notice him playing with my fingers still clasped around his own.
"I'll text you when I can hang out tomorrow." He nods and looks up at me.
"Ok, guess I should probably go home and wrap your present then." I smack his arm lightly, feigning a gasp.
"You haven't even wrapped my present!?" I exclaim. He picks up my hands with an exaggerated look of pleading on his face.
"I'm gonna go wrap it right now, I swear." I roll my eyes and look away.
"You better put a bow on it, or I'm not opening it tomorrow." He laughs lightly, pressing one of my hands to his lips.
"C'mon, Luce. It's Christmas, can't you cut me some slack?" I turn back to look at him, pursing my lips to think this over.
"We'll see." He smiles and leans in for a kiss that I gladly return.
"See you tomorrow, kid." I pout.
"I'm not a kid."
"Fine, adult female."
"Wow, that's so much better."
He laughs again, waving me away. "Go, it's Christmas Eve. Say hi to Pete and Patrick for me."
"I will, bye Echo. Merry Christmas Eve."
"Goodbye Lucy. Merry Christmas Eve." He waves from his truck as I make my way to the front door and into the living room that seems to be emitting a warm glow of light and laughter.
"Lucy?" I hear Pete call, then emerge from the living room to pull me into it with him. "Here she is!" He exclaims.
"Lucy! This is my sister and her husband. Sage, Cameron, this is Lucy." Patrick is grinning ear to ear from the couch as Pete squeezes onto the cushion next to him. A woman with a bob of light brown hair and a swollen stomach sits next to them, a man- her husband- a man with a mop of curly dark hair sits in the recliner next to her.
"Hi." I say, somewhat shyly as I stand a bit awkwardly by the entrance to the room.
"Oh, is this the girl? She's beautiful, Patrick." Sage smiles just like Patrick. "Come sit down, I'm so excited to have a niece." I finally seem to compose myself as I crack a smile and sit in the chair next to Cameron.
We sit around for a while, talking and eating the apple pie Sage had brought. She seems nice, a little oblivious to the world, but nice. She has a high pitched voice and tends to giggle a lot, but she reminds me of Patrick and that makes me like her. Cameron, on the other hand is a bit quiet, though he continusly reaches over to hold Sage's hand. She tells me she's six months pregnant and gushes about her plans for the baby. I can't help but smile at her though, she's clearly a mom.
It's almost eleven when they finally head off to bed, Patrick turning in a couple minutes after. Pete offers to stay up and watch movie with me, but we just end up eating a ridiculous amount of Patrick's sugar cookies has yet to even frost and going to bed at nearly half past twelve.
Filler but oh well.
<3
YOU ARE READING
I Promise || Adopted by Peterick
Fanfiction*Completed Lucy Ann Crowley was left on the highway at age seven. Her mother said she'd be right back. She said she promises. After daddy left mama promised she'd never leave. But one day she did. Eight years later she's fifteen and still without pa...
