If I Really Knew You || Calum Hood (completed)

Chapter 29

*MACIE'S POV*

I woke up on Christmas morning to Steven jumping on my stomach yelling in my face that Santa had indeed come. He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of bed, despite the time on my clock reading 7:30 am. He ran down my stair case and across the hall to Aunt Sue and Uncle George's room with me in tow, before going into their room alone. I was grateful he had set out to wake them without me as I leaned against the wall, slipping back into a light sleep. My nap was interupted by the groans of my aunt and uncle as they climbed out of bed to stretch. They walked into the hallway pulling quick smiles to me as they followed Steven down the stairs. 

When we stepped into the living room, I was greeted by the familiar Christmas morning scene. The tree stop high above the all black furniture, decorated in a mass of different color strings of light and ornaments. Neatly wrapped presents of dozens of sizes and shapes rested under the tree. Steven was already on the ground, searching all over for the boxes labeled with his name. He finally had separated his presents from mine and was already eyeing the first one he wanted to open.

"Can I open it?" He pleaded, his big eyes staring up at Sue.

"Of course kiddo, go ahead."

He ripped off the green paper to reveal a nerf gun which caused him to gasp. 

"Oh my god! It's the new model! It's perfect," he yelled, already trying to rip the gun from the cardboard confines. 

"You have more presents to open," George reminded him. The light in his eyes bursted and he scampered back to his pile.

"Hey Mace, you wanna open yours?" Sue asked, laying her hand on my shoulder. I nodded and crawled over to my pile of red and green wrapped goodies. 

A few shirts, bags, and a nerf gun of my own later, Steven and I sat in a sea of wrapping and tissue paper comparing our new pajamas. They were both onsies and both had our last name across the back but mine was purple and green and his was blue and orange. 

"Steven," Aunt Sue interupted us, "How about you go up to your room and change into yours, I would like to see how it looks on you."

"Okay!" He chirped immediately springing up and running up the stairs.

"Oh Christmas," I sighed, already beginning to collect the paper off the ground. When I looked up again, Sue was reaching behind her. "What's that?" I asked her, not noticing the extra bow before. This one was wrapped in light orange wrapping paper and had a yellow and pink bow, it reminded me of a sunset. I immediately knew from that who it was from.

"He left this for you before we left for the airport. I think I deserve a reward for keeping the secret this long," she laughed.

I took the box from her and held it in my lap. "Isn't he just the sweetest," she continued, "He really loves you sweetie." Her comment made me blush hard. "Oh what? You think he doesn't?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Well, I'm quite surprised by that honestly," she admitted, "I've never seen something like the two of you. You only knew each other in person for a day and I could already see you so close to one another. And then when they stayed with us, it only got stronger. The way he cares about you, the way he handled Anthony, calling for the restraining order, he cares about you more than I've seen anyone outside this faily ever before."

I gaped at her. I was positive I had been the one who was moving too fast between the pair of us, but based on the way Aunt Sue described it, it seemed more mutual than I had imagined. I smiled down at the box and began to peel back the wrapping paper. Underneath, peaked out the white cardboard of a box and I quickly removed the top.