Me & Mine

58. Ghost of Christmas Future - Part Two

Shivers race through my body as the cold glass makes contact with my neck. I squeal and pull my shoulders up, sounds of muffled laughter behind me. I turn my head to Kane, holding out a chilled bottle of beer to me. "Jerk!" I hiss, rubbing my hand over my cold skin. He smirks and sits down next to me on the sofa. I take the beer and sigh. "Thanks."

I chuckle softly and watch my friends. Max and Travis are playing a video game, Harley is half asleep under her two blankets, and Ann and Amory are cuddling on the third sofa in this living room. It's late in the evening and the fire cracks softly.

Kane exhales and clinks his beer to mine. "So this is what Christmas is like," he muses and I angle my head to him.

"Who knew, huh?" I smile softly.

He nods softly and I stare into those strange silver eyes. "Thank you," he whispers.

"For what?"

"I don't know," he shrugs, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "for being here. For not hating me. For talking to me right now."

I take a deep breath and shake my head. "I'm still mad at you," I whisper, "but I don't hate you. It's Christmas, after all."

He nudges my shoulder with his and smiles. "Softie."

"Jackass."

"Bitch."

"Traitor."

I chuckle and turn my head back to the television again. Travis just killed Max and a bloody "Game Over" graces the screen. The boys turn around to us and Max sighs.

"So what's next?"

"I don't know man," Travis chuckles, "I'll just wait and see where these football scholarships will take me."

Max shakes his head. "I meant what game, dude, not your future plans."

"Oh," Travis smiles goofishly, "I bought Call of Duty?"

"Nah, man," Max jumps to his feet and walks over to Kane and me. He sits down and pulls me against him. I let him and rest my head against his shoulder. Travis smiles and shakes his head slowly. I ignore both of them.

"Besides," Max muses, "I think I like this convo better. So, who's next? Ann?"

Ann raises her head up from Amory's chest and blinks a few times. "What?"

"What are your plans after high school?" Max chuckles.

She cracks her neck and smiles. "Oh, I think I want to major in foreign affairs or government, and my sister tells me great things about the University of Virginia." Ann cocks her head to the side. "Why?"

"Just curious," Max smiles, "we're having a campfire circle."

I chuckle and shake my head. "No, you are forcing us to have a campfire circle."

He shrugs. "Yeah," he drapes his arm around my shoulder, "and since you clearly have something to say, you can go next."

I roll my eyes and smile. "English lit. Columbia."

Max fakes to yawn and I pinch his tigh. "Okay, fine," he chuckles, "Amory?"

My brother turns his head and shrugs. "I don't know yet," he says, "I think I might major in business or something, but I don't know where."

"MIT has a great business school," Kane suggests, his silver eyes pierced on the bright red television screen. My brother nods slowly. "MIT," he says softly, "thanks man."

"Kane?" Max leans forward to catch his friend's eyes, but Kane simply shrugs, staring ahead.

"If I ever leave this town, and that's a big if, I might get into political philosophy."