Spectra

Chapter 17

Emily

Days passed and I spent them binge watching Hallmark Christmas movies. Sure, they're predictable and all end the same, but it felt nice because nothing in my life is predictable anymore. Plus it was nice watching all these girls fall in love with the guys they hated for the first half an hour of the movie. It may sound stupid but the way each pair slowly started hating each other less and less reminded me of Lucas and I. Ugh, gross.

After Cassidy left that morning I talked to Lucas. I told him I wasn't sure how I felt but I knew we are best as friends. Even if I did like him in the slightest bit, it might only be because he likes me. If that makes any sense. Lucky for me there hadn't been a meta attack for days so I sat and did nothing in the warmth of my pajama pants.

I groaned as I got a text from Cassidy. Day after day she ignored me and now she was apologizing, I took a deep breath. All she said was, I'm sorry. No specifics to which thing she was apologizing for. I hated myself for it but I didn't respond.

For being an idiot the other night, for being an idiot the past few days. For being an idiot in general. Even if you won't talk to me, just talk to Lucas, please. I didn't respond and didn't take her advice. She was so immature the other day I couldn't see past it. Pressing play I ignored my craving to see Lucas and payed attention to the hot guy on my screen who was playfully flirting with the grumpy woman who hates Christmas. I knew that by the end she would love Christmas and they'd kiss as it started snowing miraculously.

I continued my marathon and put up the tree with my mom. We had been so busy that it was three days until Christmas and we were just putting it up. She put a few presents under the tree and I did too. My heart sank as I put Lucas's under there too. Now, mainly because of Cassidy, he probably wasn't going to spend Christmas with me.

My mom noticed my sad mood and questioned me. I told her everything that happened. She pulled me in for a hug. We pulled away when I smelled smoke. She squeaked and pulled a smoking cookie sheet out of the oven.

"I tried to make gingerbread men." At first I was confused because we didn't have any cookie cutters, but I took a closer look. The blackened cookies were all deformed and were definitely hand cut, possibly in the dark with a stick. "Wanna decorate them? I can't mess up canned frosting." She pulled red, green, and white frosting cans from a bag. It was the kind that sprayed like whipped cream with changeable tips. She took the red can and sprayed some in her mouth. I laughed and picked up the white and did the same.

We spent the rest of the evening decorating the deformed and burnt cookies. Both of us picked one to eat and took a bite at the same time. If they weren't burnt they might've been pretty good. But the burnt-ness overtook the cookie flavor and we spat the bite out. We trashed the batch and watched some TV before heading to bed.

~~~~~~~

"Couldn't you guys just take a break for Christmas?" I groaned to the four men in ski masks holding guns at my head. Sitting in my room got so boring that at the sound of a siren I ran off. "But, really? A bank robbery during the day? Not the brightest plan." I chuckled at my own pun before shining my light so bright that they couldn't see but they didn't move, just adjusted their grip on their gun. I gulped. Maybe they were learning. Then, there was a crash followed by a loud roar. We all turned towards the door where a lion stood growling. The lion stepped towards us and the thieves ran out. Before my eyes the animal morphed into a human. I squeaked and jumped back.

"I got my powers to work!" Then I recognized him, it was the guy who tied Lucas up in the closet. Last I saw of him he turned into a mouse and ran off. I frowned but took a breath. My face softened. I remembered it was the Holidays and I should try and be more cheerful.