guarding my angel || "guardian angel" sequel

13

**Kayla's POV**

Today is one of my favorite days of the year - it's the day we go on our annual Christmas trip with the gang! Lulu and I are ecstatic about going, as I'm sure the rest of the gang is.

We're going to this beautiful cabin about 4 hours away from us. The cabin is in the Curtis's family, and they're letting us stay in it for a few days.

I've been packing all morning for both me and Soda. He's working the DX for a few more hours before closing it for the rest of the year. Darry and Ponyboy are also still out at work and will be home later with some food we can bring. The rest of the gang, minus Bailey, Two-Bit, and Dallas, will be here around 1.

We did hear from Bailey a couple days after she found out about Two-Bit - she wished us all a good time, but was going to stay back to think some things over. She still planned to spend Christmas with us when we get back, which is huge for all of us, considering we haven't really seen her in a few weeks.

The clock reads '11:50am'. Lauren is busy prepping food and supplies for our trip, while I'm in charge of cleaning up the house. I've been changing sheets and putting away laundry all day, but I have Lulu to help, and we've been having a blast.

I go into the guest room where Soda and I have been sleeping, and find it just as I remembered - super messy. I find clothes around the room and the bed a mess. I laugh and begin pulling sheets off the bed and throwing them into a hamper. I grab an array of clothes and toss them into the hallway, Lulu picking up extra socks for me.

I hear the door slam shut and Darry's voice call out through the house. I run to the living room and say hello and find him with Lauren in the kitchen. Ponyboy sits at the table eating a sandwich, and Lulu runs over to say hi. He waves to me, mid-bite, and I smile back at him.

"Kayla, could you go grab the onesies from the storage closet? We can't forget those," Lauren says as Darry kisses her forehead and walks into the bathroom. I nod and run to grab the box.

I explore a little bit and find a small box labeled 'Christmas'. It's small enough for me to lift, so I go back downstairs and place it on the counter. I get out scissors and tear it open, finding what the gang got last year from Darry: everyone got a onesie designed specifically for them. Ponyboy and Jessica's, who he received as a gag gift since she wasn't apart of his life yet, are an ombre of pink and orange for sunsets. Soda and mine have cars all over. Johnny and Victoria's is made completely from denim on the outside and flannel on the inside. Dally and Alex's are just plain black. Darry's has houses all over it, and Lauren's has music notes. Two-Bit and Bailey's are Minnie and Mickey with mouse-eared hoods. I pull each one out, minus Two-Bit and Bailey's, and fold them nicely into a garbage bag to take with us.

I go back to my room and zip up the suitcase full of Soda and me's stuff. I roll it out into the hall and find Soda walking into the house.

"Hello, my love!" he says and extends his arms. I run towards him and jump up so I'm facing him with my legs locked around his waist. I hug him and he laughs.

"You smell like grease, babe," I say to him. He kisses all over my face and I smile.

"Then let's shower," he says with a wink.

"What was that?" Darry shouts from the kitchen. Soda's face freezes in fear and I laugh my ass off.

"Nothing Dar!" I call back. "You heard the man, go get in the shower by yourself."

"Fine," Soda says. He carries me down the hall and dumps me onto our bed. He starts taking off his clothes, but leaves his boxers on and walks into the bathroom. I smile and pull myself off the bed.

As Soda showers, I decide to start getting the car packed up a little bit. By now, more and more people are showing up with their stuff too, including luggage, food, and supplies. We start to pack up the cars we're taking - Darry, Lauren, and Jessica's - and by around 1 pm, we're ready to go.

I climb into Darry's truck with him and Soda. Lulu claims a spot in the backseat with me while Soda and Darry sit in the front. Alex, Aliyah, Ponyboy, and Jessica get into Jessica's car, and Victoria, Lauren, and Johnny get into Lauren's. Our cars are packed like we're moving out of town.

Darry leads the caravan of cars, and we trek on for what seems like a lot longer than 4 hours. I fall asleep halfway through, and wake up when we're pulling into the gravel driveway of the cabin.

"It's just like I remembered," Soda says quietly, probably assuming I'm still asleep.

When we park, I get out quickly to help, but Soda hands me the key to the cabin and tells me to unlock it for everyone. I do as I'm told and open the large oak doors.

The inside is just as beautiful as I had imagined. There is a huge living room, a nice kitchen and dining room, and what looks like a big upstairs. I walk in further and find a mudroom, along with bonus room that looks like it could've one day been a garage.

Eventually, the gang gets all of their stuff out of the cars and races towards the hosue. I would have been trampled if Soda didn't picked me up bridal style and rushed me inside before everyone else. He sets me down and we all sit on the couch. The whole gang agreed to sit down and discuss who gets what rooms.

"OK, so Darry, tell us about this cabin," Johnny says.

"Well, there are 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, each room with it's own bathroom," he explains. "What I had in mind was because there is a bunk room with 2 sets of bunk beds, Johnny, Ponyboy, Jessica, and Victoria could take that room. That room has 2 bathrooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. Then there are 3 other rooms, and all of them have king beds. People with lovers are sharing a room together. Sound good?"

The whole gang nods eagerly.

"All of the bedrooms are upstairs, go ahead!"

The boys take off with their bags. The first door is opened and Soda claims it. Next Darry, then Ponyboy and Johnny, leaving a room for Alex and Aliyah. Being the gentleman that they are, us girls ended up not having to carry any bags.

I follow Soda up the stairs and into our bedroom - a beautiful red-themed room with a king bed and a massive closet. I fall onto the bed and smile, feeling how soft the mattress beneath me is. Soda lays down next to me and I jump on top of him.

"How pretty is this room?!" I say happily.

"Almost as pretty as you, sweet girl," he says and kisses my cheek. I laugh and pull him up so we can start to unpack. I offer to do the closet, and Soda unpacks our bathroom stuff as I unpack our clothes and shoes. Since it's already 6:30, we hear Lauren and Darry go downstairs to start dinner.

But Soda and I have to prepare for the tradition.