Faking It

24:Faking It:24

Chapter 24

Aiden

"You'd think she's never seen snow before," Tyler mutters.

"You know," Jeremy slowly says, staring out the window, "I don't think she actually has."

Tyler presses his face firmly against the window, pushing tighter with his hands. "No way," he gasps. "That's like, impossible!"

"Not really," I pipe up. "The states more towards the south from us don't get snow."

Jeremy shrugs. "Well, at least now she's experienced snow."

The three of us glance back out the window, where all we see is Alina with the goofiest smile on her face, literally burying herself feet deep in snow.

"Er...maybe a bit too much of snow."

"Should we drag her back inside?" Tyler ponders.

"Nah," Jer and I both calmly respond back. Jer then stares hard at me. "Oi, Christmas is coming up in a week...you better not get me a shit gift again."

I roll my eyes at him. He thinks that just because I gave him my history book for Christmas one year, that all of my presents for him are going to be ridiculous and horrible.

"It's the thought that counts," mom chimes, as she zips past us with armfuls of ornaments and Christmas lights. Mom's a late decorator. She's actually a huge procrastinator. Last year, she procrastinated on decorating for the holidays for such a lengthy period of time that when she realized that she needed to decorate, it was already Christmas Eve, and she didn't really feel like doing it. So, we stuck our gifts for one another underneath mom's small old table.

To say that Christmas last year felt very empty is such an understatement.

...

"Oi, we're all getting each other presents?" River questions. "Take no offense, I'd be more than glad to hand each and every one of you assholes gifts, but I don't have enough money to buy like twelve gifts."

"Yeah, that's the point, mate," Jeremy tells him. "None of us ever have enough. 'Cept for Aiden but he's a jackass." And this guy is my best friend. "Point is that we make do with what we have and if we lack, we make things with whatever we already have."

"Bit girly," Tyler mumbles, "but it's a tradition. Only now it's even more exemplified because now we're obligated to get gifts for not only our families, the three of the four in this group, Sorita, and Alina, but also Walsh, Ferrell, Carter, and possibly Nutterwall and Mitchell." He shrugs. "It's just a matter of trying harder this year."

I know what a lot people might think. A week before Christmas, and nobody is ready with presents? We're all procrastinators, alright? Can't help it. I mean, I think Alina's the only person who's actually been done with gifts since two weeks ago, but we're not all goody two shoes, who do everything way ahead of time.

Speaking of, that girl is still outside in the snow. It's been hours. As though he can read my mind, River then says, "Alina's still outside. Who volunteers to help me drag her back inside?"

Instantly my hand shoots up, to which River shoves me. "Besides you, dipshit, we already know you will." Jeremy rolls his eyes at me, trudging towards the door.

"Alina, either you come inside now or we'll drag you back in!" We don't know what Alina does, but after a minute, when Alina doesn't walk in, Jeremy groans and goes outside.

I glance at Tyler, but he's all propped up on my coach, looking completely at ease. He laughs when he notices that I'm staring at him. "You guys go out there and fight the monster; I'm staying right here."