Breaking The Bad Boy (Completed)

Chapter 49: Whenever You're Ready, I'll Plant My Seed

[A/N: Surprise dedication to SmexicanShelley because her comments are amazing. Enjoy a super long chapter and this double update.
Songs for the chapter:
- Taylor Swift // Crazier
- Oasis // Wonderwall
- Birdy // Wings
- Taylor Swift // Santa Baby (cover)]

Christmas shopping had drained me the past week. There was something extremely unappealing about trudging around the mall with Mona, searching high and low for good bargains and then coming home empty handed after six gruelling hours. Finally, on our fifth trip I settled on a Blu-ray player for Blake, a curling wand for Mona, sweaters for both sets of my grandparents and numerous toys for my distant cousins. Finding Mom a gift wasn't too hard either, I just splashed out on three heels and enough Mac makeup to sustain her through an apocalypse. But when it came to Tyler, I struggled to find a gift that was thoughtful and meaningful.

What do I get for a guy who could afford everything?

Three days before Mom and I were set to board a flight across the country to visit her parents, I sloped around the mall by myself and came home empty handed once again. Frustrated, I paced my bedroom and glanced at the clock, realising that Tyler was due to be at my house in a couple of hours for our second date. After our epic first date, I thought it would be a good idea to tone it down and just stick to movies and a takeout which Tyler seemed pleased with. If there was food involved, he could never be displeased.

I pulled my silver valuables box from under my bed and tipped all my prized possessions onto my bed, sieving through the small items my best friend left for me in her will: her diaries, sketchbooks, expensive jewellery and a thick wad of letters tied with a red ribbon; two opened and the rest unopened.

A month before she passed away, Taylor wrote over eighty letters for me - one for each year of my life - that I was to open every Christmas morning. She initially proposed that I read them on my birthday but we both agreed that my birthday was already contaminated with enough grief.

It was the most thoughtful way we could part ways; I got to reconnect with her for the five minutes it took me to read the letter, and that was probably the reason why I enjoyed this holiday so much. I guess this was what helped me move on with my life so quickly after her death as opposed to Tyler because I was certain he opened all his letters before their designated time. Neither did he get as many as I did; probably ten at most.

There were envelopes of all different colours but there was a smaller wad of golden ones that she put aside, demanding that I give it to The One. They were labelled: 'First Love', 'Mr And Mrs Ashley Martin, 'Name Your First Kid After Me Or Else!' and the other titles were a bit more ridiculous and inappropriate.

When she first proposed the idea of these golden letters, I genuinely thought she was joking and laughed right in her face. But right now I think it's remarkably beautiful that she wanted to give the part of her inside me away to the one guy who will come to mean so much to me. It reminded me of the way a father would walk his daughter down the aisle before he gives her away to the man of her dreams. Maybe she was taking her protective best friend role a bit too seriously but growing up fatherless made me mature faster than any normal teenager and she just wanted me to take a backseat and enjoy the life she could never have.

Picking up the metallic, golden envelope that was most suited for Tyler, I turned it over in my hand and traced the cursive writing. It was dated, signed and titled 'First Love'.

I knew it was too soon to give him the letter but I really couldn't think of a better gift to give him. This was a part of me and a part of his sister so I really hoped it would be enough. And even if my best friend refused to accept that her twin was my first love, he was and always would be.