Rose Petals

Chapter 17

The days flew passed in a blur. They always seem to go by faster when I'm with him. Today is Christmas eve and I'm spending it with Ash and Christy. My parents travel a lot for work so they aren't home during Christmas but are home for some holidays. I've lived in my house alone for as long as I can remember. Some extended family comes over once in a while to make sure I'm doing alright. They don't stay for holidays since they have lives of their own, and I'm okay with that. I usually spend Christmas alone or with a couple of friends.

Christy is making dinner and Ash is upstairs taking a shower. Ever since I've met Christy it's like she has adopted me. I've shared a lot with her, about my family situation. She's so kind hearted when she doesn't have to be. She is a very beautiful woman inside and out.

"How are your grades?" She asks me as she washes some vegetables.

"They're decent." I laugh. She chuckles softly and wipes her hands on a towel.

"And how are you?" She smiles softly at me.

"I'm okay." I smile back.

"Just okay? Has anything new happened?" She digs further. My mind travels back to that day Ash and I went to the park. My face gets a little red and I cover my mouth with my hand subtly.

"N-not particularly." She laughs at my expression.

"Well, dinner isn't quite ready. Go on upstairs and see if Ash is done with his shower." She smiles warmly at me as I get up from the stool and jog upstairs. I knock on Ash's door and he opens it. His hair is wet and he's wearing an oversized black t-shirt with sweat pants. His towel is around his neck.

"Hey." I say stupidly. He smiles and lets me into his room. I put his snow globe in a box and wrapped it in blue paper. It's in my backpack still. I'm itching to give it to him. Maybe I will, as an early Christmas gift.

"Hey boys?" I hear Christy's voice from downstairs as she yells upstairs. "I'm going to go to the store and get some last minute things I forgot. I'll be back soon!" Ash answered her with a simple 'okay' and plopped onto his bed. I hear the front door click shut and the house is now silent.

"Have you heard from your parents?" Ash asks me. I look up from my phone and then shut it off.

"Yeah I have, actually. My mom sent me a picture of the Ponte Vecchio bridge. They're in Italy right now." I chuckle lowly. "She also sent me another postcard."

"I would love to go to Italy." Ash says in awe. "Have you been?" He asks. I softly shake my head no.

"I could have gone many times but I honestly didn't want to. Going to a different country scares me to death. I'm afraid I'll get lost." He stifles a small giggle.

"I'm afraid you'd get lost too. You're so unaware of your surroundings it's not even funny anymore!" He falls back onto his bed smiling and laughing uncontrollably. His smile is contagious.

"If it isn't funny then why are you laughing?" I beam at him.

After a few seconds of calming himself down he sits back up and looks at me with a red face from laughing so hard. "Because the reactions you have when you finally realize what you are doing are priceless." He says and then starts laughing again.

I make a 'psh' sound and get up from the chair. I go over to my backpack while Ash is still laughing his ass off and get the wrapped box. He looks at me, smiling wide with curiosity swimming in his features. I smile softly as I hand him the box.

"Merry Christmas." I say gently. His eyes light up.

"Oh I have something for you too!" He places the box on his bed and gets up. He looks back at me. "Stay here." He then rushes down the stairs.

He's back in a few moments holding a long black box with a white ribbon on it. He gives it to me. "Open it."

"But-" I begin to protest but he cut me off with a noise.

"Just open it." He says.

I opened the box to reveal a beautiful black and white marble watch. It had leather straps to go around my wrist and the watch face was beautiful white marble surrounded in silver. My eyes lit up and my gaze drifted towards his. He had anticipation over his features and I smiled widely.

"It's beautiful." I whispered. His smile grew wider and his eyes lit up more.

"I'm glad you like it." He said.

"Like it? I love it!" I took the watch out of the box and wrapped it around my left wrist.

"Maybe you can stop being late for things if you had a watch." He chuckles and I smile at him. I then pull him in a hug.

"Thank you." I whispered into his ear.