Dead & Gone. [UNDER REVISION]

Chapter 20: Merry Christmas Shopping.

Chapter 20: Merry Christmas Shopping.

School was let out for Christmas holidays, finally. Life seems to be getting back on track. I’m finally living an apple pie life. Jimmy goes to work every day while I go to school. Jimmy is doing better and that’s amazing to know. I love the fact that he’s smiling and stuff now. He gets up without my help and he’s just a happier person now. That makes me happier because now I don’t need to worry about missing school to take care of him. I’ve regained the grades and I haven’t missed a day of school. They say if I keep my grades up I won’t need to worry about sitting my exams. I’ll have the grades to get into the school I want.

Today is the day before Christmas and I’m going last minute Christmas shopping with my friends. Lucas is bringing Blaine and Ashley is taking her little brother. Connor is coming as well. I saw him last weekend when we went out together.

Connor has met my dad; let me tell you it was awkward. Connor and I were watching a movie in the living room and Jimmy came in and sat right between us. It was seriously weird. And it was even worse when he met the entire family on Thanks Giving. Everybody was asking us questions and stuff. The girls were very proud of me and the guys basically told him off and threatened him if he hurt me. I don’t have to like them but I do have to love them.

I walked around the mall with Connor’s arm hooked on mine. My leather jacket done up nicely while my fingers were hidden under a pair of neon green gloves with neon pink finger gloves over them. I smiled and wandered the stores still needing to find my dad his present. I want it to be perfect. I’ve saved up three months worth of allowance to shop for him. I’ve gotten everybody else their presents. I gave my friend’s theirs today at school. I got Val a pair of nice shoes; I got Gena that dress she was eyeing up last time we were out. And I got Michelle a nice hand bag. For Matt I got him a tee shirt. Brian got a pair of jeans. Zacky is in desperate need of some new shades so I got him some. And Johnny is getting a new pack of guitar picks.

Ashley shook her little brother jokingly and ranted on about how annoying he is for guessing what she got him. Lucas and Blaine gossiped and looked at each other all goo-goo eyed. There was an unsettling pit in my stomach as the time wore on. I held onto Connor with all my might and looked quietly down at the ground.

“Peasnie, you’re not gonna find your dad’s present looking at the ground.” Ashley said happily. In the past year they’ve gone from being my friends to being my family. They’ve been there all those nights I was up crying over the fact my dad was so depressed. I smiled and looked up at them. I guess she’s right. We’ve been looking all day and I haven’t seen anything that makes me think of my dad. He’s such a hard person to shop for.

We stepped into a shop that sold fancy things; I think it’s a Spencer’s. The music that was being played was fast and up beat the lighting was horrible. My gaze wandered around the store carefully and stopped on the perfect present. I smiled devilishly and walked over to where it was displayed. I felt like a kid in the candy store, my eyes lit up and became big like the moon. I stared at the item that sat on display in the glass case.

I looked at the person behind the counter and grinned girlishly. The guy with long black hair and piercings, he leaned over the counter even though he could hear me perfectly fine from where he was standing.

“Can I get this please?” I asked pointing to the present that I wanted to get Jimmy. The guy waited a moment before looking over at me and nodded. He went to the back room and came back with a box. He set it down on the counter and tallied up the price.

“That’ll be fifty-five dollars, ninety-nine cents.” He said with a broad voice. I handed him a fifty, a five and a dollar. He gave me back a penny and put the box in a bag. My stomach sank deeper as I exited the shop with the gift. Connor waited with my friends outside the shop. It was getting late and I’m supposed to go to Val’s to help her with getting ready for tomorrow. We’re going over there later in the afternoon after when go see my grandparents.

I smiled as we exited the mall, the brittle cold as smacked me in the face, it rested on my skin. It made me cold. Connor was going to drive me home while Lucas gave everybody else a ride home. Saying Good-Bye to my friends until New Years when we got together to have a party at Lucas’ uncle’s house. But I’m going to see Connor on Boxing Day; his parents are going out of town so I invited him over for a day of horror movies.

Connor and I walked to his old beat up Mustang. It was chilled outside and there was a little amount of snow on the ground. I sat in the front seat of the car and smiled at Connor. Driving from Long Beach on Christmas Eve was insanity. There were so many people who were doing last minute shopping.  

“Remember when we first met?” Connor asked sullenly. His eyes on the road but expression said other wise. I nodded.

“Yeah, what about it?” I asked softly. Connor glanced at me with a weird face.

“You said something bad was going to happen and if you left during the Christmas holidays it’d be too late.” He turned my question with an answer. I frowned slightly and nodded as I remembered that day and feeling. It’s the same feeling I’ve had all week.

“You still feeling that way?” He questioned.

“Yeah, I do. I hate it.” I muttered ungratefully. We pulled up in front of Val’s house after a long drive home. It took forty five minutes for us to drive here. I sat in the front seat with a horrible feeling in my gut.

I heard Connor shift. He leaned in towards me, pressing his lips against mine softly. I liked the way his skin felt on mine. It was soft and warm, so human like; it made me shiver. I smiled and pulled away from him.

“I’ll see you on Boxing day.” I said flatly. He grinned and nodded.

“Make that a date.” He said. I smiled and got out of the car, the bag in my grasp. I watched as he drove down the quiet street with not a care in the world. The night was cold and it was damp. I hated it so much but I sucked it up and skipped up the slippery path to the front door. My knuckles tapped the door a few times before I heard some one bellow a ‘come in.’ I did. I walked into the warm house to the wonderful sweet smell of cooking. The warmth of the house sank into my bones deeply.

Val came to the door and greeted me with a happy smile. She was always grateful to see me. She gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She looked down to the bag and her smile instantly grew bigger.

“Is that your dad’s present?” She asked with a joyful tone. I grinned and nodded.

“Yep.”

“What’d you get him?” She questioned happily. I smiled widely and swayed in my place slightly.

“I got him. . .”