back to you ◦ mccartney

three

"Wonderful Christmastime"

Christmas! The most wonderful time of the year! Mistletoe, and presents, family and friends. What also could be better than a big feast you could pig out on? It was December twenty-fifth, and on that day the Saunders family would spend their first Christmas at the McCartney house without Mary. But they wouldn't let that get in the way of Christmas traditions.

Amelia got dressed up in the usual Christmas day outfit, flannel pajama pants, and a red sweater, something that she and Paul had done since they were little kids. The family of four had made their way next door with goodies in hand, most of them being deserts which Amelia's mom seemed to love making for no reason whatsoever.

Jim quickly opened a door with a wide smile on his face before inviting the group inside of the home. "Amelia, Paul's still asleep, do you mind waking him up?" a smirk came across her face before she quickly ran up the stairs. Was it cruel to wake up her best friend in the way she was planning on Christmas? Maybe so, but did she care one bit? Of course not!

The door slowly opened as she tried to make minimal noise, the blonde tip-toed over to Paul's bed that was placed in the opposite corner of the room. Quickly, she jumped on top of paul, "WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!" She screamed but all she got in response was a groan and paul putting a pillow on top of his head to quiet the noise. The small girl huffed not accepting his response. Lying fully on top of him, she whipped the pillow off of his head and across the room, "PAUL MCCARTNEY GET YOUR ARSE UP ITS CHRISTMAS!" She hollered into his left ear.

"Fuckin' Christ!" Paul whined opening his eyes to see his best friend laying on top of him and in his face, "Get off of me!" He had never been a morning person, most people aren't but he could kill someone with his annoyed looks after waking up. Although- it was kind of funny, it was like an old man inside a teenager's body.

Amelia shook her head, "Nope, I'm good here! Honestly, you're pretty comfy." She laid her head down in the crook of his neck. Quickly paul pushed her off of him and onto the other side of the small twin mattress. A fake flash of hurt crossed her face before speaking up again, "Come on Mr. grouchy I have presents to give you!" Happily rushing out of the room, it didn't take long before the girl entered the sitting room downstairs. As paul huffed about, he put on a sweater and grabbed the two gifts that he had gotten his friend.

The seven bodies seemed to be drowning in a sea of wrapping paper after they all exchanged gifts. The two teens did end up saving theirs for later, as they wanted to be able to take in what they had gotten. All but the two of them wandered into the kitchen or up into Mikes's room to do their own thing. 

With much joy, they handed over the two gifts they had gotten for each other. The books came first, Paul was very happy with her choice just as Amelia was with his. As the dark-haired boy moved on to the next gift she got him, he opened the long box that held the present inside. His large eyes widened in surprise as his long fingers ran over the silver ID bar bracelet. Slowly, he had picked it up in his hand, almost as if he didn't want to hurt it. Visibly on the front, his name was carved into the silver bar.

"Turn it over." the girl spoke in hopes that he liked it. Listening to her command, the individual across from her flipped the expensive piece over to find another engraving on the back. The words 'I love you' had been written in small letters on the back, moving his finger over the silver surface, a smile crawled onto his face. Though the two rarely said those words to each other, it was still known to both of them that they did truly love each other. Paul was slightly confused as in which way she meant it though, the bracelet was a big gesture and it would be kept with him twenty-four hours a day, eight days a week.

"Amelia, this is too much," he said softly looking up at her with the bracelet dangling in his hand. It was obvious that this had to cost a pretty penny, which made him even more guilty as if his gift wasn't good enough. 

"It's fine paul, now let me put it on you." her small and gentle hands reached out quickly to grab the chain from his hand. Leaning forward, the bracelet was wrapped around his left wrist with ease. It was a very meaningful moment for the two of them, the reason why they didn't know.

Moving back she grabbed his gift in her hands, looking up to see if she could open it he nodded. Doing the same thing he did a few minutes ago she opened the box, but instead of a bracelet, she was surprised to see a diamond heart-shaped necklace. It wasn't small either, it was at least the width of the pad of her thumb. Her ocean-blue eyes glimmered in shock, but it was a happy type of shock. "Pau-" Amelia started but was quickly cut off.

"Before you yell at me for spending a shit ton of money, I didn't buy it!" he said scratching his neck.

Amelia's eyes seemed to have stretched open as far as they could, "You stole it?! Paul that's even worse!" she whispered yelled before smacking his bicep.

"No! No, it was my mums, I thought I could give it to you." his voice was soft in embarrassment as he looked down at his hands.

The blue-eyed girl's face softened, crawling over to him she wrapped her arms around his neck. They held each other in an embrace for a few minutes before Amelia broke the silence, "Thank you so much paul," she spoke meaningfully while pulling away, "Will you put it on me?"

His messy hair flopped around as he nodded his head,  grabbing the necklace, Amelia turned around so that he would be able to clip it. Goosebumps coated her skin as the boy's careful hands brushed across her neck, clasping the necklace. 

At around four in the afternoon, the meal was successfully finished. All seven people sat at the table, dishing up their favorite foods they started to dig in. Paul was shoving a heap of potatoes in his mouth as if it was the last meal he would ever eat. While everyone finished their meals, Amelia cleared her throat, "Thank you guys for the lovely meal." the adults smiled and gave their 'you're welcomes'.

As always in the teen's tradition, they went out into the sitting room and sat around the fire. The two adults in the Saunders family got up to play a few games when Jim alerted them about a mistletoe. Sure enough, there was one hanging above them. The couple leaned in and captured each other in a passionate kiss.  Amelia admired her parents as she's always wanted love as they had even though it was highly unlikely. The girl hadn't even received her first kiss yet, she remembered last year when Paul had excitedly told her the news of his first kiss. She was jealous of the fact that he had kissed someone but she hadn't, although she knew that it would happen when it was supposed to.

As the hours had passed, the cloudy December skies soon turned dark as snow flurries came down from above. Paul and Amelia were now sat up on the couch watching What A Wonderful Life. His long arm was wrapped tightly around her, as her head rested against his shoulder, while her legs draped over his own. The blue knit blanket covered the two of them, trapping in the heat that the small house was lacking.

Three pairs of eyes had secretly watched their children cuddling on the couch. The adults made their way over to the corner of the room, getting ready to gossip to each other over their kids. "Mary 'ad always wanted them to get together, ya' know," Jim spoke with a sad smile coating his features. He had missed his wife dearly that was for certain, spending his first holiday without her was truly heartbreaking on top of that.

Bethany smiled and nodded, "Usually I'm overprotective of Amelia but," she paused exhaling some air, "they're good for each other, I hope someday it'll be official." Just like every mother, she wanted the best for her daughter, Paul was a great kid and she knew that Amelia would be safe in his hands.

Meanwhile, on the couch, the small blonde fell asleep in Paul's arms. What the waitress at the diner seemed to hit him once again. Maybe that old lady was right after all? Smiling, he leaned his head on hers and was quickly asleep moments after.