Unexpected fate

Chapter XXVI

And just like that, in a blink of an eye it already Christmas, Finlay had left a couple weeks ago to see his family but before he left he made sure to say goodbye to Mathew and I. It's sad that he's not here but we text and call mostly every day, it makes me feel normal, I forget that I was solely left with my baby brother and had to look after him. I forget I had to give up school and college to get two jobs, just to make sure we had a place to stay and food to eat. Finlay makes me feel like a kid again and I love it, I love being care free and not planning what meals we would eat for the next week.

Mathew had finished school for the holidays about a week ago, and to make it worse he's been ill with a cold so he would be up most nights coughing. I haven't got much sleep for the past week so I look awful now, my circles are darker than the night sky no amount of concealer could hide it.
Mathew feels bad that I have to stay up to look after him but it's what I have to do. It's what I'm here to do and I wouldn't change it, he's the only family I got left.
So it's Christmas Day and as usual Mathew woke me up at a stupidly early hour in the morning. I sit down on the sofa Mathew following closely behind me, he bounces up and down on the sofa as he claps his hands in excitement.
"Looks like Santa came" I point at the stocking full of gifts, this Christmas my boss at the diner gave me a bonus -I'm thinking it's because I kicked out all of Finlay's fans- but still i was really grateful.
Mathew claps his hands louder as he looks at me and back to the presents as if asking permission to open the presents without saying a word. I chuckle seeing how excited he is, Mathew normally acts a lot older than he actually is, but on Christmas Day he is just like any other 6 year old boy.
"Go one you can open a few now" i scruff his hair as he jumps off the sofa and runs towards his presents.

                                     ~~~
I place the clean plate on the drying rack as Mathew gives me his dirty plate, every Christmas we always have a roast dinner it's one of Mathews favourites.
I finish washing his plate and place it with my one, Mathew tugs on my hand pulling me back to the sofa where his stocking is, he still has two more presents to open.
Mathew quickly unwraps both of his presents showing me a little toy car and a colouring set. He looked back into his stocking and gave me a sad face, "there's no more" I give Mathew I smile before pulling him into my side.
"I have a present for you" I say almost whispering. Mathew turns his head so quick he could have gotten whiplash, and toothy smile printed across his face. I tell him to stay where he is while I went get it.
I opened my bedroom door instantly regretting it as a blast of cold air sucker punched me in the face- fuck it's cold in here- I walk over to my draws pulling one of them open, i take out a  small white envelope and close my draw. Once I get back to Mathew my heart starts to beat a little faster, I really hope he likes it.
I sit back down Mathew eagerly eyeing up the envelop in my hand.
"I knew you wanted to go, and I want to give you everything I possibly can, so merry Christmas Matty" I pass him the envelope which he takes slowly, he carefully opens it trying not to rip it.
He opens the envelop and pulls out a plane ticket. A little while ago Mathew came to me with a letter, it was about a trip that the student could go on to learn skills and confidence, Mathew wanted to go on it so badly but I didn't have enough money. With the bonus I got from work I had enough money to play for the travel and his stay. I wanted to make sure he could go on this trip it meant so much to him.
"But I thought you said we didn't have enough money so I couldn't go?" Mathew holds the plane ticket close to his chest,
"Well I'm the best big sister ever, I'll always be right behind you in anything you want to do" Mathew pulls me into a big hug, we sit hugging for a minuet or two and for the first time I feel completely relaxed, I look over to the picture of my dad and smile. He would have been proud.

Mathew pulls away from our hug, his face bright with colour and his eyes glazed over with tears,
"Hey, why are you crying?" I wipe away a warm tear that fell from his eye.
"I'm happy, these are happy tears" I looks down at the ticket again before looking at me with a smile.

                                        ~~~
Currently it's 9:16 at night we had just got back from feeding Finlay's dogs, I just put Mathew to sleep as today has worn him out. I walk into my room changing into my hoodie that Finlay gave me and a pair of joggers, I jump onto my bed sighing as my head hit the pillow, not having to go to work for the next couple of days Is the best feeling. Of course I still have to feed
Finlay's dogs until he gets back but both Mathew and I love buster and pebbles.

I lean over to grab my phone and headphones, I just want to chill for the rest of the night and slowly fall asleep.
I put my headphone in and play some songs that Finlay downloaded for me, I have no idea who most of these people singing are but they sound good. A couple songs go by and I can feel my eyelids start to drop, I finally close my eyes but as soon as I do, the sound telling me I have a message starts ringing in my ears. I peel open turning on my phone, instantly my vision is blinded by the screen. Bloody hell its bright.
I wait for my sight to adjust before seeing a message from Finlay, my lips curl into a smile, he messaged me on Christmas.
I open the message reading.

Hey Sam, MERRY FRICKING CHRISTMAS!!! I got you a gift it's outside your door x

I feel my heart flutter, Finlay Everett got me a gift? I jump off my bed and race to the front door, I open it to see Colin holding a dozen red roses, a card and a box. He gives me a smile before handing them to me.
I offered Colin to come inside and have a drink but he politely declined, Colin turned to walk away but before he did he said.
"You must be a very special someone to Finlay if he does this, merry Christmas Samantha" he says with a smile before walking away, I peer my down the corridor and shout,
"Merry Christmas to you to" I close the door behind me leaning my back on it, I stare down to the beautiful red roses in my hands. I take in a big sniff of the roses, they smell like Finlay, he must have sprayed his cologne on them.
I smile a toothy smile as I walk to the kitchen, I find a vase and fill it with water and place them carefully in.
I look at the card that has my name written on it, Finlay's hand writing is so neat what the hell, mine looks like a 2 year old trying to stay in the lines of a colouring book.
I open the card seeing a classic merry Christmas card with a robin sitting on some holly.
I flick the card page seeing a lot of writing, I give a warm smile as I see how much he wrote and thought how long this must have taken him.
The card read.

Hey Sam, this is my 8th time trying to write this so I'm sorry if my hand writings bad.
From the day I first met you I knew there was something about you that I just had to know more. The girl that bumped into my life, the girl that showed me there was more to life than fame and money.
If I hadn't have met you I would still be the stuck up prick that first met you, you've change me in so many ways in so little time. I'm a better person with you, thank you for that.
Merry Christmas Sam.
Finlay xx

I look up from the card feeling a warm streak falling down my cheek, I brush away my tear.
I'm happy, these are happy tears.
Finlay Everett said he's a better person with me, what does he mean with me? I turn to the small box pulling off the lid, my jaw drops as I look down at a stunning silver necklace with a silver sea shell hanging in the middle. My mind decals the first time Finlay and I went out to the beach, we shared so much that day and lost so much that day.
I hold the box close to my chest before picking up my card and flowers and retreating to my room.
I scramble back onto my bed searching for my phone, I feel the cold case that encloses my phone. I open my phone seeing the message from Finlay. I type back.

Thank you so much, you really didn't have to do that for me. Xx

I press send. I look over to my roses, they are beautiful each petal exploding with and vibrant red. My phone vibrates in my hand I look back down to see Finlay has typed.

Are you cray? I would have given you more but I know you wouldn't have taken them. For you I'd give anything xx

My heart swoons at his message, does he really mean that? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he does feel something other than friends.

                                       »»««
I look at Samantha's message,

Thank you so much, you really didn't have to do that for me. Xx

She's so selfless. I scoff to myself before typing.

Are you cray? I would have given you more but I know you wouldn't have taken them. For you I'd give anything xx

Everything I said in that card was true, she's changed me and I would give her anything. The girl that bumped into my life, the girl that I love.
That I love, I love Samantha Kane.