Endless Summer/ ✔️

Kiss You This Christmas

Christmas Eve had always been my favorite day of the entire year. Other than the days that my favorite people were born, it was my favorite because we all got to be with each other. No fights, no stress,  no drama. Except for this year.

Daniel and I were on our own rooms with Bella asleep in the nursery. None of us had nice things to say to each other. Daniel and I were disagreeing about how we should go about vaccinating Bella and Lauren had gone full bridezilla trying to get everything ready. Her and Zach were getting married in four months! They had plenty of time to go crazy when it wasn't Christmas! Jonah and Anna had a bad falling out the other night and we hadn't seen her since. Jack and I argued about gifts and Corbyn was taking his anger out on on us instead of the root of his problem. Christina. So every member of the house were tucked away in their own little areas, not speaking to each other.

Quietly, I walked into the kitchen, hoping I was going to be alone. I was wrong. Zach was sitting at the bar, a book laying on the table. "Out of all the secret places you could read, you chose the area where everyone comes? I thought you wanted to get away from us all?" I implied, leaning over the counter. Zach slowly looked up from his book and gave me a dumb smile.

"This kitchen is available to everyone," he replied, moving to stand. "And you could've just ignored me like I would have done to you instead of being a bitch about it." I froze, too stunned to move. Had he really just called me a bitch?  I watched, still dumbfounded as Zach left the kitchen.

Everyone was angry at each other and come tomorrow, our families would gather here and nothing would go the way we had planned. Instead of going back to bed, I grabbed my jacket, shoes and car keys and left the house. Anywhere sounded good enough for me.

I drove until I didn't know where I was going and I didn't care where I ended up. Until I found arrived at destination. "Maya?" What are you doing here?" He exclaimed. His hair was beyond messy and sleep was written all over his face. "How did you know where I live?"

"I just needed to see something for myself. Mind if we talk somewhere else?" I asked. After hesitating for a few seconds, he reached back to grab something and I noticed he was fully dressed. "Did you have a long night or something?" I asked gesturing to the clothes he wore.

"Oh, yeah. I got home and passed out before showering. Where are we going exactly?" I stopped walking and waited for him to face me. My heart felt like it was going to fall out of my chest at this moment in time. I shouldn't be here. Go home! I shouted at myself.

"Bryce, I wanted to ask you something," I admitted, my breath visible in front of me. We continued walking until we reached the car. Both of us sat on the hood and didn't say a word. "Are you still seeing that one girl? What was her name? Lila?"

"I am. Actually, she's in the house asleep with the baby." I snapped my head in my direction. Was I really gone that long from his life? "Maya, why do you care? You hate me, remember?"

"I don't hate you. I just don't like how I was being treated when I was with you. Obviously. I just wanted to get out of that relationship and trust me, it was a good idea. We're both happy now."

"Yeah, I know. I heard about your boyfriend and friends. They have some shows coming up in town. Lila has been listening to the little things they have been putting out. Where they mix up songs and put spins on it."

"They are working hard. Hey, maybe one day when they have a show, I can hook Lila up with some passes backstage or something to that effect," I said. We both fell silent for a few seconds, kicking snow around with the toe of our shoes. "I wanted things to work out for us, Bryce. I did. But then all these other things happened and my mind was made up for me."

Bryce turned to meet my face and bit his upper lip. "Maya, you don't even know how much I wish you would have said that before everything. I didn't know I was treating you that bad."

"You didn't know that you abusing me? Bryce, I had bruises constantly on my entire body! You can't just tell me you didn't know that. And it wasn't just physical either. You used to tell me I was good for nothing for no reason. I couldn't even tell you how many times I cried myself to sleep!" I rambled. Before I knew what was happening Bryce's lips were pressed against mine.

I know I should have shoved him away, but something inside, was telling me not to. The familiar feeling of his lips on mine appeared once again and I moved inwards to deepen the kiss. What am I doing? This is wrong. "You shouldn't have done that," I whispered as I pushed him away. Tears ran down my cheeks as I moved to the door.

"If I didn't, I would regret it my entire life," he admitted. Without saying another word, I backed the car out of the driveway and made my way home.

***

Our families arrived early the next morning. Jonah's family mingled with Corbyn's in the living room. Daniel and Jack's had taken the back patio and Lauren, Zach and I all had our family spread about each other. None of us really spoke for the first few hours.

"What's on your mind?" Mrs. Holmes asked as she leaned against the bar. She had Bella wrapped in her arms all morning after being passed around for everyone to coo over. "And don't say nothing because you have that look on your face that says you're a million miles away." I sighed.

"Because I am. Everyone in the house are in bad moods and none of us want the fighting to go on any longer. But nobody wants to be the first to apologize.On top of all of that, I did something terrible last night and I wish I could take it all back," I admitted. Mrs. Holmes leaned up to get a better look at my face.

"Did you tell Daniel?" She asked. "Whatever you are all fighting about, and what you did wouldn't be so bad if you would just talk. Don't be afraid to just go for it. What kind of example would you be setting for little Bella?" She asked looking down at the sleeping baby.

"If only it were that easy."

The day went on, and as I was chatting with Anna, Jonah spun her around and kissed her. "Merry Christmas. I think it's time to open the gifts!" He said excitedly. Without protest from anyone else, all seven of our families gathered around the living room. As Mrs. Holmes passed out the gifts, Daniel snaked his hand around mine and had the other wrapped around Bella on his shoulder. I squeezed it lightly, letting him know we were okay.

In the middle of opening the gifts, Daniel's phone chimed in his pocket. As he pulled it out with a smile on his face, it faded in the same second. I gave him a weak smile as he put the phone away and took a quick glance at my own face. "You okay?" I asked him as I leaned over. Bella squirmed on the floor under her mobile as we finished up the gifts.

"I'm fine," he said through clenched teeth. Daniel tensed his body up as I moved a little closer to him. There was something bothering him and it bothered me that I wasn't able to tell what was happening.

Every child was asleep by the end of the night and everyone else was just as exhausted. We decided to let everyone camp out wherever they pleased in the house. Daniel and I had grouped up enough blankets for ourselves and camped out in the floor of Bella's nursery. His parents took our room while his siblings took the living room, and everyone else spread themselves out on couches and the floors.

"Are you going to tell me what was on your phone earlier? You looked pretty worried," I asked rolling over to face him. What I didn't expect was to be met with Daniel's back. "Hello? Daniel? I know you're not asleep."

I put my hand on his shoulder and moved a little closer. "I'll tell you tomorrow. Just...go to sleep," he replied as he brushed me off. What had gotten in to him? All of a sudden it was like I wasn't allowed to talk to him let alone touch him. Had he found out about Bryce?

***
The next morning after everyone has helped clean up, we bid our families goodbye and seen them on their way. Daniel still tried to avoid me and I was getting worried.

I made my way upstairs to find Daniel in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. "It's tomorrow," I said, leaning against the sink. "Are we gonna talk?" I asked. Daniel looked at me while he paused from the task. When he didn't continue, I raised my eyebrows.

"I received a picture of you and Bryce the other night."