Missing You | Harvey Mills

22. secret santa

"Urrghh! What do I get her?" My brother yells in frustration.
"Get her something nice," I say, not bothering to look up from my phone.
"Something nice like what?!"
"Do you like her?" I ask, scrolling through my feed.
"No," James replies, a little too quickly.
I raise my eyebrows but don't comment on it.
"You should know you're friends with her" he looks helplessly at me.
"I'm not her secret Santa though am I?"
"I hate you"
"Love you too bro"
"What did you get Matteo then?"
"A beanie"
"A beanie?"
"He seems like the kind of person who would look good in a beanie" I shrug.
"Yeah I kinda see it too"
We stay quiet for a while, imagining Matteo in a beanie.
"Anyways, just get her something cute. Follow your heart. Do what you think is right"
"Thanks for the help," he says sarcastically.
"Anytime," I smile.

He begins searching for ideas on his laptop while I go upstairs to wrap my present up.
I feel the softness of the beanie's wool as I fold a flap of wrapping paper over it. A little bit of orange peeps through the paper and I realise I've not cut enough wrapping paper out. Feeling my confidence diminish a little, I put a dinosaur sticker over it.

Inside the card I write:
Dear Mat,
Merry Christmas! I hope you like the beanie. You don't wear them much but I thought you'd look cool in it haha.
Have a great holiday,

From your Secret Santa :)

Satisfied, I stick the card on top.

-

The sun sets and then rises as morning finally rolls in. Break arrives and the whole gang sit around in a tight circle holding their gifts in their laps.

"Who wants to go first?" Max asks looking around the circle
"I'll go," James volunteers, and hands his gift to Libby.
She flushes slightly and carefully opens the paper. Inside there is a little monkey toy and a ring with a tiara on it.
Wow he really went all out.
James goes a little pink around the ears as Libby gives him a quick hug.

More gifts are exchanged: Cara gives Dylan a chess book, Max gives James a 'Make your own owl kit' and Maisie gives Max chocolate.

It's now my turn. I give my present to Matteo. He looks a little surprised.
He takes the beanie out of its packaging and fits it over his head.
I wasn't wrong he does look good.

As Anthony exchanges his gift with Lilia I watch Matteo read the card. He smiles a little and mouths 'thank you' across the circle.
Relieved, I continue watching Anthony give Lilia llama socks.

Dylan gives his gift to Anthony and Matteo gets ready to give his.
I'm a little confused when he hands me a book-shaped package but then I realise that he is my secret santa and that I am his.
We both got each other.

I tear the paper; it is a book. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
A note slips out:

Dear Annie,
You said you were going to read more as part of your new year's resolutions for next year so I thought I'd give you a head start :))

From your secret santa

We watched the film in class during summer. June maybe? I sat next to Matteo watching it and we somehow got onto the topic of new year's resolutions. I  vaguely recall saying something about reading more. I barely remember it, but Matteo does.
I smile.

After examining the book once more I look up to see him staring at me. I mouth 'thank you'. He grins and mouths 'you're welcome'.

After everyone has received their gift Anthony stands up to say something. He hits a pen against the metal chair leg to grab everyone's attention.
He says, "As some of you may be awate, next Friday my parents will be away on a business trip and my sister is going to Paris with her boyfriend so I'll be all alone for the evening... and a free house means a Christmas party! And you're all invited!"
Max whoops and claps.
"Gonna get wasted again Dylan?" James smirks at him.
Dylan rolls his eyes. "I don't think I can make it anyways, " he says.
"Come on you never miss a party. You're the party king!" Matteo exclaims, slapping him on the back.

We all try to look sincere but end up giggling as we remember his reenactment of the Sound of Music in which he stood on a table in his boxers crying out, "DO, A DEER, A FEMALE DEER" at the top of his lungs.
I wasn't there but the video was all over Snapchat.

"I have a family thing soo...," Dylan trails off.
"Right, cause that's definitely not what you said last time you were invited and started singing songs from the Sound of Music in your boxers," Cara says. "Which were Spongebob ones"
"You're never gonna let me live this down are you?"
"That kind of thing sticks Dylan," Max says laughing.

The bells rings and I accompany Max and Libby to our biology lesson.
"What did Matteo get you? Was it better than my present last year?" Max asks expectantly.
"Definitely. He got me a book"
"A book?" They both ask at the same time.
"Yep. Gonna start reading it tonight"
Hopefully I won't start bawling my eyes out like I did last summer.

partly based on a true story 😫 i got a felt your own owl kit as a secret santa gift...

also i no longer support the reading and watching of the boy in the striped pyjamas 😭

C