sound.

cvii. this christmas

for her.

god is always pictured as an old man with white hair and a beard. he and santa clause actually have a lot in common. they were both believed in and not believed in. it was odd.

i thought about this once, when i was in the cellar looking for the christmas garments my mother told me about. it was dusty and cold but i lingered there, so going upstairs and falling into my girlfriend's arms would make me feel even happier inside. it's what she does. it may sound corny but just her presence warms my heart. when she asked me what i wanted for christmas, i would say "just a kiss" or wave it aside. she used to think i was joking. i wasn't. all i found were dead spiders rotting in their cobwebs, so up the stairs i went. the familiar christmas song - the one that had been playing all evening - reached my ears and brought me back to earth. it got even louder when i opened the door, but i was distracted by a kiss on my cheek. when she kissed me for the first time, with the words "sorry, but i have to", it was like my head exploded. it was over before i knew it, but my lips were tingling and my mind went haywire during that kiss. the tingles and my sweaty hands told me it really had happened and i grinned at her.

yesterday, we went christmas shopping. pedestrians often stare at us, probably because we are two girls holding hands. or maybe they just find my blue hair intriguing; it is very outstanding waving in the cold air from underneath my white hat with a pompom on top. again, she asked me what i wanted for christmas. one more time i told her a kiss was enough. i couldn't think of something else. she said it wasn't fair to ask for the same present as last year. i agreed and truthfully explained i had everything i wanted. if i came up with something i had to tell her, she answered sternly. i promised her i would.

we finally finished decorating the tree on christmas eve. my mother made us hot chocolate as thanks and we sat on the couch with proud faces. the tree standing next to the tv in all her glory. the big light was off and the only light source left were the christmas lights. a reindeer blanket was spread over our bodies. i gave her a kiss and put my head on her shoulder, my mind filled with thoughts about santa clause and the beauty of small moments - and then i knew what my present was for that year. so while we were huddled under that christmas-y blanket, i decided that this christmas i wanted to hold her hand. i did just that.

(i think my actual girlfriend is dying, because i sent her this and now she sending me things like "szjkbxdxujvfdst")

written for a writing contest at my school. the theme of the contest was 'this christmas', hence the title. it's written from my own perspective (the events are not entirely true but why should they be).