What the hell are we?

8. Types

When November began to quit in December, Theo had less and less time to worry about elaborating new schemes about Liam, and soon even Hayden slipped out of his thoughts. The semester was running out, and seniors were busy with one test after another. In addition, the school organized a Christmas prom, and during the free hours they were forced to contribute to the preparation in the gym. Mrs Geyer was not better. Theo soon discovered that the woman was crazly in love with Christmas, and realized right away that they would not escape her overwhelming wave.

Right now they were right in a shed set up specifically for the holiday season and who sold only Christmas items, and Liam for well over an hour looked at a fir tree then another to figure out which one was the best. His mother would not have let it drop if he came home with a fir tree that did not live up to her expectations.

"Theo, that's not actually the right way to use it" Liam heard Mason's voice say, a laugh hardly held back, and that's made him turn to face the two of them standing some footsteps away. He laughed when he saw Theo with a wreath on his head by way of a halo. "This has to be hung on the door" Mason continued, slowly, as if talking to a child.

Theo blushed slightly, pulling it out of his head "I knew it," he murmured abruptly. And Liam could not help thinking how adorable he was- I mean, funny!

"Yeah, and I bet you know," Mason continued, grabbing a colored Christmas string "that is not used as a scarf"

"Shut up, Mason, or I'll use it to strangle you," Theo said, snatching it from his hands.

"Theo, 'less murderous', remember?" Liam reminded him, continuing to look firmly at the second fir tree. Yes, that one was fine.

Theo snorted, looking around the store. What fault did he have if he was only 7 years old during the last Christmas he had celebrated? What could he know? He remembered only the presents and that he was looking forward to unwrap them.

"Now you tell me this is not a plant," Theo exclaimed, grabbing a sprig of mistletoe from the shelf and showing it to the other two. Mason chuckled, while Liam blushed.

"Not really, that's just to help people make out," Mason explained with a sneer

"Very romantic, Mason" Liam rolled his eyes as Theo turned to look at the branch with eyes wide open and confused. Mason followed his gaze "It has to be hung in the air, and if two people meet under the mistletoe, they kiss"

"Why?" Theo asked skeptic.

Liam snorted, snapping forward and taking it from his hands. "Because that's the way it is, now put it down, remember? Mistletoe is poisonous for us "

"Only if swallowed, you idiot"

"It's the same, you don't need to know by the way, it is something that only happens in movies, to meet romantically with someone under the mistletoe" Liam put down the branch and returned to think of the fir tree.

"What's he got against the mistletoe?" Theo asked under his breath at Mason.

"In fourth grade he met under the mistletoe with Sophie Raynolds, Liam did not appreciate the kiss very much"

"He screamed?" Theo asked amusedly.

"He cried"

"Mason, that girl was scary, and twice my size"

"That doesn't take so much" Theo observed.

"And she had just eaten garlic knots"

"Ew" Theo and Mason said together

When Liam had paid for the fir tree - and for Theo's wreath, even if he had no idea what he was supposed to do with it - they finally went out. They loaded it on Theo's pickup and drived home. A few minutes and several curses later, the fir tree was well placed in the Geyer's living room.