Breaking Ice

Chapter 65

Isaac:

     It's Christmas Eve Eve. Today is the annual gift exchange in our friend group. Luke took me out the other day to shop for the guys and Jax. Since everything with my mom and Josh we've been trying to pretend nothing happened. Yes I'm calling him Josh, Jax was home when they were screaming at each other and she told me what he said to my mom. I couldn't believe it. That's not the man that searches everywhere for a Jellyfish plush that I knew.

    I got all the boxes and bags together and put them in one of mom's tote bags. I slung it over my shoulder and skated down to Quinn's house. It took all of my strength to be able to keep the bag from slipping. The corner of the records I got Xavier were digging into my shoulder blade, the man loves Queen. I made sure to avoid Carly's house as I went down the corner. I haven't talked to her since we broke up, I'm just not built for relationships I guess.

I was beginning to see my breath more and my lungs were beginning to sting. I love snow but hate the way the cool air treats my body, constant aches and pains plague my day to day life in the winter. I can't imagine how Flyzik and Grandma feel.

I was excited to see Grandma and be able to talk to her about everything with Josh. I wonder how she feels about all of this. She was unrecognizable for months after he left. Granted I was a little kid but seeing someone you love in that much pain, you'll remember.

Finally reaching Q's house I put my board on the porch and opened the door. Q refuses to lock the door when he knows we are all coming over since we end up here at different times. His family always go all out for Christmas. There were lights strung along the railing of the stairs, a wreath surrounded the family portrait above the fire place, and the tree looked immaculate in the corner with the bay windows. Every year I am in awe. We had run out of time to decorate this year. Luke and Steve were gone and busy at their own place. Mom's been sad over Josh. It doesn't feel like Christmas this year. Hopefully going to Grandma's will make it all better. It seems I'm the first to arrive since there isn't any presents under the tree yet. I hang up my coat pulling my sleeves down and put my hat on the hook. Setting the presents down I ran up the stairs to Q's room.

"Quinnton Gerard Edwards I'm coming in" I yell before opening the door. Not knowing what he could be doing.

"Isaac what are you doing here" he asks squinting. I obviously woke him up.

"It's Christmas Eve Eve. Dude we just talked about this Friday" I sigh sitting on his bed.

"Shit man. I'm so sorry. I totally forgot" he sighed putting a hand on my back.

It was odd gesture coming from Q. Sure we've been friends forever but physical interactions weren't exactly our thing. With Corey sure but with Q not so much, him and Xavier were closer.

"Don't worry about it i'll just see you guys after Christmas."

"No dont go. I'll text the guys to see if they are still coming I'm sure they didn't forget" he said frantically

"I'm going to go downstairs, I forgot to eat breakfast" I say leaving his room.

After many minutes of searching his cabinets I decided on peanut butter toast. The second I take a bite Jax bursts into the house shaking the snow from her hair. I give her a nod as she waves 'hello'.

"Toast?" I offer holding up my toast

Without a word she bites and nods her head.

"I can't believe Quinn forgot" she laughs swallowing the toast.

"But are we shocked?" I laugh. "he's acting weird though"

"It's Q" she laughs

"Yeah but like he put his hand on my back when he realized he forgot and then when I said I'd just see him after Christmas he got frantic"

"He's worried about you. We all are Ice. Everything thats happening with your parents we just want you to be okay."

"I'm fine you guys don't need to baby me. Just treat me normally please. I need something to be consistent" I said running my hand through my hair

"I'm sorry Ice."

She wrapped her arms around me and as I put my head on her shoulder the door opened and Corey and Xavier came bustling in. Fighting their way through the door.

"It's snowing like a mother fucker out there" Corey yells. "Ouch"

Xavier had elbowed him when he noticed Jax and I hugging.

"Hey guys" Xavier smiled placing presents under the tree.

"Merry Christmas Eve Eve" Jax grins hugging him

Knowing her she did it to make it seem less awkward that we were hugging. We talk about how freezing it is outside and how they can't wait for me to officially have my license in a few weeks to keep us out of the cold. Quinn still hasn't come downstairs since I left him. Xavier goes up to get him as we continue talking about the next few days and the Winter assignment we had for English. The conversation begins to dull as we are all anxious to open each others gifts. Quinn and Xavier finally come down the stairs, Quinn heads straight to the kitchen before joining us with hot chocolate.

"Sorry you guys were waiting I had to wrap your gifts" he smiled shyly "Sorry I forgot about today I didn't realize what day it was"

"No worries Q" Jax smiles as we all nod taking sips of the warm cocoa

We do a dice roll to see who gets to have everyone open their gift first. We all initially rolled to get our number, mine being 4. Quinn took the dice and rolled to decide the fate that would rule our gift exchange. It beats us arguing for forty five minutes of who opens what. Corey won last year. When Xavier joined our group he though it was weird we were using the dice to decide who's presents we opened first and not who got to open their gifts first. We used to all argue about how our present was better to get them to be opened first.

"Christmas Story, Elf, Home Alone" We all yell as the deciding die rolls.

It's like our own version of True American. One year we tried doing it in True American style with the gifts in the center instead of beer which just ended in chaos.

"General Davis the fate of the gift exchange lays in your hands" Quinn announces and we all bow down to Xavier.

He hands us our gifts, immediately wrapping paper goes flying.

We continue through the circle and by the time we are finished his living room is trashed. I've got a stack of movies to my left and new wheels for my skateboard on my right. Xavier is ecstatic about his new Queen records, making a huge deal about he didn't have those ones yet. Mr.Duncan has been keeping a list of records he's bought the past year so I knew which ones to get. I was able to track down old comics for Quinn and Corey. For Jax I got her some cd's and a few Pride pins.

Our Christmas exchanges are what I look forward to every year, not because of the gifts but because it's just us hanging out. Okay we hang out practically everyday but there is just something about snow that makes everything so much more exciting.

"I love you guys" I grin as Corey is squirting whipped cream down Quinns throat.

Moments like this I wish I had a photographic memory. Jax is doubled over laughing, Corey has the look of a mad man on his face, Quinn is practically choking and Xavier is just sitting there like a disappointed parent.

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A/N

I try to keep the chapters at around 1000 words but I got carried away with this one. I hope you enjoyed this happy chapter in the midst of the chaos that is Josh and Amelia. Writing in Isaac's POV is so weird. I know this was supposed to be his story but I enjoy writing in Amelia's so much more so for the most part the continuing chapters will be Amelia's POV.

-Izzy