The Truth Behind the Footsteps

Chapter 4: A Christmas Special

a/n: To all of those who are main readers of this book, this is apart of it. Since i do not have any other books I'm working on currently I will be writing a Christmas special for this one.  Merry Christmas to all! And to all have a good read! (Hopefully) -Izzy

"I don't know what to say except its Christmas and we are all in misery." ~Ellen Griswold

That was true for me this Christmas. My mom, gone, and my dad passed when I was 13. And the recent car accident. Loss in blood, Bruises, black eyes, and a concussion. All was unfortunate. Melody usually spent Christmas with me. That was how this Christmas was going to go.

7:08 a.m. Christmas Eve.

Pounding through a vacant house. Where? Who? Pounding. Louder. Louder it came again. Bigger. As if it was in my dream or something. I sprung up from my bed and ran downstairs to await the door. Was it the door? There it was. The signal.

"Skylar, if you don't open the door, I'm going to--"

I opened the bolt. She never finished that sentence. Never. I wouldn't let the threat slip from her mouth. The guest stood there quite dramatic. Big shopping bags in hand. A hand on one hip. It was her.

"Hello mother."

She left him this holiday season to visit me. Wow. Luck me. She was not the usual mother figure either. But every image of a mom for people were different. Mine was cruelty and total evil. The mother that wouldn't care about her kid, leave her. Move across the country to some city in Arizona just to be away from her. That was the joy I got to visit with this Christmas. In the past, she didn't visit. But her actions were selfish; something must have come up between her and her partner.

Strutting in, she practically owned the place. Even though I had legal rights to the house, this was her home. Or so she thought. I closed the door abruptly behind her, rolling my eyes.

8:45 a.m. Still with mother.

After a long drawn out conversation about her life and how I'm a complete disappointment, I finally had enough. I gave a lame excuse and left without any parting words. She didn't deserve them. There was no love in my heart for her. Yeah love because we were titled "family". But that didn't mean anything really. It was satisfying to walk away from her for once.

I drove my car to the university. Christmas break started, but some students were still catching up on some homework. Others, no one knows what they were here for. Personal reasons, let's just say that. I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to Melody's dorm. Steaming coffee permeated through the air. Melody slept away, unaware from the world around her.

I decided to blast music from my phone. Deck the Halls sounded throughout the room, only quiet at first. It gradually grew louder. She woke up annoyed, but thankful to see me. I'm such a mean friend; If only I got it her reaction on video.

"Merry Christmas Eve!"

Melody hugged me and grabbed her coffee I had brought up to her room. We talked about our plans for the holidays. Hours went by. The conversation gradually grew larger, opening with other students from the university.

4:34 p.m. On a troll through a courtyard of the university.

Invitations were being passed out. A guy with his friends gave them to most people. Snow fell gently as the wind swept it across the sky and on to the ground. An invitation slipped into my hand. It was to a party in a fraternity house across the courtyards of the college.

"Hope to see you there," a brunette-haired guy declared while giving us a smile. I smiled back, and said we would. Anything to get away from my mom.

She was visiting for multiple days anyway, I'd have to see her eventually. But, tonight was about me.

6:12 p.m. Just before the party.

"Skylar, hurry up. I need to use the curling iron too!" Melody hollered from her bed.

I continued to ignore her, trying to focus on what I was doing. She kept complaining and the sound of her voice became mere background music. That was my problem.

Shutting people out, shutting the doors to my mind. My thoughts. My emotions. My heart. No wonder Lucas ended it with me. I was a disappointment to him, as the rest the world believed. I finished with just enough time to chill and catch up on my Netflix show.

8:47 p.m. On the way to the party.

Dressed in a red, turtleneck, baggy sweater with a black corduroy skirt, I made my way over to the fraternity house. Students from all over the university gathered here and partied. Whether that was a good thing or not. I gathered around the living room and talked to some students from my classes. Lights were hung all throughout the vast house. A wreath was hung over the fireplace with a large golden bow hung at the top. Mistletoe hung from one of the doorways and food was gathered on the coffee tables and end tables. Stupid guys trying to pick up girls with food and mistletoe. Thank goodness I'd never fall for that. Except for the food. Mistletoe, no way! But I was a sucker for food.

"Hey."

A voice came from behind me. A soft, voice. Not rude, emotional or anything really. I turned around to see a guy standing behind me with a drink in his hands. His hair was dark brown and tussled around. His eyes were a green eyes and a slight smile upon his face.

"Hi. The name is Hunter, you?" he asked me. I just stared starstruck.

"I'--m-- Sky--lar-."

I didn't want to talk to him. I could barely form words. He just did something to me. Some sort of awkward silence.

"Nice party, huh?" he questioned me.

"Uh. Its okay. I mean not the best party I've been to, honestly," I grumbled.

He gave me an upset look. Did I say something wrong? Oh no.

"Oh. Sorry." Hunter was very short and frank after the comment.

I walked away to grab a soda and left the room. Hunter was left, alone, upset and probably annoyed.

9:02 p.m. Coming back from grabbing a soda.

Hunter was in the doorway waiting for me to come back. He just didn't give up. After everything.

"Hey, sorry the party was a disappointment. I had no idea I was that bad at planning parties," he frowned at me.

I didn't realize how tall he was, or how short I was. He was like a good length above me.

"I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry. I had no idea that it was your party," I exclaimed. My eyes drifted away from him and to the floor. I looked back up to him for a brief moment.

"Look up," he stared at me, pointing his finger to the roof of the doorway.

Mistletoe. Mistletoe was there. The thing was, I didn't care at that moment.

We kissed. His lips upon mine. Mine upon his. Christmas music played in the background. Our lips departed, slowly.

Merry Christmas to me.

a/n: Sorry it was so long! Hope you could read until the end. I hope you liked it. Merry Christmas! -Izzy