third time's a charm

"i'm so happy"

chapter twenty-six: i'm so happy

Friday, December 22. 6:24 pm.

"No!" I groaned as I turned back to look at my gingerbread house that had collapsed for the second time.

"Third time's a charm, sweets." Jamie flashed me a smile and I sighed quietly as I tried to force out a laugh to seem less frustrated than I was. "Do you want me to help?"

"No." I shook my head and started to rebuild, again. I held the pieces together for what felt like hours as Jamie and I continued to talk.

"What did you ask for this Christmas?" Jamie asked, which caused me to giggle. It seemed like such a kid thing to ask, but it was a valid question.

"I sent my mom some links to clothes I wanted." My shoulders shrugged as I answered his question, and hoped he didn't think I was lame. I never knew what to ask for, but somehow my mom always got me the perfect thing. "What about you?"

"I asked for a new sketchbook and some new pencils," Jamie said, which caused me to smile. "My parents usually get me random stuff, even when I do ask for specific stuff, so I've started to ask for a very limited list so that they're more likely to get me what I ask for."

"Smart," I congratulated him, which caused him to chuckle. "Sometimes my mom goes all out with gifts, and other years she gets us only a couple things, but they usually have a higher value. I never know what to ask for... so I just a fill an online cart from wherever I'm currently obsessed with and send it her way." We both became silent as we concentrated on our gingerbread houses, but after a few minutes, Jamie broke the silence.

"Would you like me to get you something? I know some people don't enjoy gifts, and I didn't know if you'd be cool with getting me something, so I didn't want to—"

"You don't have to," I told him, shaking my head. "Unless you really want to... then I guess we could."

"We don't have to," he said, shaking his head. "I had something in mind, but I didn't know if you'd actually like it."

I squinted at Jamie as I wondered what he possibly could have thought up, but knew I'd never be able to guess. One night, I had stayed up a little longer trying to think of something I could give Jamie if we decided to exchange gifts. I had been gifted a really nice set of watercolor paints a year before, but had never gotten around to using them. I didn't think I ever would, and I was scared they'd go to waste, so I thought maybe I could give them to Jamie.

"I actually have yours wrapped, but now I'm rethinking it." I smiled at Jamie's words and he smiled over at me. "It's not something new, actually... it's second-hand, but I thought you might appreciate it."

"I'm not going to turn it down," I told him, shaking my head. "I have something wrapped for you, too... but it's at home. I could give it to you when you drop me off."

"Do you want yours now?" he asked me, but I shrugged in indecision. "I'll go get it," Jamie said, making up my mind for me. He left the room and I smiled to myself as I waited. I had no idea what it would be, but I was excited. Jamie reappeared a few minutes later and I smiled at him as he handed me a good-sized box. "Go ahead."

"I'm nervous," I told him, laughing at myself as I started to un wrap the box. "Gifts sort of scare me, but I appreciate them a lot... just to sort of answer your question from earlier. I enjoy them, but they make me nervous until I know what they are."

"Noted," Jamie said, smiling at me as he watched me unwrap. Once the wrapping paper was gone, a plain cardboard box stared back at me. I opened the folds of the box after having some trouble with the tape, and looked in at a sweatshirt. My eyebrows furrowed as I pulled it out to look at it; once it was fully unfolded, I realized it was a vintage South crewneck. "So let me explain: I've picked up on your love for sort of vintage things, because you dress so cool, and I noticed your crewneck collection when I was over the last time, and—"