The Chronicles of Life. (Complete)

Christmas Eve

The morning of Christmas Eve had been bustling as people were getting all their shopping done for the next day. Mariska had returned home as the only requirement her family had given her was that she had to be home for Christmas. She had gone home that morning so she could help her family prepare for the Christmas Eve lunch they had every year on the day.

The rest of the friends had stayed at the mansion. Preshani's family was Hindu and they didn't celebrate Christmas. Dineo's mother had gone to her grandmother's in Pretoria where they always went on the day. Siya's dad wasn't really crazy about Christmas so he was going to spend it with Ashley's family, the girl couldn't wait to introduce the boy to them. They had heard all about the boy and couldn't wait to finally meet him. Tyrone and Bongi's families were just fine with them spending their Christmas with their friends.

The rest of the group were going to spend Christmas at Connor's house the following day. His family had been more than happy to host the friends.

Until then all they wanted to do was rest. That had been exactly what they'd planned to do on Christmas Eve. Absolutely nothing.

They had been exhausted after all the partying they'd been doing the past couple of weeks. It had been house party after house party at the mansion and they just wanted to rest so they look human around Connor's parents the following day.

Tyrone had been laying on the bed as memories of the night before flooded his mind. He had really hoped it had all been a dream but it hadn't been. He put his hand on the side of the bed where the young girl had been laying naked a few hours before, how could he do something so stupid? He turned to his side table where his phone had been ringing for the umpteenth time that morning. He ignored the call from his girlfriend again. How was he going to explain to her?

How was he going to explain to his girlfriend that he slept with the one girl he told her not to worry about? He was going to lose her and he didn't want that. He decided he was going to keep her by any means necessary, even if it meant keeping the truth from her.

When Mariska had confronted the boy the night before, things weren't supposed to have taken the turn that they did. She wanted to know why it had been so easy for the boy to get over her. "Am I not pretty anymore?" the girl had asked losing her calm. She just couldn't take it, it hurt.

The boy had hugged her, he always hated it when she cried. He had to calm her down because things would get ugly if he didn't, her anxiety disorder would get the best of her. But when he comforted her he hadn't expected her to kiss him. He hadn't expected to be weak in the knees as a result. He hadn't expected to sleep with the girl.

Mariska had been lost in thought as she helped her mom and sister prepare food for the lunch later that day. She couldn't help but smile as her mind took her back to the incredible night she'd shared with Tyrone. She'd missed how the boy felt inside her. He always gave her butterflies.

Although she was sure the night was magical for both of them, she didn't miss the slight look of regret in the boy's eyes when she left that morning. That didn't matter to her because she was ready. She was ready to be with him. She hated to have to hurt Ntombi like that because she thought she was sweet but that was her man.

"Are you guys done? I'm starving!" Mariska's dad shouted from the living room disturbing his daughter's thoughts. "Almost. But we still have to wait for the guests to arrive", Mariska's mom shouted back. Her husband had breakfast two hours before, she wasn't about to let him ruin the day for her.

Mariska chuckled at her dad's antics. The only thing the chubby, bald man liked about the Christmas Eve lunch was the food. The guests hadn't even arrived yet but he couldn't wait for them to leave so he could have his way with the leftovers.

Mariska loved Christmas. It was the only time of the year she got along with her mother and sister. The two older ladies weren't necessarily bad, they just didn't understand her. They didn't understand why she liked wearing clothing that were a little too revealing. It was her body and she liked a bit of skin to show. She was all about being comfortable in her own skin. They also didn't understand why she chose to be friends with people who didn't look like her. But she was friends with them because of who they were. Who cared what they looked like? Why did it matter?

The girl's family had moved from Krugersdorp to Cape Town when she was 15. She had been so popular on her first day at her new school and everyone wanted to be friends with her. Everyone except for one odd looking group of friends. They all looked so different, something she hadn't seen before. Where she was from it was frowned upon to be seen with people of different races. Yet the group intrigued her. They had no care in the world how people saw them and they always stood up for one another. She wanted to get to know them.

She had liked them even more once she got to know them. She especially liked the slightly dark skinned boy, a little more than she should have. She had to tell herself to stay away from him, Mama would not approve.

The group had since opened her eyes to a world of diversity, feminism, anti-patriotism, and all the other isms. She had popped out of her bubble. The bubble her family had kept her in since she was born. She knew her family just wanted to protect her and she didn't hate them for how they raised her. She was happy to be more socially and politically aware of what was happening in the world. It was ok that her family didn't understand, they didn't have to. They just had to accept it.

"Well when the heck are they coming?" Mariska's dad continued to complain. The three girls just ignored him. He will come down eventually.