[ COACH ] Ken
[ SONG | ARTIST ] Underneath The Tree | Kelly Clarkson
[ WATTPAD WORD COUNT ] 1,276 words
The cool breeze of December brushes at the back of my neck. Twinkling lights at each house's doorway. Christmas songs being sung by the carolers- the perfect feeling for Christmas.
It is still the 15th of December but the people are rushing to the mall, to buy gifts, to shop for the upcoming occasion or to just stroll around. I am doing the latter part with my boyfriend when I notice a sterling, star-shaped locket necklace in a certain jewelry shop. I immediately go and look for it. I just can't take my eyes off its beauty.
"Can I look at it?" I say to the sales clerk.
"Sure." She hands me the necklace and I carefully caress it. The tiny diamonds intricately designed around its pendant gives off additional charm.
"Vanessa!" I turn my head to the one who called. "Where have you been? I thought I lost you."
"Oh Josh, look. Isn't it ravishing?" I say, referring to the necklace. He looks at it then turns his gaze at me.
"You like it?" he says. I look at him intently and nod.
"How much is this?" he asks to the clerk. My eyes twinkle. Finally, he's giving me a gift. A real gift.
"That necklace would only cost five thousand, sir." Josh faces me and gives me an apologetic look. Oh, no jewelry gift for me again. We exit from that store and continue our routine, window-shopping.
"When my money is enough, I could buy that for you. Or something more beautiful than that," he looks at me. I just roll my eyes in exasperation.
"Okay."
He suddenly wraps his arms around my waist and whispers, "Isn't my love enough for you?"
"It's more than enough," I reply. His thin pinkish lips curve up to a smile when he hears it.
"I love you, babe," he says sweetly.
"Ditto." He looks at me as if I had done something wrong. "What?" I ask.
"I want to hear it, not just some mark of repetition." He turns me to face him.
I cup his chiseled face with both of my palms and say, "I love you too, babe. With all my heart."
"Better." Then he kisses my forehead. And I think I am being bitten by a colony of ants by now because of his sweetness.
The sky is getting dark when we decide to go home. He escorts me to our house, intertwining our fingers together.
"Sleep early tonight, we still have a misa de gallo to attend to. I'll fetch you at 3, 'kay?" I nod and he kisses me on my forehead. "Good night, pretty," he adds.
The moment I slam to my bed, I immediately drift to sleep. I didn't even care to take a bite for dinner, I am so exhausted. Besides, I still need to be early for tomorrow's mass.
"The mass has ended, you may now go in peace," the priest finally says after an hour of mass.
"Thanks be to God," we all chorus. Josh and I wait for the ending song to be finished then we depart from our seats. I can see a wide variety of delicacies being sold outside the church. Just then, I feel my stomach growling. Then I remember, I didn't eat a thing last night.
"Josh, could you buy me one those?" I say, pointing to the colorful rice cakes. "My stomach's already complaining."
"Sure, let's go!"
We line up together with the other customers. As soon as I got my order, I instantly pig out to my food. Just then I realize that one order is not enough, I am really starving. I ask Josh for more but he gives me his sympathetic look instead.
"Uh Van, I don't have enough money anymore. Let's just eat to your house when we get there, I'll just cook. I'm sorry."
As his girlfriend, I need to be understanding. I should understand his reasons. But him as my boyfriend who cannot meet my worldly wants as frequent as always, it is very disappointing.
The next day, Josh goes to our house to help me put up my Christmas tree. My parents are on abroad and I am only living alone in our house so he is free to help me decorate my house with Christmas-themed ornaments. Just like last year, we have a lot of fun. We talk, we laugh, we play, and we cuddle. Every moment is special with him.
"It's beautiful, right?" he says, referring to the Christmas tree we just did while hugging me from the back.
"Yeah," I nod. My eyes wander at the tree and then stop at the glistening star at the top. Then I remember the star necklace we saw at the mall. "Hey, look at that star. It looks the same to the necklace we saw at the mall."
He looks at it. "I guess you like that necklace very much, huh?"
"Yes, but you can't buy it for me. You can't afford it," I answer, sounding a little harsh.
He then faces me, "Vanessa, you know our situation. I still have to support my brother's education. My parents don't have jobs and with the work I have, money is hard to pin down. I'm sorry but I have to prioritize my family first."
"I am trying to understand your situation but you should at least know that I am your girlfriend and you should consider me as your family. For all the years we've been together, you always promise that every Christmas, you will put a gift under the Christmas tree and we will open it together at midnight. But until now, I didn't see a single gift from you under that tree. You know Josh, I am very disappointed at you," I suddenly burst out myself and let my tears flow on my cheeks.
He lets out a sigh and tries to wipe my tears. "I'm sorry, Van, if you ever think that way. If my promises are always broken. I will receive my bonus this week, I'll make it up to you. I swear."
"Stop giving me false hopes, Josh! I am tired of expecting too much," I cry. I send him out of my house and continue crying.
Days go by and we are still not talking to each other. I always try to ignore his texts and calls. I didn't even let him talk to me. I need space. But then, one night, everything changed. A day before the Christmas eve, a news came to me that Josh met an accident and is now gone. My whole system breaks down. I cry an ocean of tears. Regret smiles proudly at me. Remorse and sorrow are the only ones that are standing by my side now. I miss him. I miss my Josh.
"5...4...3...2...1... Merry Christmas!"
I suddenly wake to the shouts of the crowd outside. My forehead is dripping with sweat. Nightmare. I just had a nightmare. I get out of bed and go to the living room. Then I smile when I witness Josh standing beside our Christmas tree, smiling proudly with gifts at his side.
"Vanessa," I hear Josh's voice. "Come on, let's open your gifts."
It is very overwhelming that he's together me. I swiftly run to him and throw my arms to hug him. But then he suddenly disappears. I don't feel him, I just feel my bare hands hugging me. The tears that are building up in my eyes burst out. Christmas season is cold and it gets colder without him by my side. That nightmare is real. He is gone.
I notice a small box underneath the Christmas tree. I pick it up and open it. The star-shaped necklace is here. Josh, you're all that I need underneath the tree, not the necklace.
It just wasn't the same alone on Christmas day.
