Bus Stops and Coffee

Chapter 24(Christmas)

The same as every Christmas; I woke up at 7:00. I snapped my fingers twice, a signal for Lucario if he was awake too. I felt his paws on my hands and smiled.

"Phase 1 complete." I whispered. I'd worn my fuzzy socks last night so that I wouldn't have to wear my slippers which made noise on the floor. I grab the light stick from under my bed and shake it. A bluish purple light shines in front of me.

"Let's go." I pad softly to the door and let Lucario out the room before stepping into the hallway myself. I bump into Darrel who is in cahoots with this plan.

"Phase 2 complete." he whispers; holding up a light up stick of his own and bumping fists with me. I snapped a picture of us and then tucked my phone back in the pocket of my sweater. Lucario prances down the stairs and waits for us by the tree.

"Phase 3 complete." Darrel snickered as we grabbed the cookies on the coffee table. Our mother thought we left them for Santa. They were for us when we successfully complete our Christmas mission. For the past 10 years we've been doing this. She never catches us. I eyed the glass of milk but Darrel got to it first.

I pinned him with a glare and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Keep laughing and you'll choke."

"Awwww, you're just mad cause I got to it first." he said ruffling my hair. I waved away his hands and moved into the kitchen to make tea instead.

"While I wait." I ran back into the living room and dove over the couch; hitting the plush carpet under the tree. I reached for the first box with my name on it; ripping open the paper to see a microphone and a headset that I could use to record my singing.

With newfound excitement I wasted no time in opening the other gifts, clothes from mother and anime accessories from the girls. Gift cards from relatives that weren't sure what exactly to get me. Darrel was laughing manually from beside me and I turned to see what present was causing this reaction. He was plugging in a brand new, shiny red guitar into a set of amps.

"Darrel wait!" I said. Lucario barked, the teapot on the stove whistled and Darrel strummed the strings on his electric guitar visiously. His laugh rang out loud along with the sound of the guitar.

"Stupid!" I yelled, punching him the throat and smacking him upside his head. The lights upstairs turned on and I could hear my mothers footsteps.

"Abort! Abort mission!" Darrel had ruined the whole thing. Christmas missions have never failed before. We'd been able to get in a look of everything and then start on breakfast. Then we'd wake up mom and while she was in the bathroom we'd run back down the stairs, telling her that we'd already eaten.

Her footsteps sounded against the stairs and I pushed Darrel over the table and into the opening where mom would see him as soon as she came downstairs. I scrambled into the kitchen; taking the tea pot off the stove and then hid behind the center island.

"What are you guys doing!" came my mothers voice.

"Uh... Well..."

"Excuses!" said my mother.

"We open presents together in this house. You're grown enough to understand this." she said.

"I ain't the only one down here. Riley is in the kitchen and her presents are opened already."

'Snitch!' I thought. He was the one who ruined it for both of us, I'm not going down with him!

"Riley!"

"Eep!" my mothers rage was something to be avoided at all times and at all costs. I pushed myself into one of the cabinets. I heard my mothers footsteps in the kitchen and then they disappeared.