Love Doesn't Exist || H.S

chapter twenty

Emily

"Em! Em wake up!" Ally shouted. I groaned in response and pulled my pillow over my head only to have it snatched from me.

"Emily!" Matt shouted. I let out another grown and pulled my doona up so that I was completely hidden underneath along with Baxter. Baxter was my golden retriever. He was my Christmas present when I turned 11 and had been my best friend since. he had slept in my bed every night since I got him. But when I moved out, he ended up staying here because there wasn't enough room for him in the apartment with Brooke, Gabe and Molly. 

The doona was also snatched from me and my body was met with the cool air. I curled myself into a ball in attempt to warm me up as Baxter rested his head against my back.

"EMILY WAKE UP!" Tommy screamed as he began violently shaking me. 

"Just five more minutes" I grumbled in annoyance as I attempted to push Tommy's hands from my shoulders.

"No we want to open presents but Mum won't let us until you get up" Matt said. I opened my eyes and shot up. It was Christmas.

I was now fully awake and I jumped from my bed and threw on a hoodie. 

"PRESENTS HERE WE COME!" Matt shouted as Ally, Tommy and him flew from the room. I followed straight after them, taking two steps at a time as I raced down the stairs. Baxter was just as excited from all our excitement as was running down beside me. Anyone would think I was just as young as my siblings if they saw me on Christmas day.

I ran into the living room, right on Tommy's heels. Mum and Dad were waiting patiently, both with a coffee in hand. Dad passed me over mine and I took it gratefully. Ally, Matt and Tommy all sat around the Christmas tree, already looking for their presents as I made my way over as well.

I grabbed out the big bag I had brought with me and began taking out everyone's presents and handing them out before sitting down beside Dad.

Baxter instantly jumped up onto the couch on the other side of me and rested his head on my lap. I rested my hand on his head, giving him a continues scratch.

"The Nerf strike Elite! I knew it!" Matt shouted. "And more Nerf bullets!"

"I got the Nerf strike mega! You'll be going down when we're in war!" Tommy shouted as he punched the air triumphantly.

I looked over to Ally who had unwrapped her gift in a much more sophisticated way. Matt and Tommy had ripped their wrapping paper off, bringing the card in the process and leaving it unopened and still stuck to the wrapping. Ally's however was sitting opened beside her, telling me she'd read it already.

Her eyes widened as she carefully unwrapped the present. She pulled out the full length black and white striped jump suit.

"This is the exact one I wanted! But they never had it in my size!" She gasped as she held the jumpsuit close to her chest.

"I know, you have been talking non stop about it for months" I chuckled. She stood up, placing her jumpsuit beside her and ran over, engulfing me in a hug and squishing Baxter in the process.

"This one's for you" Matt said as he threw me over a decent sized present.

"Don't throw it!" Ally yelled as she shot from my arms. We both lunged forward to catch the present, causing Baxter to jump from the couch in the process. Ally caught the present quickly and carefully passed it over to me. "When Ms. Manti said you were smart, she was wrong" Ally huffed as she went to sit back beside the tree.

I took my coffee from Dad, placing it on the small table beside the couch before I began to unwrap the present.

"It's from me" Ally told me as she watched me with a proud smile. I pulled out a bright pink wooden box that didn't have a lid. It had a ruined sticker on the front that looked like it had been desperately scratched at to remove. I was still able to make out the word 'bath' and instantly knew this was the box Ally got for her birthday that came with a loofah, bath bombs, bubble bath and other sorts of bath items.