All I Want For Christmas Is You [FRERARD] *ON HOLD*

Chapter 1

“That’s it! You’ve ruined Christmas for everyone!”

I sat next to the newly raised Christmas tree taking in the abusive words of my angry mother in the other room. I flinched slightly as her bedroom door slammed, and my father left to go calm her down.

This was because of my attitude towards Christmas, apparently. Christmas has probably become my least favourite holiday of the year. The irritating carols, the repetitive cliché slogans, the countless Santas! It had gotten to me, and when my mum had told me I wasn’t allowed to grow up, giving me a dancing Santa toy and putting on a stupid kiddies Christmas edition cartoon, it was too much for me and I didn’t smile. This was what had triggered her frown, and since that morning she’s been at me all day.

“You can go to room. FOREVER!” I continued to stare the particularly Christmassy ground while my mum screamed at me. The door slammed again, and I heard my parents arguing. My dad was pushed out the door, so I decided that going to my room was actually a good idea.

I closed the door behind me and sat on my bed, wrapping my arms around my knees and pulling them into my chest. My eyes fell onto my brand new fingerless skeleton gloves that I had gotten for my birthday just a few months ago on Halloween. That was a much better celebration than Christmas, where your imagination is allowed to run free and you can beg for candy without being turned out. Even if my mum didn’t celebrate it.

My door crashed open and I jerked my head up to see my mum’s angry figure at the door.

“You’re like this every year! You never let me take any photos, and you’re no fun and just miserable.” The verbal abuse went on, and I hadn’t even noticed I was rocking at first. Tears began to well up in my eyes, despite my greatest wishes, and I pushed them back down. It was only after she left that the fat little buggers rolled down my cheeks and gathered onto my chin. I wiped them away, glad I wasn’t wearing any makeup.

With an angry gust of wind following her, my mum left my room and went back to doing whatever sulking she was. Letting my eyes wander and my thoughts do the same, I found myself staring at my ‘musical corner’ as I had begun to call it. If my room hadn’t been small enough, it was now that we had crammed my dad’s old drum kit into one corner. Originally I had been really eager to learn, and my dad had been showing me how to play, but it had worn off after a while and now they were more to fool around on.

Resting on the stool in front of the drum kit was my acoustic guitar. It was inside a case that was too large for it, and the top was poking out. My heart longed to go over there and start playing, but I knew that if my mum came back in then I’d be in big trouble, so I remained seated instead.

As I was left to my thoughts, Christmas music began to play from the lounge room.

I don’t want a lot for Christmas…

That song was so boring and irritating. I could play a much better cover on my guitar, but sadly it was only acoustic. Fingers crossed, I would be getting and electric one this Christmas, but now my chances seemed to be dwindling. Whatever, if I didn’t get it I could save up and buy my own, like last Christmas when I bought myself and iPod.

From somewhere outside my room, my mum sneezed and I automatically called out ‘Bless You!’ without thinking. When I didn’t get a reply for about the first time ever, I knew my mother was still sulking and ignoring me now. She could be as childish as she wanted, but I wasn’t going to get sucked into it.

A moment later, said mum bustled into my room, pushing past me and stealing my tissue box. As she left my room, she gave me a begrudging look, turned up her nose and didn’t even bother closing the door. I heard her slam it on the table and walk off, not having any other use for it other than annoying me.

I blew out a shaky breath. Why was she doing this? It was just Christmas, for crying out loud! Thoughts of taking my laptop and jumping out my window entered my mind, but I brushed them away when I realised I’d have to deal with the fly screen. Besides, the only place I could get free internet would be school, despite the fact it was closed. And I wouldn’t want to go there anyway (I mean seriously, that place sucks).

For about an hour I sat in my room doing absolutely nothing. It seemed that everyone else had made up, but I still wasn’t allowed out of my room, so I stayed there.

“Six o’clock,” my dad called from the kitchen. I looked at my watch even though he just told me the time, and sure enough it was six. “You’d be better off apologising,” he advised me. I knew he was right; mum didn’t mean any harm, she just wanted a perfect Christmas. But I wasn’t supposed to leave my room, so I sat around a little longer doing more nothing.

Eventually I decided things wouldn’t be better until I did apologise, so I took the risk and left my room. I found mum on the couch watching TV, and went over and sat next to her. I wasn’t in trouble yet; so far, so good.

“Mum,” I cleared my throat awkwardly. Without a word she turned and looked at me. “I’m sorry for my bad attitude and not letting you take photos, and ruining Christmas for everyone.”

“Mm…” she nodded thoughtfully. “I forgive you, Frank.” Was all she said. I managed a small smile and turned around to see what she was watching.