I'm in Love with my Teenage Fan

Chapter Nineteen

It is Christmas Eve and Kia and I are sitting by the tree arguing about if we should open presents tonight or tomorrow.

            “It is a tradition that you open your presents on Christmas Day,” she cries.

            “No, my tradition is that you open them Christmas Eve,” I tease her.

            She pouts and I know that she isn't going to give up anytime soon.  “Please, can't we just wake up early in the morning and open presents and drink hot chocolate and then head over to your parents house for Christmas dinner?”

            “Nope, my whole family has always done Christmas Eve.”

            She sighs and is quiet for a minute.  Finally she sticks out her hand.  “What if we open half now and half in the morning?”

            I think about it and then I agree.  “Fine,” I shake her hand and she giggles.  We decided that she was going to go out with Dean and we were just brother and sister even though we both feel like we are exploding when we kiss.

            I hand her half of her presents and she hands me half of mine.  We decided that we would get each other an equal amount of presents but there was no price limit.  I know she hated that idea because she doesn't have as much money to spend as I do and for good reason, I bought her a necklace with a guitar pendant and I had it engraved to say, “Love you forever and always.”

            I am going to wait until tomorrow to give it to her.  It is going to be from 'Santa.'

            She got me a few corny things such as socks and shirts.  But I look at her when I open the last present for tonight.  “Kia, did you seriously get me an autograph from Keith Urban?”

            She nods her head, “Yeah, it was hard and took a lot of energy and planning and it was worth it.  I was going to make you wait, but I couldn't.”

            I hug her and then pull away a little bit, and look into her eyes.  They aren't as sad as they used to be, but they aren't as happy as they could be either.  I lean in a little and I go to kiss her but she stops me.  “Kia, please?”

            “Nope,” she says popping the p.  “Listen, okay I am dating Dean, I can't kiss you.”

            “I kissed you while I was dating Kathy,” I point out.

            She starts to say something but her phone rings.  She looks down and then looks back up at me.  “I need to get this,” she says a little out of place.

            She walks out of the room and I can hear her on her phone.  “NO you can't do this to me.”  She is quiet.  “Mom, you kicked me out three months ago.  Why would I want to come, and I use this word loosely, home for Christmas?”

            I walk in with Kia and she looks at me with tears in her eyes.  “Kia, just hang up the phone and come join me.”

            She shakes her head and she puts the phone  on speakerphone.

            Her mom:  “Kia, quit being a brat.  Your father and I want to see you.”

            Kia:  “Are you crazy?  I am eighteen, been kicked out of the house, and you seriously think I am going to go back there?”

            Her mom:  “I will call and have Jacob reported?”

            Kia:  “For what?”