Very merry Christmas indeed

Skip's muse

The cold air barely affected Skip as he weaved through the busy New York streets. He had a destination in mind and a motivation to get there quick.

One of his favorite songs started playing in his head, the lyrics circling over and over and over. You live in my dream state, relocate my fantasy, I stay in reality, you live in my dream state.

He turned the made it to the IHOP, and he could see her through the window. He unconsciously smiled, straightening his jacket. He pushed through the door like he owned the place. Their eyes met and Skip's heart fluttered.

Any time I count sheep that's the only time we make up, make up, you exist behind my eyelids, my eyelids, now I don't wanna wake up.

Seven months, he had been in love with the girl behind the counter. She went to his school, hung out at the skate park, and she was his perfect girl. They listened both listened to Tyler the Creator, ASAP Rocky and Brockhampton. She liked to watch when he was sketching or drawing anything.

Seven months, 14 songs and 4 poems later, he still couldn't tell her how he felt. Most of his sketches had to do with her. He was going through a phase of enlightening on a specific body part and how it contributed to personality and how a person lived. Her brain and how smart she was, her eyes and how they reminded him of liquified gold or honey, her heart and how she cared for others, her hands and how she worked, her feet and how she danced.

She had honey colored skin, long eyelashes, deep brown eyes, and she spoke with her mama's Dominican accent. Once she had let him curl one of the coils of her hair around his fingers. It was soft, it bounced a little but the curl held for a while. She had laughed and said that maybe Skip could style her hair one time. He had blushed and stayed quiet for the rest of the time they spent together.

20/20 vision cupid hit me, cupid hit me with precision. I wonder if you look both ways when you cross my mind.

"Can I get a kiss." He kissed the air as he sang to her, "and can you make it last forever."

"I said I'm bout to go to war, and I don't know if imma see you again." She sang back, smiling widely. Her smile. Skip got caught off guard for a moment by how radiant her smile was. She made him feel like it wasn't cold outside. Still, he pushed his feelings down and acted like everything was normal, instead of his heart beating outside of his chest.

"Cassi, how are you."

"I'm fine. You actually got an order today or you came back to vandalize the back again."

Skip scrunched his nose. "Vandalize public property? How could you accuse me of such a thing." He put his hand to his chest, feigning hurt. "You wound me Cassiopeia. I am wounded."

She laughed, which was his desired affect. He felt a little lighter on his feet. "Nice jacket."

"Thanks. And today, I actually did put in an order, and we were told it was ready so..." Cassi put up both of her hands in surrender.

"Eiji put in the order? Oh yeah i see it here. Lord, y'all havin' a whole party?"

"Pretty much. The guys from the gang are living on our floor now so that's like seven people."

"Wow. In prep for Christmas?"

"Yup. And there are supposed to be a few more people coming in. This is just because nobody felt like cooking."

Cassi whistled through her teeth. "Sounds like you've got yourself booked."

Realizing his mistake, Skip did his best to backtrack. "No, no not at all. What I'm sayin' is our floor is just crowded. I still go out just as much as I used to. Thank you." He took the four bags of breakfast from over the counter.