Before I knew it, it was Christmas eve. I still haven't told my parents that I'm a vampire... and I still haven't finished my Christmas shopping. I know, I know, I should have finished a long time ago, but well I just couldn't think of what to get some people (mainly Xavier, and Hank... oh and I still haven't gotten Zandra or Fraya anything.) So, in order to find out what to get every one, it's time to start Operation: Presents!
Strategy One: The Indirect Method.
I decide that my first target will be Xavier's dad, Hank. I walk past him in the living room and drop the shopping list I was conveniently holding. "Ah geez" I say, bending down to pick it back up, making sure that Hank saw.
"What's that?" He asks. 'yes!' I think 'my plan's working!'
"Oh this? Just a shopping list" I reply "I was planning on heading into town to get this stuff. Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all?"
"Hm..." He says, thinking "nah I don't think I need anything right now. Do you need a ride though? I could take you."
"N-no that's alright. My mom said she would take me." I reply trying not to sound disappointed.
Strategy one: FAILED...
Strategy two: Ask Someone Else.
I think this time I'll ask Fraya what she thinks Xavier would like. "Hey Fraya," I say, walking into the kitchen, " wh-what do you think Xavier would like for a present?"
"Hm... well I'm sure whatever you got him will be fine." She replies smiling. "Unless of coarse you haven't done the shopping yet..."
"N-no... I-I was just wondering what your thoughts were..." I reply trying not to stutter.
Strategy Two: FAILED...
Strategy Three: Just come out and ask. Wait what?!
Dreading his reaction, I walk into Xavier's room to ask him what he would like for Christmas. "Um Xavier?" I say.
"Yeah?" He turns away from his laptop to face me. "Oh hey Al, what is it?"
"Uh so um w-what do you think you're getting for Christmas?" I ask, attempting to sound innocent.
"Well... I honestly don't know..." He responds looking puzzled, "why?"
"Oh er n-no reason, just curious is all. Um so... What do you hope you'll get?" I ask, examining my shoes.
"Hm..." He says, thinking for a moment, "oh! There's this really cool guitar that I want..." He starts saying.
'Crap!' I think, slumping my shoulders, 'there's no way I'm going to be able to afford that!'
"O-oh..." says Xavier, obviously seeing my depressed expression. "Er I mean uh... I-I don't really care what I get." He grins at me in a please-please-forget-what-I-just-said sort of way.
Seeing that this conversation is going badly, I scan the room for a subject change. I spot a band poster in the corner. "Hey, is that that band? Uh Yesterday right? Do you like them?" 'Of coarse he likes them! If he didn't he wouldn't have their poster! Stupid stupid stupid!!' I think.
"Huh? Oh yeah, they're my favorite band," he says, laughing. "Hm... I think they have a new album out... Hang on." He checks his laptop again, "haha yup! It's called Inferno. I'll have to get it when we get back."
'Yes! That's what I'll get him!' I think, trying not to look too elated.
Xavier turns to face me again. "So Al, do you need a ride into town to do the Christmas shopping?" He asks grinning.
"O-oh I um" I stutter. 'How did he figure out?!' I wonder, blushing horribly.
"Oh c'mon Al, it's not like it was that hard to figure out. You were kind of obvious..." He says laughing, "so what do you say? Want a ride?"
"Uh w-well I-I guess. Um sure." I reply, a terrifying thought occurring to me: 'what can he read minds now or something?!'
"Okay then." Says Xavier, standing up, "I gotta find my keys then we'll head out. Okay?"
"Wait, you have your own car?!" I ask, shocked.
"Yup" he says, grinning, "it's nothing special, and it stays here most of the time but you know."
After finding Xavier's keys, he leads me around the back of the house to an old red pickup truck.
"So this is yours?" I ask walking up to it. (I love old trucks like this.)
"Mmhmm." He says, smiling at my reaction, "It was my dad's."
"It's so cool!"
"C'mon let's get going." He laughs.
We drive into town with the radio blaring Christmas songs. "Um Xavier, what do you think you parents would like?" I ask, feeling guilty for not finding out.
"Hm well Mom would probably like something she can use in the kitchen, and then Dad probably wants another mystery novel. He's almost finished with the one he's reading now."
We drive a little farther until we arrive in front of what looks like a grocery store. Xavier stops and I get out.
"Is here alright?" He asks, "I'd come with you but assuming you're getting my present, it would probably be better if I just came to pick you up later. An hour sound good?"
"Yeah that'll be fine" I reply, "see you then."
"See ya" he says grinning as I close the car door. Then he drives off, leaving me to figure out which store is which. I spend the first few minutes of my shopping expedition walking around town. I stroll into a plaza with a large fountain gurgling in its center. Then, past old men in Santa suits and mothers trying to reason with their screaming children, I see it: Danny's Music Store- Instruments, CDs, Lessons. I step through the front door and into a small older building. There are guitars and trumpets and every other musical instrument imaginable hanging on the walls and covering every available surface excluding the cash register area and a spot on the counter that is taken up by a rather fat orange cat.
"Hello?" I say cautiously.
"Hm? Is that a costumer?" comes a mans voice from the back. An older man (maybe 50ish) walks around the corner, "welcome to Danny's, how can I help you?" he asks.
"Uh I need to get a CD..." I say nervously
"A CD huh? Well what CD do you need miss?"
"Um Inferno by Yesterday."
"Hm Inferno huh?" asks the man,who I'm going to assume is Danny, "that's a pretty new album. I'll check to see if I have it in stock yet." He walks back around the corner towards the back of the shop. I stand in the silent and dusty music store for a few minutes looking around at all the merchandise. "Ah found it," comes Danny's voice. He totters back around to the front, avoiding the sheet music that is stacked dangerously high. "This is what you were looking for right?" He asks, presenting me with a red CD case with Yesterday and Inferno scrawled across the front in bold black letters.
"Yup, that's it," I say, "Thank you very much."
"You're welcome. That'll be $15.99." I hand over the cash ad walk towards the exit to Danny's call of "Merry Christmas!" when I see something that would make a great (if not slightly silly) stocking stuffer for Xavier.
After purchasing everyone's presents, a ride back to the cottage in Xavier's truck, wrapping all the presents,and an evening filled with dorky Christmas carols and Fraya's delicious hot cocoa, it was finally Christmas morning.
I turn over in my massive bed and look at the alarm clock on my bedside table, It reads 7:45am. Deciding that I'm already too awake to not run downstairs and tear open presents, I crawl out from underneath my warm covers, slide my feet into my Pikachu slippers, walk out of my room not even bothering to change out of my plaid pajama bottoms and old tee shirt, and promptly crash into a pajama clad and bed-headed Xavier.
"Merry Christmas" he grins.
"Merry Christmas" I reply, wondering how someone could possibly look so cute with their hair all messy.
"Hey, do you want your present?"
"Sure."
"Okay." He walks back to his room and returns holding a little box covered in little Santas and tiny reindeer, he hands it to me and I open it. Inside is a gorgeous necklace with a blood red crescent moon for a pendant.
"Oh my gosh, thank you Xavier! This is amazing!" I say, breath taken. Then, before I realize what I'm doing, without really thinking about it, I stand up on the tips of my toes, and kiss Xavier on the cheek. As quickly as it happened it was over, I recoil, blushing furiously. "Uh I-I'm sorry..." I stutter unable to look at him.
"N-no i-it's alright," he replies, his face as red as mine.
We stand in an awkward silents for several seconds, neither one of us looking at the other. Then, to make the situation even more awkward, Fraya walk upstairs. "Merry Christmas you two," she says grinning, "why are your faces so red? You didn't catch colds over night did you?" She steps towards us and places a hand on both our foreheads.
"C-c'mon Mom, I'm not sick..." says Xavier, trying to escape.
"You sure?" She asks, "you feel warm."
"Yes I'm sure."
"Alright, alright come on down stairs, breakfast is ready and you both have quite a few presents to open. We walk down stairs and I feel my jaw drop. There are presents everywhere. (and yes I really do mean everywhere. Under the tree of coarse, but also hanging in its branches, on the couches, and strewn all over the floor.) After several minutes of wrapper shredding, Xavier got to the present from me. By this time the other adults had clambered, pajama laden, downstairs and were now semi-enthusiastically unwrapping presents. Xavier tears the wrapping off of his CD.
"Wow, this is great Al!" He says, grinning widely. Then he notices the other package attached to the CD case, he unwraps it to find...
"Band-aids?" He questions, staring at me.
"Uh yeah, you know for when..." I say before realizing that all the adults are staring at me as well. "Um for erm uh... oh! For when you work on your truck or something... I saw the guitars and thought that you know since you play guitar and all..." I laugh awkwardly, hoping against all hope that Xavier would understand my intent for the band-aids and not think I'm a total nut-job. But judging by the looks everyone is giving me, they all think I've gone mad. I sit there withering under the looks I'm receiving until Xavier bursts out laughing, realization dawning on him finally.
"Ha th-thanks," he says, trying to catch his breath "this is great."
After a few more days in the snowy cottage, it was time to return home. It's difficult to believe that we have only been here for a week and a half. It feels like it's been months in Colorado, and though it's kind of sad to leave this place, I know that Zandra's excited squeal when she sees her present will more than make up for it.
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