Jadens Christmas
Jaidens Christmas
The second I arrive at my parents house I stand nervously at the front door. The itchy sweater and the uncomfortable skirt was already enough unbearableness. I want to just turn around and drive straight back to Kai’s place. It's not too far away, a 15 minute drive, a 30 minute walk if I walk fast enough, but if I don't spend Christmas with my family this year I'll never hear the end of it. I take a deep breath and open the door.
“Hey Jaden honey! Oh it's so good to you! Your mother will be so happy you were able to make it this year round!” I was greeted at the door by my insufferable aunt Cindy. I love her but she never shuts up, always talking about random bullshit and when i'll ‘settle down with a good young man’
“Yeah! Hey Aunty, ‘I’ve missed you so much! You're looking great!” I lie through my teeth as I give her an awkward side hug, my backpack getting in the way, she pulls away after a not socially acceptable amount of time and walks off, probably to go bother my sister. I wonder what Kai and Liz are doing.
“Did I hear my lovely niece walk in?” My great Aunt Linda walks up to me and immediately wraps me in a bone crushing hug, my dads side of the family was always big for hugs, I never liked them really. Unless it's from Kai, or liz.
“Hey Aunt Linda, how are you?” I smile as much as I can bear, zoning out mid conversation.
“So, no boyfriend yet? Or was he just too busy to show up, hmm?”
I smile and give a half hearted laugh.
“No Aunt Linda, no boyfriend yet.”
She gives me a fake smile, her eyes look me up and down before settling on my dirty combat boots. I forgot to take them off in the car and change into my uggs.
“Well, maybe next year then?” I nod and sneak past her, dodging random cousins and Aunts and Uncles and grandparents I haven't seen since I was a kid. I finally made it to the spare bedroom, it was my old room but when I moved out my parents quickly turned it into their dream, a hotel like spare. I set my things down and plop onto the bed, it even feels like a hotel bed.
“Sooooooo,” I hear snickering as the old door creaks open, I smile expecting to see some random family member I barely know how I'm related to in the doorway.
“How's the wife Jade?” I jumped up and ran over, hugging my younger sister so tightly I think I bruised her ribs.
“Oh you’re such a brat Rache.”
“You love me and you know it. Now let me go, I can't breathe you big dumbass!” Rachel is my younger sister, my parents had us several years apart. We didn't always get along but she's my rock, I love her.
“So, before we get interrupted, what's their name? How olds her kid and how did you fall so hard for someone before I ever had the chance to have my own dream romance?”
I smile, closing the door and dragging her to the hotel clean bed.
“Their names Kai, they are 19, almost 20, and her kid is her younger cousin she adopted, her name is Lizzy.”
Rachel kicks her legs and quietly screams, both of us bouncing up and down on the bed.
“Ahh, young love, they're only a few years younger than you too! Proper romance.”
I smile, only for that to falter. I try to hide my face by unzipping my bag to start organizing some stuff.
“Ah ah ah, I saw that. What's up? What's wrong? If they hurt you I'll kill them.”
I smile half assed.
“They're from the states, they're only here for schooling. So, y’know.”
Her face goes lopsided, her eyebrows hiding her irises before she hops up off the bed.
“That's it, I'm killing your wife. They made you sad.”
I laugh before grabbing her wrist and wrapping her in a hug.
“No murder.” she huffs and crosses her arms.
“Girls?” Both of our heads whip around to the door.
“Ah, you two are in here, everyones wondering where you are. Downstairs now please.”
“Yes mom.” the two of us say in unison.
“What a mood killer.” Rachel stands up again.
“I don’t wanna socialize, I don't think I can handle three days of ‘why don't you have a boyfriend yet Jaden darling? When are you taking over the store, give your parents a break?’” Rache and I giggle as we make our way downstairs.
“Me neither honestly.”
Dinner finally came along, I'll give my family credit where it's due, they can definitely cook. For the better part of an hour I tried to make sure my mouth was full whenever someone tried to speak to me, they mostly took the hint and spoke to someone else. Until,
“So Jaden Darling, any boyfriend yet?”
“My moufs full, sorry-”
“Jaden, stop being childish and have a conversation with your family! We’re here to celebrate the lord, and don’t talk with your mouth full for heaven's sake!”
“I’m not being childish, Mom. My mouth was full! I wouldn’t have to talk with my mouth full if everyone would stop trying to talk to me when I take a bite!”
“Meet me in the kitchen to help me prepare dessert, Jaden.”
“Fine.” I stand up and reluctantly follow her, I hear Uncle Jay start talking to Rachel instead.
“For the love of god Jaden Darling King, if you don't start acting like the adult you are-!” her voice is barely above a whisper but I can understand her tone perfectly. She is always the first one to start an argument.
“I'm an adult, you always say ‘if you don't have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.’ Right? They only want to talk about my job, if i have a boyfriend, a husband, when I’m taking over the store! I’m not in the mood for that right now mom, I just want to eat and get through this dinner in one piece for fucks sake!”
“Don’t use that tone with me! And you better watch that damn mouth before I smack it! And they’re just worried about you, when I was your age me and your father were already engaged!”
“I don't want to talk about relationships, mom. That's just not what I'm looking for right now! I’m more interested in work. Figuring out what to major in!” I miss Kai.. I could’ve said they were just my friend… I hate lying to my mom, she always finds out.
“I thought we agreed you’d major in business when you saved up enough money?” Fuck, i need to learn to bite my damn tongue.
“Yes, that is what we agreed on. But.”
“But? You’re the oldest, we cannot rely on your sister to take over the store! She’s a wreck! And for god’s sake take those damned shoes off and put something sensible on!”
“Mom?” Rachel walks in, a stack of dirty plates piled in her arms.
“You think I’m a wreck?” She sets the plates down on the counter.
“Not right now Rachel, I'm talking to your sister!”
“You can’t even stop our fight to apologize to your fucking daughter! Wow, I knew it was a fucking mistake to show up this year. When I finally thought it was going to be okay to spend time with family after you begged me? C’mon Rache, we’re going for a walk.”
I grab her arm and lead her to the front door, stopping to put on our shoes and walking out.
“GET BACK HERE YOU TWO. I WASN'T DONE TALKING TO YOU!” Her yells echoed through the house.
“Where are we going?”
“I don't know, I left my keys inside.” I started pulling my phone out, I was just planning on calling Kai but I didn't want to ruin their night too.
“Anywhere is better than here right?”
She smiles halfheartedly, it doesn't reach her eyes but she smiled.
“Yeah, let’s go to the park.”
“Lets get it” I smile and grab her arm, interlocking my arm with hers as we skip down the road. We sing and yell and shout. Stopping by the corner store and loading up on snacks and drinks.
It’s almost midnight now as we lay in the fresh snow, surrounded by random snack wrappers and empty soda bottles.
We pass a cheap bottle of wine to each other, it's nearly empty as we just talk and stare at the starry sky.
“Do you think mom really sees me as a train wreck?” she reaches over me, grabbing a bag of crisps before laying down in her snow angel again.
“I don't think so, you know mom. She says shit just to start shit. She thought the same thing about me, then again I was a bit more rebellious than you are. I dress how I want, act how I want, say what I want.”
“Date who you want.” she interrupts me, the warmth from her breath creating a puff of steam.
“Yeah, not that I’d ever tell them. I don’t think mom and dad would agree with that aspect of me. They barely like how I dress, if they knew I was queer? Woof, I'd be a goner.”
“Yeah, they don't like how i started to dress either, if we don't dress as the picture perfect christian white girls around them i'm pretty sure they’d have a stroke.” Neither of us really say anything for a while. My phones been going off every few minutes for the last several hours, probably a bunch of texts and calls from mom. I look over at Rachel and see that she’s shivering, her lips are purple too. I sigh and sit up.
“Cmon, we gotta go back before mom reports us as missing.” She sits up and laughs.
“Yeah, she would do that too.” Smiling as I helped her up we both burst out in a giggle fit. Cleaning up our little mess before starting the short journey back.
“So, how are things with Kai going? Are you an official couple or just fuck buddies?”
I push her lightly with my elbow.
“We arent fuck buddies, theyre ace. And I don't know what we are? I practically live at her place, we sleep in the same bed, and go on dates constantly.”
“Sounds like you've got it bad while they’re just in it for the overseas romance before they leave back to the states sis.”
I stop for a second, they aren't like that right? They wouldn't do that would they? Are they just in it for the fun of it?
“I think.. I think I'm in love with them…” I stand still. The cold air stinging my eyes and face. Rache reaches up and wipes my cheek with her sleeve, and I suddenly realize I'm crying.
“You should call them Jade.”
I pull out my phone as we continue walking, and all I can do is stare at Kai’s contact.
Kai 🥰💚
5:50
Miss you Jade! Just watched some silly movies with the kiddo. Bout to fuck up your house on Minecraft!
6:30
For legal reasons that was a joke. We are building a big ass farm tho. Wish you were here <3
7:40
Everything okay? Family keeping you busy? Text me when you get the chance love xoxo
9:45
I’m gettin kinda worried. Let me know when your available babes <3
10:59
Are you okay?
12:25
I’m gonna come make sure you’re okay. Nick is staying here for the night, and I think Charlie will be by soon too.
After a few seconds, or minutes I’m not sure, we reach the front door. I dont think ive seen Kai so worried before.
I press the call button and wait for a bit.
“Jade??? Oh my god are you okay? You havent answered me at all tonight! Is everything okay? Did you get into a fight with your mom?”
I smile at the concern in her voice. Tears sting my eyes and run down my frozen face.
“I love you…”
I hear stunned silence on the other side of the phone.
“I love you so much Kai Jones. I don’t care if you dont love me back, or are only with me for the overseas romance, or for the fun of it. I love you so much it's worrying.” and then the line goes dead.
I sit on the stairs in silence, tears staining my skirt as I curl in on myself.
The sound of a car door shutting forces me to look up, and standing there in pajama shorts and my hoodie, is Kai. tears run down her face as they stand there.
My legs move on their own as I run towards them, I crash into her, wrapping them in a bear hug.
We stood in silence for a while, snow lightly falling around us, the quiet hum of Kai’s car is the only sound other than light breathing.
“I love you too..”
My eyes shoot open and I pull away from the hug.
“Really? You really do?” they smile, tears glisten in her eyes.
“Yes, of course I do. I love you so much.” They let me go and opened their car door, grabbing a small wrapped box and handing it to me.
“I was planning on waiting til you got back but. Here. it's your christmas gift.”
I stare at it for a second before opening it.
“Wow, it's beautiful Kai, I think this is the prettiest necklace I've ever gotten.”
It's a beautiful silver necklace with an emerald charm, it has our names engraved on it.
“Flip it over Jade.”
“Okay?” i flip it over, the words take a few seconds to register but,
“Yes, yes I will be your girlfriend, you hopeless romantic.” I smile so big my cheeks hurt and my eyes gloss over with even more tears.
“I guess, we’re official now?” they grab my hand, leaning in and plant a warm kiss on my cheek.
“Yes I do believe that's what me saying ‘yes’ means.” I cup both of my hands around her face and lean in. She's on her tippy toes as she leans in and returns my kiss.
“Best Christmas ever.” I laugh as I rest my forehead on hers.
“Absolutely.”