All I Want for Christmas Is You

“Okay, here goes.” I said shakily. I was on speakerphone to the rest of the band, who were all over at Joel’s house. I, on the other hand, was locked in my bedroom on the opposite side of town to them. For my own safety, mind you, not just cause I’ve all of a sudden fallen out with them.
Did I mention it’s Christmas Eve? You see, I would have gone over to Joel’s and told them what I’m about to tell them now in person, but snow falling to a point where you’re pretty much snowed in doesn’t really work in your favour, now does it?
“Shay!” Aled’s voice crackled down the line as he shouted my name “Hurry it up would you? I have to pee!” I giggled quietly, momentarily distracted from the pit I was about to throw myself headfirst into.
“Yeah, c’mon Shay. Spill it!” Phil whined loudly. Dammit, why are my best friends so bloody insistent.
“Okay, here goes.” I repeated, sniffing slightly. So what if I had cold? It’s winter for Christ’s sakes!
“Promise you won’t hate me or take the piss or anything?” I asked. This would’ve been so much easier if I was with them.
I heard their muttered agreements and I sighed in relief.
“Okay, I’ve been meaning to tell you this for years now,” I stammered, taking time to breathe slowly.
“Right…” Iain replied for everyone one else, or so it seemed.
“I… I’m…” I stuttered, blinking slowly. I swallowed to clear my throat.
“I’m bisexual…” I finished, almost choking on my words “That’s what I needed to tell you.”
There was a horrible silence, to a point where it was almost deafening. I started to will someone to say something.
“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” Joel asked. It was obvious that he was trying to stay calm.
“I… I don’t know…” I replied, blinking away a few tears. I heard Iain sigh and then he said, “Shay, you should have just told us.”
Then I heard footsteps, then a loud crash - a door slam, I guess - and could only presume someone left the room.
“Aled or Phil?” I asked, failing miserably in my attempt to stop myself crying.
“Aled.” Phil replied softly “Shay, if you ever need to--” I cut him off by hanging up. I shut my mobile and threw it to the floor in frustration. I sat on my bed and curled up into a ball, sobbing into my skinny jeans.
Now, I bet you’re wondering why the hell I was crying, aren’t you? I just came out as being bi, and most of my mates took it really well. But that’s beside the point.
The one person I really hoped would understand, didn’t. Typical.
I rolled over onto my back and rested my head on my pillow. My phone rang from the floor and I leant down to see who it was.
“Joel” was flashing on the screen, along with a really old picture of him. I opened my phone and prepared to argue.
“Shay, what was that about?” he asked. He didn’t sound angry, more worried, nervous even.
“I can’t fucking take it Joel.” I wept, giving up trying to wipe my eyes of tears.
“Take what?” he asked. He wasn’t on speaker, because I could faintly hear Phil and Iain arguing in the background.
“Him.” I replied, hoping it was enough.
“Who, Aled?” He replied, sounding more anxious by the minute.
“Yeah.” I told him “He just walked out… Why didn’t he say anything?” I was asking the question more to myself than I was to Joel.
“I don’t know Shay, to be honest.” He answered “He’s not here anymore though, I know that much. Probably gone home.”
“Right…” I replied. Aled better not make some crappy excuse next time I speak to him, if I ever do again. I heard Phil and Iain shouting at each other in the background. Joel sighed.
“Look, I’m going to have to sort these two out. I don’t think I’ll see you tomorrow, so merry Christmas, yeah?” He still sounded nervous.
“Yeah, you too.” I replied, hanging up.
I looked at the digital clock on my bedside table. Quarter to nine. I sighed and got up.
I shuffled away into the bathroom, deciding to jump in the shower in preparation for the loneliest Christmas Day I’ve ever experienced.
I stripped off and jumped in, wincing at the freezing water. I soon got used to it though. This was a method I’d often used to convince myself I wasn’t crying; the tears already on my cheeks would blend with the shower water, and, that would, more often than not, stop me crying.
Tonight though, was the exception to the rule. I got out of the shower and dried off, disappointed to find I was still crying. I grabbed some boxers and a random t-shirt from the floor and pulled them on. I glanced at the clock again. Nine fifteen. I took longer in the shower than I first expected.
I yanked back the duvet and crawled in, still shivering despite the thickness of the damn thing.
I tried to coax myself into sleep, all to no avail. All I could think of was how much Aled apparently hated me. Not fun. I found myself sobbing into my pillow again. Oh joy.
I looked up from my sodden pillow and at the clock yet again. The red digits gave off a horrible glare, making them stupidly difficult to read, but after a minute or two of squinting, I made out 9:27pm.
I sighed and dropped my head to the soft pillow beneath it. I stared at the flashing colon between the numbers. Hypnotising really.
I sat up suddenly when I heard a noise. It sounded like footsteps. I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. It’ll be a tree or something stupid like that. There we have a prime example of why flats are so much easier to live in than fully-fledged houses.
I lay back down and continued to stare at the godforsaken clock. I heard it again.
It’s a tree Shay, I told myself, it’s all the trees messing with your mind…
“BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!”
I groaned and slammed my hand down on the alarm on the table next to me. I must’ve switched the bloody thing on last night. I glowered at the red digits in frustration. Nine forty-five. Yay.
I threw the duvet back and got up, muttering under my breath at my inability to remember turning the damn device on.
I pulled open the curtains and blinked in surprise. The whole of the town - well, the part of town that I could see from my window, at least - was covered in a thick woollen blanket of snow. I rubbed my eyes and shuffled down the stairs.
I pushed open one of the double doors leading to my living room and went to turn on the fire. It’s cold, and I have one. So shoot me.
That’s when I heard it. The snoring. The very, very familiar snoring. Let’s just say that spending most of your days on a crampt tour bus does scary things to your mind…
I turned around and saw the sleeping form of my “best friend” lying on my sofa. He had a piece of paper rested on his chest that was slowly rising and falling with his breathing. It was entitled “How to look after your Aled.” and it was written in his fairly neat handwriting.
I picked it up gently and began to read it.
1. Aled needs constant love and attention.
2. And food. Plenty of it. - I smiled when I read this.
3. Loves kisses and cuddles.
3a. Especially when they’re from you.
4. Wants you to look at his wrist.
…
That was it. I put the paper down on the coffee table and looked at his wrist. There was a thin strand of white ribbon tied around it, with a large, gift-tag shaped piece of card attached to it. I lifted it up so I could read it properly.
“Shay. Wake me up as soon as you read this. The future depends on it. xx, Aled.” I dropped the tag down and it fell and hung limply below his wrist. This is… odd. Aled never gets all cryptic with the messages and such like.
I gently shook his shoulder in an attempt to wake him. I forgot he was a ludicrously heavy sleeper.
“Aled.” I whispered, shaking him again. He let out a groan and opened his eyes slowly. He stared at me wide-eyed.
“Oh God. Oh hell no.” He cursed, ruffling his messy brown hair. He looked up at me, blinking slowly.
“What is it you need to tell me…?” I asked hesitantly. He looked up at me nervously and then started playing with the bottom of his creased t-shirt.
“Well… To be honest Shay, I’ve been meaning to tell you for years, but I… I…” He trailed off and sniffed slightly. I just hope he doesn’t start crying.
“Aled, don’t say anything you don’t want to, okay?” I told him, gently patting his arm “I’m going to go make coffee, do you want any?” he smiled slightly and shook his head. I made a move to stand up.
“Shay, just wait.” He begged, looking up at me with watering eyes “This is important. It’s just… I’ve always really, really liked you… Probably a lot more than I should. No, wait, way more than I should…” He continued to mutter under his breath, to a point where I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I tapped his arm lightly.
“Aled, you’re babbling.” I told him, smiling a little.
“What I’m trying to say is…” He paused, biting his lip “Is I love you. More than best friends should…” He trailed off again and started to cry. I sat there blinking slowly, honestly not knowing how to react.
“Aled, I…” I began at a snail’s pace. He looked at me, tears streaming down his cheeks and his eyes kind of red. So I wiped away his tears and did what I thought was right.
I leant towards him and gently pressed my lips to his, staring straight into his eyes. He stared back at me nervously and I began to wonder if I’d done the right thing. I softly massaged his lips with my tongue, thinking this was as far as he’d let this go. My God, was I wrong! He parted his lips after a few seconds and I slid my tongue into his mouth. I moved my tongue against his slowly, so as not to startle him. He pulled away and gazed up at me. He pulled me into his lap and slipped his arms around my waist. I felt his warm breath on my neck as he whispered in my ear.
“Best Christmas present ever.”