Tell Me How You Love Me Now

“Oh, I can’t believe we finished early!” Beth exclaimed, giving us glasses of juice “Good job everyone!” she beamed

“I think it’s because Elliot helped” I tell her, smiling to him “Thanks”

“Just don’t ever try climbing that high again.” He said plainly

“Alright” I nodded taking a sip on my glass

“Oh, so, it’s the tree last! We just have to put the decorations. Can you three do that for me? I have to go out and buy something in the supermarket” Beth asked

“Yeah, sure we can do that. I mean, we’ll just hang up the decorations. That’ll be easy” I smile to her

“Okay then, I’ll be leaving now. Have fun!” she said, opening the front door and leaving

“So! Shall we start now?” I beam to both of them

“Yay!” Diane jumped on the couch

“How about some music?” I say, turning on the radio and putting in some Christmas tunes.

“Wow, you put Christmas songs?” Elliot chuckled

“What? We never get a chance to listen to them the whole year except for now. Why not?” I smile to him

“You have a point there”

“Of course I do!” I say while I hang up some stuff on the tree

“This is fun!” Diane exclaimed

“Yes it is” Elliot said

“You like hanging up the Christmas tree decorations too? I heard from your mom”

“Does she tell you everything?” he laughed

“Nope just that because we were talking about how I love putting up the tree”

“You like it too?”

“Yeah. It’s the funnest thing to do in Christmas. It even beats the opening of the gifts”

“Really? I love doing this but I like the gifts more”

“I just have good memories in doing this I guess” I say, remembering that night wherein me and my parents put up the tree as a complete family

“It must have been a really damn good memory to make you like this more than opening the gifts” Elliot joked

I roll my eyes at him

“Oh! Di! You want to put the star on top? I can carry you” I offered

“Yay! I wan! I want!” she jumped around, carrying the star

“I’ll do it. I don’t think you can carry this heavy little girl” Elliot said, proceeding to pick Diane up

“No! He’s gonna tickle me! I remember the face!” Diane accused

“No I am not!” Elliot said playfully

“No!” Diane laughed, as she ran away

Elliot ran after her around the house. I can’t help but smile at the two of them. I guess Elliot realized how important it is for him to bond with Diane. Diane did miss him for a while there. Perhaps he is slowly learning how to be a good big brother now.

“Hey! Not only me/! Unfair! Get Kay too!’ I hear Diane yell as Elliot carried her on the couch and tickled her

“Oh, but I like tickling cute little six year olds more!” Elliot said still tickling Diane

“No!” Diane shouted trying to get away. She did get away and ran straight behind me.

“Oh so you want to join in?” Elliot smirked at me

“No I don’t” I shook my head but he immediately caught my waist and tickled me. I don’t remember ever laughing this much in my life.

“Sto…stop it!” I say while laughing

“Oh no I won’t! You decided to join in and I don’t have a choice but to do this!” He chuckled

“yay for Elliot getting Kay!” I hear Diane shout

“I though you were on my side?” I ask Diane

“I am on nobody’s side! I am on my side!” She said

“Okay” me and Elliot say with him finally stopping tickling me

“I think it’s time for you to put that star where it belongs. Here” He kneeled and motioned for Diane to climb his back

“I am putting up the star!’ she exclaimed as she put it on top of the tree we three decorated

“Yay” I clapped and cheered for her

At that moment, Elliot glanced at me and we made eye contact. He smiled the smile of his that I really like. I smiled back of course. Well, after all the commotion in putting up the tree, Diane unrepentantly fell asleep almost after it.

“She must be tired” I muttered looking at Diane

“She did a lot today/” Elliot added “Hey”

“Yes?” I ask

“Thanks for this”

“Thanks for what?”

“You know, for helping me get closer to Diane again. I could have never done it without you making me realize how important it is to be good to her and to spend time as much time I can with her.”

“Sure. It’s good you two bond and talk more” I smiled weakly

“I’ll just carry her up”

“Okay” I nodded

He left the room and I caught myself still smiling. Ugh I must look like an idiot smiling by myself. Why do I always catch myself smiling whenever Elliot thanks me about something or whenever he’s nice to me? I shook the idea away and stood up to clean up. I picked all the stray decorations and put them where they should be. I was about to pick up a red sock when another person’s hand took it for me.

I look up and saw Elliot. I was about to say something to him when I felt my phone vibrate. A smile grew in my face when I saw that it was my dad.

“What’s with the smile?” he asked

“My dad!” I exclaimed and clicked on answer

“Hello, dad!” I greeted him “yeah, we’ll have a Christmas Break and I ca- Oh, yeah, it’s okay. You have to work” I said, my voice cracking a bit. I want to cry. He hung up on me again and I feel like I would faint

“Are you okay?” Elliot asked with a worried voice

“Yea-No. No I am not” I said, tears coming down my cheeks

“Sit down first” He lead me to the couch.

“I… I thought I can go back home for Christmas to spend it with him but… he’s busy” I mumbled

“Oh.” Was all he said. He continued soothing me and patting my back “I hope I can say something to make you feel better but-“

“It’s okay. Your presence is good enough for me” I whispered “Is that your sock?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Yup.” He grinned at me and hung it up the fire place

“Why are you being so nice to me nowadays?” I blurted out what I have been asking myself for a long time now

“Is it a bad thing to be nice?” he asked back

“You didn’t answer me. I mean, before, you were all rude but then you suddenly became really nice, it’s unusual. Especially whenever I feel bad, like now” I mutter

“You don’t want to know why” he laughed