One of the Boys...Right?

*JJ*

"Aunt Kelly! I'm home!" I called as I walked through the front door and stomped the snow off of my shoes. I could smell a combination of ham, biscuts, and pie. Aleu bounded into the kitchen, her nose in the air.

"There's a surprise in your room!" she called from the kitchen. I wandered up the stairs and down the hall to my room.

"Where is it?" I yelled from my room.

"In your closet!" she yelled back. I opened the doors and found myself staring at a black dress.

"Where did this come from?" I grabbed the hanger and walked to the stairs. Aunt Kelly was standing at the bottom of the staircase.

"Kelsey's surprise." she said sheepishly.

"I love it!" I looked over the dress.

"You might want to put it on now, since Kelsey's coming up the driveway." she said as she walked to the door and opened it. Kelsey was standing, poised to ring the bell, in a teal dress, and she was holding a container in one hand and a pair of black heels in the other.

"Brownies for later! And thanks for having me over." she said cheerfully to my aunt.

"It's no problem, Kelsey. And thank you." my aunt took the container into the kitchen. Kelsey turned to me.

"Come on! I want to see that dress on you!" Kelsey nudged me toward the stairs.

-40 minutes later-

"Not to sound conceited, but I'm a genious." Kelsey smiled at me.

"Can I see my reflection, please?" I begged. Kelsey took my elbow and guided me over to my full-length mirror.

"Damn!" I let my mouth fall open. The dress Kelsey bought me fit perfectly, and made it look like my legs were longer, and the black material accentuated my pale skin. Kelsey had put all of my hair in a low, side ponytail that rested on my right shoulder. Then she curled the ponytail and brushed it out so it was wavy. She had also done my makeup: shimmer eyeshadow, pale gloss, and dark mascara. I slid my feet into the low heels that Kelsey had supplied for me and smiled at my reflection.

"I'm...I'm..." I couldnt find the words to speak.

"Hot? Stunning? Pretty?" Kelsey began listing off on her fingers.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Jess! Come on!" aunt Kelly called.

"Ready for another year of misery?" I gave Kelsey a fake smile.

"Would you hurt me if I said I strongly disliked your cousins?" she asked.

"Thank god someone agrees with me!" I sighed as we left my room to stand at the top of the stairs. Aleu was lying down under the end table next to the couch. Noah and Devon were racing through the front door with action figures. The bottoms of their pants were soaking wet.

Check.

Uncle Jim was carrying Katie through the front door. She was wearing a regular party dress.

Check.

Aunt Elise walked back out the door, presumably to get either the last present or the dish of food she brought.

Check.

And finally, as she walked back in, Faith was behind her.

Check.

"Alright, Faith. Show everyone your new dress." Aunt Elise beamed with pride at her daughter. Faith slid her hands out of the white muff that went with her coat and began to undo the buttons. She pulled off the coat to reveal a very fancy party dress.

"Oh, Faith! You look so beautiful!" aunt Kelly exclaimed.

Check.

This was turning out to be another predictable Christmas.

"Jess! Kelsey!" aunt Kelley called again. Kelsey and I sang Christmas songs while walking down the stairs. The song was 'Last Christmas'. Faith started singing it louder than us, so we sang louder.

"Faith, have you been taking singing lessons?" aunt Kelly asked hurridely. I shot a knowing glance at Kelsey.

"No. She's just naturally good." Aunt Elise grinned as she sat down in the living room.

"Like her mother." Uncle Jim nodded and sat next to her.

"Jessica, sweetheart, have you been getting any sun?" Aunt Elise switched her questions to me.

"Um...not usually...and since its winter...no?" I shrugged.

"I see you decided to dress up for once." Uncle Jim laughed. I hated uncle Jim. He was always making fun of me.

"I made her." Kelsey grinned.

"And who are you?" uncle Jim asked.

"This is my friend, Kelsey." I introduced her to everyone.

"Nice to meet you, Kelsey." Aunt Elise smiled warmly. When Kelsey's back was turned to help aunt Kelly, I heard uncle Jim mumble to aunt Elise, "But I always thought Christmas was spent with FAMILY." I knew Kelsey heard it him, because she turned to face him. I glared at him, but he didnt see me.

"Dont worry about him. He's an asshole on a daily basis." I whispered to her as we carried dishes of food into the dining room. Faith came skipping past us, singing 'We're off to see the Wizard'.

"If only she had a brain." I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, you know you want to meet the Wizard." Kelsey laughed.

"And I'll stand there with the Wizard! Feeling things I've never felt! And although I'd never show it, I'd be so happy I could...melt! And so it will be for the rest of my life, and I'll want nothing else till I die!" I sang on my way back into the kitchen.

"Held in such high esteem. When people see her they will scream." Kelsey giggled.

"For half of Oz's favorite team! The Wizard...and I!" I held out the last note softly.

"Aw, Jess, why did you do the last note so quietly? I was waiting for the big finish!" aunt Kelly exclaimed as I carried the bowl of rolls into the dining room.

"I didnt want to go too high! I have to save my vocal chords for when I yell at Novak for losing my paint splatter hoodie!" I explained.

"You know Bam has it, right?" Kelsey asked.

"Yes, but it's so much fun yelling at Novak!" I giggled. I heard loud yells from the living room.

"Devon! Be nice to your sister!" aunt Elise exclaimed. Aleu came running to me and hid behind my legs. Katie came right after her and yanked on her tail. Aleu yelped in pain. In a flash, I bent down and pried Katie's fingers off of my dog's tail.

"She is NOT a toy, Katie." I glared at her. So maybe she didnt know better, but I hated anyone who hurt animals, especially baby animals, even if they were family. So, at the moment, I hated Katie.

"Yes!" Katie yelled in my face and reached around to grab Aleu again. She managed to grab on to a clump of her fur.

Alright, she did know better.

Aleu howled once again and Katie giggled. I grabbed Katie's little hand and pulled her hand off of Aleu. Katie began crying as she flopped onto her stomach and started to kick the floor. I simply picked her up around the middle and carried her, still kicking and screaming, into the living room. Noah and Devon, who were playing with their action figures, and Faith, who was telling a story to aunt Kelly, looked at me in awe as I walked by them with Katie. It was quite an accomplishment for me; since I was in a short dress and heels.

"What are you doing to Katie?" aunt Elise asked in horror. She must've been shocked that I was carrying her precious baby in such a way.

"More like, 'What was Katie doing to my dog'! She kept pulling on Aleu's fur and tail! Would you rather I let Aleu bite her?" I asked as I plopped Katie down on the couch.

"And give my baby rabies?" aunt Elise's eyes widened.

"Aunt Elise, the dog has had her shots. The only thing Aleu would give Katie is an attitude adjustment." I sighed. Kelsey was standing in the doorway, Aleu in her arms.

"Jess, why dont you put Aleu upstairs?" aunt Kelly suggested. I took Aleu from Kelsey and hurried up the stairs.

On the second floor, I closed every door and put Aleu down after I grabbed the gate aunt Kelly used when Katie was learning to walk. I put it across the stairs so Aleu couldnt come down.

"Dinner's ready!" aunt Kelly called. Little feet pounded into the dining room.

Arrival.

Complete.