Make This Perfect Again

"Socks...you got me socks?" Jazz said, holding up her Christmas present from Airin. We were all sitting in the living room opening the presents we had gotten. So far, I had gotten a "free hugs" coupon booklet from Marque, The Orphaned Anythings by Stephen Christian from my parents, and a set of nail polish from Jazz (it had every single colour under the moon, and then some).

"Yes." Airin said simply. Jazz opened her mouth to say something else. "Just be glad you got something you need!" Airin exclaimed.

"I don't need socks!" Jazz sounded confused

"yes you do!" Airin retorted back.

"Jazz, your feet STINK!" Marque said.

"Do not!" Jazz sounded hurt this time. I laughed at the arguement between the three of them.

"Don't worry Jazz, atleast you don't have to live in a smelly van with them for two months at a time." I said.

"But I lived with him for 18 years!" Jazz said.

"But you're not trapped in a gas chamber for most of the day!" I said. "There's the boy B.O., the nasty shoe odour..." I was cut off by Airin.

"The shoe odour is YOU Josline!" Marque retorted.

"Hey...yeah, it is." I caused every one to laugh lightly.

"That's why..." Matt pushed a awkwardly shaped package towards me, "...I bought you this." I tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a can of foot spray. I frowned at Matt, but was also trying to surpress a laugh.

"Thanks Matt. Thank's a lot." I laughed, and we continued with the gift exchange.
Afterwards, we all sat around and talked about high school, and just life. Mom, dad, Chris and Sam were all talking in the dining room, talking about "adult things that I wouldn't understand" as my dad put it. I went into the kitchen and was getting another glass of orange juice. I leaned against the counter, taking a sip from my glass. There was something a little different about this Christmas. It just didn't seem to be as cheerful. I shrugged it off and took another sip from the glass. Matt walked into the kitchen, and smiled at me.

"What are you doing in here?" Matt asked, opening the fridge and looking inside like he was in his own house.

"Just chilling." I said, setting my glass down on the counter.

"Why aren't you chilling with us?" Matt asked, taking the orange juice container out of the fridge.

"I was just...thinking." I said, taking another sip.

"About Josh?" Matt's question caught me off gaurd, so I ended up choking on my juice. Matt rubbed my back for me to calm down and stop coughing. Matt smiled sheepishly."Sorry."

"Why are you always the one to bring it up?" I asked him, getting a drink of water.

"Because, I just can." Matt said. "So, Josh told me that he brought up you moving to Vancouver." Matt said, leaning up against the counter.

"I was thinking about it. There's just no place that I could afford." I said. "I already looked into it, and the cheapest apartment I could find was 800 dollars a month, and I just barely get by with the rent I pay now." I said, putting both of my glasses in the sink.

"But don't you have the clothing website too? You make money from that." Matt added. It was true, Airin and I had set up an online shop so you could buy Ellaries Dollhouse merchandise, and other T-shirt designs that Airin had made. We did get money from the website, but a good chunk of it went to the CFSID (Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Death).

"Yeah, we do, but we donate to the CFSID, and then divying it up between Airin and myself, and then having to pay to use the website address...we don't usually have a lot at the end." I said. "See, atleast Airin makes extra money by producing other artists." When Airin had graduated, he had an internship at Coffee Shop Records in Winnepeg. They had a sister studio in Vancouver, so Airin got a referal to there, and worked part time producing tracks for other bands and singers. Jazz walked into the kitchen, and looked at Matt and I talking with one another.

"What are you guys talking about?" Jazz asked, leaning up against Matt, who wrapped his arms around her.

"Pft, nothing." Matt said. Jazz looked up at him, "Okay, we're talking about Jaws moving to Vancouver." Jazz looked over at me.

"You seriously going to move there?" Jazz asked, her eyes glinting with excitement.

"I was thinking about it. I don't have enough money to buy the apartment I want, and the rent is too expensive." I said. Jazz frowned. She went into her "thought process" mode. "Oh! Jaws" She looked right at me. "Why don't you move in with me and Matt. Periodically of course." Jazz looked up at Matt, who looked a little reproachful to the idea. "Just until she finds a place of her own!" I was silently chuckling to myself as the couple battled with one another. I liked the idea of living with the two of them, but I felt like I would be taking up space.

"I don't want to intrude on you guys or anything." I said. Both Matt and Jazz looked at me.

"You wouldn't be intruding!" Jazz said. "And like I said, only temporary." Jazz looked back at Matt. "Please Matt? Can we PLEASE keep her?" Jazz begged like a little girl. Matt looked at me, who was surpressing giggles.

"Do you promise to feed her, and clean up after her?" Matt asked.

"Oh, God no. She's 20, she can do it herself!" the three of us laughed.

"So, what do you think Jaws? Wanna live with us?" I bit my bottom lip, something I did when I was thinking hard about something, and when I was lying, so sometimes it confused people who knew my little habits. I thought about all the different ways it could be good, and ways it could be bad. One the plus side, I'd be around most of my friends and family again. On the downside...I couldn't really think of a downside.

"Mmm...okay."