The Movies Make It Look Easy

Chapter 37

Shannon’s P.O.V:

My eyes snapped open.
It was Christmas!
I raised my head to look at the clock – it read 7:45am. I always woke up early on Christmas morning no matter how tired I was.
I turned my head to look at Nick. Again he was curled up beside me, one arm lying across my hip.
I frowned, we hadn’t gone to sleep like that; some time in the night we’d rolled over in our sleep to lie intertwined. I shrugged to myself – whatever!
I reached out and shook him awake. He groaned slightly and I leaned in close to him, ‘Happy Christmas’ I said softly.
His eyes opened slowly. He looked at me and smiled sleepily, ‘Happy Christmas’
‘Come on let’s get up’
He looked at the clock, ‘it’s so early’ he groaned.
‘It’s Christmas’ I retorted, ‘the only day when it’s okay to get up early’

Five minutes later we were walking quietly down the stairs.
I’d thrown on a pair of woolly socks, and Nick had, bleary-eyed, put on trousers over his boxers – yes, he was bare-chested! – The heating was on so we didn’t need to pile on layers of clothing.
When we entered the kitchen, my mother was busy brewing tea while my dad got cups out. They were rightfully anticipating a need for caffeine this early in the morning – not being a morning person was a trait that my brother’s and I shared.
We all said ‘Happy Christmas’ to each other.
‘Shannon, go wake your brothers’ my mother told me as she poured a cup of tea for Nick.
I nodded and skipped out the door.
I was met with angry mutterings from both Ryan and Adrian when I woke them up but I just laughed and went back downstairs – ignoring the less-than-nice comments that followed me out of their rooms.
Back in the kitchen, I joined Nick at the table and he poured me a giant cup of tea. I smiled at him in thanks as I added a good dose of milk.
Ten minutes later, my brothers crowded us at the table as they made themselves tea. By then I was halfway through my second cup.
It was only after they’d taken a couple of sips that the frown lines between their eyes smoothed out and the hard set of their mouths softened – basically they became human once the caffeine hit their bloodstream.

When everyone was ready, we all made our way into the living room.
My mother took the rocking chair – she’d had it since she and my dad first got married – and Adrian and dad took the couch. Ryan sat beside the tree so he could pass out presents and Nick sat on the floor with his back against the arm of the couch.
After a moment’s deliberation, I sat myself between Nick’s legs with my back snugly against his chest.
Ryan looked at us and rolled his eyes, making me laugh.
‘I wouldn’t be surprised if it snowed today’ Dad said randomly as he peered out the window.
‘The forecast said there’s a good chance all right’ Adrian agreed as he followed my father’s gaze outside.
‘That would be so cool’ I interjected as I took a sip of my tea.
‘Okay, enough about the damn weather, let’s open some presents’ Ryan demanded.
It just goes to show that you’re never too old for getting presents. He grabbed the present closest to him and read the label, ‘Adrian this is for you, from...the rents’ he handed the brightly wrapped present to me to pass to Adrian and grabbed the next one.

The rest of us watched as Adrian opened the present. It was a book and his face brightened immediately, ‘thanks mum, dad, I’ve wanted this for ages’
I tilted my head to read the title but stopped halfway through; bored – it was the history of something or other.
‘Shan, this one’s for you from mum and dad’ Ryan handed me a box and I slowly began to open it.
I gasped, ‘thank you so much’
I glanced up at both my parents before returning my gaze to the black camera sitting in its box on my lap.
I picked it up and inserted the memory card that came with it. The battery came half full so I quickly took a picture of Ryan before I started pressing random buttons to see what they did.

The problem with giving me a camera was that I tended to take photos upon photos until everyone got pissed off at have a lens shoved in their face...again.
I started taking random pictures of my mother, the Christmas tree and more of Ryan while I tried out all the different settings.
‘This is for me from Shannon’ Ryan said, bringing me back to the present.
He smiled at me quickly before ripping the paper off. He narrowed his eyes when he read the title of the bright yellow book in his hands.
I grinned, quickly snapping a shot of his “happy” expression.
‘You’re funny’ he told me and I just smiled at him sweetly.
‘What is it?’ my mother asked curiously.
He turned the book so we could read the title: ‘Losing Weight for Dummies’.
Everyone laughed while Ryan sat and glowered at us – I really love Christmas.
Adrian looked up from his book, read the title and grinned, ‘she hit the nail on the head with that one Ry’

A brief but very loud squabble between the three of us then ensued until my mother loudly told us to shut up.
‘Well thanks anyway’ Ryan said; his eyes twinkling.
‘No problem’ I grinned.
I noticed that Nick had been very quiet so I turned my head slightly so I could whisper to him, ‘you okay?’ he nodded but stayed silent.
His face was carefully blank except for a polite smile that looked strained and I had no idea why.
I turned away from him as Ryan picked up the next present.
‘Dad this is for you’ he picked up another package, ‘and mum this is for you’ Dad got a gardening book and my mother, a recipe book.
Ryan pulled out a third parcel and handed it to my mother. ‘This is for you and dad. Everyone chipped in’
She unwrapped the present and stared in silence.
‘Thank you’ she whispered, before passing it over to dad to see.
She began to clean her glasses and when I looked closely, I saw what looked suspiciously like tears in her eyes.
‘Thank you everyone’ dad said as he got up and placed the photo in the centre of the mantelpiece.
It was of Ryan, Adrian and I, only a couple of days before I left for college. I smiled as I looked at it fondly – we all looked so happy. I remembered that Ryan had just told a joke and we’d burst out laughing right before the flash went off.

Ryan reached further under the tree for the next present and I noticed that my mother wouldn’t take her eyes off the photo. She slowly rocked her chair as she looked at it; a small smile on her face.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Nick was also staring at the picture with a slight look of what looked like envy on his face. I really had no idea what was wrong with him...and it annoyed me that I couldn’t tell. I opened my mouth to quietly say something to him, when Ryan waving a hand in front of my face caught my attention.
‘What?’ I huffed.
‘This is for you from Adrian’ he handed me a thin package and I slowly began to unwrap it methodically, trying not to rip the red and gold paper.
For years now, my brothers and I had been doing a Kris-Kindle. We’d all gotten each other more than once – as was inevitable – because there was only three of us but we found it easier than buying presents for both siblings.
When I finally removed the wrapping paper, I saw that Adrian had gotten me a set of new, squirrel-hair paintbrushes.
I turned and smiled at him. ‘Thanks, I love them’
He shrugged, still reading his new book, ‘I figured something arty would go down well’
I nodded – it was true.
Nick rested his chin on my shoulder and touched one of the brushes carefully. ‘They’re good brushes’ he said quietly.

‘Nick this is for you from the rents’
He looked up in surprise at Ryan’s outstretched hand.
He made no move to take it, so I leaned forward and took it for him. I turned to the side and handed it to Nick.
He turned the slim package over and over in his hands.
‘For me?’ he looked around at everyone with a disbelieving look on his face.
My mother smiled, ‘you didn’t think we’d let you come stay for Christmas and not get you anything did you?’
He looked at her with the cutest expression on his face, ‘letting me stay is a present in itself’ he said shyly and my mother’s face softened.
If anyone else had said it, I probably would’ve snorted derisively but there was such sincerity in his voice that I had such an urge to hug him...or kiss him...whichever...or maybe both...hmm...
‘Thank you’ he said to my parents and I think everyone heard the raw emotion in his voice.

‘Adrian this is for you from me’ Ryan said, tossing a present at Adrian’s head.
I threw him a grateful look; he’d successfully taken the spotlight off Nick, before turning around completely, so I was sitting cross-legged facing Nick, still between his legs as he stared at the package in his hands as if he didn’t quite believe that it was actually for him.
He had a slightly faraway expression on his face that piqued my curiosity – what was running through his mind?
I looked up to see Adrian staring in confusion at a pair of luminous pink glasses, while everyone else laughed.
I placed one hand on top of Nick’s and he looked up at me.
‘Open it’ I said softly.
He slowly began to unwrap it – even more carefully than me, as if it was made of the most delicate glass.
His face brightened as he looked at the set of Derwent water-colour pencils in front of him.
I quietly grabbed my new camera from beside me and snapped a picture just as he looked up.
He looked so happy that it brought a smile to my face.
‘Thank you, they’re absolutely perfect’
‘I’m glad dear’ my mother said quietly.
‘You know, I’m going to borrow these all the time, right?’ I smirked.
He eyed me, ‘only if you let me borrow those brushes’ he pointed at Adrian’s present.
‘Deal’ I said and we solemnly shook on it.

‘Oy! There’s no present for me under here’ Ryan looked accusingly at our parents.
‘We got you something and it’ll be delivered to your apartment in a couple of days’ dad told him calmly.
‘What is it?’ he asked.
‘You’ll just have to wait and see’ my mother told him in an equally calm voice.
‘But I really wanna know!’ he whined.
I looked over my shoulder at him, ‘hasn’t anyone ever told you that patience is a virtue?’
He stuck his tongue out at me and I grinned.
I happened to know that my parents had bought him new gym equipment...he was going to ecstatic when he saw it...loser, I thought.

‘So is that it then, ye?’ Ryan asked us.
I opened my mouth to speak but Nick beat me to it.
‘Nope, I have one more present to give’
Everyone looked at him expectantly.
He reached down and produced a small black box with a simple green ribbon around it, and handed it to me. I just held it in my cupped hands and stared at it, then him, in surprise. I hadn’t been expecting anything.
‘Is this for me?’ I asked stupidly.
He nodded, a slight smile playing across his lips.
‘You know you didn’t have to get me anything, right?’ I frowned and he nodded again.
I looked down and bit my lip to hide my smile.
‘If I’d known we were getting each other gifts...’ I trailed off awkwardly.
I looked up again and glanced at my mother who nodded.
I looked back at Nick and tilted my head, ‘well isn’t it a good thing that I got you something then?’ I said as I looked searchingly at him.

He smiled warmly at me. It was a small smile but it lit up his whole face with happiness and made his eyes shine. I felt my heart trip and grinned at him.
‘Not to break up this little love fest or anything’ Ryan spoke up loudly, ‘but would you hurry up and give Nick his present and open yours’
I turned around again to face Ryan, so my back was once again pressed against Nick’s bare chest.
I looked at him slyly, ‘and what if I told you that my present to Nick was what we talked about in the car from the airport? Would you really want me to give it to him...right here, right now?’
Ryan blanched, his face once again turning an unbecoming shade of green and I felt Nick tense behind me.
‘Shannon’ he warned.
I ignored him and continued to stare at Ryan.
‘I think I’m actually going to be sick’ he said queasily as he gripped his stomach.
I laughed out loud. I could feel my parent’s and Adrian’s curious stares but I didn’t bother to enlighten them on what was going on – somehow I doubt they’d approve.

When I stopped laughing, I spoke to both Ryan and Nick, ‘don’t worry, that’s not what it is...but it isn’t something that can be wrapped, so I’ll give it to you later’ I addressed the last part to Nick and I felt him nod against my hair.
‘So are you going to open that?’ my mother asked, pointing at the box still in my hands.
I shook my head, ‘no’
Everyone stared at me, ‘I’m going to wait ‘til I give Nick his present and then I’ll open it’
it was only half true – the main reason I didn’t want to open it was because I didn’t want my family watching; I just wanted it to be Nick and I.
‘But I want to know what it is’ Ryan said.
I smiled, ‘you and me both Ry’

My mother clapped her hands together and stood up before Ryan could say anything else. ‘Thank you everybody for the lovely gifts, but now it’s all hands on deck – we have a Christmas dinner to cook!’
Slowly everyone began to disperse to different parts of the house with their presents tucked under one arm.
I managed to pull myself out of Nick’s arms and up off the floor before turning to help him up. He scooped both of our presents off the floor and grasped my hand. When he was standing, he didn’t let go of my hand, just gently pulled me towards the door.
We made our way slowly and silently back up to my room.

When I closed the door behind us, I stared at the pile of presents that Nick had just placed on the bed – but in particular, a small black box with a green ribbon around it.
My fingers itched to open it and see what was inside.
‘You can open it now, if you like’ Nick’s voice snapped me back to attention.
I looked at him and shook my head, ‘no I want to wait until I give you yours’
‘Why can’t you wrap it?’
‘Ah, that would be telling. You’ll just have to wait and see’
He pouted but didn’t push it.
‘What would you do if it was sex?’ I asked randomly.
He froze and stared at me, ‘are you feeling alright?’
I rolled my eyes, ‘humour me’
He just stared some more and started to fidget uncomfortably.
I felt one eyebrow arch slightly, who would’ve thought that Nick would go all shy on me at the mention of sex?
Where was the man-whore who’d slept with God knows how many women?
I struggled not to laugh.
‘It’s not sex is it?’
‘For the second time, no it isn’t. I just wanted to know what you’d do if it was’
He paused for a second before answering hesitantly, ‘honestly?’
‘Honestly’ I confirmed, slightly amused at his reaction.
‘I’d be worried’ he told me as he watched for my reaction.
‘About what?’ I asked in confusion.
He stepped in front of me, ‘you’re not like that. You don’t just sleep around, so it would worry me if you suddenly offered me sex’ he gently chucked me under the chin.
I grinned, ‘so you’d say no then?’
He laughed, ‘I never said that’ he grinned, ‘you might not sleep around but I do’
My eyebrows shot up, ‘so you’re saying that it would be sleeping around...you’re comparing me to those sluts you bring home?’
His grin faltered, ‘crap, that came out really wrong. What I mean is...that I wouldn’t say no...’ he blushed slightly, ‘I mean, what I was trying to say was...fuck!’
I clamped my hand over his mouth, ‘shut up and stop digging...I know exactly what you meant. I just found it entertaining to watch you blush’
I removed my hand and he glared at me, ‘I didn’t blush’
‘You did’
‘I didn’t’
‘Did’
‘Okay, maybe a little’ he conceded.

I leaned my forehead against his chest, ‘I think you’ll like your present’ I mumbled.
He hugged me, ‘I think you’ll like yours too’
I pulled away, ‘right, I’m going for a shower, mum will kill us if we’re not down soon’
I felt him watching me as I walked to the bathroom and the image of him blushing sprung into my mind again.

Chuckling, I locked the door behind me and went to have a shower.