Green and Gray

Christmas Eve was spent at my parents' house. We had family come in from out of town, and we had a get together where we caught up on what we had been up to for the last year. My cousins were all the same when it came to news. Traveling the world and seeing things I could only dream of. Because my mom was the free spirit of the family, she believed in going with the flow and planning as little as possible. It worked in some areas, but with us she didn't push enough. She didn't push us to do anything with our lives. I blame that on why I didn't go to college. I was intelligent, but I didn't want to spend my life trapped away with one job. I wanted to start my life right out of high school.

“Hey, Sparrow, I haven't gotten to talk to you all night.” My cousin, Mila, said as she plopped down on the loveseat next to me.

Mila was the cousin that lived in Paris and always sent me my packages of designer clothes and shoes. She was my best friend-besides Erika-growing up. When she was thirteen, her parents went through a rough divorce, so she stayed with my family. When the legal stuff got settled, finally, three years later, she chose to stay and finish high school in Arizona. She lived with us up until she got scouted off at nineteen. We shared a room and did pretty much everything together. Mila was there when Erika died and was friends with her, too. We shared the heartbreak together.

Mila was tall, thin, and lean. Her eyes were crystal blue and her hair was a light copper. She was completely gorgeous. It was no wonder she was on billboards and magazine spreads all over the world.

“Hi, Mila, how are you?” I questioned, already knowing the answer; she had an amazing year.

“I'm fabulous, how are you?”

With everything going on with John, and Landon leaving the day after Christmas, I wasn't doing all that great. I mostly worked and tried not to think about how fucked my life had gotten in such a short amount of time. So I just gave her a half-hearted smile and shrugged, “Things have been better.”

She nodded then smirked, “According to Facebook, you're in a relationship. How's that treating you?”

I shrugged again as I let out a heavy sigh, “It's going all right. We're currently not seeing eye to eye on some things.” In fact, we had gotten into a huge fight the day before when I tried to talk him into letting me see John since it was the holidays.

My phone buzzed in the back pocket of my skinny jeans, but I ignored it. It was probably the person we were speaking of and I really didn't want to talk to him.

“Well, that's not good at all.” She frowned. “What's going on, Bird?”

Without hesitation, I began telling her, “I'm just in the middle of this crazy triangle. I have Landon, who is my boyfriend and has been since the beginning of November. But before I met him, there was this other guy named John. We went on a date, but he had to finish the tour he was on, so we left everything up in the air between us. While he was gone, Landon came into my life. Then he came back and contacted me. We've just been friends, but Landon found out about what happened before, so he doesn't want me to talk to John anymore. It's just a fucked up situation.” I leaned further into the couch I was sitting on, feeling defeated.

Mila pursed her lips just as my phone vibrated again. I ignored it still. “I don't know what to tell you, Hun. Where is Landon, though?”

I sighed again, “He's with his dad. He took me out last night and we got into this huge fight because I asked him if I could see John since it's the holidays. I won't see him until he gets back from London after the new year.”

Her eyes widened, “He's British?!” I nodded, “Look at you, Girl!” I snorted and shook my head. Just then, my phone vibrated once more. With a huff, I dug the phone out of my back pocket and checked to see who was desperately trying to get in contact with me. My eyes widened when I saw the name.

“JohnOh: Hey, I need to see you.” My brow furrowed at his first text, so I quickly went to the next one, “That sounded really creepy. I have something to give you, so I need to see you.” He had something for me? What could he possibly have for me? “Okay, I know we're not “talking” or whatever, but come on. It's the holidays, Sparrow.”

I could tell he was annoyed by his last message, so I texted him back, “I'm at my parents' house...”

Not even thirty seconds later, I had a new message. Mila looked at me with a raised eyebrow, but I ignored her, “I'll drive over there. What's the address.”

I texted him back my parents' house address and sat anxiously. I couldn't believe he was actually going to come over on such a family oriented holiday to give me something. What did he have to give me anyways? We hadn't talked in over a week. I wasn't expecting him to even talk to me at all anymore since he left my house so pissed off.

“Who're you texting?” Mila asked with suggestive eyebrows.

“No one important.” I smirked. She knew I was lying.

It took all of twenty minutes for me to get another text from John saying he was outside. I was nervous to see him since the last time I did, we weren't exactly nice to each other. My stomach twisted into knots as I got up from my spot next to Mila, who was conversing with our other cousin, Sheila, about her time in Milan.

I hoped to sneak out of the house unnoticed, but things never went my way. “Where are you going, Bird?” My father asked from his seat next to my grandfather.

Quickly, I turned on my heel and faced everyone in the living room. All eyes were on me. Just as I was going to come up with an excuse, my seven year old cousin spoke up, “Aunt Rosemary, who's that man sitting in that truck outside?” Murmurs spread throughout the living room like wildfire. My eyes widened.

“I don't know, Able. Let's go-”

I cut my mother off, “No, it's fine. It's my friend. I'll bring him in.” I spouted off quickly then made my way out of the house.

It was cold and I was only wearing a Rebel Yell oversized long-sleeved scoopneck. My hands clutched at the ends of the sleeves to keep my fingers warm and my arms folded across my chest to keep in the heat. John had gotten out of his old truck when he noticed me walking down the walkway. He was wearing a white shirt that was too big for his lanky, skinny body and a black leather jacket along with baggy skinny jeans and a pair of beat up boots. It was weird how different him and Landon were when it came to style.

“I hope you know you just made yourself look like some creepy pedophile to my whole family.” Was the first thing I said to him. We hadn't spoken in a week and a half and the first thing I do is call him a pedophile.

He chuckled, “I'm sorry, Sparrow. I just- I wanted to give you your Christmas gift.”

My throat constricted as he pulled a small box wrapped in silver, glittery paper out of the front seat through the open window, “John,” I breathed, “you didn't have to get me anything. We haven't even talked in a week and a half and we didn't exactly leave off on good terms.”

He shrugged sheepishly and handed the box over to me. Gently, I took it from his hands, “I don't care. Plus, I got it before everything happened.”

I felt my emotions become overrun and I choked back tears. My hands were numb and shaking as I tore the paper from the box. It was so cold. He took the torn paper from my hands once it was removed. I paused, staring at the small box. I knew Christmas was all about giving rather than receiving, but it made me feel like shit knowing that someone who wasn't my boyfriend got me a gift and my boyfriend didn't. I was overwhelmed by John's generosity and my uncaring boyfriend.

“Come on, open it!” He exclaimed excitedly and I choked out a laugh, removing the lid. Inside the box was two tickets to see The Duke Spirit at The Roxy in Hollywood. “Now, I know you're probably thinking “what the hell am I going to do with these? I don't live in Hollywood.”” I chuckled then sniffed, “But I talked to Nick, and he sad we could stay with them since they live down the street. Their roommate is out of town until after the first of the year, so we have an actual bed. Well, you have a bed, I'll sleep on the couch. But I think it'll be fun. We can leave Wednesday afternoon and drive back Friday morning because we're playing the Tempe Block Party with Jimmy Eat World.” He rambled on nervously until I cut him off.

“You know,” I looked up at him through glossy eyes, “my boyfriend didn't even get me anything. Not even a card or anything, but you, you go and plan out a whole trip to Hollywood so I can see one of my favorite bands” I gave him a watery smile, “I don't know how to feel right now.” He frowned so I backtracked, “I'm excited about this, John. Thank you so much. I'm just sad, too.” I let out a breath then sniffed again.

Before I knew it, John had his arms wrapped around my shoulders and I was crying into his shirt. “Hey, Pretty Girl,” He said soothingly as he gently pushed me away by the shoulders, “you are too good to be crying over some guy.”

“But he's my boyfriend! Why doesn't he care?!” I cried.

“I don't know, but he's a damn fool for making you feel like this.”

My back pocket vibrated with a text message and since I didn't really want to be a crying mess in front of John anymore, no matter how great he was being, I pulled out my phone.

“Mila: Why are you crying? Did your boyfriend come apologize for being a douchebag?”

Oh, if only he were that charming to come apologize during a holiday. “No. He's not my boyfriend.”

“Come on,” I sniffed again while wiping under my eyes with my sleeve. Good thing I was wearing black, “I'm supposed to bring you inside to show that you're not a creep, preying on little girls.”

He smiled and chuckled, “Okay, only for you, though.” I smiled sadly as I pulled him up the walkway by his hand. Our hands were clasped as we walked into my childhood house and I didn't know how to feel. I shouldn't have been that happy that I got to see him after not talking to him for so long. Landon didn't want me to see him, yet there I was, bringing him inside to meet my [i[whole family. Landon hadn't even met my parents, yet.

Before I could say one single word, my grandma was smiling brightly at us, “Oh, Sparrow!” She exclaimed joyfully, “Is this that boyfriend your sisters mentioned?”

All eyes quickly turned to me and the tall boy latched to my hand. Ryver was practically glaring from across the room where she was sitting with her long-time girlfriend, Jenn. Winter and Clover were both smiling at us, obviously on Team John. They both had been ever since they found out about Landon's wish of me not talking to or seeing him anymore. Mila was smirking from where she was sitting, now, with her mother Tallulah and her little brother, Able.

“Uh, no, Gram.” I replied sweetly, “This is my friend John.” I motioned toward him with my free hand, “John, this is my grandmother, Clementine L'Amour.”

He smiled as he stuck out his hand for her to shake, “It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. L'Amour. I now know where Sparrow gets her beauty from.” I knew he was being cheesy and charming, but it worked on my grandmother and he had already won her over.

“This girl is a spitting image of me when I was her age!” She was right. My grandmother was a bombshell/pinup girl in the sixties. She had curves, black hair, and a vavavoom sex appeal. She was still as gorgeous as ever and I really looked to her as my style icon. “I always tell her she needs to gain weight, so she can fill out those curves she's hiding, but she doesn't listen.” He smiled as he listened, all the while I had rolled my eyes at her comment, “You know, I was a burlesque dancer in my twenties.” She mused.

“Oh, really? John asked, completely intrigued.

“Uh huh. Could have been a star, but things didn't go as planned.” She smiled warmly at him.

“Oh? And why's that?”

Grandma Clementine raised her hand and gently patter him on the cheek, “I fell in love.” She said, sending a chill up my spine and what looked like him since I saw the hair at the nape of his neck stand on end. “I still teach burlesque, though. I taught Sparrow some of my moves a few years back. Why don't you ask her to show you?” She added as she walked away.

I blushed while he nudged me, “So you know burlesque?”

I sighed, “I know some. Erika, Mila, and I took some classes one summer out of boredom.” He smirked down at me causing me to roll my eyes at him, “Come on, let's meet my parents.” His whole demeanor changed and he suddenly grew panicked, “You didn't think you'd get out of meeting them, did you?” I smirked as I dragged him through the house and into the kitchen where my mom was putting away leftovers.

“Mom,” I announced, “I want to introduce you to my friend John.”

“Oh!” She exclaimed, almost dropping the bowl of mashed potatoes in her hands. Instead, she threw it on the counter next to the sink and focused all of her attention on us, “John!” She smiled brightly, “It's so nice to finally meet you!”

I could tell that John was taken aback by my mother's bubbly persona. People usually were, “Well, it's nice to finally meet you, too, Mrs. Lamour. You have a very beautiful home.” I stood watching my mom and John interact. He seemed so natural with her.

“Oh, thank you, Dear! It's much easier to keep beautiful now that the girls are out of the house.” She turned and winked at me while John laughed. My mother's eyes trailed down to the box that was still in my hand, “What's that, Bird?” She softly touched the box.

I uncrossed my arms and looked down at the box, “Uh, John got me tickets to see The Duke Spirit for Christmas.” I noticed my sisters had all walked into the room as I explained my gift to my mother.

“Isn't that show in Hollywood?” Clover questioned and I nodded.

“Yeah, we're driving out there Wednesday and staying at his friends Nick and Sawyer's apartment then driving home Friday morning because John's band is playing at the Tempe Block Party.”

Ryver looked very unamused, but my mother, Clover, and Winter all seemed for it, “That sounds like fun!” My mother said. She always went with the flow and just wanted everyone to have a fun time.

“It should be.” I agreed as I smiled over at John.

“Didn't Landon ask you not to talk to John? Why would you think going to California with him would be a good idea?” Ryver angrily asked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw John shift uncomfortably. What gave Ryver the right to make him feel so unwanted when he hadn't even done anything? I was getting sick and tired of the way she was treating me, and now John, “Why don't you mind your own damn business?” I shot back, but she just rolled her eyes and walked back into the living room.

“God, I thought I was the hormonal, bitchy one.” Winter muttered once she was out of earshot.

I cracked a smile, glad for my other sisters, “John these are my sisters.” I introduced, “Clover is the oldest and Winter's the second oldest.”

Clover's arm went around my neck and she pulled me into her side, “Listen, Bud,” She said to John, “We're the ones you need to impress, not our parents.” I rolled my eyes.

“Hey, you can't keep me out of this little group!” Mila said as she walked in behind John. She squeezed between him and my mother and stood on the other side of Winter, “I'm Mila, Sparrow's cousin. You must be John.” She said and he nodded with an amused smile on his face, “I'm the real one you need to impress.”

I rolled my eyes again at how ridiculous my family was being. My mother laughed, placing her hand on John's arm, gaining his attention, “Good luck with these three.” She said and he laughed.

“Oh, thank you.”

Clover snapped her fingers in his face to get his attention, “Hey, Buddy Boy, I'm not done talking to you.” Mom laughed once more before she left the kitchen.

“Now, what are your intentions with our sister on this trip to Hollywood?” Winter spoke up with her eyes narrowed at him.

With a laugh, I shoved out from under both of their arms, “Oh, shut up!”

“Sparrow, this is vital information.” Mila said, “Don't make me pissed off at you or I'll tell him some embarrassing high school stories.” My face paled. She smirked at the reaction she got out of me.

“Answer the question, Johnny Boy.” Clover said.

He was still smiling in amusement, which I took as a good sign; it showed he wasn't uncomfortable or annoyed, “My intentions for our trip to LA is to take Sparrow to see one of her favorite bands and to make sure she has a good time.” I smiled warmly at him, butterflies filling my gut.

My sisters and Mila all smiled at his answer, “Right answer.” Winter said.