No Happily Ever After

‘When did we ever agree to wear these?’ Jack complained to Rian’s mom, plucking at the emerald green sweater she’d made him. I wore a similar sweater, and laughed, linking arms playfully with him.
‘You don’t really have a choice.’ Rian’s mom was awesome. She was amazed at how clean I kept the small house, and cooked an entire 3 course meal without batting an eyelid. She insisted that I ‘hang out’ with the 4 boys she obviously admired as her sons, and forbid me to enter the tiny square room with faded blue tiles and breaking wooden kitchen cupboards.
‘I realized.’ Jack glared and buried his face in my shoulder. The bruises were fading very slowly, and that worried me. I didn’t want him to be in so much pain all the time.
‘How awkward, you guys are wearing matching sweaters.’ Alex yelled. I flipped him off, and then grinned sheepishly at Rian’s glowering parents. Zack’s parents were here, and so were Alex’s. They were all taking in the small house with cheerful expressions, and chatting to their children.
And that left Jack and I holding onto each other for dear life, trying not to be affected by the sight of reunited families. At least my parents were alive… And well. Jack’s parents were gone.
‘Jack, don’t worry.’ I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. He smiled weakly in return; I’d guessed right.
‘It just makes me wonder… Would I be in All Time Low without them?’
‘You’ll never know. Everything happens for a reason, Jackie.’
‘I know. Sometimes I wish I had my parents instead though.’ He sighed.
‘Really?’
‘Truly.’ He mumbled something about needing to pee, and left me. I immediately launched conversation with Lisa who watched us with a wary expression.
‘Ella?’ Zack called my name and I whirled around.
Oh, Zack. We’d stopped talking as much, limiting conversation to a quick hello and maybe casually exchanging our lives. We were still close, I guessed, but I didn’t have a problem, and neither did he. All I heard from his room was the chords from A Daydream Away playing softly, and his deep voice singing the words that I had. But Jack and I had already discussed; even if Zack and I were close, I’d still be his number one priority, and he’d always look out for me. Those words meant more to me than any number of kisses, or hugs, or murmurs of affection.
But the kiss Zack and I had shared was unresolved- and like any unplanned kiss, we had to discuss it. Whenever we would, that conversation and the days to follow it… Well, they wouldn’t be pleasant. Not for me, Zack, Jack or anyone.
‘Hey, Zack.’ I smiled warmly, and he gestured to his parents.
‘Meet my mom, and my dad.’ Step-dad, Alex had informed me. Zack had known nothing else apart from the tall happy man in front of me, and was glad to have a fatherly figure in his life.
‘Hey, Mrs. Merrick. Hi, Mr. Merrick.’ I gave a quick wave and stood up to hug them. His mother was warm and pleasant, and the hug I gave his dad was quick and efficient with nothing in between. ‘Your son is awesome.’
‘We know. He pestered us to drive all the way here.’ She pulled a face and started lecturing him on the importance of proper eating. He gave me a sheepish grin, and I went to find Jack.
‘Jaaaaaack?’
‘Yeah?’ He was in his room, wiping his eyes.
‘Oh, baby.’ I mumbled, embracing him.
‘I miss them, Ella.’
‘I know.’
He sighed. ‘It’s only 5. Rian’s mom will want us to set the table.’ He grabbed my hand and tugged me down the stairs.
Sure enough, Rian’s mom made Alex and Lisa lay the table, and Jack and I grabbed the sufficient amount of chairs. Rian and Kara watched us with amused expressions. Zack and his parents grabbed the drinks from the fridge and Rian’s parents made places for the dishes to be set.
I sat in between Jack and next to Alex. Lisa, who was spending her first Christmas away from her parents, smiled with shining eyes, her hand linked with Alex’s.
‘After this, we take Christmas pictures!’ Kara cried, eagerly.
Today was the corniest day of my life.
‘And then the presents. I wanna know what Ella got everybody.’ Jack interjected.
‘You would.’ Rian remarked.
‘Only because she’s secretive.’ Zack added.
I narrowed my eyes at both of them, and smiled at Rian’s mom, who served us first.
I tucked in to the first real meal I’d had in a long time (everyone was far too preoccupied to bother cooking) and at first, listened to the conversation flitting around me.
‘So you’ve all graduated? Aren’t you 17, Ella?’
‘She moved up a grade, mom.’ Alex reminded his parents, who’d specially flown in from England.
‘Oh wow!’ Lisa gasped. ‘Even I’m not smart enough…’ She trailed off and Alex patted her shoulder consolingly, his mouth too stuffed with turkey to talk.
‘She’s a good singer.’ Jack added.
‘Shut it, you.’ I elbowed him, and then kissed his cheek quickly. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t realise they still hurt.’
‘It’s ok.’
‘Yes, Jack. How on Earth did you get those black eyes? And how did you, Zack?’ Mrs. Merrick turned to both the boys and questioned them with inquisitive eyes.
‘Play fight.’ Jack shrugged smoothly. ‘What can we say? We’re tough.’ He pretended to flex his muscles… Or lack of. Zack was the muscled one.
‘You boys must be careful nowadays. You’ll ruin the pictures.’ Rian’s mom sighed. ‘So how’re you, Jack? Ella?’
‘We’re fine.’
‘Still dating?’
‘Yep.’ I lied quickly, trying hard to avoid the questions that were inevitably going to come forth if I’d told the truth.
‘That’s adorable! It’s been… Almost a year now? 10 months?’
’10 months and 3 days.’ I smiled.
Alex frowned at us, and even Rian squinted at us suspiciously, but we shrugged them off with forced smiles. The usually positive Jack looked downright miserable as he cut into his food and shoved a wedge into his mouth.
‘What’s up?’
He shot me a withered look, and I smiled sympathetically. ‘Baby, it’ll get better.’
‘I know. I know.’ He mumbled, repeating the words to himself.
When dinner ended, Jack and I gathered the plates and loaded them into the kitchen for Alex and Lisa to wash together. Rian and Kara and Zack were in charge of putting them away and drying them. When the work was done, Rian’s mom held up Kara’s camera enticingly and gestured for us to stand in front of the broken fireplace.
Jack wrapped his arm around my shoulders awkwardly, and one of his hands clutched both of mine in front of us. Smart and formal, I held my shoulders back and smiled. She insisted on us together, so Jack wrapped both of his arms around me, and I ruined the shop by grinning wildly and squeezing his face between my palms. There were a lot of Alex and me, much to Lisa’s annoyance, then one or two of me and Rian, and a shot of us girls. Lisa stood to my right, and Kara stood to my left, and all three of us linked arms.
‘You’re beautiful.’ Mrs. Dawson smiled at me. ‘You and Jack have a very rare thing for children so young…’
I smiled. ‘Thanks, Mrs. Dawson.’
‘Anytime, sweetie.’
Eventually, at 8, we sat cross legged around the tree in the corner. A large mass of presents had formed, and ecstatically, we handed them round.
As I handed Jack his small box, he frowned, and ripped it open. His face formed a delighted smile as he held the snowglobe up.
‘Thanks, Ella. It’s beautiful.’
‘You’re beautiful.’ I whispered, my lips millimetres from ear. He shuddered gleefully and opened another small box from Alex. It was guitar picks. From the Dawsons, he received a large set of acrylic paint, from the Merricks, he opened a large box sporting new iPod speakers, and Kara gave him a shirt with our faces on it. Lisa gave him a hug and handed him three parcels.
Looking at our confused smiles, she frowned. ‘I found these under the tree, ok? They’re not all from me. I gave him that.’ She pointed to a box which revealed to be a jacket and a large amount of candy.
‘Thanks, Lisa.’ He smiled at her, and checked the tag on the other boxes; his face fell and he shoved them away. ‘I’ll open these later.’
‘You sure?’
‘Your turn, Ella!’ Lisa squealed, shoving a large amount of presents in my hands.
I got: From Alex a dress, from Rian some novelty socks, from Zack I got a tiny bracelet, Kara gave me a hooded shirt, and Lisa gave me a print of me and her with our arms around each other and finally, I opened the tiny box Jack handed me.
I gasped as I ripped off the paper; a tiny box that could only be a ring.
‘Ja-‘ He placed a hand over my mouth, silencing me, and I opened it. A promise ring with our names entwined.
‘What did he get you?’ Kara crawled over, excited as heck. She’d already opened her presents, as had everyone else, and now with flushed cheeks, she let out a long whistle as she held the ring up. ‘That’s beautiful.’
‘I know.’ I murmured, inspecting it all over. ‘Thank you.’
‘Do you like it?’ Jack snaked his arms around me, and unable to contain any feelings I had been previously hiding, I kissed him. ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’ He mumbled against my lips, his arms getting tighter and more desperate.
‘It’s a heck yes.’ I pulled away, laughing with dizzy euphoria. He was amazing.
‘You guys should go to bed soon. It’s late.’ Mrs. Merrick chided, but everyone sat down and remained talking despite the frown on her face.
After a while, I sat on the porch. What had I done last year?
Mom and I had ordered food, and Mason had come to our house and eaten all our food. I’d stormed off until mom gave me a necklace and made me sit with her and Mason.
I thought about Dad; what was he doing right now? How was his Christmas? What was he doing? Had he found a new wife? I didn’t know. I didn’t want to know. I missed him.
One time, he’d thrown on his coat and driven us to the beach where we sat in the middle of winter, eating hot dogs and fries, discussing everything. He told me how much he loved mom, and how he never wanted to leave us. Another time, he surprised mom by getting a flourist to deliver flowers to her office.
Why had he left? I didn’t know, but I wanted to know.
‘Penny for your thoughts.’ Alex climbed down and sat next to me.
‘Pardon?’
‘It’s a figure of expression from England.’ He told me, staring at the stars. ‘I’m not sure what it means, though.’
‘Typical of you, Alex.’ I murmured. He laughed and I heard the happy ring to it. Lisa was making him laugh more often and for that, I was eternally grateful.
‘So why’re you out here?’
‘I’m not quite sure.’ I smiled. ‘What about you?’
‘Lisa told me to wait under the mistletoe.’ He chuckled.
‘Wait, we’re under mistletoe?’ I gasped, looking up and seeing the familiar shape. I blushed.
‘And the rules are: you kiss anyone you’re under the mistletoe with.’ He sighed. ‘Jack and Lisa will understand, don’t worry.’
‘This isn’t just an excuse to kiss me, is it?’ I laughed.
‘Really?’ He laughed and then leaned over and kissed me.
It was nice, the feeling of his lips on mine and the taste of strawberry lingering hesitantly on my own tasteless lips. After a few seconds, I pulled away.
‘That was a freaking awesome first kiss, if I say so myself.’ He grinned. ‘I’ll go get Jack so then me and Lisa have a turn.’ He winked and then ran inside.
‘Alex said he kissed you!’ Jack whistled. ‘Whooooore.’
‘Freak.’ I grinned and hugged him quickly, trying to distract him. ‘What’s going on inside?’
‘Not much, really.’ He shrugged. I waited for him to point out the mistletoe above us, but he said nothing.
I stared at the stars.
‘What are you thinking about?’
I turned to stare at him, and replied quickly. ‘Christmas with my dad.’
‘Huh.’ He snorted slightly. ‘That’s funny, I was thinking about Christmas with my parents.’
I smiled. ‘We’re pretty messed up, aren’t we?’
‘We’re bad with out emotions.’ He nodded insignificantly. ‘At least, I am. I mean, I don’t know how else to tell you that I love you without just saying it. That’s scary.’ I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his shoulder. His hands remained in his lap, wringing, and I saw how nervous he was. ‘I mean, if I get jealous, I don’t know how to tell you and let you know without trying to make you jealous too…’
‘It’s ok.’ I rested my hand on his shoulder. ‘Some people… They’re born with different skills, you know?’ I smiled. ‘You have a hard time getting your emotions out; but I don’t think someone like Alex would. He seems very easy to fall in love and express himself. When we were with Lisa, he just kept murmuring, I love you; I love you, over and over again. You wouldn't do that… You seem more… Shy.’
‘Thanks you, Ella. Thank you so much.’ He mumbled, before pulling me closer until my shoulder touched his, basking in the warmth as a fresh mound of snow encircled us.