Christmas and Wrapping Paper

"Whoa, what are you doing back here?" The leader boy asked, face draining of it's ruthlessness. In it's place, he took on a look of horror.

"What do you have against Wrapping Paper?" I questioned, blatantly avoiding my wrong.

"How'd you know about that?" He spat, rising on his lanky legs.

My eyes flicked to Brennen, but I decided to keep him out of trouble. "Us adults know everything." I shrugged easily.

"You're not an adult." He accused, pointing at me. "How old are you anyway?"

"A lady never reveals her age." I told him, pushing the finger away that had been pointed at me. "Now answer my question." I demanded, grabbing roughly by the collar if his shirt.

"Okay, okay!" He replied, waving his arms about feverishly. "J-just let go of me."

I obliged, releasing him, pushing him back as I did so. He staggered back, erecting himself again once he was steady.

"Guys, go do your chores or something." Leader boy commanded, pointedly glancing at the pathway through the piles of things to the door. Everyone scattered. I raised an eyebrow, signaling for him to start spilling his guts.

“Alright.” He sighed, slumping down against the wall. I sat down cross-legged across from him, looking at him expectantly. “You see, Mister and Mrs. Higgins took me in when I was a baby. My parents died and all the tragic stuff, and the Higgins were family friends, and my legal guardians once my parents died.

“They could never have kids of their own, you see. It was just me and Nick, he was adopted, too. And after they adopted me, they wanted one more, or so they said. It just escalated from there. This place became an orphanage; they got that special license. I didn’t really mind. All of us kids would play together and Mister and Mrs. Higgins were pretty good parents. They spent time with each of us. That is, until Wrapping Paper was dropped off at our door.

“Everything became about Wrapping Paper. She was the baby, after all. Suddenly, Mister and Mrs. Higgins didn’t have time for any of us. We all became violent kids because that’s what happens when kids are angry at life and have no discipline.”

“So you started a club against Wrapping Paper?” I guessed. He nodded solemnly. “That’s hardly fair. It wasn’t her fault her parents dropped her off here. And don’t you think it’s just as hard for her to have lost her parents as it was for you? And now you’re making her life hell.”

“I guess I never thought of it that way.” He scrunched his eyebrows, eyes downcast. He was ashamed.

“You need to apologize to that poor girl.” I commanded. “And call off the club.”

“Do I have to?” He whined.

“Yes. Or I’m telling everyone that you’re a nose picker!” I threatened.

“Fine!” He agreed, throwing his hands in the air in a surrendering motion.

***

“I’m so exhausted.” I complained to Nick, plopping down on the dusty couch beside him.

“Try doing this every day for 5 years.” He replied bitterly. “You’d learn to get used to it.”

“5 years? You’ve been here that long?” I asked, shocked.

“No, I’ve been here my whole life. But the Higgins started taking in more kids 5 years ago, and I had to help.” He explained while he flicked through the channels.

“You know that boy who’s like 13 or 14 years old, with the really bad acne?” I questioned.

“Yeah, that’s Henry.”

“Well, he told me about the anti-Wrapping Paper club today.” I said. “They hold their little meetings in the room where all Mr. Higgins’s stuff is.”

“We really need to talk to Mrs. Higgins about getting rid of some of that stuff. We could raise some major money for this place. I know she might want to keep a few things, but it’s not like she’s got anyone to pass it down to.” He thought aloud. “It’s a bit morbid, but I think she needs to hear the truth.”

“We can talk to her tomorrow.” I suggested. “That’s a really good idea.” I could feel the gears in my head turning.

I let my head drop onto Nick’s shoulder in my exhausted state. It was nice to be so truthful with someone, to have a friendship with someone who didn’t care about materials. To be this close to someone who didn’t care about my money.