A Smile for Your Scrap-books

A Polaroid camera lay on the floor next to a stack of old pictures that had half fallen over to display a pile of pictures that had been taken over the past couple years. A girl sat Indian style in the middle of the floor with her head in her left hand, as its elbow rested on her knee. The sun shined through the window making the already light purple walls look even lighter. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun atop her head, and her free hand was ruffling through the pile of pictures that were on the floor.

It was the middle of August and she only had three hours left to think of the perfect two year anniversary present for her boyfriend. The pressure was building up, she couldn’t think of one thing to get him; all she wanted was for her gift to be perfect. She looked down and took a glance at her wrist, it adorned a silver bracelet with her name etched in, Chelsea.

She remembered the exact day he’d given her the bracelet. It was a rainy day, and she was depressed that he was leaving for work, as usual. He tried to cheer her up all day but nothing was working; all she did was mope around the house. It was partly because he’d be leaving…, again, and partly because it was her birthday and he hadn’t said anything to her all day. It was nearly two o’clock and he was going to be leaving to check in at the airport any time now; she had been sitting on the couch curled into a ball with a blanket over her, as she flipped through the channels of the TV. Her boyfriend had come out of their bedroom was a long black box in his hand, he’d walked over to the couch, and knelt down in front of her, handing her the black box. He whispered in her ear, before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

The memory brought back a flood of feelings.

Sadly none of them were helping her think of a gift to give to her boyfriend. It was bad enough she only had three hours to figure out the perfect gift to give him; he deserved so much, and she couldn’t even think of one thing to give him. He was much better at giving gifts then she was. You could name any person and he could name off at least two things to get them. If you asked Chelsea that same question it’d take her hours and then some before she could think of a gift for anyone. It was even harder for her now that she needed to think of something so last minute.

Her phone vibrated next to her, she grabbed it inputting the password and reading the text that was sent to her.

From: Alex Rebello
Hey! Have you thought of anything to give the boy toy for your anniversary yet?

Chelsea sighed, mentally cursing her friend, before quickly sending a response.

To: Alex Rebello
No. This is too hard.

After hitting send, she went back to looking through the photos on the floor. It was beginning to annoy her that she couldn’t think of a gift for her boyfriend. They’d been dating for two years and she couldn’t think of something to get him. For a normal person this should be the easiest thing in the world, but for her it was like some sort of chore. It was a bump in the road, and she couldn’t get over it.

The phone vibrated again.

From: Alex Rebello
Well just look at some old photos! I’m sure something will come up!

Chelsea threw the phone somewhere on her bed. “If it was as easy as looking at pictures, I’d have him a gift right now.” She sighed and pushed some of the pictures away from herself, groaning in the process. There was no way she was going to be able to finish thinking, making or getting a gift in less than three hours. Looking down at the pictures she noticed a folded up piece of paper; she took the folded paper, opened in and began to read.

Dear Chelsea,
I feel like I should write you a letter while I’m sitting here with nothing to do, and I miss talking to you, so I feel like writing this letter is like me babbling to you and you not listening to me. I have nothing to do other than go to the gym, read and watch old superhero movies. It gets old after awhile. I miss seeing you, and I’m thinking that I really need to get an updated picture of the two of us. The one I have is kinda old. We need to take a new picture so I can put in my wallet. There’s nothing to do on the plane right now, we’re headed somewhere in the United States…, I think Kansas? Who knows. Well I just wanted to right you this letter so you know I care about you.
Love, Phil.

Chelsea’s head shot up and she got up off the floor running over to the white corner desk in the room, opening the drawer and pulling out an old fancy looking notebook. The scissors, glue, colored paper and pen came next; the old Polaroid pictures were now in pieces on the floor.

How she didn’t remember this before. He’d been bugging her for days before he left for the two of them to take a photo together. He’d bugged her so much, for days upon days; how did she not remember this? It was the easiest thing to do.

Hours flew by, by the time that Chelsea finished the present. She closed the book, and put everything away, throwing the clippings of pictures in the trash.

“Honey! I’m home.” There was a slam of the door, and the thud of dropping some bags, before Chelsea turned around to see her boyfriend standing in the doorway. “I missed your face.” He smiled before walking over to her and placing a kiss on her lips.

“Well…now you’ll never have to miss my face again.” Chelsea handed him the book she’d spent the last two hours making. “It’s a scrapbook of the two of us. A bunch of pictures of us together, that way you’ll have tons of pictures to remind you of me.” She had a huge smile on her face as she stared up at her boyfriend.

“Awh…now all the guys will think I’m gay, carrying around a scrapbook and all.” Phil sighed, making his signature sad face.

“You’re such a fucking punk.” Chelsea laughed hitting his chest lightly.

“I’m just joking, babe.” Phil said, kissing her forehead. “This is a wonderful gift. I’ll take it everywhere.”

“Good!” She pulled him down by the collar of his shirt, and placed a kiss on his lips. “Happy Anniversary babe.”