Picture Perfect, More Or Less.

[Numa seemed to have calmed down after telling the story, even sort of getting into it. Something about the tale of how they got in and out of a horrible situation was kind of fun to look back on.]

Numa, sniffing up the last bit of tears: You know, for a couple of white guys, we sure kicked a lot of ass.
Ross laughs: Me and Carter were the ones kicking ass, Numa. You were busy puking in that bastard's face.
Carter: Hey, he could easily make fun of you, ya know. Ben got some damn fine punches on you. Your face was bloated for weeks! What the hell ever happened to them, anyways? (Ross thinks for a moment. It had been quite a while.)
Ross: Uh... Slice and Slick got arrested for Drug possession, soliciting alcohol to minors, and throwing a party past curfew. Ben had already graduated, but he wasn't old enough to be tried as an adult. I think he's still grounded, though.
Carter, worried: You think we'll be in trouble when they get out? (Numa shakes his head.)
Numa: Nah. They got another eleven years, nine if they get parole. I think they'll have plenty of their own shit to take care of once they get out. (Ross nods in agreement.)
Numa, grateful: You know, looking back on it, I guess you did what you could, Ross. Thanks. I might have been dead. You too Carter, even though you got the shit kicked out of you.
Carter laughs: Hey now! (Ross was very pleased with Numa's show of gratitude. This was a rare honor. Fuck, it might as well have been a Christmas Miracle.)
Ross: Hey man, I guess I am your keeper, ya know? And the one we ought to thank is Bree. Bless that girl. I would've never gotten out in time if she wasn't willing to dive into hell with us.
Carter: Speaking of females, what ever happened to Lexas at that party?
Ross: I remember talking to Bree about that. She was the one who called the cops once she saw you get hurt. (Carter grew a big smile.)
Carter: Well I'll be damned. So, who wants to open presents? It's about one thirty, right Ross?
Ross, checking his watch: Hell, you're right. Merry Christmas, faggots. Who's opening what first?
Carter, excited: Oh, oh! You guys open mine first! (He goes under the tree and throws two nice-sized boxes at both of them. They open it happily.)
Numa: The fuck?
Ross, ecstatic: Dear God!
(Numa pulled out a giant poster, or sticker of some kind that was Carter doing a "sexy" pose, and Ross pulled out a shirt with Carter's face doing a hysterical smile, with big bold letters reading "C-Dizzle" under.)
Ross bursts into laughter: This is the greatest gift I've ever gotten! (Numa's frown turns into a big, dumb smile.)
Numa laughs too: How the hell did you manage this?
Carter, proud of himself: There's some websites where you send them images and they can make posters and shirts, among other things. Now I can be on top of Ross all the time, and I can watch Numa sleep while I lay upon his humble wall.
Numa: Alright, alright. Open mine, guys. (He throws a small, poorly-wrapped present to Ross and another small one to Carter. They open them, and are both pleasantly surprised.)
Ross: Wow, Numa... I love it! (It was a small, hand-done stuffed animal of the Pokemon Snorlax. Of course it wasn't Numa who had made it, but the detail was perfect, and the knitting looked like a lot of time was spent on it. Carter opened his, and it was a CD of one of his many favorite bands that came out a few days ago. He remembered telling Numa how bummed he was that he couldn't get his hands on a copy in time for Christmas.)
Carter: Dude, sweet!
Numa, proudly: Bought that one off Lexas. She didn't charge me too much when I told her it was for you.
Ross: Awww! Fuckin' adorable. Now shut up and open mine. (He reaches under the tree and tosses a poorly-wrapped little present to Carter, who quickly opens it. It was the first season of Edd, Ed n' Eddy, a TV series that used to play all the time on Channel 36.)
Ross: I couldn't find anything perfect for you that you didn't already have, but I know how much you like collecting seasons and movies... So I thought you'd appreciate that. We'll watch sometime and make fun of how awesomely lame it is.
Carter was very pleased: Thanks, man. I love it. (Ross reaches under the tree once more, and pulls out a perfectly wrapped, small square box with black and gold wrapping paper and hands it to Numa. It was kind of heavy. Numa looks up at him, present in hand.)
Numa: This, uh... Looks expensive.
Ross: Open the shit, will ya? (He does so, carefully. It reveals a smooth, beautiful black box that looked very expensive. He opened it, and inside was silk, covering up a beautiful silver pocket watch. He opened it up, and inside was, of course, a nice display of time, but on the other part was a digital picture of Numa, which changed to Ross, Carter, and then to a picture of all three of them they took at the end of the last summer. Numa looked up at Ross, who was smiling warmly.)
Numa: Dude, I... I can't believe this. This must have cost you a fortune, how did you get the money?
Ross shrugged: Mowed a few lawns and sold a few games I didn't play. Well, I mean, I played some of them, but anything for you Numa. Merry Christmas. (Numa stood up, and so did Ross, and they embraced each other for a strong, friendly hug. As Carter was about to get up and make it a man-sandwich, the phone in his pocket started to vibrate.)
Carter: Who could possibly be texting m... (He checked his phone and stopped for a moment. Ross and Numa finished their little love fest.)
Numa: Well, who is it?
Carter, opening his phone: It's... Lexas. She's asking me what I'm doing for New Year's.
Numa: And it's not someone fucking with you? (Ross came over and checked the text.)
Ross: Nope. That's Lexas.
Numa: Well, I'll be damned! (His phone begins to vibrate. He checks his phone, and his jaw drops.)
Ross: Is... Is it Nat? What does it say?
Numa: It... Just says... "Hey."
Carter: Well, answer back fucker! (Carter quickly begins texting Lexas back, telling her he had nothing to do and asking her if she did.)
Ross, laughing: Well, ain't this a Christmas fucking miracle? Hell, who knows, maybe next Crhistmas will be a triple date.
Carter laughs, overjoyed: Yeah! Numa and Nat, me and Lexas, and you and your beautiful girlfriend Lefty!
Ross chuckles: What, you don't like her? She's a swell gal! (As they joke, Numa texts back Nat. After a few "Hey, how you doing? Fine" texts, he texts a long message about him being sorry and how he's an idiot and he just wants to be friends again. Carter and Ross finished what they were doing and look over Numa's shoulder and waited for the text back, which seemed like an eternity. They were all hopeful, and ready for anything.)
Nat's text: It's alright. I forgive you.

[After a slight pause, Numa begins to tear up, and Carter and Ross let out a thunderous hurrah, slapping Numa on the back and ruffling his hair in encouragement. The snow outside came to a gentle fall, and it finally became a quiet, peaceful Christmas morning. And as the night broke into dawn and the laughs of children waking up their parents could almost be heard in the houses around them, Carter, Numa, and Ross went to bed, hopeful for a new year, one where new opportunities could be found and new relationships could be forged. And, for one, a time of healing and comfort could begin for the first time in a long time. And for The Trio, it was a Christmas they could hold their head up high over for years to come. It was picture perfect.]