I Think I Love You

In the three weeks and two days after Quellie's birthday party, Ez and I have not spoken another word about what almost happened. We also learned that our wedding will be in early June, which only gave us six more months. I really wasn't ready for that. I also wasn't ready for Christmas, which is tomorrow. Though I've succesfully completed my shopping, I told everyone not to get me anything. I told them I have more than enough, but I know they didn't listen.

I was in my room wrapping the last gift, when someone knocked on my door. "Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Ez." Lucky enough, I had his gifts wrapped and put away. So I said,

"Come in." He walked in wearing just his pajama bottoms and socks. I quickly looked back at the gift I was wrapping. He came over and sat beside me on the bed. "What's up?" I asked.

"I was just wondering what you were doing." I sighed as I taped the last side of the gift. I wrote a name sticker To: Quellie, From: Nikki and put the wrapped box in my closet.

"Well I'm about to change into my pajamas, so..."

"Oh, okay. No, I was just wondering because Rudolph comes on tonight and I wanted to know if you wanted to watch it with me." I laughed.

"You're such a big kid!" I watched his facial expression go from confident to hurt in a split second. "Just like me," I added. He laughed. "Of course I'll watch it with you!" He grinned and said,

"Cool. I'll make popcorn." as he exited my room. I shut the door and changed into my pajamas, then went to the kitchen to get Ez. I could smell the popcorn as soon as I walked out of my room. I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen and stole the popcorn from Ez. I grabbed a piece a popped it in my mouth. Ez just laughed. I followed him back upstairs to his room, where we sat down on the bed and waited for Rudolph to come on.

Together, we finished off the popcorn within fifteen minutes. Ez set the bowl on his nightstand and laid back on the bed, propping his head up with his pillows. I laid back as well, but rested my head on his bare chest. He was so warm. He hesitated, but wrapped his arm around me anyway. To the naked eye, it looked like we were in love, but if you look under the microscope, you'd see we're just friends. Really good friends.

I had been yawning the entire time Rudolph was on, and when it went off, I looked at Ez. He was fast asleep with his arm still around me. I laid my head back down on his chest and closed my eyes, falling asleep.

*

I woke up the next morning pressed up against Ez, with his arm draped over my waist. I smiled and closed my eyes. I was really comfortable and didn't want to move, but Abby busted into his room. I pretended to be asleep, so I could listen to what she had to say. "Oh my God! Quellie, Stefan, come quick!" she said in the lowest voice I think I've ever heard her use.

"Holy crap," Quellie said.

"It took them long enough," Stefan said.

"Go downstairs, I'll wake them up," Abby instructed. There was a moment of silence, then Abby shouted, "Wake up! Wake up! Santa came, wake up!" as she clapped her hands together. We both jumped, then I sat up and looked down at Ez. He smiled up at me and said,

"Really, mom?"

"Yes really. Get up and come downstairs, Santa came," Abby said before she went downstairs. I laughed and climbed out of his bed. I went into my room to grab the gifts from my closet and take them downstairs where everyone was waiting. I set the wrapped boxes under the tree and sat down next to Ez. "Stockings first. Ez, hand Nikki hers." Ez handed me a heavy hot pink stocking. I dumped it out on the floor, revealing all kinds of Rimmel make-up. "No offense, Nikki, but your make-up sucks." I laughed and put everything back in the stocking. "Ez's turn!"

When we finished examining our stockings, we opened gifts. I told you they wouldn't listen to me. They only got me a few things, but those few things were expensive. I got teal Ray Bans, Hello Kitty Docs and that Gucci bag I saw at Saks.

Once everyone was done opening their gifts, we gathered up the trash to throw away. "Oh, wait. Nikki, you have one more gift," Abby said, smiling. I looked under the tree, but there was nothing there.

"There's nothing left under the tree."

"That's because it wouldn't fit under the tree." Ez got behind me and covered my eyes. Someone, probably Quellie took my hand and guided me through the house and outside. I knew we were outside because of the blast of cool morning air that hit me. "One. Two. Three!" Ez removed his hands from my eyes and there, in the driveway sat a silver Jeep Liberty with a big red bow on the hood. I squealed as I jumped up and down and Abby handed me the keys. "Your dad said you have your license." I threw my arms around Abby's neck and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"We were tired of dragging you around town," Ez said. His grin let me know he was joking. I laughed and said,

"I can't believe you guys did this!"

"We figured since you're going to be here a while, you need a way to get around," Abby said. "Go on, take her for a spin." I climbed in and revved the engine and Ez ran over to hop in the passenger's side. I rolled my window down and Abby said, "Drive safe!" I nodded, my smile not fading. This had to have been the best Christmas I've ever had.