Bah Humbug

If I could recreate the world with just one thing missing, I would choose snow. Snow just ruins everything. Because snow can become a snowstorm, which can turn into a blizzard, which can shut all the power off and cancel any and all flights, like for example, a certain someone’s trip to Tahiti, where snow definitely did not exist. And where I, I mean, a certain someone could pretend it was summer in the wonderful warmth and humidity and not Christmas.

Yes, snow sucks. It’s just a well-known fact- everyone and their mothers knows it. It’s the bane of everyone’s existence and any other opinion contradicting this fact is invalid. Thank you and have a nice day.

Since my trip was cancelled, I was left to freeze in my crappy flat in the freezing city of London while others were probably enjoying the hot sun and cabana boys in Tahiti. Getting served fruity drinks with those little umbrella by some young shirtless guy with a six pack and a v-cut.

I can’t, won’t let it go. I could’ve been in Tahiti!

Instead of enjoying the hot sun like I should’ve been, I was trying to get warm with candle fire and a bottle of Jack (I could’ve used the fire place but I had no idea how to use that and I really was not in the mood to add singed eyebrows to the list).

Oh, how the tables have turned. Maybe I should look at the bright side of all this. This sure beat going home for the holidays where getting felt up by Uncle, but not really uncle, Tim was a regular and mom criticizing all of your poor life choices was the highlight of the night.

Anyway, I was on my way to getting pissed-as-fuck-did-I-really-just-do-that drunk when there was a loud knock on my door. I really hoped it wasn’t Old Lady Jean. She could talk your ear off, first on how her grandchildren never visited her anymore and then how I was looking particularly skinny that evening, but then comment five minutes later on how I should hold my mouth and no man would like me if I kept eating like it was the end of the world. Thanks Jean.

“Coming,” I yelled as I tried to leave my cocoon of quilts. My nana made like thirty quilts, which made escaping a lot harder than it sounded because it became more of a death trap than an actual cocoon. I was in the middle of a fight to the finish match between the baby blue one and the purple-ly pink one when I tripped and head butted with the wood floor.

“Oh, shit,” I grunted, rubbing my battle wound and sliding out of the death trap. My head was pounding to the beat of an African tribal drum when another couple of knocks came from the door. Groaning, I picked myself off the floor. “I said I’m coming!”

I was pretty sure I looked like a crazy person with my shoulder length hair full of knots and a huge red bump on my forehead, but that didn’t stop me from opening the door. There weren’t many people in my building that I particularly like and would get dressed up for, besides the only hot was supposed to be with his family in Wolverhampton.

I say supposed to be, because he ended up being right in front of my door, wearing a wool knitted hat and holding a neatly wrapped present.

“Liam.” His name came out like a breathless gasp as I tried to calm my hurricane hair. I wished I were wearing a hat. He gave me one of his signature smiles – you know the one that can melt the heart of even Ebenezer Scrooge. It made my knees wobbly and I had to hold the door for support. “What are you doing here? I thought you had to go to Wolverhampton to visit your family?”

He shook his head and shrugged. “I was, Violet, but,” he pointed to my window, where the cold had made it completely fogged up and impossible to see through, “blizzard.”

I laughed, resting my head on the edge of the door, just staring at his hot self. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.

We stood there for a few moments, me just blatantly staring at him and he just standing there, awkwardly trying to ignore my obvious checking him out. It must’ve been too much for him because he cleared his throat and nodded his head towards my flat.

“Aren’t you gonna to invite me in?” he asked. I nodded, cheeks burning up. Opening the door more, I let him slip through. As I closed the door, I rested my forehead against the cold metal.

I can’t believe I just stood there and stared. He must think I’m a loon.

“So what brings you to my humble abode?” I took a seat on my mountain of quilts on the floor, patting the empty spot next to me. He set his gift on the table, took of his hat and sat, criss crossed.

“I was on my way back from the station and I remembered how you had planned a trip too. I knew you couldn’t have left in this weather so I knew you’d be alone this holiday.” He leaned back against the couch and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. My cheeks were on fire. “No one should be alone on the holidays.”

I couldn’t help the grin that took over my face. Way out of my league, the man of my fantasies, Liam insert middle name Payne thought of me and my lonesome self during this Christmas festivities. How could a girl not be flattered?

I giggled like a teenage girl with severe self-esteem issues and shoved him playfully. “That’s sweet, Liam, but I bet there’s a girl in your life you should be spending your time with instead of your crazy neighbor.” I reached for the bottle of Jack and took a swing.

He shook his head, pulling me in tighter. “No, there’s no one else. I’m single if that’s what you were wondering.”

I choked on the warm, chestnut liquid and coughed hoping to get the alcohol out of my poor lungs. “What?” It came out more like sound than an actual word so I cleared my throat before repeating the question. “I wasn’t… I didn’t-“

“Yea, okay, Vi.” He rolled his eyes and laughed. “That totally wasn’t was you were really asking.”

I gasped. “I wasn’t, I swear,” I told him to his face, getting on my knees (not like that you naughty, naughty kids) and grabbing his shoulders. “Look into my eyes. Does it look like I’m lying?”

Liam was still for a moment, shocked over the new contact and close proximity. He cracked a smile and moved closer till our lips were almost touching. “Yes, I do.”

My eyes left his and found their way to his plump lips, which were surprisingly pink even in all this cold.

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to kiss Liam. I always imagined it to be a perfect mix of perfection and sensual-ness. He’d pick me up and dip me, like in those old time movies, say something catchy and plant it on me.

And now I would finally find out how it would actually feel.

I would’ve, if it hadn’t been for my feline friend, Nyx, and her slutty self. She strutted onto Liam’s lap, nudging her head against his abdomen and let out a meow. We broke away reluctantly.

Fucking cat.

“Aw, what a cute little thing,” he cooed, scratching the back of Nyx’s ear. I rolled my eyes as she meowed again. I had to give her credit though – she had good taste.

“So what do you have there?” I asked him, pointing to the gift on my coffee table. His head shot up, eyes a bit wide. He looked confused for a second before letting out an, oh, and then reaching for the gift.

“Oh yea, I almost forgot. This is for you.” He gave me the blue wrapped Christmas present, watching me as I ripped it open. “My mum made it for you,” he laughed and scratched the back of his neck.

I looked up, eyebrows scrunched up. “You told your mom about me?”

He nodded and motioned for me to continue opening the clean white box. I lifted the top to find an exact replica of Liam’s hat, except violet. I laughed at the pun.

“Liam, you shouldn’t have,” I cried, wrapping my arms around him, “this is the sweetest thing anyone has every given me.” I gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thank you.”

His cheeks reddened. His eyes were planted on the ground, a grin threatening his face. “It was nothing. It’s just a stupid hat.”

I shook my head, wrapping my arms tighter around him. He didn’t understand. Nobody in my family really gave things from the heart. My mother was too bitter over my father leaving and everyone else had their own problems to think about, so presents weren’t really a thing during Christmas.

“No Liam, this is really great. I love it.”

He looked into my eyes finally, searching for some sort of sign that I was just exaggerating. Once he couldn’t find it, he beamed. “Really?”

I nodded, going back for the hug. I couldn’t let go, I was too happy. Plus, body heat was needed. There was a storm out. And I was like an icicle; unlike the bear I was hugging. He was warm like the sun.

When we finally broke away, I bit my lip. I hadn’t planned on staying so I hadn’t gotten anyone anything. “I didn’t get you-“

Liam lifted his hand and silenced me. He shook his head. “I don’t need anything,” he smiled, “I’m perfectly happy just being here with you.”

Way to make my cheeks catch fire like a firework on the forth of July, Liam.

I couldn’t look him in the eyes, so I settled with burning a whole into the floor with my stare. What was I supposed to say to that? I was speechless.

I felt his fingers on my cheek, pushing my face up to meet his. Our eyes met and our distance was lessening with each second. Our eyes broke contact and instead we stared at the other’s lips.

Our lips met with no interruptions from my damn cat (thank God). It was perfect. His lips were soft and warm and he tasted like mint.

When we pulled apart, he smiled. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time. Since you moved in, really."

I blushed. "Well good. I've been waiting for you to do it."

Liam shivered, rubbing his arms quickly. He looked around, I guessed in hopes of finding something to warm us up. But all I really had was Jack and quilts - lots and lots of quilts.

He got up and made his way to his way to my fire place, which was pretty clean from lack of use. He looked around for something and when he couldn't find it, he turned to me.

"D'you have firewood?" He asked, rubbing his hands together. I nodded and went to get it from my closet in the hall.

In no time flat, Liam had the fire controlled and warming us all. We spent the rest of the night laying on the mat in front of the fireplace, cuddling and talking about our past and future.

It was the best Christmas I ever had.