What You Need

"Presents!" My mother sang loudly. Dad had pulled out his camera, he got a new one every year. It made no sense that he pulled it out to record our reactions. He'd tape us half way with one camera, and then tape the rest on his new one. I found it pointless, and I also hated group presents. So every year I bought him my own personal present.

"Alright, Matt here's yours. This is from Collin." my mother beamed. Collin was just like my mother. That being in the sense that he loved to show off. He always bough extravagant gifts for us. Including me,

"Wow, a 8GB iPhone." Matt pretended to sound enthused. He glanced at me, I smiled.

"OK! Sherry here's yours from Collin." my mother was still beaming.

"Neat!" Sherry didn't have to pretend, "A VHS and DVD player all in-oh and a Blueray player! Thanx Collin!." she squeaked. I looked over to Ryan who was smiling.

"It's converts VHS to DVD as well." Collin said haughtily.

"Carol, this one's from me." my mother grinned handing me a medium sized box. I looked at it for a moment. Then I began to tear the paper off. It was a jewelry set, earrings, ring, bracelet, hair piece, and necklace. I was very surprised, but it made me smile. For once my mom didn't seem to have a shopping spree at office max.

"Thanks mom." I smiled, and she seemed to understand.

"Oh, this one is from Carol to Ryan." my mother grinned handing Ryan my gift. Which became his after he opened it. He grinned at me then ripping it open like a 5 year old. He stopped when he saw what it was, slowly pulling the frames out.

"How'd you find these?" he asked still looking at his gifts.

"A store." I said, panicking.

"Wow, thank you so much." he grinned, showing his perfect smile. He leaned over kissing me on the cheek. Still grinning. The rest of the present giving went by rather quickly. Maybe because I wasn't paying attention, I was just happy that Ryan loved his. My mom has the smarts to give my dad his new camera right after Ryan got his gift.

"That's from everyone but Carol." Collin added smugly.

"Well, it's nice." He muttered, turning it on, and putting in the DVD disc.

"Carol, this one's from dad." my mother smiled as she handed me a small velvet box with a bow. I clicked it open, and it was a pair of diamond earrings. I gasped, Ryan peered over my shoulder resting his chin on it.

"Those are nice." he smiled. I looked at him, then to my father. Who was smiling, and taping my reaction.

"Thank you daddy." I got up to give him a hug. Probably the only person in my family that I would voluntarily hug and mean it.

"Merry Christmas honey." he smiled kissing me on the forehead. I was a daddy's girl. As I shut the box and sat down, I looked at the rest of my siblings. They all but Matt has glares on their faces. Matt was smiling at their expense, I shrugged it off. Sherry got random things, that even I knew she didn't need. Collin got the office supplies spree, and Matt who always loved photography got a new Canon camera. he of course began to go picture crazy. It was time for Ryan's gift to me, it was a slim box. I opened it smiling, there was a CD in it. Songs For Carol is what it was labeled I smiled. Looking at him, he nudged me.

"There's more." he grinned anticipation in his voice. There was a locket it in a smaller box. I opened the locket, and it had a picture of us in it. We weren't kissing, hugging or any display of physical affection. We were just staring at each other, smiling. I remembered that day. His father had taken that picture the day after Thanksgiving.

"Merry Christmas." he smiled. I took his hand, and led him to where my room was. Shutting the door behind us, he was looking at me confused. I then pulled him to me, and kissed him. Rough, hoping he understood. He did, he let his arms wrap around me as mine wrapped around his neck. His tongue doing magic things in my mouth. I let my fingers tangle in his hair, I then remembered I was at home. And my family was only in the living room. I broke away breathless.

"What was that for?" he grinned, knowing exactly what it was for.

"Merry Christmas." I smirked, adjusting myself before heading back out to the living room with my family. Ryan following close behind me.
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I looked around the crowded room, trying to see a familiar face. There wasn't one, I started to shift uncomfortably in my place. I felt a hand on my hip, I turned sharply and saw Drew. He was in the band with Ryan. They were playing this party.

"Easy now." he chuckled. I just blinked at him.

"You want a drink?"

"No." I stated.

"We should be playing soon." he grinned,

"Wonderful." I attempted to smile. I promised myself I would tolerate and block out my antisocial-ness for Ryan. Which also meant getting to know his friends.

"You can come back here with us if you want."

"Well, my friend Brent is coming. So I'm trying to wait for him." I sighed glancing at my watch and then the door.

"OK, well shouldn't be more than 20 minutes." he smiled heading off to where he came from. I had to get out, it was hot. And the air outside was cold, I sighed as I let the cold air soak through to my bones.

"Why don't you have a coat on?" and arm wrapped around me. It was Brent, I leaned into him for an awkward hug.

"Because it's hot in there."

"Only you Carol, so when's this band playing?"

"He told me in about 20 minutes." I sighed, starting to feel chilly.

"Inside?" he laughed as my teeth began to chatter. I used to love the cold, and was never effected by it. But it seemed now days I was. As we went inside they were setting up. We slowly made our way to the side of the stage. Brent played instruments, so he liked to watch. I just liked to listen, plus my boyfriend was up there.

"So they write all their own stuff right?" Brent said still watching them set up.

"Yeah." I watched as Ryan started to walk over to where we were standing.

"Hey Carol." he smiled getting off the stage, and kissing me on the cheek. He looked at Brent sticking out his hand.

"You must be Brent." he stuck out his hand.

"Yeah, Carol says you guys are pretty good." he grinned. They carried on for a while, I was glad. Because Brent was really my only friend. And if Ryan didn't like him, I doubt I'd be able to continue on with him. Ryan excused himself as he hopped back up on the stage.

"Hey, we're OneRepublic." he said into the mic. They started to play, Ryan singing. Making me smile, mainly because it was a song from the mix CD he gave me for Christmas.

"How old is he?" Brent asked nodding his head to the rhythm.

"About to be 28." I said glancing at him.

"They're all around that age aren't they?"

"Yeah." they continued to play. The room seemed to become even more packed after every song.

"Alright, 5 more minutes to the new year. I think we can fit one more song in there." Ryan chuckled, as someone shouted.

"Fuck New Years, play!" another one shouted.

"New Years is great. A way to have a new start." Ryan said glancing in our direction. And they started up another song. I looked over to Brent who smiled.

"They need a cello." he laughed. I smiled and realized that Ryan's eyes were on me. I suppose you could say he was singing to me, which made my heart smile. But I didn't want to get too excited.