I woke up to the smell of hot chocolate and thought I was dreaming.
Wait a minute...
"IT'S CHRISTMAS!"I bolted up from the bed and ran to the window to see that it was snowing.
I turned around when I heard someone chuckle and saw James standing there with a tray in his hands looking amused.
"You're as happy as a child would be." He laughed and I just smiled even bigger.
I started jumping up and down in excitement.
"Well everyone has a child within them. Mine just happens to love Christmas." I said in a smart ass tone.
I went over and sat on the bed as he laid the tray down and sat beside me. There was hot chocolate with whipped cream, chocolate and tiny marshmallows. As well as pancakes with strawberries, raspberries and syrup.
I drooled while looking at the food and quickly took a bite and moaned as soon as the piece of pancake touched my tongue.
" You made these?" I asked, hopefully not sounding as surprised as I was.
" Haha yes actually I did. Is that so surprising?" Oh so he did hear it...
" No not surprising it's just I didn't know you could cook."
" I can't. I can make pancakes, that's about it." He said and I chuckled while cutting another piece.
We sat there and ate and talked until both our plates were clean. I then licked my lips and grabbed our hot chocolates. I gave James his cup and took his hand.
" Come on." I said with a smile.
I laid a blanket on the floor in front of the big floor-to-ceiling window. James' room was the only one to have this view.
James soon joined me on the floor and we watched the snow fall and the snow covered garden while sipping our drinks.
This was perfect.
"How come you like the snow so much?" He asked me. I shrugged and looked at him before looking back out.
" I dont know. There is just something so beautiful about the way snowflakes fall. And the way they look. It's like they're dancing on their way down. It's soothing in a way. And beautiful." I smiled while speaking because I truly loved the snow. I felt a shiver and looked to my side to see James looking at me with an intense gaze that made my body heat up.
His eyes dimmed over and I knew he was mind linking someone.
"Amber wants us all to gather downstairs in twenty minutes." He said mockingly making me laugh. Amber had a tendency to be a little bossy, but not in a mean way.
" Well we should probably get ready then. Thank you for breakfast by the way." James smiled back at me and we both started getting dressed and headed down.
Everyone was already gathered in the main room and the entire atmosphere was so cozy. I wanted this every year. I smiled as I looked around the room and at everyone in it, feeling blessed.
Whatever reason it was that had me ending up here, I had a feeling that this was where I belonged.
"Let's open the presents!" Amber screamed and everyone went to the tree. The gifts were given to each person and then we went to it on the couches to open them.
I looked up when I heard booming laughter and saw Alex laughing his ass off. He looked over at me and held the frame with our picture in it against his chest.
"I love it, sis. Thank you." I smiled at him and nodded.
"Good because it wasn't easy accepting it." I said mockingly. It was true though, I still hadn't accepted it but I assumed that eventually I would. That's the thing, when it comes to the people we love, we learn to accept even the things we don't like.
"NO WAY!" I yelled as I opened my gift from Alex. James looked at me and his eyes widened.
"Oh no..." I slapped his arm and gave him a mean glare.
" Thank you so much, Alex, I love it!"
"Dude..." James whined.
"Why don't you like it? I can finally play my music on something other than my phone."
"That's the problem."
"My phone is the problem?"
"Not your phone, your music. Your taste in music is like Alvin's singing. You probably think it's really good but you shouldn't let other people suffer for it." My mouth dropped at his words.
"You little-"
"NO! It's Christmas, no foul words, no whining, only smiles and happiness, remember?" Amber said putting her hands on her hips.
"Using my own words against me." I shook my head and glared at her before we both broke out in laughter.
"Avery... oh my goddess," Amber looked starstruck as she opened the little jewelry box with her pendant in it. She wiped a tear rolling down her cheek and picked up the pendant.
"Avery, thank you." She said with the utmost sincerity.
I opened another one of my gifts, this one from Amber. It was a beautiful rose gold bracelet with the letters A & A on it.
"Amber, this is beautiful." I said while holding up the bracelet and looking at it.
"I always wanted a sister. Now that I have one, I'm never planning on letting you go."
I went up to her and hugged her. We hugged for a while before pulling away and both of us wiping away tears.