It was Marissa's idea. She wanted to have this Secret Santa deal because we 'weren't spending enough time together' and that apparently bothered her. And I'm not referring to myself and Marissa, I mean all of us. We had this big group back in junior high but now that I was in high school I rarely saw them.
It was truly fate that I happened to pull Sammy's name out of the hat. A one in eight chance to get her and it happened.
I glanced around the room after said picking. I was pretty happy, overjoyed more like, at the time. I thought this was so perfect-I could get Sammy, who I liked A LOT, a gift without her, or me, being all awkward like.
Can I hear you say full proof?
I thought so too.
Billy and his friend Scott were hanging around the food, laughing and such. Holly was just staring at the paper…I always thought she was a little on the strange side. Dot and Marissa were talking to Danny, and Nick was playing Sammy at Pac Man.
Actually he was getting creamed by Sammy at Pac Man.
I joined Billy and Scott a little while later, after smirking proudly at Sammy's obvious awesomeness. We talked about cheese and llamas and ping pongs and lots of other stuff that went through Billy's mind.
At the end of the night I even got a half-hug from Sammy, which is a pretty hard thing to do considering she's Sammy.
Things were going good!
But when I got home reality struck.
…Holy heck!
What would I get her??
What would I bloody well get her?!?!?
I totally panicked, trying and failing to think logically. My mind was a mess and I had to hold onto my countertop in the kitchen to stay upright. My dad roomed in, talking a mile a minute, but I blew him off and wandered into my room.
What would I get her??!!
AH!!!!
I hyperventilated, I shook, I scared the crap out of my cat, Jenson, as I tried to take control. My computer made a noise as iTunes asked if I wanted to upgrade to 8.1. I was about to hit the little X in the corner when a thought came to mind. I froze…and then…
THAT'S IT!!!! I had thought. I jumped up and started creating my beautiful present right there and then. It would be amazing! I would be fantastic! It would be…well, pretty cheap, which is good for my wallet. I don't exactly have a job yet, though I'm thinking of working for the Heavenly Hotel…that place is pretty cool…
As my present was…well 'burning' a number of different scenarios popped up into my head.
SCENARIO #1:
Sammy: Wow Casey!! I love it!! Thank you sooooo much!!
Casey: Don't mention it, the light of my life!
SCENARIO #2:
Sammy: You know, Billy would have bought me jewelry if I wanted.
Casey: Wait. You like Billy?
Sammy: Of course you fool!! Mwhahahaha!!!!!
SCENARIO #3
Casey: Well here's your present Sammy
Sammy: Aha!! I'm not really Sammy!! I'm an alien designed to take over your planet! Prepare to die you quazzy kumquat!!
Oh no!! Blasted 3!! I don't think my big heart could take the breaking if Sammy called me a kumquat…
I'm strong, but not THAT strong.
I just…well…I have this fear of being called a fruit. It's one of those things. In grade 1 Taylor called me a silly tangerine. I puked up leftover lasagna all over his new, light-up-when-you-stamp-hard sneakers. It was pretty gross.
I refrain from getting embarrassed because a lot of teachers/adults in general, like to say "You're as red as a tomato!" – which gets me queasy.
Some people are petrified of clowns, I'm scared of being called a fruit.
Messed up, I know.
I worked on her present with the ever-growing fear still in my head. I knew….well, hoped…well, prayed that she would love my gift…heck, maybe even just like it.
A week went by. My heart pounded a little faster each day and I tried to control it. Tried being the key word.
And then…the day came. I panicked like mad throughout geography, (maps!) drama, (acting!) lunch, (food!) and business (…snore). By the last class of the day, math (numbers!) rolled around I could barely breathe.
How could one girl give my heart such fast beats?
How could she make me turn from hot to cold in seconds?
How could she do this all-when she wasn't even in the same BUILDING as I was??!
These are the things I still wonder…
2 hours after the last bell rang and I was wished a good weekend I found myself at the McKenzie porch, daring myself to ring the bell.
Five minutes later Scott and Nick came so I didn't have to ring it. Marissa greeted us, explaining how we would all exchange gifts in the foyer and then Danny's mom would drive us to the Cineplex to see a movie.
I thought it sounded pretty cool. Unfortunately my brain was barely comprehending as it was trying to keep the butterflies in my stomach under control.
Dang nerves.
Eventually everyone got there except for Sammy. Just my luck, eh? Marissa said that Sammy would 'be here soon' and that we should 'exchange presents now' and then 'whoever Sammy's is can give it to her before we go'.
Wonderful.
I wasn't keeping tabs on what everyone else was getting, I was much too focused on those stupid butterflies. Holly came up to me after a minute of my spaced out-ness and smiled.
"Hey," she said.
"Hello," I replied trying to pull off the old Casey charm. I'm said to say it probably failed.
"Here's your present. I heard you had a cat soo…" she placed a cat bed in my hands. Inside was a bag of those lint-roller things. I suppressed a laugh.
"For the hair…you know." She looked kind of embaressed so I grinned.
"Thank you so much. Jenson's hair gets all over the place…thank you-honestly."
"You're welcome." She said and smiled, while walking over to Dot.
Okay, so she is a little weird, but in the nice way.
I smiled again, and glanced around. Everyone was getting their boots on-grins donning their face. Clearly everyone else got some cool gifts as well.
I swung off my backpack and placed all the cat stuff into it carefully. Jenson would defiantly be loving this. She doesn't have enough spots in the house to be herself and now she has a cool area to like lounge and stuff-
An alarm went off in my head when she came through the door. It's weird…like I knew she was coming in that exact second…major spooky man.
"Sorry I'm late guys!" she immediately apologized, smiling awkwardly, "My grandma wanted me to eat something before I left visiting her." I shook my head smiling, knowing exactly what 'visiting' meant in Sammy's books.
"We'll wait in the car so you can get your gift!" Marissa said, and everyone filed out-except for me and Sammy of course. She gave Sammy one of those looks that probably means a lot in girl language but to a guy it's just static, before skipping out of the house.
"You're my Secret Santa?" she asked.
"Umm…yeah." I said turning slightly pink, probably.
"Well lets…uh, see it then," she said, also turning pink.
Clearly we were in the same boat.
…I don't mean that literally. Sammy and I aren't sailors.
Anywho!
"Here." I said giving her the prized jewel case with the words SAMMY, in big letters. She flipped open the lid and was greeted by the wonderful mix tape…well, CD, actually…I made her and her face light up.
"Wow!!! Thanks so much!"
"you…like it??
"Of course I do you strange thing!"
"Really?"
"No I'm just saying that so I can rule the galaxy." She replied sarcastically with an eye roll.
Wow. 3 scenarios in 30 seconds. Except for the fruit thing, thank goodness.
"I love it," she said and the smiled the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. Picture every great award winning smile, add them all together and then times by a million. That the content of that smile. It practically blinded me.
And then she did something that shocked me into the next world. She leaned over, smiled hesitantly and then kissed my right cheek. It burned when she pulled away.
"C'mon we have to go," she whispered quietly and turned around, heading off the porch, leaving me in Marissa's front foyer.
Holy hell.
Never washing my check ever again!!
As I stood there stock still I couldn't help but have one thought plague my mind:
Best. Christmas. Ever.
THE END
Sammy's Playlist:
Dear Jamie…Sincerely Me – Hellogoodbye
1, 2, 3, 4 – Plain White T's
1, 2, 3, 4 – Feist
Hide and Seek – Imogen Heap
Marching Bands Manhattan – Death Cab for Cutie
Roses and Butterflies – Making April
Dental Care – Owl City
Me and the Moon – Something Corporate
With or Without You – U2
Wheat Kings – The Tragically Hip
Come and Get Higher – Matt Nathanson
Levon – Elton John
Meteor Shower – Owl City
Gimme Sympathy – Metric
Speed of Sound – Coldplay
Chase This Light – Jimmy Eat World
Either Way I'll Break Your Heart Someday – Augustana
Swiss Army Romance – Dashboard Confessional
Swing Life Away – Rise Against
Seventeen Forever – Metro Station
Mix Tape – Jack's Mannequin
A/N: So yah. Happy Holidays. I hope you enjoy this mix, if you care to check it out, and for all you crazy If I Fell fans out there…well it'll be a slow time coming. This chapter is SOOO draining. But I think once I get IT up we should be back to…occasional updates and such.
GUESS WHO HAS TICKETS FOR JACK'S MANNEQUIN???
THAT'D BE ME!!! MWHAHAHA!!!
-CharlieSchulz
P.S I'm in the market for a beta who gives me a due date. So if anyone's interested…ring me up :)