" Dude! It's Christmas, lighten up a bit! "
" Kenji, it's not even Christmas eve yet, leave him alone." I say.
Today is December 20th, and Kenji seems to be convinced that 'it's christmas' for the entire month of december. As much as I may enjoy christmas, Aaron has some other ideas. You see, he never grew up with Christmas trees and stockings filled with candy. He grew up with Christmas just being another normal day of the year. The idea of having to celebrate it is already foreign to him, adding Kenji's constant singing and festive spirit? It's driving him crazy.
" Come on, let's go get some coffee" I say to Aaron. I say goodbye to Kenji and make plans to meet him for shopping tomorrow.
" Juliette, how much longer does this go on for?" Aaron asks me.
" Just until after new years. Then it will all go away." I answer.
He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me close to him. " You won't leave me to fend for myself will you?" He asks teasingly.
" Probably not," I joke. He pushes me playfully.
" So, have you gotten my present yet?"
" I'm not telling you!" I say. " And what if I'm not even getting you a present, huh?"
He laughs. " Of course you're getting me a present. Otherwise, you're not getting yours. And yours is so good I kind of wanna keep it…"
I giggle. " You can't keep a present. It's against christmas rules."
" well love, I'd love to see the rule book."
I nudge him with my elbow. " You can't. Only a true christmas lover can see the rule book. It's engraved into our minds."
" I love you, doesn't that count?"
I press myself into Aaron's side, absorbing his warmth. " No, but nice try."
He laughs again and this time I can feel it rumble through his body. He leans down and lightly kisses the top of my head.
We arrive at our favourite coffee shop. Aaron order's a black coffee as per usual, but I stray from my usual vanilla latte and get a white hot chocolate. Our drinks are handed to us in festive red and green patterned cups. I take a sip from my hot chocolate and sigh from happiness.
" Why the change in beverage?" Aaron asks me.
" The last good christmas I had was five years ago." I say nostalgically. "I ran away from home on christmas eve and found a shelter to help out at. After a few hours of handing out food, another girl who was working there offered to let me stay at her house for the night. We played board games with her family and stuff, then in the morning, I watched them all open presents and we sang christmas carols. Her mom made us white hot chocolate. It was the first time I'd ever tried it."
I break out of my daze to find Aaron staring at me. " Anyways, that's why. I always find a way to have it around the holidays now. It's sort of a tradition."
We stay in the cafe for a few hours. Just talking and laughing. Everything is always so much easier when I have Aaron with me. It's as if all of my worries disappear when he enters my life. Sometimes when he's holding me, I wish he'd never let go. And in a way, he doesn't.