Blue Christmas
It wasn't how either of them wanted to leave for Christmas. December came all too fast. Before Jess could firmly decide on how she intended to celebration the holidays, she was faced with Nick, Schmidt and Winston in their bedrooms, packing their bags to head home for family time. Jess was dumbfounded at this. They were all leaving?
Jess could recall last year, Nick frantically trying to make it home to Chicago. For some reason Jess had expected him to stay this year. She couldn't really say why. Things were her and Nick were incredibly murky, incredibly ambiguous, incredibly exciting. He was different. Less self-deprecating, a little more vivid. He was cranky, but he was making an effort.
He did things. He sat by her on the couch, almost always, without fail. Often he sat close enough that she could smell the Old Spice. She could practically smell the Mountain Rain value brand shampoo he used. The wholesale-size bottle sat in their shared shower.
She'd be lying if she said she hadn't flipped off the cap and inhaled while she was showering.
Things were strange.
They hadn't discussed their dynamic since she'd been seeing Sam. Friends; that's what they were. Friends who were occasionally attracted to one another. Right?
Right. Jess accepted this as she leaned against the counter, kneading the dough for her Christmas sugar cookies. She pressed the heels of her hands into the dough, pushing frustration into the cookies. Her stomach felt tight, like she had to take some sort of action before her roommates left. Before Nick left.
To be continued