A not so awful Christmas
Jade was sitting on the edge of her room's window, staring outside at the not snowy Christmas night. She hated Christmas, but not for the reason many people would think. She didn't hate it for the jolly atmosphere. She didn't hate it because of the annoying kids in the malls who wanted to sit on Santa's lap or were crying for gifts. It wasn't even because of the annoying emphasis Hollywood Arts would put into that holyday every single year again and again. No. Christmas was a painful experience for her, painful for what it used to be. For what it meant to her. But now, it only causes her pain, and despite what she said, despite what she wanted everyone to believe, what she wanted to believe herself, it was one of those type of pains that she didn't like. It was one of those types of pain that drove her to tears, as it did in the last few years.
Christmas used to be a holyday she loved more than anything. Every year, her family would get together and stay together from Christmas to New Years Eve. They would spend time together, talk, have fun, sing, laugh, eat; all those things real families did. But that stopped. That became a thing of the past ever since her father and her mother broke up. The families alienated themselves from her parents, as her parents did from them. They stopped getting together; at least Jade and her parents were no longer part of it. Everyone had grown tired of the fighting, the bickering and the accusing. It wasn't Jade's fault. It wasn't her fault that she was the daughter of two emotionless, cold human beings who didn't care about anyone else but themselves. And it's not as if she hadn't tried fixing things up, just like a naïve child would have at the age of twelve. She tried talking to everyone else, tried to look for help within the family and the friends of the family, but found only neglect. Nobody wanted to be any part of this. They didn't care. It was easier to look away, even if the cost was the happiness and innocence of a child's soul.
Her distrust and the hard shell she covered herself with when anyone but Beck and Cat were nearby were a result of that. She did what her family had always done. She did what was easier.
But it still didn't stop the pain. It still wouldn't hurt less during that time of the year. Memories of previous years would always flood her mind, and she gave up in suppressing them. The memories would always come back: her opening the gifts which were under the large Christmas tree; her parents driving her to her aunt's house where everyone would meet to have dinner together. Playing with her two cousins who were like sisters to her. Just watching the whole family be happy together. But now, those are only distant, painful memories. She hadn't spoken to her cousins for years now. She hadn't seen her aunt or the rest of her family except during funerals. As sick as it sounds, she started licking them. If nothing, the family would get together again, if only for a short time and under those circumstances.
This Christmas was no different. While the rest of her family would meet again, this time at her grandmothers house. But Jade wouldn't be there. Her father was gone on another business trip to Europe while her mother had decided to go spent her Christmas with the new boyfriend she had met two weeks ago. Jade was alone again, left to wonder why she had been cursed with such a darned fate. She glanced into her room, looking at the pictures spread on her bed, all from earlier Christmas parties. All pictures with family she didn't know anymore. With family that claimed to love her, but isolated her because of something she had no control over; something she had nothing to do with. For a moment, she thought about getting into her car and driving to her grandma's house. She imagined her family welcoming her, hugging her, kissing her, talking to her again. But reality wasn't that beautiful. The cold, harsh truth was not something that would leave her side, and she hated life for that.
She got back into her room and took her jacket off of the chair and her car keys off of the table. She walked to her car and started the engine, driving off. She drove around the city, not wanting to be alone at home anymore. Not wanting to be reminded that her life had not always been like this; that things actually could be better if anyone actually cared. It was easier trying to forget. It was less painful.
She ended up on one of the hills, having parked her car and walked on top of the hill. She observed the city, imagining how many families now are enjoying the coming days. Jade had even thought of asking one of her friends if she could come to their party. If she could spend Christmas with one of them. But she didn't. Beck went to Canada like every year to be with his relatives, Cat had a house full with relatives, and she didn't want to bother. Robbie didn't even celebrate Christmas, being Jewish. Andre and his grandmother were now at his parents' house and she was too proud to ask Tori. She knew that Tori would invite her if she knew what was going on, but Jade knew that she didn't deserve that favor. Not after everything she had done to her. And she didn't want to spend any time near Trina. Loneliness seemed like the lesser devil compared to the older Vega sister.
She let out a long sigh, not even caring to wipe away the silent tears that were making their way down her cheeks. She was alone, so she didn't bother. Nobody saw her. Nobody knew but Beck and Cat, but they were not there. They couldn't help.
Suddenly, two arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her close to the person. She was startled, not having noticed that someone else was there.
"I knew you would be here." She heard the familiar voice say. It was a voice she hadn't expected to hear.
"Y-you are here?" She stuttered as she turned around to face her boyfriend, whose smile faded when he saw the tears on her cheek. He gently wiped them away with his thumb before placing a soft kiss on her forehead, the tip of her nose and finally her lips.
"Of course I am." Beck said, hugging her to himself. He knew what was going on in her mind right now. He knew how she felt. He had seen it three times already, never able to help in any way. So he would leave, because it was easier.
"Why aren't you in Canada?" She asked, leaning into his warm embrace.
"Because you need me here." He said.
"B-but you love going there. You always do when…" she began, but he already knew what was coming, so he didn't want to waste any time.
"Not as much as I love you." He told her as he hugged her tighter to himself. "And we just got together again. I'm not making the same mistakes anymore."
"S-so you will stay with me this Christmas?" She asked, looking up at him.
"Every Christmas from now on." He said with a warm smile. She smiled herself, but it didn't last long.
"What about your family? Aren't they going to be mad?" She asked, not believing that anything good is actually happening to her right now.
"I'm there all the time. I think they can forgive me missing out one reunion. Now come on. You'll spend Christmas at my place." He said.
They got into his car, deciding they would pick up Jade's another time. They drove in silence towards his house, Jade leaning into her seat and looking out of the window, a small smile staying on the edge of her lips.
They arrived at his home half an hour later. Jade walked towards his RV, but he stopped her.
"Nobody is home anyway, so let's stay in the house. The RV can get cold during the night." He said as he put his arm around her waist and walked her towards the house. "Are you okay?" He asked her, although he already knew the answer.
"The usual. Just hating my family for being assholes." She said.
"Well, I promise that from now on, you won't be lonely this time of the year." He said as he unlocked the front door. They walked inside, with Jade looking at the decorations in his hallway. It was a nice contrast to her dull house, which was mostly grey except her room.
"Well, thanks for staying here because of me. It's really nice of you." She said.
"Well, you'll have a lot of thanking to do." He said with a smirk.
"Why?" She asked as they walked into the living room.
"Merry Christmas!" She heard everyone yell. She looked around the room, seeing Cat, Andre, Robbie and Tori standing there, all holding presents and wearing either Christmas hats or, in Andre's case, a Santa costume.
"W-w-what is going on?" She stammered, looking at her friends and then back at Beck, who was leaning on the wall, a wide smile on his face.
"Surprise." He said as he walked towards her and put his arm around her shoulder.
"You all are here to…"
"To spend Christmas with you, dummy." Cat said happily as she walked to her best friend and hugged her.
"Why? How?" She stuttered.
"Do you really thing we didn't notice your worsened mood during the holydays?" Andre asked.
"I told them about your situation, so we decided to change it." Beck admitted.
"And now, you are spending Christmas with people who love you and care about you." Tori said. "We are like family, after all."
"I don't care about you." Jade said as she looked at the younger Vega.
"Yeah, I love you too." Tori says; earning a smirk from Jade.
"Thank you. All of you." Jade said, holding back her tears. She wouldn't cry, not in front of them. "And… well I don't hate you all that much." She said, a small smile forming on her lips.
"Well, in Jade-ish, that means she does love us." Robbie joked.
"Alright, alright. Thank you all. You really are like family to me." Jade admitted, deciding that this one time, she did not need to act all though.
"Well, wait until you see what presents we got you." Cat happily said as she grabbed a big box behind the couch and handed it over to Jade.
Jade didn't believe the effort her friends put into this because of her. They got her everything she loved, from a black pair of scissors from Andre and Robbie, a horror movie DVD set from Cat and Tori and a dark purple dress that showed a lot from Beck, which he handed her with a smirk.
While they sat in the living room, laughing and singing, Jade leaned into Beck's embrace, enjoying every moment.
"So, how do you feel?" Beck asked her. She only smiled, not a grin, but a genuine, happy smile.
"I'm just happy. Thank you. I love you." She said.
"I love you too. Merry Christmas."
This fluffy one shot is a little, and a bit late, Christmas present to Born into Flame, a very talented young lady that is very dear to me. I hope you enjoyed it, girl :)