There was a knock at the door. Cassie looked up from the book her parents had given her for Christmas.
"I'll get it," she said, putting the book down on the couch. "I wonder who would be knocking?"
She walked out of the family room towards the door. She opened the door and found Jake, with his hands behind his back.
"Hey, Cassie," Jake said,
"Oh, hi, Jake," Cassie replied.
"Merry Christmas, Cassie," Jake said, taking one hand out from behind his back and handing her a red, heart-shaped box with a green ribbon wrapped across the center. "This is for you."
Cassie opened it up and found a box of small chocolates. Cassie smiled.
"Thanks, Jake," she said.
"And so is this," he said, pulling a small bouquet of flowers out from behind his back.
"Oh, Jake!" Cassie said, laughing delightedly. "They're beautiful!"
"Of course," Jake said, smiling. "And so are you. They match you perfectly."
Cassie blushed slightly.
"Wow, thanks, Jake," she said. "These gifts are wonderful!"
"Wait, I'm not finished yet. I have one more thing to give you," Jake said.
"Really?" Cassie asked. "Oh, my, I'm certainly getting quite a few presents from you."
Jake nodded. "This one isn't an actual present, but I thought you'd like to have it anyway."
"What is it?" Cassie said. "Tell me!"
"Okay," Jake said. "I love you, Cassie."
Cassie looked surprised. Then she smiled. "I love you too, Jake."
Suddenly, Jake swept Cassie into a kiss. A soft, loving kiss under the moonlight.
When their lips parted, both faces turned a bright shade of crimson red.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Cassie," Jake said, walking away from the house.
"Okay! See you!" Cassie called back.
Jake turned around, flashed his slow smile, and waved goodbye.
Cassie returned the wave.
The chocolate was a nice gesture. The flowers were lovely. The material gifts Jake had given Cassie that one Christmas night were pleasant and sweet. It would be a Christmas to remember. But the chocolate would soon be eaten, the flowers would be stuck in a vase and eventually forgotten. Those things would die out eventually.
But Jake's words that night, and the beautiful kiss the two shared—those gifts would last forever.
"Merry Christmas, Jake," Cassie said softly as Jake disappeared from view.