Kendra's Gift

By Aislinn Cailin

Kendra was a very selfish girl.

She admitted that to herself, even now. She did what she was going to do with the greatest reluctance imaginable. She didn't want to do it, she wished things could go back to the way they were, the times when she knew that Derek truly did like her, and liked nobody else but her. The rest of the McDonald-Venturi family was blind, and she wished with all her heart and soul that she could have gone back to being blind too.

She tried to ignore it all. She tried to ignore all the signs. She tried convince herself that those fleeting glances when she caught Derek staring at her was only because he worried or cared about her like a stepsister, or those times when he talked endlessly about how she was so irritating or brainless was because he truly was annoyed with her. She had done a pretty good job of convincing herself too. That was, until today.

She saw the box, she knew he had the necklace. She could feel the box under his pillow. Did he really expect her not to, what with all those times he was on top of her on his bed when they were making out? She was sneakier than that. She had even managed to sneak a peek inside box. She couldn't imagine how much the necklace must have cost. But she could have sworn it was for her.

But it wasn't. Christmas morning, she had come to the McDonald-Venturi household. Until today, it was her only place of solace, the place where she knew – or thought she knew – that someone had loved her, unlike her parents who cared about nobody but themselves and fought constantly, giving Kendra money and fine clothes only so they could shut her up for a few moments.

Derek had given her earrings.

She was shocked. What about the necklace? That was for her too! But really, she knew she was fooling herself. She knew she was fooling herself all those times, when she thought and hoped against hope that he liked her and only her.

Actually, now that she thought about it, she was right. He liked her. But he did not love her.

The earrings were quite nice. They were two lovely 'K's, with sparkle and glitter and fake gold. She said she loved them. It wasn't a lie. She really did.

The rest of the family was also exchanging presents. Casey had given him a one hundred dollar gift card to Athlete's Word, as well as two tickets to a hockey game, a game where his favourite team was playing. Casey was a generous girl. That was why she had given Derek so many presents. It couldn't be because she cared for him too, right? They were just presents. So what if she always wanted the best for Derek? So what if she pretended to not like him just to hide her feelings, a façade that was evidently successful, since the rest of the family appeared to be blind? That meant nothing, right?

It was when Derek mumbled that he hadn't gotten Casey anything that Kendra knew that she had truly lost this battle.

The necklace had never been for her. It was for Casey.

She tried very, very hard to blink back the tears that were forming. She was so pathetic! Her, one of the most popular girls in school, crying over a guy? She was so weak!

Well so? Another part of her mind argued. They … like … each other. That doesn't mean anything. You can pretend you didn't notice. It wouldn't be your fault that they were too scared to do or say anything.

Oh, why hadn't Casey said something before? It would have been so much easier to hate her if she had tried to prevent her and Derek from getting together, instead of actually doing the noble thing and helping them to hook up.

Because she just wants Derek to be happy, another part of her said. Because she loves him enough to let him go.

And, as selfish as Kendra was, she knew that she should too. As much as she still wanted to be with Derek, she knew he would be happiest with Casey. Perhaps she might not love him as much as Casey did, but she loved both of them enough to do them one small favour.

"So Derek," Kendra said, moving closer to him. She glanced at Casey, who not surprisingly, was looking at them. Casey gave her a smile so real that she thought perhaps she really didn't love him the way she did. But Kendra knew that wasn't true. Forcing down more tears — Stop it! Girls like you don't cry! — she continued, "is it just earrings? Anything else? Some other type of jewellery perhaps?"

Derek looked up at her, and she saw confusion and anxiety across his face. Oh yes, Kendra thought with a grin to herself, I know all about the necklace.

Perhaps this could be a bit fun after all.

"The earrings cost a lot, you know," Derek said, smiling.

"Are you sure?" Kendra prodded. "Nothing else?"

"Well, I wasn't going to tell you this until later tonight, but," he dug in his pocket and brought out a piece of paper, "we have reservations at a restaurant later tonight."

Lizzie and Marti giggled. They fell silent at one fierce glare.

"Oh, not that silly," she said, brushing the paper aside. She knew she was acting like a spoilt brat, but that was the only way she could get Derek to actually do something. "I'm talking about jewellery."

Derek swallowed, knowing where she was getting at. "If you don't like them, I can get you new ones," he said lamely.

"No, no, I love these," Kendra said, brushing one lightly with her finger. "I'm talking about the necklace!"

Derek froze. "What necklace?"

"Oh, you know, the necklace you have under your pillow. Did you really think I wouldn't find it?"

The whole family was listening now. "I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

"Quit playing dumb!" Kendra said, now actually getting annoyed because he was being so hopeless! "That necklace in that box under your bed. It's gorgeous. Now, is it for me or isn't it?"

Derek said nothing.

"It's not for me is it?" She jumped up, fake anger in her voice. "Who is it for then? Some other girl? Are you seeing someone else?"

She peeked a glance at Casey, whose face remained impassive except for a bit of shock. No other emotion, no sense of hurt. Wasn't this girl even the least bit curious? Why did she have such good control over her emotions, dammit?

"It's nothing like that," Derek said quickly. "It's …" he faltered. Kendra couldn't help grinning and she quickly tried to force it down. He was so cute when he acted like he didn't care.

"You know what," Kendra said, forcing the anger back into her voice. She grabbed her things. "If you still want to be a player after all this, go ahead! I'm going back home! It was a mistake coming here, and it was a mistake going out with you, Derek, especially since you're in love with someone else!"

She glanced at Casey again, who was now staring at Derek, and made her way out of the house in an angry strut.

The sound of the door slamming shut echoed against the house. The house was so quiet; it was as if someone had died.

"Well, that was a very Merry Christmas," Marti commented. Edwin kicked her lightly.

"Ow!" she wailed. "Whydcha do that for?"

"Don't you think you should go after her, Derek?" Casey asked. The words weighed heavily on her tongue. She actually wanted to scream and shout right now, she was so happy. She knew she shouldn't be; she should be sad for Derek, sad that him and perhaps his first serious girlfriend had broken up.

Derek looked at her thoughtfully, almost as if studying her. Then he shook his said, mumbled "It's nothing," and retreated to his room upstairs.

"Maybe we should go talk to him," suggested Nora. George held her back.

"Don't worry about it, he just needs some time alone. You know how guys are, they don't talk the way you ladies do."

A short while after that, Casey went upstairs to her room. Her head was spinning.

She really didn't know how she felt. She was still ecstatic that they had broken up, but at what expense? He liked – or loved, if what Kendra said was true – someone else. And if Kendra said the necklace he had was gorgeous, it must be. Probably very expensive too.

Casey felt the bitter pang of jealousy wash over her again. It was bad enough watching him genuinely care about Kendra, but at least she knew who the girl was and knew they were together. Here, she was left in the dark again.

She had to see the necklace. She just had to.

She quietly opened the door, and, making sure there was no on else in the upstairs hallway, made her way to Derek's room. She knocked once quietly and opened the door. Derek was lying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, and looked at her when the door opened.

"George wants you downstairs," she lied. "Something about gingerbread cookies."

"Not in the mood," Derek replied.

"Are you really that depressed over a girl?" Casey asked, playing on his pride. She knew that would get him up.

He got up quickly. "No way! She just lasted longer than usual that's all. And I am in the mood for cookies now."

Derek closed the door behind him, and Casey pretended to go back to her room. As soon as he was halfway downstairs, she sneaked back into his.

It was a dirty mess as usual, but she didn't care. Sitting on his bed, she placed her hands under the pillow and felt around. Soon enough, her hands closed over a small box and she pulled it out. It was a tiny jewellery box with a gold bow at the top.

Opening it carefully, she gasped.

Inside was a beautiful white-gold heart with a diamond centrepiece. She brushed her fingers against the chain the heart hung on – it was smooth and elegant, a bit cool but pleasing to touch. It was secured in place firmly by a lobster clasp.

This must have cost a fortune, she thought picking it up and dangling it between her fingers. It shimmered in the light. I wonder if it's a real diamond.

No wonder Kendra was hurt over getting only earrings. Compared to the necklace, the earrings looked cheap and dirty.

"I swore I closed my do—" Derek stopped at the entrance to his room. Casey looked up and tried to hide the necklace, but it was too late. He had already seen it in her possession. Embarrassed, she brought it out from behind her back.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see what it looked like, and if you didn't give it to Kendra, who else would you have given it to? I mean it's not like you tried to pursue any other girl at school, and usually you would have mentioned who—" she stopped, realising she was babbling. She put the necklace back in the box.

"I think I'll go now."

Derek closed the door behind him. "No. Stay."

He sat down on the bed beside her, carefully picking up the necklace again.

"It must have cost a fortune," Casey said, echoing her previous thoughts.

"It did. I had to get a job so that I didn't have to steal Ed's money. I wanted this to be just from me."

"You got a job?" Casey asked, wide-eyed. "So that's why you were out of the house so much. We just thought it was because you and Kendra …" she paused, embarrassed. "You know."

Derek smiled. "Turn around," he said.

"What?"

"Turn around," he repeated. "Don't worry, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it already."

Hesitantly, Casey did as she was told. Her heart thudded as she felt his fingers brush her neck and move her hair to one side. She felt cool metal touch her skin, and was stunned to find that the necklace she had been holding only a few moments ago was now clasped around her neck.

She turned back around, feeling the heart, confused.

"It's a real diamond," he said.

"Why … did you give me this?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because it was supposed to be your Christmas gift?"

"What?"

He was studying her again, scanning her face thoughtfully.

"Why?" her voice croaked, almost in a whisper. She really didn't know what to say.

Derek moved closer to her. "Because," he said, "everything Kendra said was true."

She could feel her heart pounding in every part of her body. Or was it his? She couldn't tell; they were too close.

"Merry Christmas Casey," Derek said before placing his mouth gently on hers.

Kendra watched them kiss through the window. Poor Derek, forgetting to close the shutters, as always. She had waited nearly an hour in the freezing cold and snow before what she wanted to happen had finally come true.

It actually took less time than she expected.

She took out her phone and punched in Derek's cell number. She watched him through the window, annoyed to break the kiss and answer the phone.

"Yeah?" came the gruff voice.

"Finally, you blind bats! Congrats."

"Kendra?" he was surprised. "Where are you?" She saw him looking though the window, searching all over, but she ducked behind a few bushes before he saw her.

"Not important. Merry Christmas!"

There was the click of a cell phone turning off.

Realisation struck. Kendra had given them the best gift.

Author's Note: Hee I just can't resist writing Christmas stories. Sorry if was a bit corny/clichéd (especially the ending; I was in a rush to get this out before the day was done), but in any case, tell me what you think.

Merry Christmas!