A Locked Heart
Ryan Evans breathed on his fingers to keep warm as he briskly walked down the streets in New York. He hadn't been able to afford the plane trip home from the academy for Christmas this year, so he was stuck alone in the Big Apple. He glanced at all the decorated window shops, but a certain item in one caught his eyes. He stopped, and examined it carefully. It was a golden necklace with a small, black kitten pendant. Grinning, Ryan walked inside the store and immediately bought it. Shopping bag now in hand, his brain was suddenly filled with a memory of Christmas back in Albuquerque his senior year in high school, only a year ago.
The doorbell rang loudly inside the Evan's house.
"I got it!" Ryan yelled, sliding down the banister. Sharpay glared at him from the couch.
"Would you be quiet? My show's on, and Troy might call back at any second!" Sure enough, at that moment, her phone rang, and she rushed out of the room. Rolling his eyes, and double-checking his hair in the hall mirror, Ryan opened the door. A curly-haired mass sailed into his arms, covering him with snow.
"Merry Christmas, Ryan!" Gabriella giggled, shoving a big present at him, while shaking the fluffy white powder out of her hair.
"Merry Christmas, Gabbi" he laughed, closing the door behind her and taking her coat. "Hot chocolate is in the kitchen if you want any"
"Thanks!" She bounced happily over to the kitchen, and grinned at the Evan parents.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Evans!" Gabriella grabbed two steaming mugs, at the same time wrapping Ryan's arm in hers. "Time for you to open your present!" Bubbling over with Christmas spirit, she handed him the hot chocolate with the most marshmallows, and flopped down on the squishy couch. Laughing at how excited his girlfriend was, the blonde hurried out of the room in search of her present. The Evan parents looked meaningfully at each other, and walked back into their bedroom, leaving the two alone. He shortly returned, and bowed low before Gabbi, presenting her present to her.
"A gift for the mademoiselle," he said in a perfect French accent, knowing that she was taking French that year. Squealing, she eagerly snatched up the present and proceeded to unwrap it at breakneck speed. Three fat Jane Austen books fell into her lap. Gabriella threw herself at Ryan, and gave him a big hug.
"Open yours now!" she said, scooting around so that she stood behind him, her arms still around him. Grinning from ear to ear, Ryan tore open his present. Opening the box, two identical chains with locks on the clasps stared up at him. He looked curiously up at Gabbi.
"These are promise necklaces," she said in a suddenly hushed, thoughtful voice. Kneeling down on the carpet, she fished out two different keys from the box. Ryan knelt next to her, picking up the open necklaces. "I know that you will be off at the Art Academy in New York next year. So I got these" She held up one of the necklaces, and one of the keys. "Each necklace has a corresponding key. This one is for you" And she hung it about his neck, locking it. "I keep the key"
"So this one," Ryan said softly, picking up the second small necklace, "must be for you" He carefully hung it over her slender neck, gazing into her brown eyes, and locked it. Blushing, Gabbi leaned up against him, smiling as she felt his arms envelope her after he pocketed the other key.
"You are only able to take the necklace off if your partner unlocks it," she said, staring into the roaring fireplace.
"So this way," Ryan said calculatingly, "the next time we see each other after we separate-"
"we can look forward to unlocking the necklaces" Gabbi said. Giggling once again, she looked up at him. "It also shows all other girls that you are a claimed hottie. So the girls at the Academy know to back off"
"And the boys at your college will know to keep their hands to themselves" Ryan smiled fondly down at her. "They will have a hard time resisting"
"Ryan, stop kidding around! I wasn't joking!" Gabriella said, sitting up and turning around to face him.
"Neither was I" Ryan said seriously. "And I will have to buy you a new necklace once in New York. Because we will see each other so often that the lock will open after the first week of school" Even as he said it he knew it wasn't true, but he wished it were.
"And I will buy you a new one too" Gabbi said, and grasped his hand. "Promise me that you will?" Ryan smiled, and stroked her cheek with his free hand. She looked so beautiful in the firelight.
"I promise" They stared into each other's faces for a minute, and then Ryan leaned in to give her a soft kiss.
Ryan smiled to himself, greatly cheered by the recollection. He walked into Starbucks, shook the icicles from the freezing rain out of his hair, and bought a Peppermint Mocha frappuccino, only available around Christmas time. Now armed with coffee, he wound his way through the bustling shop and sat cross-legged on a couch. He pulled out his laptop, and was about email Gabbi when he saw a small hand place a mug crammed with marshmallows in front of him.
"Merry Christmas, Ryan" Ryan looked up in delight to see Gabriella standing before him, giggling over her own hot coco. Crying out in joy, he jumped up and wrapped in her his arms after she hurriedly put the drink down. He felt something cold around his neck slipping, and he pulled back to see Gabbi holding up a familiar key, and his golden chain dangling. Smiling, Ryan pulled out his ring of keys, and reached behind Gabbi's neck to unlock her necklace.
"Sorry it is not wrapped," he said, pulling out a box, "but here is the replacement" Gasping, Gabbi opened it and rubbed the tiny pendant between her thumb and forefinger.
"And here is yours" She pulled out a wrapped box, which when Ryan opened disclosed his very first tie. It had music notes all over it.
"Since you are a big guy off at an Academy in New York," she said, carefully tying it around his neck, "you need to have at least one tie" Gabriella suddenly giggled, and yanked Ryan by his tie so his face was right neck to her own. "It might come in handy too" Ryan laughed, and let her pull him into a fond kiss.
The owner of the coffee shop smiled to himself as he watched the young couple embrace. He realized that he hadn't spent Christmas with his wife and kids in a very long time. At once, he took off his apron, set someone else in charge, and set off for his home. But a certain Evans and Montez didn't notice. They were completely oblivious of all other people in the world.
Enjoy a wonderful Christmas, everybody! I hope your day curled up with your loved ones is terrific! No matter if you are staying with relative out of town or busy on a tour! (hmm, I wonder to who I could possibly be referring to?) Merry Christmas Everyone! Merry Christmas, Lucas and Marc!