Just as promised, a new chapter update! Yay! -xoxo Tak
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Seventh grade choir concert meant two hours of agony for four hockey head best friends, but Jo loved attending. Jo had coaxed each boy into taking choir, and though they said they hated it, Jo could tell that each boy secretly loved it. Their winter concert was meant to be on Christmas Eve but Jo had fallen seriously ill and couldn't go.
She had been so upset that she had to miss it. She was supposed to duet with Kendall, but now that was no more. She couldn't sing and she couldn't even go to watch her friends perform. Kendall didn't like that she was upset by this, so he had gotten his three best friends to come over on Christmas morning so they could visit their sick friend and reenact the whole show.
So come Christmas morning, Jo lay in bed, coughing her lungs out, Kendall knocked gently on her door, announcing his arrival. He told the guys to wait outside while he talked to her first.
"Hey North Carolina. How you feeling?" He asked.
"Better." She said groggily. "How was the concert?"
"It was fun, but I wish you had been there." He told her, sitting next to her on the bed.
"I wish I had been there too." She coughed. Kendall moved, back so he wouldn't get sick. "I hate being sick!"
"Well I know what'll cheer you up." Kendall said. He then got up and called for the other three boys to join them. Jo smiled immediately upon seeing her friends standing in her room to see her.
"Hey Jo!" They all greeted her in unison.
"Hi guys." She croaked. "What are all of you doing here?"
"Since you weren't able to see us in the show last night," Carlos said.
"We decided to bring it to you." James finished.
"Ready, 1 2 3 sing!" Logan conducted and all four boys began their mini concert off with "Deck the Halls." Kendall stood with his friends as they all sang. The last song they were to sing was the "12 Days of Christmas." Jo swayed to each song, grinning. She couldn't believe at how amazing her friends were for doing this.
Kendall walked over to sit next to Jo right as they sang the last line. "Even though, you can't sing, I still want you to be able to duet with me."
"But it'll be horrible." She complained.
"I'll be just as bad if you want me to." He responded.
She smiled and began to sing. The others cringed at her voice, but Kendall happily listened and sang along to "Baby It's Cold Outside."
"Thank you guys for coming and performing for me." Jo said.
"It was nothing." James replied.
"You know who you should really thank?" Carlos suggested.
"Who?" She pondered.
"Kendall." Logan answered. "He put it together. I mean we were all kinda sick of singing them, but he made us just to make you happy."
"Really?" She asked Kendall directly. The twelve-year-old blushed.
"I just wanted to give you a good Christmas. That's all." He told her.
"It was the best Kendall. Thank you." She said, grabbing his hand. In that moment she felt a strong warmth overcome her body. Having Kendall's hand in hers felt strange even though she had held it before, but not like this. She let go, not showing signs of change.
Kendall felt something strange as well. He had almost wanted to keep her hand in his longer, but didn't want to seem strange. He pulled his hand back into his lap and looked over at his friends who were staring at the pair.
"So since we're done here, I have to go home for lunch with my family." James said. "See you later Jo."
"Bye James." She called out.
"I have to leave too, grandparents are over and so are my tios." Carlos said. He waved at Jo, and headed out.
"I also gotta go, but I'll try to stop by with some cookies later." Logan spoke. "Are you coming Kendall?"
"Um, no. I think I'm going to stay here." Kendall said, smiling back at Jo.
"You can go if you want Kendall. I should rest anyways." Jo told him.
"I'd rather stay here with you." He responded.
"Alright, well I'm leaving." Logan followed Carlos, leaving Kendall and Jo alone.
The two friends talked about all the things Jo had missed on the days she wasn't at school. Kendall told her about how the new girl Camille Roberts had a crush on Logan and how during the concert, right before Logan's solo, she grabbed his butt causing the boy to trip. He even told Jo about the four birds they were going to be raising in science next year.
Jo fell asleep listening to Kendall talk, but Kendall didn't mind. He knew she needed sleep, and let her be. Instead of going home he fell asleep next to her. The two of them napped until Jo's dad found them together. He thought it was cute, but had to wake Kendall and her up for dinner.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep in the middle of you talking." Jo apologized.
"It's okay. You needed rest and I should have left you alone." He told her.
"I'm glad you didn't though. I've been lonely all week." She informed.
"Well if you want, I'll stay here as long as you like." He offered.
"I don't want you getting sick though." She said.
"If I get sick, then we can both be sick together." He stated, making her giggle.
They went downstairs for dinner. Jo ate soup mostly and Kendall joined her. He didn't want to make her feel any worse than she already did, so he did everything that she did. After dinner they went into the living room to open the presents Jo was unable to open in the morning. She got a lot of the things she wanted and was content, but what she wanted to do was give Kendall his gift.
"Even though I was sick, I got you your gift." She told him. She asked her mom to go get it for her and when she brought it back, Jo gave it to Kendall. "It's not much, but I thought you'd like it."
Kendall accepted the bag and opened it to find a grey beanie inside. He took it out and put it on. "This is really nice. I love it Jo."
"Merry Christmas!" She said with a grin. Kendall hugged her even though she was sick. He felt bad for not having her present, but he did promise her he'd make it up to her.
"You already got me four calling birds this morning Kendall." She joked. "Getting my own private concert from my four best friends is a great gift. Better than anything else."
"Well then, Merry Christmas Jo."
"Merry Christmas Kendall."
