I was laying there, feeling something push my bangs back then run down my temple and cheeks. Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw Dimitri sitting next to me. I felt time freeze, literally. For the slightest second, I could tell that I was living a moment my mother and father had shared. I could feel my mother's life flash through me and in a way it startled me, but I didn't let it show.
" Alexandra, are you ok? You scarred me, you were crying in your sleep." Dimitri stated gently. I moaned and pulled the covers closer, nuzzling into his hand.
" I'm fine. It happens a lot." I explain with my eyes closed and a smile on my face.
" Your room is so comforting. It reminds me of Russia."
" You miss it a lot don't you?" He asked me. I nodded and snuggled closer into the pillow as his hand continued to play with my hair.
" I do. But it's good to be back in America. What about you? Do you miss Russia?"
" Once in a while I do." He answered. I laid there and smelt Dimitri's cologne mixed into his pillow and sheets. It was comforting, it let me feel safe. Something I hadn't felt in a long time.
" Dimitri, what do you want for Christmas?" I asked him.
" Christmas? But that's not until later in the month."
" I know, but that doesn't mean anything. So what do you want?"
" I don't really want anything." He answered.
" How would you feel about going back to Russia before the year ends?" I asked him. I could sense interest spark through him, but Dimitri was trying his hardest to deny it.
" That's far to expensive."
" Not thinking about the price, would you want to go with me? I can bring Kai and Lissa and Rose and everyone. If that's what you want then I will give it to you. I will make it happen." I state. I could tell that Dimitri was starting to second guess his ability of controlling his wanting. I opened my eyes and looked up at him.
" Yea . . . I would really love that." He slowly spoke. I smiled to myself. I could tell that it wasn't very often that Dimitri got what he wanted. I smiled and closed my eyes.
" Dimitri?" I asked.
" Yea?"
" Thanks for last night." I said, starting to feel the wanting of sleep overcoming me.
" No problem."
" Oh, and can I tell you something?"
" What is it?"
" That bench last night . . . was the one . . . m-my parents used . . . all the . . . all the time." I yawn as I fall back into a blissful sleep.
I stood in line for sparing. I had yet had the chance to prove myself. The winner of each match was to pick a person to spare. You step out of the ring or were to be heldfor 10 seconds u were out. Simple. Just hands and feet and nothing more.
Suddenly I found someone pointing to me. I looked up and saw a young boy waiting for me in the ring. So far he had been winning every match with an easy will. He probably chose me to get the easy ones out of the way. With a smirk, I stepped up. I could tell that Dimitri was a little leery about letting me fight against a man, but I was not worried at all. People often mistook me for a little fragile doll, therefore they always went easy. That was my advantage.
Dimitri started the match and the boy charged at me. Quickly, I ducked down and held my stance as he tumbled over me. Just as he was about to stand up and attack again, I jumped up and kicked him in the chest. Being completely surprised, he stumbled backwards and out of the ring.
Everyone looked at me like they had just seen the impossible. I just turned to Dimitri and smiled. Actually being taken off guard, it took him a moment to smile back.
That night I sat out in the café late at night. Even though it was closed, we were still able to sit there. I personally didn't care if it was late at night, I was sitting out here whether they liked it or not. In my lap sat my guitar. On the outside was black then it faded into a beautiful blue. This was one of the few things I actually cherished.
I raised my hands and began to play a soft melody. My finger nipped gently at the songs and the guitar radiated a beautiful noise.
" Can you sing me that one Christmas song you would always sing to me?"
I turned around with a gasp. There stood Kai in her nightgown. She looked like a beautiful Christmas angel. Her night gown made my pajamas look like peasant's. I simply had on red and black plaid pants that would fall off my waist if it weren't for the string, and a black tank top.
" What are you doing out here? I expected you to be asleep." I say as she sat down in the chair in front of her.
" I can never sleep around this time of year. My stomach just flutters with excitement." She explained as she looked around at the decorations. I smiled.
" I can't believe you remember that song. I haven't sung it in years." I say. Kai looked at me with a smile of her own.
" How can I not? That was the only way you would get me to go to sleep on Christmas Eve."
" Sing it with me." I say. Kai nods and I raise my left hand into the first chord. I would be a little rusty, but hopefully nothing to bad.
" I'm wishing on a star, and trying to believe that even though it's far, he'll find me Christmas eve. I guess that Santa's busy, cause he's never come around. I think of him when Christmas comes to town." She sung softly. I took and deep breath and swallowed before opening my mouth.
"The best time of the year, when everyone comes home. With all this Christmas cheer, it's hard to be alone. Putting up the Christmas tree with friends who come around. It's so much fun when Christmas Comes to Town." I sung. " Presents for the children wrapped in red and green."
" All the things I've heard about but never really seen."
Memories began to flood through me as we continued to sing, my fingers moving and switching positions by instinct.
" No one will be sleeping on the night of Christmas Eve, hoping that Santa will on his way." We harmonized gently. I felt myself being transported back to good times and by the smile on Kai's face, so was she. I took a deep breath and started to sing again.
" Presents for the children wrapped in red and green."
" All the things I've heard about but never really seen."
" No one will be sleeping on the night of Christmas Eve, hoping Santa's on his way!" We sung.
" When Santa's sleigh bells ring-"
" I listen all around." Kai finished.
" The Herald angels sing!"
" I never hear a sound."
" And all the dreams of children–"
" Once lost will all be found."
" That's all I want when Christmas comes . . . to town." We finished. We looked at each other with a small smile.
" I haven't heard you sing like that in so long." Kai started," Sing more."
" What song?" I asked her. She just shrugged.
" Any song." She requested. I sat there and thought. I began to remember how my mother would say that the first time my dad went out to war was the month of December. So he picked up a guitar and began to sing to her. Feeling my parent's love course through me, I positioned my fingers and began to play.
" I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love even more than I usually do and although I know It's a long road back I promise you." I began to sing. My mind was flashed back to the images my mother had created in my mind when she told me the story. There she sat in a recliner chair that rocked back and forth in front of the fireplace. My dad had called her down and she sat there listening to the fire crackle and looking at the Christmas tree and its lights highlighting the gifts.. Then my dad had walked out in his uniform and she looked up at him. Then it hit her what was happening and tears began to form.
" How long?" She asked. My father knelt down in front of her and took her hands into his.
" A while." He spoke. My mother felt her heart break and the tears she tried to hold back and began to fall.
" Will you be back in time for Christmas?" She asked.
" I promise." He said as he wiped her tears away gently with his thumb. My father looked around and sat down on the foot rest before reaching over the same guitar that rested in my arms. Then he began to sing the very song I was singing.
Taking a deep breath, I held back my tears and continued to play.
" I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents under the tree. Christmas Eve will find me where the love-light gleams. I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams."
I was so into my song and memories, I didn't even notice Kai staring at someone waiting in the doorway that rested behind me.
" I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe And presents under the tree. Christmas Eve will find me where the love-light beams. I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams."
I stayed quiet for a moment after I finished the last chord before looking up at Kai.
" That was the song your father sang your mom when he first left huh?" She asked.
" Yea . . . it was." I whispered.
" You sing beautifully."
I turn around in shock of the voice and saw Dimitri standing there.
" That song must be really important to you huh?" He asked as he walked up to us.
" Yea, it is." I admit.
" Dimitri why don't you stay? I'm sure Alexandra would love to sing another song." Kai suggested. Dimitri smiled at me.
" I'd love to." And with that he sat down in a seat and waited for me.
" What do I sing?" I asked.
" Something from your heart." Kai suggested. I closed my eyes and thought about the American army, the marines and air force, everyone that protected our country. I thought about my dad, the Christmas eve when I found out he had died protecting the country, my home and life. Slowly, I began to play.
" Do you remember me? I sat upon your knee. I wrote to you with childhood fantasies. Well I'm all grown up know, and still need help somehow. I'm not a child but my heart can still dream. So here's my life long wish, my grown up Christmas list. Not for myself but for a world in need."
My heart started to ache, but I fought back my emotions.
" No more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts. And everyone would have a friend, and right would always win and love would never end. This is my grown up Christmas list.
" As children we believed, the grandest sight to see was something lovely and wrapped beneath our tree. But heaven only knows that packages and bows can never heal a hurting human soul. No more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts. And everyone would have a friend, and right would always win and love would never end. This is my grown up Christmas list.
" What is this illusion called the innocence of youth, maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth. No more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts. And everyone would have a friend, and right would always win and love would never end. This is my grown up Christmas list. This is my only finally wish, this is my grown up Christmas list." I sang. When I looked up, I saw Kai quickly flip her phone way.
" Kai! Were you recording me!" I asked. She just smiled. I sighed and slouched back into my chair.
" You know I don't like it when you do it." I say.
" I know, but you just looked so beautiful."
" I look like a girl in pajamas who is lazy." I correct.
" You're wrong."
I looked up at Dimitri and saw him looking downwards.
" You looked beautiful, your soul did. You put in so much emotion into it." He said. I sat there and blinked. Suddenly I saw his hand dart up and rub his eye before standing up. Even then he refused to even look at me.
" You two better hurry and get back to your rooms, it's passed curfew."
And with that he walked out of the room, never looking back.