It was Christmas. I looked at the gifts underneath the tree. There must've been quite a few with my name on it. I was erus of it. (Erus is backwardish for sure.)

Jack.

I knelt down, ready to claim my one. I couldn't wait to see which ones were mine.

I glanced at the first one, which was green with red ribbons, so it had to be from Cass and Eloise. It read From Cass and Eloise to Marco, so I took the one beside it, which was blue with silver wrapping.

From Daria

To Jack

Daria had had her fifteenth birthday in October. She was two years younger than me. I took the present she had given me and set it on the table. I started unwrapping it.

"Jack!" Aly.

"Why are you up at two am?"

"It's Christmas." I said, without looking at her.

I continued unwrapping. Underneath the wrapping was a white box with a lid. I took the lid off. In the box was a pair of jeans and a picture of me and Daria.

I took the portrait out and ran my fingers over it. The photo was taken last year, before that thing with Jon happened. A few weeks to be specific.

I put the portrait and the lid on top. The I went to the tree to get some of my other presents. I could hear Aly following after me. She was going to pull out a present. I was sure.

"Here," she said, giving me a present. I looked at the label. From Aly To Jack it read.

I was about to speak to her, but then she was gone.

I looked down at the present.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep.

I sit up in bed. The clock reads 6:00 am. Today is Christmas. And here I am, dreaming about Christmas at age seventeen.

And at age twenty, ready to propose to Aly.

I'll mess this up. I'm sure of it.

I get out of bed and change, shower, brush, comb my hair, and head downstairs.

I wonder what Aly will think of the way I proposed to her. I put my ring and a letter in a box since I couldn't do it face to face.

I talked to her parents for their permission. I told my parents and everyone else and asked them to keep it a secret.

Everything had been arranged ahead of time. Now the only problem was, will she accept it?

I hope so. I sincerely hope so.