Year 12: Christmas Dinner
It was a normal Christmas Day at the Evans house. Sharpay and Ryan had woken up early and got up with their presents, where they opened their presents. Then their aunt and uncle had come by to give them their presents, and Sharpay had forced Ryan to take part in another one of their Christmas performances. After their aunt and uncle had gone, they sat at the dining room table while their mom put the finishing touches to the dinner.
"Ryan, you nearly stepped on my foot." Argued Sharpay, sitting next to him.
"I nearly stepped on your foot? You nearly crushed mine in those heels!" Argued Ryan.
"Whatever. At least I wasn't in dreamland. You were just thinking about your girlfriend..."
"She is not my girlfriend!" Repeated Ryan for the thousandth time. Thinking about Kelsi though, Ryan realised that she hadn't called yet. Normally she would call on Christmas Day to thank him for his present, and to talk to him for a while until they were both called away for their christmas lunch.
"Dad, do you think Kelsi is okay? She normally calls by now, but she hasn't yet." His dad looked over at them.
"She'll be fine, son, probably just wrapped up in the presents she got and forgot to call. I wouldn't worry about it." Ryan shook his head. He knew Kelsi better than that. She would've called by now.
"I'm going to call her." Decided Ryan, getting up from the table and dialling the number he knew off by heart. He waited for a while before a beep was heard, and a voice came on the phone.
"We're sorry, but the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected." Ryan looked at the reciever confused, and dialled the number again. Still the same message repeated, and Ryan, worried, went into the kitchen.
"Mom, do you think you could drive me to Kelsi's?"
"What, right now duckie? I'm in the middle of the christmas dinner. Look, if it's because she didn't call..."
"No, I just called her mom. Her phone lines been disconnected." He looked up at his mom sad, "I just want to go and check if she's okay, we won't be long." Ryan's mom let out a defeated sigh, and turned the gas down on the turkey.
"Honey!" She called through to her husband. "I'm just heading out with Ryan, I won't be long! Keep an eye on the bird!" She instructed, before hurrying into the hallway to grab her coat and scarf.
Kelsi lived about five minutes away from Ryan, in a slightly run down apartment with her mom. A few years ago, Kelsi had admitted that her mom was only a teenager when she had her, and that her dad had left scared when he found out her mom was pregnant. Her mom didn't make much money, but what she did went on paying bills, or buying things for Kelsi. Ryan followed his mom up the stairs to the apartment, as she knocked on the door, and waited for a reply. A few seconds later, Kelsi's mom opened the door slowly, her face tear-streaked.
"Oh Ryan, hi." She smiled, wiping her eyes. "Kelsi, you've got a visitor!" Quickly she ushered Mrs Evans and Ryan into the apartment. Kelsi came out from her room in a jumper and jeans, and hugged Ryan.
"Hey." She smiled. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to know what you thought of my present! I'm wearing yours, see?" He pointed to his head, where yet another hat sat. Kelsi smiled.
"Glad you like it."
"Kelsi, why don't you show Ryan your presents?" Said Miss Evans, motioning over to the christmas tree, where a pile of wrapping paper lay. She looked on the verge of tears again, and Mrs Evans patted her on the shoulder reassuringly. Kelsi nodded, and motioned for Ryan to follow her. They sat by the radiator, and Ryan found it freezing cold.
"Kelsi, why don't you have the heating on?" He asked.
"....Mom couldn't pay the bill." Kelsi admitted, looking down at her lap, ashamed. She hated admitting that her mom didn't have much money, especially when Ryan had so much.
"Then....why didn't you call me?"
"....Couldn't pay the phone bill either. She thinks I don't know, but I do." Kelsi shrugged. She looked towards the kitchen area where Mrs Evans was speaking softly to her mom, who she was sure was crying. "We haven't got a turkey either. No gas or something. Apparently you need that to work the oven." A tear rolled down her cheek, and Ryan hugged her tightly.
"It's okay Kelsi..."
"No it's not, it's all my fault." She sniffed. "Mom spent all her money getting my presents, and buying things for me to give her. That's why she couldn't pay the bills. It's all my fault." She repeated. Ryan looked thoughtful for a second, trying to work out how he could make it better.
"...You're coming to our house for christmas dinner. You and your mom." He said, looking at her.
"No Ryan, Sharpay doesn't like me, and I don't wanna upset her, and--"
"I don't care what Sharpay thinks. She's really not a nice person to be around. Trust me, I live with her." Ryan smiled. "I'm gonna go ask my mom now, okay?" Kelsi nodded and stayed sitting by the tree as he entered the kitchen. Mrs Evans and Miss Nielsen looked up.
"Mom, can Kelsi and her mom come for Christmas dinner?" Mrs Evans looked at him, and smiled.
"I was about to ask you the same thing." She said.
Less than half an hour later, Sharpay, Ryan, Kelsi, Mr and Mrs Evans, and Miss Nielsen were sitting around the dining room table in the Evans' house, tucking into turkey with all the trimmings.
"Thank you so much, you really didn't have to..." Began Miss Nielsen, but Mrs Evans shook her head.
"Hey, we always have leftover turkey, you're doing us a favour!" Joked Mr Evans. Sharpay glared.
"It's not fair! I'm not allowed my friends over for Christmas! Why can't Troy come over!"
"Cheer up Sharpay, maybe Ryan will do your song with you again, so that you can show Miss Nielsen and Kelsi?"
"Yeah, Kelsi can press play on the CD player." Said Ryan, smiling at Sharpay. Sharpay just glared back and shrugged, still clearly annoyed. Lunch was easten in silence, and just as they had ten years ago, Ryan spooned his peas onto Kelsi's plate, while Kelsi silently passed a potato to Ryan. They looked at eachother quickly and smiled, before getting back to their food.