Tobias insists on decorating our apartment, in mock sincerity, given the fact that Christina –my best friend - is bugging me about Christmas, he – my boyfriend - seems to think it's funny to do the same. Why do I put up with this?
"You okay?" he says, breaking me out of my daze."Sorry, we don't have to decorate if you don't want to."
"Are you conceding?" I scoff.
He shoots me a glare, but then starts to laugh. "I guess so," he says.
"Ha!" I croak, though I still decide to hang up the red, white, and green strips of paper on the wall. Why colored paper? I think. What's the point?
"I don't know why they used to do this either, but it seems fun. It's comforting and colorful," he says dreamily.
"What happened to you today?" I retort.
"What?"
"You're acting ridiculous," he looks confused, so I continue. "You've just been joking and lolly gagging – it's ridiculous. "
"I'm happy, Beatrice."
I shoot him a look, and he puts his hands up in defense.
"What? You said on special occasions… Christmas is one of them… Christmas is today…" he says.
"Yeah, I get it. Just don't bug me with that today."
"No problem – I was just planning on saying it just that once…"
"Thanks"
"For now…" he murmurs.
"Tobias- " I start.
"I'm only kidding, Tris."
"Just keep decorating, Tobias."
He laughs to himself, comes over to pick up some tape, but instead leans in on me, trapping me in his arms and touching his lips to mine.
"Better?" he insists. "Did I make it up to you?"
"You're forgiven."
He heaves a sigh and starts to get dressed for the party.