Serena
Christmas Eve. The most wonderful time of the year. That’s what that song wants you to believe. Sadly, it is not the most wonderful time of the year.
The guys have been gone since the last day of school, and I haven’t heard a word from them. I have no clue where they went or why. They just vanished.
I even went over to Midas’s house and banged on the door until Zane answered it. That was a mistake. He answered the door only in his boxers and asked me if I liked what I saw. I completely ignored that comment and asked where his son was. He wouldn’t tell me or give me any clue when they would be back. I kept hounding him for information until he slammed the door in my face. That was two days ago.
Dante has also been quiet. We have sent each other a few texts here and there, but I haven’t seen him. All he said to me about that was Christmas is a hard time for him, and he wanted to be alone.
My heart broke at that, and all I wanted to do was rush over to him to comfort him. I didn’t, though. I tried to speak to him more, but he eventually stopped responding to all my texts.
After that, I gave up on my phone.
I walk into the kitchen. Christmas music is playing loudly in the background. Mom and Grandma have been up since dawn baking and cooking for tomorrow. I don’t know why we need all this food, there are only four of us after all, but it warmed my heart to watch them together.
This reminded me of growing up. Even after Mom and I moved out of their house, we still did weekly dinners at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Mom would always help cook, while Grandpa and I would hang out together. As I got older, I started helping in the kitchen, but they would always shoo me away back to Grandpa.
I pour myself a cup of coffee, can’t start my morning without it, and ask if they need any help. In typical fashion, they shoo me out, telling me to enjoy myself. I don’t bother arguing, it won’t get me anything.
If I thought my mom was stubborn, Grandma takes that to a whole new level. She always doted on me and spoiled me growing up. I was her one and only grandchild and the last piece of her son. She would tell me stories about him as a child, but never as an adult. I assume that’s because she wanted to remember him as the same age I was at the time.
Grandpa is sitting in the plush chair in the living room, watching some British car show. I plop myself down on the couch and watch with him. Cars have never been an interest for me, but knowing that Zeus loves them, I want to know more.
I spend hours watching this show. Picking up little pieces of information that I could use to talk to Zeus with. I actually enjoyed the show. Sure, they talked about cars, but it was quite funny. They went on challenges around the world, and they had me laughing so hard at a few episodes. We watched one where they went to Bolivia, which was so hysterical to watch. Though it is not something I would normally watch, I would watch it again.
I wonder if Zeus likes this show. Maybe it is something we could watch together.
Thinking of Zeus made me think of the rest of them and the worry I felt. I hate not knowing where they are or what they are doing. They could be hurt and need help.
Once my thoughts started going wild, I excused myself and went to my room. I needed a little alone time to worry in peace and hopefully not let it show on my face anymore.
Grandpa more than once looked over at me with concern and asked me what was wrong. I always said nothing and would focus back on the show. It didn’t stop him from checking on me every couple of minutes, so I knew it was time to get out of there.
I flop onto my bed and check my phone for the millionth time, hoping to see a text or missed call from one of them. And for the millionth time, there was nothing.
I groan out my disappointment as I throw my phone on the opposite side of the bed. I rolled on my side to face Midas’s window. It was still dark in there, no sign that he had been home in a while.
I don’t know how much time has passed since I have been staring into the dark abyss that is Midas’s room before my phone chimes. I scramble towards it and smile as the message pops up.
Odin: Princess. Fuck I have missed you.
We will be home tomorrow. I need to see you.
Me: I’ll be waiting.
A girly squeal explodes from me at the thought of them being home soon. My spirits instantly lift, and a smile takes over my face.
A knock sounds at my door. I yell to come in. The door opens and Mom pops her head in. Her blonde hair was tied up in a messy bun. Flour all over her apron and hands.
“Wanna come help decorate some cookies?”
I nod my head enthusiastically and jump out of bed. Following Mom to the kitchen, my phone chimes again.
Unknown: 51
Christmas morning is spent like it should be. With my family, around the beautifully decorated tree that Mom spent too much time on. She is very particular about ornament arrangement. Ornaments of the same color can’t be placed next to each other. The special ornaments (the ones I made as a child) had to be front and center for everyone to see. The lights had to be a perfect width apart from each other so that not one part of the tree would be better lit than the rest.
The day was perfect, except for one thing. Odin said they would be home today, and I haven’t heard from them since the one message last night.
I tried to call, text, FaceTime, anything to get a hold of them, but nothing. The first few times I tried rang out, but eventually they started going straight to voicemail. I want to say it didn’t hurt, but I would be lying.
Grandpa is sitting in his chair in the living room while Mom and Grandma are finishing up the last touches of dinner. I already set the table with seven places, thinking the guys would be back by now and would want to come to dinner. The more I look at the three extra plates, the more depressed I feel. They aren’t coming, so we don’t need them.
Getting up from the couch, I walk into the kitchen and remove their place setting, putting it away in the appropriate cabinets and drawers. Mom gives me a sad smile as I walk around her. She knew that I wanted them to come today. She said it would be no problem if they wanted to, even making extra food for them.
Once everything is away, I walk towards my room. I pick my phone off my bedside table and turn the screen on. Still no word from any of them. Fuck them. If they don’t want to talk to me, I don’t want to talk to them. Wow. I sound like a petulant child, but sometimes that is the way to get through things.
I try calling Dante, hoping he would at least be in the Christmas spirit and would want to talk. But alas, no answer from him either. I did receive a text from a random number this morning that belonged to Nico. He wished me a merry Christmas.
Maybe he would know what’s going on with Dante.
I click on his name to text him. I type out a message, stare at it, and debate whether to send it or not.
Me: Merry Christmas, Nico. Just
wondering if you have heard from
Dante. I can’t get a hold of him.
My finger hovers over the send button before deciding not to. I am just being paranoid. There is probably a good reason why he isn’t answering his phone. Spending time with friends or something. Or maybe some extended family that I haven’t met.
Yeah, that’s why. Keep telling yourself that and you will believe it.
“Dinner is ready!” Mom yells from the kitchen.
I toss my phone on my bed just as it dings. I rush back to it, hoping one of them finally messaged me. My optimism dashes away as the message takes over my screen.
Evan: Merry Christmas, Flower.
I hope you like the gift I sent you.
Gift? What gift? The only random thing I have received lately was that wedding dress in my locker. Oh my god. Did he send that to me? But how did it get in my locker? A chill runs over my body as I remember finding that puffy monstrosity. It did look exactly like the one that he picked out for me.
Still doesn’t explain how it got in my locker. He would have to know someone here who could get in. I try thinking back, remembering if he had any connections here, but there is nothing that comes to mind.
He must mean something else then. No, I didn’t get it, and the second that I do, it will be going right in the garbage. I want nothing from him ever again. If I never hear from him again, it would be too soon. For all intents and purposes, he is dead to me. A part of my past that will stay there.
I delete the message before tossing my phone back on my bed. Walking into the kitchen, the smell of turkey takes over and soothes me. Memories of happy times with my family fill me as I sit next to Mom and across from Grandma and Grandpa.
Once again, I think how much I needed them here. I have loved- for the most part- living out here, but it didn’t banish the homesickness I felt for my grandparents. They have always been such a pivotal part of me, and being so far from them was taking a toll on me I didn’t know.
Dinner is spent laughing and reminiscing. Talking about days that have passed and memories that make everyone happy. I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. By the time my stomach is full, my heart is too.
I help Mom clean up the kitchen. Getting all the leftovers into Tupperware containers. Mom asked if I wanted to make the guys each a plate. I wanted to decline. They missed their chance and didn’t have the decency to say anything. But the more I thought about it, I did. They may be massive, inconsiderate assholes, but there must be a reason for it.
Once everything is put away and the dishes are clean, we join Grandma and Grandpa in the living room. A Christmas movie is playing on the TV that we all gather around to watch.
As the night wears on, exhaustion slowly takes over my body. After feeling like I couldn’t keep my eyes open to save my life, I say goodnight to everyone and excuse myself.
I turn the light on in my room and look over to Midas’s. It has been dark and deserted for days, but I can’t stop myself from checking every time I come in here. The curtains are still open, though I can’t see anything in the dark there. The feeling of someone watching me has me walking to my window to get a better look at his room. I still can’t see anything, but I know someone is watching. The only person who could be is Zane. A chill runs down my spine. I grab my curtain, closing it and blocking him from seeing anything in here.
Please come home soon.