Chapter 20
twenty
Kyler
It’s the last day of school until winter vacation.
Everyone will go home, sleep for days, eat a ton of food, and celebrate with their friends.
It’s times like these when I wish I went to school away from my family because then I’d have something to look forward to, even if it was only for a few days.
The hockey team gets a couple of days off, and then we’re back on the ice for a holiday tournament.
Usually, I don’t care about being alone during the break, but this year is different.
I like having Thea and Millie around, and while the guys will be back the day after Christmas Day, it won’t be the same without the girls.
Millie is like an annoying little sister you don’t mind being around, while Thea is the forbidden fruit you want to sink your teeth into.
I want her, but I can’t have her, and it’s probably for the best.
Before everyone leaves tonight, the house is celebrating Christmas.
This was Millie’s idea. She said it’ll be no fun if we don’t see each other open our presents.
I happen to agree with her. I’m rather proud of what I bought her, and I’d like to see her open her present in front of me.
Plus, I’m going to know who my Secret Santa is as soon as they leave their present under the tree, and if anyone thinks I’m waiting for Christmas, they’re crazy.
To me, it’s just another day, and aside from a drawing or macaroni necklace from Lacey, this will be my only gift.
More so, if one of the guys drew my name, they undoubtedly got me something porn related—not something I want to open in front of my mom or niece.
I’m the first one home today and decide to turn on some holiday music, light up the tree, and clean up a bit around the house, and for the first time in my life, I’m lighting a candle to make the house smell like a cookie.
I bought it at the mall the other day after Lacey told me I smelled like one.
Sure enough, after spending the day in the kitchen, doing my homework while Thea baked, just so I could be near her, I was a walking display for the scent.
I look around the living room and feel good about this tiny celebration.
All the presents are under the tree, and I’m pretty excited.
This is my first exchange, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.
The door swings open, and laughter fills the house. Thea and Millie are home. They come into the living room and stand by the tree.
“Wow, everything looks great in here and smells fabulous. Are you baking?” Thea asks me.
I want to bend over with laughter because me, cook?
I mean, I could probably put something together but let’s be honest here, aside from Thanksgiving dinner, the only thing I can make and not burn is a sandwich.
I lose my train of thought when making macaroni and cheese, and if I don’t set my timer, the noodles will stick to the pan.
“No, I bought a candle the other day. Smells pretty good, huh?”
“Smells amazing,” Millie says as she walks toward it. “I’m going to have to remember this brand because the aroma is spot on.”
I beam with pride. Who knew I could pick the right candle to make the occasion?
While the girls continue to fuss, Jude, Nolan, and Devon arrive home.
Devon announces he has to take a shit and heads up the stairs.
Jude yells at him for being crude, and Nolan comes into the living room and stands next to Millie.
I haven’t quite figured out what’s going on with them, but there’s something there.
Not that it’s any of my business, but if Nolan thinks he’s sneaky, he should probably know he’d never make a very good spy.
“Okay, cookies are in the oven. They’ll be done in ten minutes.
We’ll start then,” Thea says to us. I stay where I am, hoping Millie and Nolan will take their non-love fest to another room so I can be alone with Thea, even if nothing will happen.
Just being in her presence calms me. But no, the “not” love birds stay where they are, and Thea joins them, leaving me to myself.
It’s awkward standing around and doing nothing, so I volunteer to make anyone my famous hot cocoa—the one other thing I can’t burn.
“No thanks,” Nolan says, as does Millie.
“I’ll take a cup,” Thea says. I nod and head toward the kitchen, only to find her hot on my heels. I look at her from over my shoulder. “My cookies are about done.”
“Oh, right.”
Thea and me in the kitchen in one thing, but put Thea and me in the kitchen, working next to each other and it’s a whole different ball game. We bump arms, slide next to each other, share an oven mitt, and when I need something over her head, she happens to turn and bump into my chest.
“Sorry,” she says quietly.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Come on, let’s open presents,” Devon yells before there’s a loud thump.
“Christ,” I say.
“How many steps do you think he jumped?” Thea asks.
“At least five. He’s lucky he doesn’t break something.”
“Boys,” Thea says and then sighs. She’s right. We’re about as dumb as a box of rocks.
Thea carries her plate of warm cookies, and I follow behind her with four mugs in my hand. I never got an answer from Jude, and with Devon busy doing his business, I figured I’d make two extras and if they want them, they can have them.
When we get into the living room, Millie instructs us to sit on the floor.
Not ideal, but the furniture doesn’t allow us to gather around the tree comfortably.
I’m a sucker for punishment and choose to sit next to Thea.
I want as much of her as I can get before she goes home.
Part of me is fearful she will reconnect with Adam.
Sadly, for me, there isn’t anything I can do about it.
For all I know, they’re talking and fixing their relationship.
It would make sense because they’ve been together for so long.
Selfishly, I want her to be with me, even though I’m the last distraction she needs in her life.
So, I’ll pine away from her from afar and cherish moments like this when she’s sitting next to me.
Millie tells us we’ll each pick a present and hand it to whoever it belongs to. I don’t know why we don’t pick the ones we wrapped, but whatever. This is her event, so she can do it however she pleases.
Devon sits next to me and picks the package I put under the tree for Millie. He reads the tag, “For Millie.” He hands it to her.
She rips open the wrapping and pauses when she gets to another set of paper. This time, she reads, “Merry Christmas, Millie. I’m really glad you’re part of the house now. From your Secret Santa, Kyler.”
“Your gift tag was a really nice touch,” Thea says to me quietly.
“Awe, Kyler. You’re going to make my dead heart beat,” Millie says.
“I’ll stop,” I say and hold up my hand. “I wouldn’t want to be responsible for something like that.” Everyone laughs. Millie is far from heartless. She’s been a best friend to Thea from the moment they met.
“Kyler, oh my.” Millie holds up the black velvet box I found at a secondhand store for everyone to see.
“Open it,” I tell her.
She does and gasps. Inside, nestled in the velvet, are healing crystals.
I learned more about their powers than I ever thought imaginable.
Of course, I was stupid to think I could go in and fill the box with crystals and be on my way.
Nope. You have to be careful and not mix them with the wrong ones so shit can happen.
“I don’t know what to say, Kyler. This is the most thoughtful gift. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome, Millie.”
It’s my turn to pick a present. I reach for the box closest to me and read the tag. “To Nolan, From Devon.” I hand it to him.
“Nice wrapping job, Devon.”
“I ran out of time,” he says, shrugging.
Nolan rips into the newspaper and reveals a shirt that reads, “If you phuck with me, I’ll phuck you up.”
“Classy,” Jude says.
“I need one,” I add and give Devon a high-five.
“The whole team does,” Devon says.
“Boys,” Millie mutters. “Okay, Thea, you pick.”
Thea leans forward. I’m forced to sit on my hand because I want to touch her backside. She grabs a present and sits back down. “This is for Kyler, from me,” she says as she places the package in my lap.
My automatic response is to tell her she didn’t have to, but she did.
It’s part of the game. I open the green wrapping to find a pair of gray sweatpants and another gift.
If her brother and the others weren’t in the room, I’d ask her if she’d like me to model these for her.
Instead, I open the other package, and a black leather bracelet falls into my lap.
“This is awesome,” I tell her. “Thank you.”
“Here, let me help you put it on.” She takes it from my hand, and as soon as she touches my skin with her, our eyes meet. There’s no chance in hell she didn’t feel what I felt. Our eyes linger on each other’s long after she’s secured the clasp. “It looks nice,” she says, breaking the trance.
“Yeah, it does. Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome.”
From this point, I ignore who got what because I’m focused on everything Thea does, from the way she laughs when she opens her present from Nolan which is a waffle iron, pushes her hair behind her ear, and casually looks over at me, giving me a soft smile.
The mood turns somber after every gift has been opened, the hot cocoa drank, and the cookies eaten.
I never thought I’d feel this way about my roommates, but Thea’s presence has made me see things differently.
They’re no longer just people I happen to share a house with, or play with on a team.
They’re becoming more of a family than my own is and I can feel the walls I’ve carefully built up around me slowly coming down.