The Christmas Present

Today, it's Christmas eve, and... we are going to spend it with my mum's best friend's family who lives just two blocks away.

Of course, everyone enjoys Christmas parties beacuse it gives off a warm and fuzzy feeling of joy that is Christmas. And also, I love to think that we gather together because we wanted to share this special occasion with the ones we love most, and are closest with. Hence, does that mean I'm loved and longed for too?? Gosh, I always smile when I think of that.

It's just that...it's just that...

He will be there.

"Ahhhh.... isn't this the one who broke three plates at Mrs. Medley's while babysitting her children...? And cut little Jacob's feet while clearing up the broken pieces...? Tsk, tsk.." Luke droned on mercilessly, smirking all the while.

I ignored him. He loves to piss me off everytime I see him. He also enjoys ruining my reputation in a mild and playful way, such as spreading my clumsy and idiotic mistakes to the whole neighbourhood.It may mean nothing to him, but... to me, I held my image and pride higher than anything else in the world. God. I hate him.

Luke sliced a piece of turkey and placed it on my plate politely, grabbing at the chance to smile evilly at me out of the grown-ups' sight. I fought against my whole trembling body that was screaming at me to give him a tight slap. Instead, I focused on the scrumptious food on my plate, that suddenly smelt like rotten eggs.

Why...? Why does he have to ruin my every meal?

"Gasp-- is that true, Anne dear?? You cut Mrs. Medley's baby??!! Why didn't you tell me about it?? You should have apologised--" My mother began ranting.

"I said sorry. I help bandaged Jacob's injured leg too. And Mrs. Medley's okay about it." I cut in suddenly, a part of my brain furiously working up ways to pay Luke back.

"Ah, but then, I don't think anyone would want YOU to babysit their children anymore--" Luke proudly took the lead in our crumbling conversation.

"That's because YOU are spreading such a small and insignificant mistake everywhere to ruin what people think of me!!" My whole body was sizzling now like never before. Did the turkey feel like this too, when it was being roasted..? Because, that's how I feel now. Not only embarassed, but... strangely, sad.

"Anne!! Apologize immediately!! How can you such a thing to the host of the house?" My dad interrupted the fight abruptly. Everyone stopped eating.

This isn't Christmas eve. On Christmas eve, people sing carols and have friendly, harmless midnight talks till Christmas morning.

Christmas eve will never be Christmas eve, with Luke around.

I stood up without warning and headed for the door.

I need to clear my head. I hated verbal wars, and I always lost. I need to get away. Away, from Luke.

"Anne dear... where are you going? You barely touched your dinner..aren't you hungry??" Luke's mother Carolyn, also my mum's best friend, hurriedly asked out of concern.

"No, I need to get something and I just remembered about it...I'll be back in a sec, mum." I swung my coat over my shoulders and walked out of the house, giving no chance for them to reply.

Luke, you idiot..I hate you...

I blankly walked through the snow-covered streets, peering now and then into the warm and cozy shop windows that displayed arrays and arrays of Christmas toys and little angels.

I sighed involuntarily as I saw families rejoicing and laughing away in their overly-decorated houses.

This feeling..this feeling is eating into me, and I don't know how to describe it..

"Alone tonight, babe?"
I snapped out of my thoughts and almost fainted when I caught a glimpse of the dagger hidden in the coat of the man who was talking to me. Beside him, three others adorning worn out, denim jackets were staring intensely at me, puffing strongly away on the cigarettes stuffed in their mouths.

"Erm..not actually.. you know what, I'm just going to go to my family who's waiting right around that corner..." I gave my friendliest smile while backing off slowly.

"Oh no you don't, sweet, we just came from that corner and it's empty." The one who I presumed was the leader smiled back at me. I accidentally saw one of them nudge the other and drew out a dagger.

Oh no, that lame excuse I cooked up didn't work.

Oh please, Lord..not on Christmas eve. This is NOT happening to me..it only happens to people in the papers, not normal people like me...

"Now, sweetheart.. I think perhaps you could help us out if you showed us your purse as a nice Christmas present." One of them randomly asked as the advanced and circled me rapidly, leaving me no chance for a swift getaway.

"Alright, alright, I get your drift...I hand you everything I've got on me, then you'll leave me alone, okay..?" I tried desperately to scream or cry, but my mind didn't belong to me now. I scrambled in my pockets for everything I've got and emptied all money plus the odd pin and clip onto the white and soft ground below.

They looked at one another and did something that sounded like a retarded giggle.

"What if we said.. we're not done yet?" Without giving me time to think up the rest, one of them pounced on me and started removing my coat.

"N-no!!" I managed a helpless squeak and tried to shout for help, but instead got my mouth covered by a rough and callous hand. My world was suddenly upside down.

This is absolutely not happening to me.

The guy on top of me slappped me hard, and I cried helplessly. After countless attempts of failure to free myself, I finally gave up and stared blankly into the starry sky above, trying to numb all my senses and lullaby myself into fantasy. Or try to wake up. If this is a dream, that is.

Out of the blue, the weight on me disappeared, and I sat up immediately, only to see Luke punching the guy who had intended to rape me hard on his face.

I grabbed my coat and pulled it around me, dumbfounded.

I'm still clean, still clean..

Quickly, when the bastards still had their attention locked on Luke, I fished out my cellphone and dialled robotically on the phone with my pale and trembling fingers. Without thinking, I made an emergency report and gave them all the details as I watched, crying, as Luke fought them off with his bare fists, evading all the slashes, but obviously losing all his stamina rapidly.

"Shit!! She's calling the cops!!" One of them finally noticed and then the whole mob ran off frantically.

I ran over to Luke, who had slumped down on the floor and was bellowing like a broken horse. "Oh god, oh god, are you alright?? Why did you come out here??!! Who told you to do that??!! Didn't I say I was going to get something, then go back??" A torrent of words burst out of my mouth as I hugged him with all my might.

Thank god, for everything, for my safety, for Luke's safety, and...for Luke.

"You..you think I'd believe that load of bull??" He laughed feebly and gripped his stomach. "You.. didn't even look back when you walked out the door."

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry...but...thank you, Luke, thank you so, so much..." I strengthened my hug on him, trying desperately to warm up his freezing body, all the while crying nonstop.

"Hey, hey... c'mon stop crying.. see? I'm alright now, ain't I? And didn't I say I would always protect you? You idiot.."

Oh...he remembered. Why did you have to remember such a thing? I didn't even know guys would remember what they said...

"Anne." He grabbed my face suddenly. "I love you." He said it straight, no hesitation, wihout blushing.

I stopped crying and held my breath, not actually believing every second of this. "But.. but... if you love me, why are you always putting me down and bullying me?? When you know I hate it...???" I was not satisfied at just that..what about all those trouble he had put me into last time? Did he actually think he could get away with it all??

"That was because, I wanted to get your attention, because you never looked twice at me--"
"Enough, Luke. Sorry, I am thankful that you saved me from those people just now, but.. I hate you for all those things you have done to me." I said cruelly wihout really measuring my words. I was very, very confused, and also in deep trauma as an aftermath of the would-be rape. Also, I wanted to hurt him just once, just once...

"Anne--" He began.
"Luke, no. I don't love you, and you can't make me." I turned my face away and freed my arms from his.
He stared at me, as though accusing me. Then he stood up and pulled me up too. I swore then, I saw a tear drop down to the snow and dissolved in the thick, white blanket. I was about to protest, when--
"Anne, let's go back. They're waiting."
"Wait!! Please, promise me, don't say anything about today to my parents, please?" I pleaded. My parents were already bludgeoned with too much stress to worry about me anymore. I didn't want to ruin their holidays.
"...Okay, if that is what you want." Luke kept his back to me.
That was what he usually said. I half-expected him to break his promise like he always did, and tell me later that his confession was nothing but a prank...but...it never happened.

And.. this is my first Christmas eve spent without sleeping for the whole night, because..I was thinking about Luke.
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"Merrrry Christmas!!! "
"Merry Christmas, Carolyn. Merry Christmas, David. Both of you look splendid!!!"
"Thank you, Valerie!! You too look gorgeous beyond words!!"

We're here again. It had actually become a tradition that we spend Christmas eve and Christmas with Carolyn and her family.

"Oh dear, Anne, you look simply terrible...have you not been sleeping the whole night?" Aunt Carolyn put her arm on my shoulder and asked gently. I saw Luke who was in a corner by the Christmas tree look up suddenly. He hurriedly lowered his gaze when our eyes met.

He's avoiding me.

I nodded feebly in response to Aunt Carolyn's question.

Aunt Carolyn patted me warmly on my back. "Ahh...you were probably thinking about your Christmas presents, right? Go over there and get them under the Christmas tree, dear." She smiled at me and gave me a slight push.

I forced my knees and legs to walk towards the huge and friendly tree, where Luke was sitting, staring rather unnaturally and woodily at the colourful gifts under it.

I breathed in hard...then handed him a small little box wrapped up in green and red papers.
"Merry Christmas, Luke."

He stared at me quizzically, then started unwrapping the present furiously. I heard a muttered, "Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too." and saw him blush a beetroot red.

As the wrapping papers fell away unto the floor, he picked up the note in the little box and read it--

Thump, thump, thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
Oh my god, I think I'm going to faint... is he such a slow reader--

"GASSSSSPPPP!!!" Aunt Carolyn and Uncle David gasped loudly in major surprise. Very soon, my parents followed suit and my mum screamed like a banshee.

"LUKE!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? OH MY GOD--" Aunt Carolyn's voice screeched over, filled with shock.

I dreamily opened my eyes, and Luke released his lips from mine gently. I licked my lips and sighed, savouring every trace of his breath and tongue.

Wow, I didn't know he had such great lips, and is such a professional kisser.

Luke closed his eyes, and hugged me tightly to him.

"But I was just...opening my Christmas present."

And on the floor, amidst the mess of wrapping papers, lay the note I had written for him: 'Kiss me. Merry Christmas. -- Anne Redmonds'.
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