Somewhere New

As the days go by all I want to do is move to a better place. I cannot stand living with my family. My name is Crystal Cane, and I am 13 years old. I’m not very tall, but I have very light brown hair. My Mother is never on my side, and my Father probably wishes I was never born. Mitchell, my brother, is so spoiled and gets whatever he wants all the time. I guess you could say I do give attitude but that’s only because I can’t take my parents. They favorite my brother all the time. I get left out a lot and I always feel alone. I always get yelled at for nothing. My Dad comes home and yells at me. I don’t think I deserve it but I can’t talk back or else I’ll get in more trouble. My family has a lot of issues with me I guess. But the only reason that keeps me happy is Christmas every year.
I love the happiness every kid has believing in Santa Claus. My parents always said he isn’t real or called me stupid when I would say I know he is. They never really did any traditions for our family. Although, the only day I would get to see my dad’s side of the family was Christmas day. All of my favorite cousins, Uncles, and Aunts would be there. My grandma and grandpa, Nona and Grump, were always so happy when we arrived. I would run around with my cousins and make up dances with them to different songs and always have so much fun! My parents would let me spend a few nights over their house with one of my cousins, Brittney. We love staying up late at night and watching movies. Then, we would tell each other what we got for Christmas. My cousin believed in Santa as much as I did. She even had a family tradition called The Elf on the Shelf. She’d write notes to it, and every day it would be in a different place hiding in the house. So every Christmas I decided to write to Brittney’s elf and ask if one would come to my house and live there every night till Christmas. I always hoped one would come but it never did.
This Christmas, I always expected the usually, until one day I came home from school and I saw a book on my bed. It was named The Elf on the Shelf. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was so excited and wanted to call up Brittney. But first, I had to find it. I looked everywhere, in my room, the kitchen, living room, computer room, but it was nowhere to be found. Right when I was about to give up, I saw something red on our Christmas tree. I went over and there it was just sitting there, with the warmest little smile. It had a little red suit with white gloves. Its rosy cheeks were glowing on its little cute face. I didn’t want my parents to find out so I decided to keep it a secret. Although it had rules, so I couldn’t touch it, and it couldn’t speak to me. I read the book it came with and always carried it in my book bag. It would never move, only at night when it went back to the North Pole. Every day I would find it someplace new and write it a note every night. I finally knew what to name it so therefore it was called Elfis. My parents still never found out about it because in one note I told him to hide the most difficult places. But it didn’t frustrate me when I couldn’t find him because it was like a little game of hide-and-go-seek.
As the days went by it was getting closer to Christmas Eve. So then that meant it was almost time for him to go. I didn’t get sad though because I never wanted to waste a single second. At school, I knew Elfis was at home so I decided to make up a plan.
Christmas Eve was finally here and I was ready to go. My family was eating dinner when my parents said to me, “Get to bed right now!”
I started to yell to my parents, “Fine I will!”
I was laying there with Elfis up in my Christmas tree in my room. I drank soooo much coffee that day so I knew I wouldn’t be going to sleep for quite some while. I pretended to be asleep when in the middle of the night I saw something dash. It was the quickest little red movement I ever saw. Then I knew that was when I had to get ready. I had a very small bag packed with only a few of my most favorite things in it. I walked outside on that cold, snowy night and looked up. There it was…Santa and all of his reindeer. I could not believe it. I hurry up and ran up the ladder that I had laying out for awhile now. Then very quickly but quietly I jumped in his sleigh. I never would have thought I made it this far. I was so tired though, I could barely keep my eyes open.
I woke up with a startle. I wondered where I was and what happened that night. I forgot almost everything. I looked around and came out from under the bench in the sleigh. I then realized I was at the North Pole. At first, I was very scared what was going to happen to me. I walked out and into a different room and came across all these toys. I knew that if somebody saw me I would get noticed right away. I heard footsteps coming and all of a sudden in walked Santa Claus and Elfis! At my house he was so different. He was very small and looked almost fake. I stopped and just stared until finally somebody spoke. Santa looked so surprised and almost happy.
He started saying, “I was the only human to every set foot at the North Pole.”
I was shaking and asked, “If I was going to get in trouble and would have to go back home.”
They said it was okay and they had to let me stay. Elfis gave me a tour of the workshop. He showed me where I would be staying and got an outfit all sewed up for me to wear. At first, I thought everybody was going to stare but instead they all greeted me and had smiles on their face. I asked where Elfie was, my cousin’s elf. They told me about them and all the funny things they did when they visited. They even read me the notes Brittney would write every night. Everybody was so nice and welcomed me. The first few weeks I just sat there and watched Elfis make all different kinds of toys. But then finally he let me start to make them too! I messed up a lot, but then I started to get the hang of it. At the end of the day I was so tired and very happy I snuck into the sleigh Christmas Eve. Then one night I overheard Santa and Elfis talking late one night. I stood by the door over listening to the conversation. I picked up on it when Santa said next year she’ll have to go back. I knew it was about me, but I didn’t want to leave. The next day, I acted a little strange and I think Elfis noticed that. He asked what was wrong but I said nothing. That night I finally just came out and told him. He laughed a little and then looked surprised. He told me that it was about me that they were talking about but not the way I took it. He said that I was going to leave and go to my cousins’ house with Elfie and Charlie. I felt so relieved and told him how scared I was because I loved being here. There was so much Christmas spirit and I was always so happy. At sometimes though I did wonder what was happening to my family and if they missed me or not, and how things were going. Next Christmas, the North Pole was very busy. I trained all year to be able to fly with Elfie. I was ready to go to Brittney’s first and I had a note. When we got there I was so scared and it was very hard for me not to be able to move. We hid in her room on her desk on top of her TV. I knew she would know it was the day her elf would be home when she got back from school. I heard the door open and her dogs started barking. It was the moment I was waiting for all this year. She set her book bag down and came into her room. Then, she looked right at me. I did change since I was now an elf. I got small, pale, but with red cheeks and nose. She screamed for her mom, my Aunt, to come here. They looked as they were in shock and were both speechless. The day went on and Brittney finally read my note I hid on her desk. She looked happy and sad at the same time. I started to listen to everything she had to say, and it was so hard for me not to answer. When she went to bed, I took her note she wrote and left with Elfie. Every day I visited her as an elf. Days went by and it was almost Christmas Eve. Every elf was so busy trying to get ready for the big day. Santa was checking on the reindeer and making sure they were healthy. I can’t believe it was almost a year since I have been here. I had so much fun and loved meeting everybody. I hope I never have to leave, but I did have a special surprise for Brittney. It was finally Christmas Eve and I was sitting on top of the Britt’s fireplace. Elfie didn’t come this last day to get prepared for tonight. She wasn’t expecting anything because she knew all the rules of me, as an elf. They were all getting ready to go to bed because it was very late, when all of a sudden, I said something to Brittney.
“Psstt, Britt follow me!”
She turned around and saw a quick red movement as I flew outside onto her porch. She first just stood there and then finally came running out.
She started to say, “De!”
All of a sudden I saw her look up in the sky. She let out a gasp and I knew she couldn’t believe her eyes. I may get in trouble but she was wishing for this to be her present all December. Every note she asked how it was up there. I told her everything but felt bad she couldn’t know how real it was. My plan was working just right. I told her how I snuck up to the North Pole and I knew she was going to do the same. She got up into the sleigh after it landed on the rooftop. I may get in trouble but they’ll all have to understand. The North Pole calmed down a little when we got back. I got Britt out and she was astonished. She didn’t know what to say but I saw a smile grow on her face.
I’m very happy about the choice I made leaving home. This was my dream to go somewhere new. I never thought I’d make it, but I did. I still have some things getting use to but I am so glad to be here. I made Brittney’s Christmas, but she went back home. Everything was getting better in my life.