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It’s Christmas Eve, me, Diego, and Hallie are in our shared apartment. The harsh cold of the game we’re talking about, Disventure Camp, a stark contrast to the warmth of the fireplace. I’m trying to wrap my gift to Hallie, but the wrapping paper keeps ripping. The gift is perfect for her, a plushie of herself and an iconic Indiana Jones fedora. I just know she’ll love them. I just kind of wished she loved me too.
“Bloody hell, it keeps ripping!” I yell out in frustration, as tape sticks to my fingers.
“Don’t worry about it Spence, what matters is the intention!” I hear her cheerful voice chirp, bringing back all the good times we had together during the show.
“Si, Hallie’s right, it doesn’t have to be perfect,” Diego smiled warmly.
I see that Hallie has tackled Diego into lying down, kissing him as she does. I feel jealousy bubble up inside my chest, wondering why it can’t be me. But tape has stuck to my arm again and that serves of a small temporary distraction from the pain of seeing Hallie and Diego together.
~~
Hallie has made a ship name for her and Diego. Halliego. I give an awkward laugh, but Diego and Hallie’s oblivious nature makes them think it’s genuine. I love that about them.
“Do you guys want to eat dinner now? I brought fairy bread and cheese and bacon rolls. I apologize if it’s not a traditional Christmas dinner, but I thought it’d be cool to try Aussie dishes! What did you bring, Spencer??” Hallie asks, giving a curious tilt to her head. Of course she’d bring something untraditional, that is just so… Hallie.
“Uhm, I brought Sunday roast and Shepard’s pie,” I say nervously. Talking to Hallie always makes me nervous, so I almost fumbled on my words, “Wh-what did you bring, Diego?”
“I brought arepas and empanadas. I also brought mango for dessert. I’m sure they are muy deliciosos!” Diego clapped, “How about we set up the table?”
“Yes!” Hallie exclaimed, running to grab her dishes in the kitchen.
She’s just so damn adorable, but I can’t get distracted, and instead set the table, going to grab my own dishes. We set the table, neatly organizing the dishes, fitting them like puzzle pieces. Suddenly, the memories of me and Hallie’s first kiss flood my mind. I’ve always wanted to forget the moment—the three of us were drunk and me and Hallie just happened to kiss—but the more I try to forget, the more I seem to remember.
“What’s up? You seem sad, Spence,” Hallie asks.
“Nothing, Hales, just… thinking,” I lie.
“Really? About what?” Hallie asked. My bloody plan was failing. Dang it, Hallie.
“About… Christmas! Christmas… that’s what,” I lied again, hoping she wouldn’t notice.
“Oh, I see!” Hallie bounces on her heels.
That girl loves Christmas too much. Diego pulled out a box of candy canes, but I wasn’t feeling in the mood.
And I lied for the thousandth time tonight, “I’m feeling a bit tired, I’m going to bed.”
Diego and Hallie both pout. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” Diego asks.
“Yes… I’m sure,” I say, not sounding sure, and Hallie catches on.
“Please?” She asked.
I groaned and sat on a chair as Hallie went to grab some beer for all of us. Figures. It was about 11:00 pm now… Hallie and Diego opened their bottles and took big swigs, but I felt a bit more cautious since a remembered what had happened last time I drank.
“Loosen up, it’s Christmas!” Hallie laughed, taking another swig as I finally opened my bottle.
~~
11:56 PM
I have no idea how many bottles we’ve drank all together, but for all I know, we’re drunk as fuck. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of us ends up passing out before midnight. Hallie is sitting on my lap, and Diego doesn’t seem to mind.
11:57 PM
Hallie is having a giggling fit, finding the fact that she accidentally dropped a fork just now very funny for some odd reason.
11:58 PM
“I wanna kiss you Spence, can I kiss you?” Hallie asks, laughing. I can’t tell if she’s joking or not, but then again, we ARE drunk. Diego gives a thumbs up, as if he’s telling me that it’s fine. That I can kiss Hallie. I can’t think straight, only thinking about Hallie.
“Uhm… sure, I guess,” I slur out, Hallie doesn’t seem to mind.
11:59 PM
She begins to lean into me, and I start panicking. I freeze. Time seems to slow… a minute ‘till midnight…
12:00 AM
We kiss. We end up kissing. Diego is still giving us a supportive thumbs up, and my head begins to hurt. She’s a good-but sloppy-kisser. And also, It’s Christmas now.
“Merry Christmas, Hallie,” I say…