Christmas Story
#9 of Random Stories
Christmas Story
By: Silverback Christianpaw
I lie on the bed in my room as the sounds of hard rock and heavy metal music blasts from the speakers of my computer. I was not looking forward in any way, shape, or form, to going to my uncle's Christmas party. I already told mother that I didn't want to go and I'd be happier just staying home. But of course she persisted. I had to do everything she said whether it was doing the grocery shopping, going to buy her alcohol, or doing my own laundry. I couldn't complain too much since she was letting me live at the house rent-free after I lost my scholarship. But the bad part is she never lets me live it down. I wanted to take the opportunity to take some time off of school and just maybe work for a little bit. But with jobs being scarce right now all that's left me with is just lying around at the house every day.
I sat up when I heard a knock on my door, "Jeff, are you ready yet?" mother said.
I growled, "Not yet mother."
"Well I'm waiting on you. This stroganoff is going to get cold soon."
I got up off my bed still growling as I heard mother walking away from my room. I popped in a DVD and played one of my favorite music videos, "Crazy Bitch" by Buckcherry. I started watching as the lead singer, a gorgeous leopard started singing the lyrics from behind a jail cell. His shirt was off and he had tattoos all over his body, if seeing him didn't put me in a good mood, nothing would.
I opened my "fashion senses" drawer and started pulling out stuff to wear. A rainbow colored chain for my neck, my favorite black and purple stud wristband on one arm and a spiked-wristband on the other. I pulled my best pair of camo-cargo pants out of my closet. I even attached some chains and a pair of handcuffs to it, I always loved the style. I knew mother wasn't going to like it, but since we're in a hurry, I don't think she'll make me go back and change. Besides, I feel more comfortable than I would be in the stupid button and collared shirt she suggested.
I wrapped my rainbow stud belt around my waist and walked out of the room ready to go. I walked into the living room as mother was wrapping the electrical cord around the crock-pot of beef stroganoff.
"Alright, I'm ready," I said.
She took one look at me and says, "You're wearing that?"
"Yes," I said.
"Oh God, I'm going to be the laughing-stock of this party," she said holding her forehead with both paws.
"No you're not, mother. Now let's go to this damn thing already, I want to get this over with."
"You will not use that kind of language in this house," she says grabbing the pot in a hurry.
"Sorry mother," I said weakly as I grab my coat and open the door.
I stayed silent for most of the car ride. Mother would occasionally ask me how I was doing and apologize for not being able to afford Christmas this year. Things at the restaurant have been extremely slow this year, she says, and the money just wasn't there. That seemed to be the situation for a lot of people I know, but it doesn't bother me . . . too much. I didn't need presents; this year has been bad enough with Mark breaking up with me and my mom's brother dying. He lived with us for the last six years of his life. Honestly, I felt like he was my brother too. He was the first one I told when I came out of the closet last January, just a few days before he died. But that's neither here nor there now.
The bottom line was that this year sucked for me. I just wanted to stay in my room until New Year's and maybe 2011 would give me better luck. I didn't need to get up and go to a Christmas party just so I could stand in a corner and be anti-social.
We drove up to my uncle's house. Some cars were already parked out front and around the street. The night made the Christmas lights bright and colorful. Mother told me to grab the stroganoff and bring it to the door. We both stood there, the cold weather making little clouds every time I exhaled. She knocked on the door and a few seconds later we were greeted by my Aunt Tesa. She was a white tigress wearing a sparkling black shirt and a red dress that has pictures of Christmas ornaments on the side.
"Hey Marcie, hey Jeff, hurry and get inside because it's freezing out here."
We open the door and I was thankfully greeted to a heated house. Immediately I saw the big, beautiful Christmas tree they had with wrapped presents still under it. Next to it some of my young cousins were sitting on the couch watching Spongebob. Some of the adults sitting around the table were playing poker as I set the pot down on their kitchen counter.
"Glad you guys could come," aunt Tesa says, "What did you make Marcie?" she asks mother.
"Beef Stroganoff."
"Oh my God, I love your beef stroganoff . . ." I left them to their conversation. I didn't know what to do now that I was here.
"Hey Jeff, come on over here!"
I turned and it was my uncle Rawn, a silver wolf just like me but I was shorter and smaller than him, he extends his paw and I shake it. "How ya doing, Jeff?" he asks.
"I'm doing good," I said flatly.
"How's school going? What are you majoring in again?"
"Um, Creative Writing."
"Oh cool, and how's that going?"
"Well, I unfortunately had to take a break due to financial issues. So yeah," I said slightly nervous. I didn't feel like telling him that my "financial issue" was me ditching my social psychology class which led to me losing my scholarship.
"Ah, say no more, we've all been there. But hey, all good minds need to take a break every now and again, you know. It keeps us from going crazy. Just make sure not to let your break be too long, otherwise you won't go back."
I managed to perk up a little smile, "Hehe, don't worry, I'll be going back hopefully soon."
He pats me on my shoulder, "Good boy. Well, It's my turn to deal so enjoy yourself Jeff, Merry Christmas." My tail started wagging a little bit. Uncle Rawn has always been actually pretty cool in my opinion. He's been one of the few members of my family not to seem all that disappointed about me temporarily leaving college, and him saying I had a "great mind," is a compliment I'll gladly take. I just wish the rest of my family had the same opinion about me.
I walk over to the couch so I could give my half-truth hellos to everybody. My cousin Rawn Jr., who was only about a year younger than me, had his arm around an otter in a dress that was way too short for this winter weather, clearly his girlfriend.
"Hey Rawn," I said.
"Hey wassup man?" he replies.
"Who's this?" I ask motioning to the female.
"Well, this lovely Christmas beauty is Melina."
"Hi," she says smiling and giving me a little wave. I give her the wave back.
"Well, are you two having fun?" a random question I ask when I don't know what else to say.
"Not as much as we are going to have later tonight. Hehe right love?" he smiles. She just giggles a fake-innocent laugh and starts kissing him. I realize quickly that I was just standing here like a chump watching them kiss when they refuse to break it even for a moment. A couple of little pups run across my feet as they chased each other through the room. I could only think of one question to ask the constant-kissing couple,
"There's beer right?"
Rawn Jr. mumbles a little "Mhm" and points me to the refrigerator.
"Thanks" I said flatly.
I hated that Rawn Jr. who's a high school drop out with a richer family, a big freaking Christmas tree with presents and a girlfriend to share the holidays with and I didn't have anybody. "Whatever, I hope she gets pregnant," I thought to myself. Guh, I need alcohol.
I walked over to the refrigerator and pulled a can of beer out. I popped the top and took a sip. I knew I couldn't drink too much because I knew in a few hours I was going to have to drive mother home when she got drunk. But that was fine I guess. I had a bottle of Canadian whiskey hidden behind my desk; I could just tap into that.
"Merry Freaking Christmas," I said under my breath as I took another sip.
"Excuse me," I heard somebody say. I looked behind me and it was another wolf. His fur was a darker shade of green and he had thin black markings all around his fur. He was wearing a red Christmas sweater that had a picture of a snowman sown in, blue jeans, and a Santa hat. I moved out of the way and watched him as he pulled the refrigerator door open . . . bent down . . . and pulled out a beer for himself. "Oh my God, this guy is cute," I thought.
He closed the door and turned to me as he popped the top to his beer and took a sip. "So, you enjoying the party?" he asks me.
I quickly took a sip of my beer, the sip was taking forever, at least in my mind, as I prepared what I was going to say, but I was too busy noticing that he was a little better built than me and was about an inch taller, perfect for kissing.
"I, um, uh," I cleared my throat trying to play it off that my sip was a little too big, "Uh, yeah I'm having a good time . . . as long as I keep having these," I said wiggling the almost empty can.
"I hear that," he says taking another sip, "Yeah, I didn't want to be dragged out to this party, but I didn't have anything else to do so I figured why the hell not."
"Hehe," I said, "Hmm, I don't think I've ever met you before, what's your name?"
"You haven't, my name is Jax."
I took another sip, "Hehe cool. I'm Jeff, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," he said with a little smile, "Yeah my ex brought me," he pointed to Rawn and Melina who managed to stop kissing but didn't stop nuzzling each other.
"Melina? Melina is your ex?" I ask. He nodded his head. "Isn't that kinda weird? I mean, you can't enjoy watching her make out with Rawn Jr."
He chuckles at me, "No it's nothing like that, we are just friends that just tried to be closer and it didn't work out. But we still hang out all the time."
"Oh, alrighty then," I chuckle nervously and he smiles back at me, looking at me with his beautiful brown eyes.
"Are you alright?" he asks. So much for hiding my nervousness.
"Yeah, I'm fi--" Before I could even get my answer out his phone started ringing. He quickly looked down at his jeans pocket and pulled out the phone. I noticed the ring tone was a song I was somewhat familiar with, it was "Zombie Dance" by Escape the Fate.
He opened his phone, "Hey man I'm at a Christmas party at a relative's house. Mind if I call you back? . . . Alright cool, later, Merry Christmas." "It's easier to say I'm at a relative's house than at my ex-girlfriend's, current boyfriend's, parent's house," he says to me.
"Hehe, right," I chuckle. "Was that Escape the Fate?"
"Yep! I love 'Zombie Dance' awesome ass song," he says.
"Hehe, that's cool, I'm a Buckcherry fan myself."
"Nice, did you ever hear the song they did with Escape the Fate?"
"I--wait, they did a song with Escape the Fate?"
"Yeah, '10 Miles Wide' you never heard the song?"
"No," I said.
"Heh, and you call yourself a Buckcherry fan," he chuckles, "Yeah the lead singer co-wrote the song and sang it with them, he's even on the music video. You should go to Youtube and check it out."
"I definitely will, besides I'll need something to do while I'm at this party," I said pulling my phone out of my pocket.
I started to hear high-heels clicking. I turned around to see my Grandmother coming up to me,
"Baby! Hello there sweetheart," she smiles.
"Hi, Grandma," I faked smiling as she gave me a hug.
"How are you doing sweety? How is school going?"
I started to get nervous, "I, um--" I felt a quick tap on my shoulder, it was Jax,
"I'll let you two chat, but I'll catch up with you later Jeff." He walks away. I say a soft, "Oh, ok," as he leaves me. I wanted to start crying right then and there because my grandma stopped me from talking to the very cute guy, and he was great to talk to.
"So tell me baby, how is school going?" she asks me.
"I'm, um, not in school right now. I ran into some financial trouble and had to take a break."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, but you are going back right?"
"Yes, of course."
"That's good," she takes a gander at my rainbow chain, "Why are you wearing that?"
My insides started to shake with more nervousness but I tried to make it with a big smile, "Because I like it and I wanted to wear it."
"What does it mean?" she asks. I could already tell where she was going with this. She was very religious and probably already knew what a rainbow signifies.
"It means I like the way it looks on me," I said. She gave me a slightly annoyed expression.
"Well I bet God knows what it means."
I kept my big stupid smile on, "Yep!"
"Alright baby," she walks away with the annoyed expression still cemented on her face.
I looked around for Jax and caught a glimpse of him as he and Melina leave the house, closing the door behind them.
"Where are they going?" I asked Rawn Jr., who was standing next to the door.
"Melina just needed to return home to get a present she forgot, they'll be back soon." That didn't help me very much. "Soon" could be a few minutes but could also be a few hours. What if he comes back after mother and I already leave? I didn't even get the chance to get his number! . . .
I'm officially going crazy. Here I was, at a party I didn't even want to go to, only to find a guy that I have the hots for who is straight. I almost forgot that he dated Melina for a little while, he's not even gay. I was chasing after a straight guy and meanwhile my mother was being a pain in the ass and my grandmother was judging me. Using her, "I bet God knows," stuff.
I decided to go outside to the back porch to get some air.
* * *
I stood outside in the cold winter air looking at my uncle and aunt's backyard lawn covered in snow. I broke out my phone and started watching some Youtube videos. They're back porch was decorated with Christmas stuff everywhere; there were lights all around the back door and around the area, along with big plastic candy canes, reindeer, and a nativity scene.
The back door opened and it was my mother walking out.
"Jeff, come get something to eat," she says slurring her words a little.
"I don't want anything, thank you."
"You're going to eat. You're already skinny enough as it is."
"I'm not hungry," I said.
"What's wrong?"
"I just said I'm not hungry, but thank you."
She sighs. I could tell there was heavy alcohol on her breath as well, "Fine, well if you get hungry then come on inside," she said giving me a kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, thank you." She leaves and closes the door behind her. I walked around to the side of their house where my aunt and uncle has a little tomato garden growing. More importantly, it was dark and out of the way of everybody else. I went back down to my phone to finish the video. I couldn't feel more out of place. This holiday season wasn't making me feel any better. It was just a reminder that everybody else is doing wonderful while I'm here chasing the wind.
I could hear footsteps and saw a shadow walking closer and closer to me. Probably mother, "Mother, like I said before I am not hungry!" I said.
"Well damn, don't eat then," a male voice said with a chuckle. I looked up and it was Jax. "Oh wow, I'm sorry hehe, I thought you were my mother."
He looked down at his crotch, "Yeeeah, I don't think I could pull that off," he chuckles. "What are you doing out here in the cold?"
"I've been having a really rough time at this party and I just needed to get some air."
"Did you watch the '10 Miles Wide' video yet?"
"Oh, no, I'll check that out now." I started typing in the song and found the video. I skated past all the homemade ones to find the official video and started playing it. Jax could hear the beginning guitar solo and immediately started playing air guitar to it.
"Oh yeah, this song is awesome sauce," he says. I look back at him with a smile before returning my eyes to the video. "Why do you say you're having a rough time?"
"I just have a lot of stuff on my mind right now. I mean, talking to you was great, don't get me wrong, it's just yeah, the holidays and whatnot, you know?"
He looked down, "Yeah, I know, the holidays can be rough."
"Mhmm," I said going back to the video.
"The holidays are just what we make of them. We can choose to make them depressing and hard to get through or we can accept things for what they are and choose to smile a little more and make them better. But maybe a little good boost couldn't hurt right?"
"Hmm, right," I said half-listening, giving him another glance before glancing back down at the phone.
"Jeff?" he says.
"Yes?"
"Look up." I look and saw he was raising his arm. I looked up and saw a mistletoe dangling above my head. I looked at him,
"What's this f--" before I knew it he starts kissing me. For a second I couldn't believe it but then I felt his cold nose touch mine and his big warm tongue slide on top mine. I closed my eyes and felt the kiss as if the essence of time was gone and the only thing remaining in this universe was me and him. I opened my eyes when he pulled away and saw him smiling.
"Wha-um, uh," I couldn't find anything to say. I just looked at his smile grow wider as he puts his arm around my waist and pulls me in closer for another kiss. My body felt warmer as I let myself get pulled in close to this beautiful wolf. I put my arms around him as we kissed again. Now I was aware of what was happening, well almost, this beautiful wolf was kissing me and this was real, very real. It was still December 25th 2010, I was still standing next to my uncle and aunt's garden, and this big beautiful wolf was here and now. We broke the kiss and stared forehead to forehead.
"I, uh," I whispered, "I didn't know you were gay. I thought you dated Melina."
He said, "Well, now you know why she and I stayed just as friends, hehe."
He slowly ran his paw down to my butt and rubbed it around in a circular motion. I started giggling. Pretty soon he was giggling with me,
He smiles, "You are so cute . . . and now you're blushing." I looked down with a big smile but he picked my head back up by my chin and kissed my muzzle again.
"Sorry I had to leave for a little bit, but I knew I couldn't leave without giving you my number, hehe." I quickly looked at my phone which was on the 'replay?' screen since the video was done and I switched it to my phonebook as we exchanged numbers.
"Why don't you call me tomorrow and maybe we can hang out?" he asks.
"Hehe, sure," I said, my tail wagging.
His smiles wasn't ceasing as he leaned in for another kiss. I met my muzzle with his and our tongues wrapped around each other again. I felt him starting to grind himself on my crotch. I couldn't help but giggle a little during it. I open my eyes and saw his were closed. I ran my paw through his cheekfur and he put his paw back on my butt.
"Mmmmmm, Merry Christmas Jeff," he says.
"Merry Christmas," I smile.