Underneath the Sycamore Tree

“And you.”

“Like…in the same room?”

He chuckles, which sounds so foreign coming from someone as serious as him. “Yes, Emery. In fact, she seemed interested in the idea. Your grandmother thinks it’ll be good.”

“Fun,” Cam corrected. “She said it would be fun. She even said she looked forward to seeing Kaiden again.”

I sink in my chair. They had no idea he’d gone to see me until we arrived back together a day earlier than I was supposed to return. Dad looked suspicious and Cam looked happier than ever. Neither said anything about it though.

“Yeah, Grandma liked him,” I mutter.

Dad grumbles.

“So they’re coming?” I ask.

“That’s up to you,” he replies, shoulders pulled back. “Your mother and I agreed that it would be your decision. We won’t mind whatever you choose.”

r /> Did I want to spend Christmas there?

No.

It’s a brutal admission, but one I can’t help but make. Mama and I talk more than before, but it’s still strained. She only calls once every couple of weeks to tell me how support group is going or to share stories from work about the excuses that kids make to try getting out of class just to nap in the nurse’s office. We text more times than not, and the replies are sporadic.

Christmas all together? I should be happy for them offering, but jealousy settles into my chest over them thinking of this now. Where was our invitation before I moved? Did they think I wouldn’t want to come? Did they even think about me beyond the usual gift card purchase?

Pressing my lips together, I will myself to take a calming breath and exhale through my nose. “It could be good. I miss them.”

Cam’s smile grows.

Dad remains stoic. “Are you sure?”

Are you?

“Yeah,” I choke out, shrugging. “I think Christmas here will be fun. Different.”

Not knowing what else to say, I ask to be excused. There’s a warm bed and new movie waiting for me upstairs. It beats this conversation a million times over.

They tell me goodnight.

When I get upstairs, Kaiden’s smirk is what I’m greeted with. “Something tells me this Christmas is going to be the most interesting one we’ve had yet.”

“Eavesdropping much,” I mumble, grabbing my pajamas and heading toward the bathroom.

His laugh is what I’m greeted with as I close the bathroom door.

I wake up to the caress of warm kisses down my shoulder and back from where I sleep on my stomach. Still groggy from sleep, I unwrap my arms from the pillow I’m hugging and turn onto my side.

Kaiden stares down at me from where he’s propped up on his elbow. Blinking, I look over at the glow of my alarm clock, yawning when I see it’s only three in the morning. My head rests on the pillow with a sleepy smile gracing my face.

“Why are you up?”

“Couldn’t sleep.”

“Hmm.”

He grins and leans down, brushing our lips together. We haven’t done anything more than kiss since break. Sometimes his hands will roam, but they never go far. The most courageous I’ve ever gotten was sliding my hands under his shirt to feel his muscled stomach during one of our make out sessions.

This feels different though. There’s electricity in the room as he pulls me under him and explores my mouth. Every time his tongue does something, mine mimics him.