Christmas is coming

"So it was a good time, was it?" Dustin looked at Macy's face on his iPhone.

He was on pins and needles. It was getting so close to Christmas. Here he was waiting on Halie for this Christmas gathering with Archie and his mates. They'd left for the Uni without the baby and it was starting to snow.

"Yeah, my brother went with us." Macy smiled. "I'm glad I took your advice." She told him she'd worried for nothing about Rico, who was really down to earth.

"Its good to have family at Christmas." Of course, it felt like a lie of some sort when he said it. He'd left his mum, practically alone this holiday. He thought of how she always made the holiday special. They never put up a tree until Christmas eve. But now he was off with Halie and she was taking forever to get dressed. Evidently. Or maybe she was on the phone with her mum about the baby.

"Dunno if there will be any dancing, tonight." Dustin didn't know what he might be in for. This circle of friends could get in to all sort of strange roleplaying games. Maybe he'd just want to go back to the pub with Jax and Bash. They never stayed around for those kind of games. After all, the group could take hours if Arch got into arguing with someone.

"And you say they are..your best mates?" Macy asked after he was telling her all about the little feuds that went on with the werewolf and vampire games.

"Yeah, I suppose." Dustin wasn't one to really venture out on his own. Except, maybe this..with Macy.

He didn't feel he was keeping it from Halie, yet he actually was. It was just something he hadn't felt the need to bring up. Still, he liked his friendship with Macy.  He wished her a Merry Christmas. He didn't want to be on the phone when Halie came out of the loo.

"Well..isn't this nice?" Garvin felt like a car salesman of some kind. No way, could he get into the Christmas spirit. There was really nothing to celebrate even if Dorian had made eggnog and Ruben was helping Abel decorate the Christmas tree. More were on their way and here he was stuck, alone at the punch bowl. He supposed.

It had fallen through with Martha. Yes, that must be it. That must be why he was so down. Not a phone call. Not even a text.

And he really didn't even care. Actually. Yes, someone else was on his mind.

"But I thought, you,bought that house? All because of Martha?" Ruben then said as if he wouldn't hear him mention Martha. Had he?

Garvin squinted. Had that all been pretend? Oh, he liked to believe it was true. But if she'd really loved him, she would be here with him now and he wouldn't be thinking about....

He gritted as he tried not to remember who he'd met at the library. But he did. Was he just going through a bad streak of luck with the ladies or what?

"I just wanted her to see it. I'm not going to buy it." Garvin looked at his brother. Did he think he was mental? But he was no better now than the time he told Vera he'd gotten that job in the small town where Martha lived.

He took a sip of his spiked eggnog and looked out the front window. It was beginning to snow.

Clive kept staring at the paper cup of hot chocolate. It looked pretty with swirls of cream and chocolate, but he knew it was a mix they served here, where he worked.

His fingertips touched the heat of the cup. Suddenly, he remembered the little kid;s eyes looking up at him. The little one hadn't given him away at Syreeta's house.

His heart was still pumped. Actually, Clive couldn't believe he'd done such a thing. Sneaking in to Syreeta's room. He'd even laid his head on her satiny pillow and pondered where it all went wrong. He did love her.

He just wanted to know now, just what was going on with her and this Keith. He'd gone through the side door of the house after jimming the lock a little. And there was all that Christmas glow about. Not like at his house.

He wasn't sure if his parents even knew when Christmas Eve was. Dad would have to work past nine, Clive was sure of it. It would be a holiday of paper plates and pies from the store. If they were lucky this year, someone would order the prime rib in time, but they'd forget and just have frozen pizza instead.

But he had given himself the gift he'd yearned for. Some time in Syreeta's room. Alone. He peeked in her undie drawer. Luckily, his favorite pair was there. They were pink with a little lace. He took them as a souvenir now.

Yeah, he bet that white boy was taking her out on the town. A horse drawn carriage or something.

He sighed. What was he thinking? He got out of there as quick as he could when he heard the kitchen door open. But that little nephew of hers had spotted him on the stairway. Clive made his getaway out the front door. Clive high-tailed it... in the cold and crunchy snow..all the way here.

"You, sure you wouldn't want to try our mint chocolate pie with that?" A sweet voice asked.

He looked up, squinting hard. It was that fat girl from the dance with Slater.

"What?" He fretted. "Who are you?" This was no diner. It was fast food. But the place was empty.

"Oh, I'm Jess." She smiled as her plump hand extended a handshake.

Clive swelled a frown. This was the worst Christmas ever.