Carol singing... Favorite season

 

Chili didn't mean to be so down with Christmas, but truly she was all alone. It was true. She couldn't always be brave. And listening to everyone's Christmas at the coffee shop left her blue.

"This is not like you," Axton acted as if she could snap out of it. She said she would, but she needed to know when. At this rate, it might be Valentine's Day before things felt normal.

He'd painted her a bright red bird and framed it for a Christmas present. She smiled at the thought they were true friends. They could never be anything more. She didn't want to let him down, but she knew he knew when he hugged her. He knew what this was all about. That emptiness of not having a real family.

Most days, she didn't care. Still, she found herself waking up from a dream about having a phone conversation with a foster mom who wasn't there anymore. There was no one to call. Not even her ex. And Santa was just for the little ones. 

Sure, she'd had an outing with Dory and Cedric to see the Christmas lights. She actually thought she was the third wheel since Axton was busy at the time. But here he was now. He took her hand. Didn't she know they'd have the coziest of Christmases with Yuki and Em. She just had to let herself know she wasn't alone, after all.

Junie was filled with laughter. She thought she might pass out. A guy wanted to be here for Christmas and he was giving her a goodie bag of gifts.  There was the red scarf on top, chocolate candies, and reindeer gummies, and under it all was a little box. Junie's eyes practically sparkled.

She confessed she'd never gotten a gift from a boy before. She winced, knowing Darry wouldn't want to hear that. It was supposed to be a time for grownups. Oh, she had a gift bag for him too, but it was mainly socks a poster of some Fortnite character she didn't even know the name of, but Rafe told her he'd like it. 

He smiled back after looking through things she'd gotten him. When he found the friendship bracelet she'd made, he said she was the best. He helped get out the necklace he'd gotten her. It was something he admitted he got while at the drugstore. Honestly, it didn't really matter that it was inexpensive. Junie loved this kind of Christmas.