All I Want For Christmas Is You

After the two hours of a depressing, brutal, car ride... We entered the familiar town I lived in.

We passed the familiar trees, the familiar grass pastures... the familiar stray dogs who ran out into the street in my neighborhood. And then I saw the sign that read "Summit Ridge Dr" ... there was the sign indicating the street my house was on... or at least my old house.

Aunt Mae helped us out of the car and I was still practicing the silent treatment. Val seemed a bit perturbed by me not talking, but I knew of all of us, she would be the first to get over it.

I walked inside and saw the familiar two story house... The couch setting in front of the television near the living room. The kitchen where mom and I had the argument about going to college in London... Everything... was exactly where I left it...

"WE'RE HOME!" Val joyfully cried as she saw that her room door was open, exposing a room full of pink curtains, a pink bedspread, and shimmery costume jewelry lying across a fairly large dollhouse. Very girly, just like her.

Val ran up the stairs as fast as she could, tripping over one of the middle steps and landing on her leg... the leg she hurt in London.

"OW!" she cried as she collapsed on one of the steps, and leaned against the staircase wall. I heard her, and ran straight up to her to comfort her. "Val are you okay?" I asked, gazing into her eyes, which had tears beginning to form in them. I brought my arm up and rubbed her back. "It's okay, no worries," I said, trying to make her feel better. She sniffed in, and looked back at me. "I thought you were mad at me," she cried, wiping one of her eyes. I half smiled and shook my head. "No Val, I love you. I just I've been upset of course, and I wish we were still in Holmes Chapel," I started, trailing off into thoughts about Harry. I brought my mind back at looked back at my sister, who was holding back her tears to appear strong. "Look Val, I didn't mean anything mean I did to you today or yesterday... Or well any day," I smiled, and she tried to make a smile, but it faded back into a frown. I sighed and tilted her head up to look back at me. "Really?" she asked, not believing me. I nodded and hugged her, avoiding her leg, which obviously still hurt her.

"Is everything okay? I heard a scream and I'm here now?!" Aunt Mae asked, frantically running up the staircase. I rolled my eyes and stood up to go to my room. I raced up the stairs to avoid Aunt Mae, and watched her talk to Val while I hid behind the bathroom door. I heard Aunt Mae try to comfort her and then Val shoved her away. I was surprised.

"No Aunt Mae, you hurt Cat's feelings and now I'm gonna hurt yours!" she screamed. The house got silent and uncomfortable.

"Why sweetie, I brought you home, back to your house! I'm going to live here with you two, and Uncle Tyler and Katie are living at our old house. Tyler and I might switch roles a few times though," Aunt Mae replied, tucking the strands of hair in Val's face, behind her ears. Val glared at her. "I don't care," Val replied, getting frustrated at Aunt Mae. "Listen Valerie, I know you are upset because your sister is upset, but remember darling, I bought you the backstage pass and airline tickets so you could go with her to London. You would have never been able to go if wasn't for me, so if you want to bring up an attitude, don't bring it to me," Aunt Mae said before picking up Val, as she moved unwillingly into Aunt Mae. Aunt Mae walked down the stairs with Val in her arms, so I backed away and headed in the direction of my room. I shuffled into the doorway and closed the door quietly behind me.

I took a deep sigh and looked at my familiar surroundings. My bed, my closet, my dresser, even my thrown shoes on the other side of the room were as I left them. I gazed around and saw a picture I had thrown down on my vanity. I slowly tiptoed towards it, and I lifted the frame to where it faced me. It was a picture of my dad, mom and I. I looked about five in that picture. Two years before he died. I continued to stare at the ancient picture as my mind flickered to show scenes of happy times. When both my parents sat in the living room drinking coffee and discussing their work. I would prance into the room, showing off a new dress up gown and tiara, and my mom would smile at me, and dad would clap as he would run up to me and spin me around as I giggled up a storm.

But then my mind went back to reality... and I sighed in regret. I should have never yelled at my mom about the college in London. In fact, I'll go to California State... where she went to college, she did say I got auto admission, so I guess I'll have to settle with that. Whatever.

HARRY'S POINT OF VIEW:

I continued to text and call, but everything was sent directly to her voicemail. How could she do this? I knew she didn't care!

I was curled up in the corner of my bedroom, holding my phone in my sweaty palm. The words "She doesn't care" kept rotating and echoing off of the walls of my mind. I tried and tried to hold back my tears, but I didn't care anymore. I wasn't trying to impress anyone anymore. The tears flowed down the side of my face, eventually making their way to the carpeted floor.

"Harry? Are you alright?" I heard Gemma ask, as she spoke through the door, not opening it. I didn't answer. She opened the door slowly, peeking around it to see me in the corner. "Oh my gosh Harry come here!" she said, jogging to me and pulling me into a tight hug. "Harry, its okay, she does love you. I could tell. Don't hurt yourself over her! She'll be back!" Gemma said into my ear as she let go of the hug. I shook my head. "No she doesn't. She won't answer me, or email me, or anything. I haven't heard from her. Twitter doesn't count. I get too many notifications," I sadly spoke as I cuddled my phone tighter. Gemma shook her head as she sighed. "Harry. She'll be back. She loves you too much. Maybe something happened to her phone," I continued to shake my head. Gemma shrugged. "Don't believe me then, but she will," Gemma said again as she walked back out of my room. I sighed and looked at the counter in my room and saw the framed picture of my cousins. The picture that Cat held in her hand at one time. I got up and picked it up the way she did, and pretended she was here with me. Right next to me, helping me pick up this frame.... What was I saying?! She wasn't here. I knew that. There is no point of dreaming... A dream is only a dream. Nothing more.

Notes