"Ashy, wake up!"

Ronnie punches my arm repeatedly, even though she slept in here last night so I could wake her up. How the tables have turned.

I really am getting old.

Groaning, I get up, "Munchkin, I'm awake."

My bed's comfier, so is the idea of sleeping past seven. Wandering downstairs with Ronnie on my back, mom and dad meet us in the TV room. "Morning, Hun."

I yawn, "Merry Christmas."

We open gifts, Ronnie squealing with every present she opens. My excitement, while on a more contained level, is evident. I haven't had a Christmas this good in a while. It's not just about the gifts, but the atmosphere.

There's no tension in the air. Mom and I are laughing like there's no tomorrow, the constant battle we've been fighting is momentarily forgotten. We feel normal.

It's nice.

Remembering Scarlett's gift, I run up to my room. "Mom, there's one more." Handing her the package, she eyes it curiously. "It's from Scarlett."

Raising an eyebrow, she opens it, gasping as she takes in the frame. "It's...it's perfect."

Flipping it around, Dad grabs it. It's a painting of our family in front of the house, mom's wreath on proud display. Damn, if I thought my gift was amazing, this one's out of this world.

Sometimes I feel so disassociated from the rest of my family, my last name is just one of many reminders that I don't belong. This reminds me, I'm meant to be a part of this picture.

Abuela and Dad work in the kitchen, my stomach growling as I smell the food. Nothing is better than Christmas breakfast.

There's a knock at the door, pulling mom from her spot on the couch.

"Good morning, Mrs. Valdez, do you mind if I kidnap your children?" Ella asks brightly.

Forcing my eyes open from my pre-food coma nap, I find my friend walking towards me. "Ells, I want food."

And a nap. And a fuzzy blanket. Maybe even some hot chocolate.

I'm not feeling too picky.

"I have a new lens that I'm dying to use, plus it's tradition." She sighs, throwing my jacket at me.

Covering my face, I sigh. "What's tradition, exactly?"

The jacket gets pulled off my face, "Pictures on Christmas morning."

"But I'm in pajamas." And I'm not changing.

"So am I, now let's move it." She drags me off the couch and into the floor.

"Mom, help?" I beg, flailing around pathetically.

She shrugs, "I suppose it's fine, as long as I know where you are."

"Oh, we're going to the Rhodes'." Ella offers, forgetting about me to help Ronnie.

Getting up, I crack my back. "Alright, I'm ready to roll."

Offering a goodbye to my parents, I follow Ella and Ronnie into the bright outdoors.

"I knew that'd get you moving." She teases.

Shut up.

*****

"Good morning, Sweetheart." I offer, taking a seat next to Scarlett on the couch.

"Morning," She yawns, I track the way her mouth moves. Do I mention last night? Do I try to kiss her again, because she certainly didn't protest?

Or punch me.

"I didn't know you would be joining us today." She rests her head on my shoulder.

Hopefully it's not a bad thing. "Neither did I. Ella showed up at my house and practically kidnapped us. I didn't even get to finish breakfast."

Or start it actually, I'm hungry.

"You went willingly!" Ella shouts over her shoulder, chasing after Sam to flatten his bed head.

As if that constitutes showing up at 8:30 in the morning and insisting we come with you. You don't get to use a girl for leverage.

"We have leftover French toast in the kitchen, you can eat later."

Food, "Really?"

She nods, already beginning to doze back off. I should join her, save us the issue of having to go back outside. Watching everyone around me, I notice two people are missing.

This is becoming concerning, no decent parent misses Christmas. I don't care how busy they are. "Where are your parents?"

She tenses, and I get goosebumps, but just as fast as she freaks, she relaxes. "They went over to Uncle John's. They do it every Christmas, we just opted to stay home this time."

Scarlett doesn't sound anything but normal; however, I can't shake the feeling somethings off.

Ella shouts for us outside, and I lose focus. If it's important, Scar would tell me. Picking her up, I offer her a smile, I hope so.

*****

Scarlett's injury means she can't stand, and I use that to my full advantage. If I'm not in a picture, I'm holding her and all I want to do is mention last night.

It's our turn to take pictures together, she crawls onto my back. "Try not to drop me."

I chuckle, "I'll do you one better."

She angles her face so she can look at me, "What do you–" I start to spin, she squeaks as her arms tighten around my neck.

Once I stop, she doesn't loosen up. "I'm gonna be sick."

Me too, I currently see three Ella's. Maybe it's a good thing I didn't eat.

Setting her down on a log, I pick Ronnie up. We manage to take a few decent pictures between all the joking around. Her giggles ring out through the neighborhood and I try to imagine how I could've ever wanted a life without Ronnie in it.

*****

Once we go back inside, the twins drag me upstairs.

"The song is All I want for Christmas." Silver begins.

"The clothes are in this bin." Sterling adds.

"Let's make idiots of ourselves." Sam concludes.

They start to rummage through Saffron's play clothes, "Hold up." They stop, "What are we doing?"

Because I'm lost.

"We're dancing."

"Willingly?"

"Yeah, dude, it's fun." Sage claps my shoulder as he grabs a tutu.

Am I, a 17 year old guy, about to put on a girls clothes to make a fool of myself? "Pass me the feathery boa."

Yeah, I guess I am.

My self conscious attempts to talk me out of this the entire walk to the TV room.

What will people think?

What people, I'm surrounded by my friends. I trust them completely; I don't have to constantly worry about my actions.

The music starts and I kick my thoughts to the curb as I dance around, not even worried as Stella videos the entire shit show we put on. The girls all laugh and by the end I'm barely able to finish due to my own laughter.

As the music ends, I jump on the couch, my head landing on Scarlett's thighs. Breathlessly, I look up at her, a huge smile stuck on her face. Wow, I need a drink.

I'm about to stand up when her fingers run through my hair and I freeze. No one's ever played with my hair but damn, it's amazing. Just as I'm beginning to relax, she stops. Looking up, I pull her hand back down to my hair. Closing my eyes as soon as she smiles.

I can feel myself surrender to sleep as her other hand rests of my chest. Reaching up, I cover it.

This I could live with forever, nothing else really matters.

A pillow hits my face, startling me from my power nap. Blinking, I try to find the culprit before laying back down. Seven a.m. was a long time ago.

I get hit again. "Dude, don't you have mass in an hour?" Sage questions.

No way... wait. It's Christmas.

"Oh shit." Abuela's going to kill me. Squeezing Scarlett's hand, I sit up.

Shoving Ronnie into her coat, I hug Scarlett before running for the door. "Merry Christmas, see you guys tomorrow."

After making it home in record time, Ronnie and I try to sneak inside.

"Ashton Brecken, we leave in 15 minutes." Abuela reprimands me, dressed in a red dress and matching jacket.

Offering her a weak shrug, I follow Ronnie up to her room and practically throw her into her dress and tights. Taking hairspray, I spray her braids before taking them out.

"Good, now go show mommy what a good job I did so she doesn't yell at me." I order her before running to my room.

I manage to put on slacks and a nice sweater ready to run downstairs before I catch sight of my hair. "Shit."

It looks like I stuck my finger in an electric socket, no two strands are facing the same direction. Hurrying to Ronnie's room I grab her brush.

Basically scalping myself to tame my hair I let out a frustrated groan, it's even worse now. I'm going to look like a total idiot.

Five minutes later I walk downstairs, mom gasps. "Why is your hair wet?"

"It's a long story but I have my jacket." I offer, going for the car.

*****

"Ashton, it's for you!"

Blinking the sleep out of my eyes, I walk downstairs. Who calls before nine a.m. the day after Christmas?

Today is a day for rest.

Mom's standing in the kitchen, a wide grin on her face. I need a minute to wake up before I can get to that level. Yawning, I take the phone. Aunt Myra called last night. "Hello?"

"Mister McClain, Chad Ellis, how are you doing?" A voice asks through the speaker.

"Who?"

"We met when you attended our camp, I'm the head of recruitment for the University of Oklahoma."

I drop the phone, holy shit. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. I was rude to him.

Suddenly, I'm wide awake. "Good morning, sorry about that."

He chuckles, making me uneasy. "No problem, kid, I was just calling to inform you that we'd like to offer you a position on our team."

I drop the phone again, looking at mom with wide eyes. She wipes a tear away.

Picking it up again, I shake my head. "I'm honored."

*****

The mall is a mad house today. I've been so lost in my own head that I forget Scarlett can't walk fast, losing her in the crowds once or twice. I haven't been much of a shopping partner today, but she doesn't seem to mind.

I haven't been able to get that offer out of my head. Do I want to play football in college? The answer should be obvious, but I don't know. He said all the right things, never once mentioning my record, too much sweet talk.  

It just felt... wrong.

What feels even more out of place is how distant Scar is. She looks terrible, bags under her eyes as she gnaws on her bottom lip.

"Did you get anything good for Christmas?" I ask, slightly to distract myself and to get her talking.

She flips through shirts, none of which she'll end up getting. A hand rests on the ring around her neck, making me smile.  

"Sweetheart?" I push, touching her arm.

She jumps, eyes wild before glazing over again. "Hmm, yeah."

And then she goes right back to browsing.

The lack of conversation drives me wild, the last thing I need is to be left alone with my thoughts right now, so I begin to sing.

"What's wrong with you?" Scarlett demands.

I stop halfway through Firework, God, I'm singing Katy Perry. Something is wrong with me.

I want to say it's nothing, but I don't. "Let's go get a snack, then we'll talk."

She sits down at a bench, fiddling with the strings of her hoodie and I'm reminded of the first time we were at the mall together. So oblivious.

Paying for the pretzels, a thin hand taps me on the shoulder. "Excuse me."

I turn around, a pretty brunette smiling up at me. "Hi."

She blushes, "I'm Sasha."

"Okay." I'm really not in the mood for this.

She doesn't take the hint, "I was wondering if you wanted to grab coffee sometime."

"I don't drink coffee." I deadpan.

"Oh, that's fine. We could do something else."

"Look, I'm here with someone so thanks for asking but no thanks." I offer tightly before walking off.

Who am I?

I find Scarlett watching two little boys, a sad smile on her face.

"Hey."

She jumps before offering me a weak wave. I sit, giving her a cinnamon pretzel.

Ok." I start, she doesn't seem to be in the talking mood. Mindlessly, I pull her legs across my lap, too much walking isn't good for her. "I got an offer this morning."

She blinks. "What kind of offer?"

The offer we had a whole conversation about two nights ago. "An offer to play football at the University of Oklahoma."

I'm not upset she doesn't remember, just concerned.

"That's amazing, Ashton! I'm so stupid for not remembering." She smiles.

"Yeah, it is. Camp went even better than I thought it did." I rub my lips together.

"What are you going to do?" She asks.

I scratch my head, no idea. "I don't know, nothing yet. I mean the offer's there, and other teams are interested so I'll wait a while. I wasn't even expecting this so it's all a shock."

Coach called right after I got the offer with more camps and other information that I could hardly process.

She hugs me, pulling me down to her level before letting go.

I eat my food, noticing how tense she is next to me. Is she mad? Should I have waited to tell her once I made a decision?

"Hey, are you ok?" I ask, tugging on her braid.

Slowly, she faces me. "Why wouldn't I be?"

It sounds like a challenge, a call to prove she isn't but I laugh, "Well you haven't said anything even somewhat rude to me today."

She stops eating, clearly not expecting that response.

"I don't know, you just seem distant."

"I'm perfectly fine, Ash." She assures me, with a tight squeeze of my hand as her nose scrunches.

I don't say anything for the rest of the day, not wanting to ruin our time but I feel like she's lying. Or at least hiding something.

It feels so weird that I don't mention my news to anyone else.

I stop Sage in the parking lot, he hasn't spoken two words to me today. Ella's the only person he's acknowledged. "Hey, get anything good?"

He stares over at his car, a far-off look in his eye. "No, not really." And with that he walks off.

Have I entered a third dimension?

*****

Wandering inside the house, Ronnie tackles me. "Ashy, you did it!"

"Yeah, Munchkin, I did."

I carry her into the kitchen, the rest of my family waiting for me with wide grins. Dad hugs me, "I'm so proud of you, son."

I smile, not wanting to let go. "Thanks."

Mom clears her throat. "So have you made a decision?"

So much for thinking about it for a few days but it doesn't matter. "I'm not going to accept it right now."

Her smile falters, "Why?"

I shrug, where to start. "It's nine hours away. The campus isn't amazing. The coaching staff was good, but I don't know."

"Are you even excited?" She asks a little stubbornly.

I blink at her, shocked she even has to ask such a thing. "Of course, I am, but I'm not going to jump on the first good thing placed in front of me. This is a serious thing and it just doesn't feel right."

I can't have doubts and right now my future is still one big blob of uncertainty.

Dad claps my shoulder, "He's growing up."

I try to smile, still unsure of what to think about everything. "Yeah, I guess I am."

*****

Laying in my bed, Gabe's face appears on my screen. Answering the call, I prepare for him to scream in my ear. "Hello?"

"My man, did you do a private striptease after your performance?"

Groaning, I pinch my nose. "James sent you the video?"

He snorts, "Nope, Sage, it was his Christmas gift to me."

What joy, I'm beginning to think that duo is even more dangerous together than they are apart.

"Look, man, I've got to catch a flight, but I'll see you soon."

The line goes dead before I can respond, he's so weird sometimes. With my phone in my hand, I decide to text Scarlett.

Staring at our chat, I have no idea what to say. I'm not going to straight up demand what's wrong, that's rude. Although something is most definitely bothering her and Sage.

Part of me wants to get up and drive to their house, but I don't want to impose if something's really wrong. I can't just go shoving my nose in other people's business.

So I settle with my usual text.

Good night, Sweetheart

*****

Hi, I suck for not posting last night but I had only gotten 2 hours of sleep the night before and the words were floating off the screen. So to make up for it I'm posting again later today!!

Next chapter, as a warning, starts in Ashton's POV and ends in Scarlett's POV!

Sorry~ Mo