A Short Christmas Story By: Kitten �Christmas is the best time of year to be in love. So I�m so glad I have a boyfriend.� Crystal sighed as her friend rambled on. She really doubted Sarah was in love. She�d been dating her boyfriend Ben only two days. She didn�t say that thought, after all who was she to talk? She�d never dated period and she had certainly never been in love. �Crystal? Crystal, are you listening to me?!� Sarah whined. �Huh?�Oh yeah sorry.� Crystal sputtered glumly. �So are you going to the exchange or not?� �I don�t know�� It wasn�t really her idea of fun. The exchange was were you went to get a name of someone in your grade to exchange a present with. �Oh come one it�ll be fun.� Sarah Chirped. Crystal sighed. �Yeah ok.� ~*~ Crystal and Sarah made their way to room #107 after school for the exchange. The small room was crowded with kids, mostly girls all from her grade. A tall thin man that was Crystal�s Latin teacher was bouncing around the room in a very child-like way. He smiled at Crystal and said. �What a turn out huh?� then giggled a little. �Christmas is such a wonderful season!� Crystal rolled her eyes. �Just like an adult to act more like a child then anyone else around him.� Sarah grabbed Crystal�s arm. �Come on let�s go get a partner!� Crystal allowed herself to be dragged to wait in the long line of 10th graders. Everyone around them seamed to be shouting to be heard over everyone else. When they arrived at the front of the line Sarah gave a teacher their names�. �Oh well it seams Crystal already has a partner he came by and picked you out earlier today.� �Who did?� Crystal asked. �Jessie Sean.� The teacher read from the list. �Eww! Not him, he�s so weird.� Sarah scoffed. �I don�t know him.� Crystal said. �Be glad.� Sarah giggled. �My turn!� she stuck her hand in the box full of cut up papers with names on them and drew one out. �Stephanie Tresser�who the heck is that?!� Sarah whined. Crystal rolled her eyes. �You know that girl you always ask for a pen in math class.� Sarah�s face scrunched up into a frown. �Her?�Aww I wanted to get a cute boy.� �What about Ben?� Crystal asked. �What about him?� Sarah said missing the point. �Should you be wishing for a cute boy if you�re with Ben?� �Please Crystal, it�s not like we�re married or something.� Sarah said in an irritated tone that she used when she was talking to someone she considered stupid. �I thought you said you were in love.� Crystal reminded. �Yeah�but it doesn�t hurt to have options.� Sarah giggled. �Hmph.� was Crystal�s only reply. ~*~ Crystal stood outside of homeroom #315. A friend of her�s had said it was Jessie�s homeroom. She walked in looking around. The room was half filled with kids who were mostly sleeping or shouting to someone on the other side of the class. �I have no idea what he looks like� Crystal thought biting her lip. She tapped a girl near her. �I�m looking for Jessie.� she said. The girl rolled her eyes. �You�re in luck.� she said pointing to a kid in the back row. �You came on one of the few days he showed up.� Jessie had blue jeans and a black hoddie on. He had a mass of black hair on his head sticking out everywhere that looked as though he�d never brushed it. Crystal couldn�t see his face cause he�d buried it in his arms against the desk in an attempt at sleep. She started at him not sure what to do. �Come on get a grip� she told herself walking up to his desk. �H-hello are you Jessie?� she said almost kicking herself for stuttering. The boy grumbled and pulled his head up enough that Crystal could see his eyes and forehead now. �What? He mumbled. Crystal stared at his eyes�they were beautiful. He had green eyes with blue and gray speckles through them. �I uhh�asked if you were Jessie?� she stammered. �Yeah�� he grumbled slowly sitting up. �What do you want?� �I�m Crystal from the present exchange you picked my name.� �So?� �So�since I don�t know you I was wondering what you might like�� she said feeling stupid for bothering him. He didn�t seam like he was the type of person to care much. He rolled his eyes. �Money�s good� he said. Crystal raised an eyebrow. �Yeah right�� she said. �If you didn�t want to do this why did you have to pick a name?� she said angrily. �Thought it�d be a laugh to see if the loon that got me really gave me a gift and how crushed they�d be when they didn�t get a thing.� He said. �Listen just get lost, even if I wanted your crummy gift you�d never be able to give me anything I want.� Crystal couldn�t believe this guy. �What a jerk!� she thought. �You know what I don�t have time for this! Goodbye Jessie.� She said turning and stomping off. Jessie rolled his eyes again and laughed. �What a waste.� He muttered. ~*~ Jessie stuffed his hands into his pockets shivering. He looked at the rickety sign in front of the old house he lived in. New York Children�s Organization City House for Orphans Jessie grunted. �What a dump� he thought. Jessie wasn�t even home for more then ten minutes without getting in trouble. �Jessie!� a woman�s loud voice called. �Come here right now!� Jessie groaned. �What now� he thought dragging himself towards the sound. �Is this yours!� a plump older woman yelled waving a clear plastic bag in his face. �And don�t lie I know it�s yours!� It took Jessie a second to figure out what she was flinging about in front of him. When he did figure it out he rolled his eyes. �I don�t do drugs you old bat.� he said flatly. �Don�t you talk that way to me! And I just said don�t lie to me! I�m tied of you always causing trouble! If it were up to me I�d throw you right out in the street where you belong.� She yelled getting purple in the face now. Jessie felt himself swell with anger. �Yeah I bet you would.� he grunted. �What did you say!� �I said shut up!� he yelled. �I don�t want to hear your crap! It�s not my own ok?!� He grabbed his jacket off the coat rack and ran out slamming the front door behind him. ~*~ Jessie had gone into the mall to warm up after walking around the city for an hour or so. He was still so angry that he didn�t watch where he was going and smacked right into someone. �Sorry� he grunted looking down. Among the many packages and bags he saw the girl from homeroom this morning. �Oh�it�s you,� he said. �Christian right?� �Crystal� she corrected getting up and gathering her bags. Jessie bent over and picked one up. �Any of these for me?� he grinned. �No� she snapped grabbing it back form him as though he just might steel it. Jessie frowned. �What�s your problem?� he said. �You.� Crystal said. Jessie glared. �You don�t even know me.� He said. �So? You made it pretty clear this morning that you�re a total jerk.� She said. �Whatever, your just like everyone else.� �What�s that sapost to mean?!� she said. �You think I�m dangerous, or trouble, or that I do drugs or something just cause I can�t be happy all the time like you! You�re all so full of crap!� Crystal stared at him. �You think I�m happy all the time? Well then you must know me just about as well as you say I know you.� She said. �Why shouldn�t you be happy?� he said. �Why shouldn�t you?� Jessie didn�t answer. �Fine, whatever.� He said. �See ya around Christian.� He said turning to go. �It�s Crystal!� she yelled after him but he didn�t respond. ~*~ Crystal was digging through her locker for her history report. It was the last day before winter break and she couldn�t wait to be out of here. She found it and slammed the locker shut. �Hey.� Crystal jumped. Jessie was leaning on the locker next to her�s. �Why didn�t I notice he was here before now?!� she yelled at herself. �Come to yell at me some more?� she said. Jessie glared. �Something like that.� he said thrusting a badly rapped package towards her. �Here.� Crystal stared at the package. It was green with a red bow and a tag that read. To: Crystal Merry Christmas From: Jessie �What is this?� she asked. �A present.� Jessie said bluntly. �I know�but�why?� she said. �You�re my partner right I�m sapost to get you a gift. That�s the rules isn�t it?� �Yeah�but I mean�I didn�t get you anything.� she said. �Doesn�t matter.� Jessie shrugged. He waited for her to say something but she didn�t. �Well open it.� �Oh�umm.� Crystal pulled at the paper till it gave way inside was a box. �It�s not much� Jessie said. Crystal lifted the lid, inside was a snow-white teddy bear with a red Christmas bow. �Aww he�s so cute!� she said. �It�s for when you�re sad,� he said quietly. �To cheer you up. You don�t deserve to happy.� �But you don�t even know me how can you say that?� Crystal asked. �Doesn�t matter, everyone deserves to be happy� Jessie said. �Merry Christmas Crystal� he said turning around and walking off down the hall. Crystal stared at him as he left, she wanted to fallow him, but for some strange reason she couldn�t seam to move from the spot he�d left her in. �Everyone deserves to be happy huh? What about you Jessie, why don�t you get to be happy?� ~*~ Crystal searched the 10th grade halls at the end of the day. She had to find Jessie. �He has to be here somewhere� she thought. She was just about to give in and go find her bus when she said him slugging down the other side of the hall. �Jessie!� she called out. �Wait up!� Jessie turned and looked at her. He looked surprised but he waited. �Yeah� he said. �Here, this is for you,� she said handing him a piece of paper. �I don�t have a present but I�m having a Christmas party tonight and I want you to go.� �Why?� he said. �Cause I invited you,� Crystal frowned. �Isn�t that enough?� Jessie shrugged. �I don�t like parties much.� he said. Crystal growled. �Why do you have to be such a jerk you were so nice this morning!� she yelled at him. Jessie cocked his head. �Hmm�alright I�ll be there,� he said. �See you around�Crystal.� he said walking off. �Bye�� Crystal said. �I don�t get him at all.� she thought. ~*~ Crystal looked at the clock for what must have been the hundredth time. �Where is he?!� she thought. �Come on Crystal you don�t want us to leave that bad do you?� Sarah joked. �You�ve been gawking at the clock all night.� Some of the girls around them at the party laughed. �I�m waiting for someone to show up.� Crystal said. �Oh? Who?� Sarah asked raising an eyebrow. �Everyone�s you told me you invited is here�well except Ben.� �Yeah Sarah what�s up with that?� a girl asked. �We broke up� Sarah shrugged. �He wasn�t any fun anyway. I�m so over him.� She said. �Hmph, so that�s what Sarah calls love huh?� Crystal thought. �So...who is the luck guy?� Sarah giggled. Crystal smiled. �Ask him yourself.� she said nodding at Jessie who had just come into the room. He looked around spotted Crystal and waved casually. �Hey.� he said giving Crystal a sort of halfway smile. Sarah gaped at him. �Jessie Sean?! That�s who you were waiting for?!� she almost yelled. �Yeah.� Crystal said smiling. �I�ll see you guys latter.� She said getting up and following Jessie out onto the back porch. It was snowing but the porch was one of those glass rooms so it wasn�t so cold. �I�m not so popular huh?� Jessie said. He didn�t look upset about it though. �Doesn�t matter,� she said stealing the line he used so much. �I thought you weren�t gona show up.� �I said I would didn�t I?� he asked. �Yeah but�I dunno. I still didn�t believe you I guess.� she said. They were quiet for a long time just watching the snowfall. �I really like my bear,� Crystal said at last. �I�ve been trying to think of a name for him.� Jessie shrugged. �Why?� �I dunno I just always use to name stuff animals.� she said. �Hmm.� Jessie said. �You don�t talk much huh?� Crystal asked. �No, why would I?� �I dunno.� she sighed. �So? You happy?� he asked. �What do you mean?� she said. �I came here cause I thought it would make you happy. Are you happy now?� Crystal smiled. �Are you?� �Don�t start that.� He said glaring. She smiled. �Yeah I�m happy. What about you though? Does your little rule apply to you?� �What rule?� �About everyone deserving to be happy?� �Maybe it does�I�m not sure� he said. �Are you happy?� Jessie looked at her. �Right now? Yeah I�m happy.� He said. �Merry Christmas Jessie.� He reached out and took her hand holding it tight. �Merry Christmas Crystal.� The End!
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