I had a very strong craving for eggnog, but the only place I could think to go was Starbucks. Since I worked there, I would've been able to get a discount, but with the time being 2:30am, they were obviously not going to be open. Rhys was getting impatient with my pestering, as usual. He didn't want to make another stop for a while, he had loose plans for the rest of the night. But eventually, he caved in and we walked to the Walmart super center nearby. Our Walmart was open 24/7, unlike most of the Walmarts today. The top of the Walmart was lined with a very old string of singular white lights. We walked in and the air swiftly brushed our faces from the opening of the doors. there was subtle Christmas music playing through the speakers. It was "White Christmas", the Bing Crosby version. Everything was decorated with either decorations that you could buy, or advertisements for Christmas sales. Welcome to Walmart, I thought.

   "Alright, where the hell is your stupid eggnog, I don't really like Walmart." Rhys complained. I rolled my eyes playfully and lead the way to the dairy section. We picked up the pint of eggnog and it wouldn't be until after we bought it that I realized I would have to drink the whole thing in one night before I got home. If my parents had any bit of evidence that I had sneaked out of the house, I was surely done for. After Rhys payed for it, I took a huge sip, immediately greeted with the sweet seasonal greetings the drink had to offer. I thanked Rhys and he gave me a 'whatever'. He was making a bee line towards the doors, but turned around to face me when he realized that I wasn't following him. 

   "What now?" He asked, his patience running thin.

   "Could we look around a little bit?" I asked with a big smile on my face, trying to beg him politely.

   "We've got only a few hours and we still have to walk back home. Do you really  want to spend hours at a Walmart?" He questioned. I gave him a pleading face.

   "I don't know about you...but the night is telling me to explore the Walmart." He sighed and dragged himself in my direction.

   "What do you mean 'explore'? You've been in here a million times before." I giggled.

   "What you claim is true, but every time I've been in here, my family has been in such a rush to get in and get out, only getting what they need. They never take the time to get to know the store they take advantage of. I like to think that a trip to the store when you're not looking to buy anything is more fun. You take some inventory of what they have and get the time to truly appreciate everything they provide for you." At the end of my tangent about store-going when you weren't shopping, I looked over at Rhys as he walked beside me and he looked at me as if I was as crazy as he was. Guess he was starting to rub off on me like he used to. 

   Like he used to...the thought ran through my head frequently that night. He used to tell jokes around me that would slowly creep into my sense of humor. He used to listen to music that slowly became the only type of music I could listen to. He used to be there for me when I needed him and I would reciprocate. We  used to be close. I didn't know if it was the sugary eggnog talking, but something about this night made me really miss him. Not in a romantic way of course, but I understood just how much his friendship meant to me. 

   "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know. Where the tree tops glisten, until then, listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow."  The music was louder when Rhys and I weren't talking to each other. I doubted that he noticed the music, he was much too occupied in wondering when we were leaving the store. 

   "May your days be merry and bright."  They always were merrier and brighter when he was near.

   "And may all your Christmases be white." I had to wonder if that last line applied to more than just the magic of snow on Christmas day. White is often portrayed as a pure color, a color not stained by anything darker. It adds light to every other color when mixed. Christmas, in a lot of ways was like the color white. A pure holiday that isn't about the presents or the food or the shopping at the last minute for Walmart sales. Christmas was about the time with family, a time of being peaceful and thankful for everything you have. Christmas was a holiday that could end war and violence, it is a holiday that can bring everyone together, no matter where they are in the world. The line, 'May all your Christmas's be white' replayed in my head a few times. Rhys brought me out of my thoughts with an annoyed tone.

   "Are we ready to leave yet? It's almost 3. That gives us 3 hours to visit other places and get home before your parents wake up and realize that you're not home." I was surprised that he remembered that my parents always get up at 6 to make breakfast for us to eat as a family. I remember last Christmas, he walked over to my house to have breakfast with us because his parents had to work on Christmas and I didn't want him to spend the holiday alone. My dad wasn't all that fond of him simply because he was a boy that was really close to me and used to be a boy I liked. But my mom on the other hand loved him. She saw, just as I did, behind the 'troubled child' persona he put across. Rhys looked at me, still waiting for an answer and I smiled. Instead of answering directly, I turned his attention to something else in the store.

   "Look, they're playing 'A Christmas Story' on the display TV's." He looked in the direction I pointed and we approached the TV, mesmerized by the holiday classic. I knew every word to the movie by heart due to 16 years of my family playing it all day on Christmas. I smirked as my favorite line approached. I turned to Rhys and over dramatically recited the line.

   "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" He gave me a look and called me an idiot. It was good to see that the old friendship dynamic was back. I took another large sip of the eggnog, letting the creamy, sweet flavor calm the craving. A worker came up behind us.

   "Y'all finding everything alright? Not often I see teenage couples here this late unless it's an emergency." She gave a wink, implying things that made Rhys cringe. On the other hand, I felt my face flush with heat. I suddenly felt feverish from the reddening of my cheeks. Why exactly, I couldn't figure that out.

   "Yeah, we're finding everything all right, matter of fact, I think we were just about to leave. And we're not a couple, thank you for your service." He said with slight hostility in his voice. I kenw we wouldn't be staying in the Walmart much longer, pretty soon he'd be dragging me out of there if I didn't head towards the door. I looked at the woman who frowned and just smiled, trying to silently apologize for Rhys's moody behavior. I didn't know why he seemed to urgent to go to wherever it was he wanted us to go. He was the one who taught me to go where the night takes you and not to plan things because then you stress over a schedule. 

   When we walked outside, the air was filled with thick white flurries falling quickly. They fell like magic from the sky. The snowfall came without warning and I wasn't wearing a jacket. I shivered as we ventured out into the snow covered parking lot. My teeth soon began chattering and I was curled up as much as I could be while we walked. I was trying not to complain to Rhys and let him know, I didn't want him thinking that I couldn't take the cold and making fun of me for it. We had reached the highway again and I let out a few huge shivers as well as sniffling noises. My nose was starting to become runny from the cold. Rhys finally looked back at me and noticed my condition. 

   "Why didn't you bring a coat you idiot?" I frowned, still shivering.

   "The forecast didn't say anything about snow!" He rolled his eyes.

   "The weather men are always wrong, don't you know that?" I was still shivering and sniffling. He stared at me for a moment and then sighed.

   "Here." He took off his thick leather jacket, leaving him with a light, black jacket and a long sleeve shirt to cover himself from the cold. I felt bad taking his coat, but he insisted. I put it on and I was immediately enveloped in a blanket of his warmth. The jacket smelled like him and I couldn't help but blush a bit. It felt really wrong to be wearing his coat because it was something couples did, but I couldn't help the smile that was creeping onto my face. When I looked back at him, he was looking at me and began to chuckle. 

   "It's a little big on you, but that just means it'll be warmer." 

   "Thank you, Rhys." He turned around and lead the way again through the cold.

   "No problem, think nothing of it." But I did think something of it. And that was my biggest mistake.