Chapter 10: Oh, It's Christmas Time

"I'm so sorry Vanilla!" Theo cried. Tears came down his face as he begged me to stay. I was beyond pissed at him. I ran out of the house, and jumped into the car. I locked the doors and searched for the keys. Theo kept pounding at the door, but I ignored him. I found the keys, and started the car. I some how kept myself together after what happened this morning. I felt used. I felt empty, and you know whose fault it is? My damn ex-boyfriend's.

~~~

"Hey Vanilla." Kyle greeted me with a smile. I pushed past him and into his apartment.

"Do you expect anyone coming?" I asked in an anger tone.

"Umh, not that I know of." He said shakily. I ran to his door and closed. It I turn towards him, and gave him a wink. I threw myself at him, and attacked his lips. He froze there, but soon moved with me, and wrapped his arms around his waist.  "I thought you had a boyfriend." He said between kisses.

"He... cheated... on... me.." I sighed. He pushed me away with us panting.

"Vanilla, that's not right." He panted.

"How is it not right? He cheated on me." I said upset. He walked towards me, and put a hand on my shoulder. I snapped it away. He sighed and sat on his bed.

"I mean, you shouldn't be kissing another guy if your boyfriend-"

"Ex- boyfriend." I interrupted.

"Yes, your ex-boyfriend cheated on you. Have you let him explain himself yet?" He asked. I shook my head. "Okay, well tell me all that happened, and we'll determine your standings." He said. I sat down beside him, and started my story.

~~~ FlashBack ~~~

"You need to talk to Theo. He's probably confused and worried." Andrew told me as I ate my eggs. I scooped a big bit into my mouth.

"I don't fucking care." I said as I spat my food.

"Keep that shit in your mouth please." Andrew said grossed out. I laughed and finished my eggs. I finished my morning and was debating on if I should talk to Theo.

"Andrew! I'm taking your car to Theo's!" I yelled.

"Okay, stay safe! Don't do drugs!" Andrew screamed through the apartment. I grabbed the keys off of the hook and walked out the apartment. I entered the car, and drove to mine and Theo's house.

"Ready?" I breathed to myself before stepping out of the car. I walked into the house like every other time I ever did. I didn't hear anything, so I went to our bedroom. As I walked down the stairs I heard noises.

"We can't be together if this is in place. It will ruin everything." Theo's voice said through the door. I froze and continued to listen.

"Theodore, I will figure something out. I promise." A female voice said. I stood in front of the door, without hearing any voices. My heart broke a little.

"You are amazing" Theo said. I wanted to scream. He was doing something with another damn girl.

"Fuck you!" I screamed towards the door, and started running up the stairs. I heard the door open and Theo screaming something. I got to the top of the stairs when Theo grabbed me.

"I'm so sorry Vanilla!" Theo cried. Tears came down his face as he begged me to stay. I was beyond pissed at him. I ran out of the house, and jumped into the car. I locked the doors and searched for the keys. Theo kept pounding at the door, but I ignored him. I found the keys, and started the car.

~~~ (End Of Flashback) ~~~

After I had told Kyle the story, I decided to get some fresh air. I drive to the closest diner to get some lunch. Snow covered the land around it, and I felt ready for Christmas, and I didn't want  to do it alone. I sat there waiting for my food as someone joined me across the table.

"Hello Ashley."  Mr. Times smiled.

"Don't talk to me." I hissed through my teeth.

"Now, come one Ashley, you don't want to know the truth for why Theo had a girl over?" He asked. The waitress came over and brought me my lunch.

"Sir, would you like something as well?" She asked in shock at the President in front of her.

"No, I'm good, but thank you darling for asking." He asked all nice. I laughed a little as I dived into my meal. This country was being ran by a psycho. I told myself.

"You know that girl was there to cancel your marriage." He told me.

"With who? Andrew or Theo."

"Andrew." He told me.

"Why would he want to do that?" I asked.

"He wanted to tell her that Ashley and Josh were dead., so that their marriage was off." He told me.

"So he was all guilty about that?" I asked.

"Yes." He told me.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." I told Mr. Times.

"So, you'll forgive him?" He asked me.

"Only if he doesn't keep dragging me down." I told him.

"Oh, I promise he won't."

~~~

"You haven't gotten the Christmas tree yet?!" I yelled at Theo. He laughed at me as I walked outside. The breeze nipped at my exposed skin.

"Well, let's go and get it!" He jumped into his car, as I laughed and locked up the house to join him. I entered the warm car and giggled.

"Where to go?" I said as I took off my hat. I looked at my hair as it fell on my face. It needed another dying.

"I know this place where we used to get ours when I was younger. It's a great local place." He commented. I kept my mind on my hair.

"Theo, I'm going to dye my hair white." I told him. He started driving down the road and just glanced at me.

"Are you serious?" He said.

"Yeah, I'll make it for Christmas. I want something cool. Red is too boring." I said. He just started laughing.

"I'll never understand girls." He kissed my cheek and the heat raised to my already red skin. I took off my jacket and wiggled my feet. I was wearing a turtleneck, with some cute leggings and boots. I kept shaking to keep the goosebumps off. "So, what do you do for Christmas?"

"Well, with Andrew and Boss, we'd wake up at six in the morning and go through the gifts, then I'd make them a huge breakfast. It was always amazing, and we'd go around and give money or food to people." I told Theo. I hoped this Christmas I could spend it with Theo and Andrew. They were my family in this crazy world. "What did you do?"

"Well, Alice and I used to wake up, but not before six. If we did, we had to stay in our room. One year Alice had to pee on a towel because she didn't want to walk out." I laughed at Theo. "Then, we'd walk into our parent's room, and wake them up. Once everyone was up we'd open our stockings. Then, afterwards we'd organize the gifts and open them. It was a magical time." Theo's eyes were filled with the Christmas Spirit.

"Well, let's just quickly get our Christmas tree." I told Theo.

"Well, wait. What are we going to do for Christmas? I'm sure as hell not spending it with my dad, and you've only got Andrew."

"I think we should go to my second house, thanks to the Boss, and celebrate there." I told Theo.

"That's cool with me." He turned on the radio. I smiled at the Christmas Song. Theo, of course, knew it was my favorite Christmas Song.  "Oh! Did you think I'd ever come home? I couldn't spend this night alone. 'Cause you're number one on my wishlist baby. Oh, in a little bit I'll be there, like a star shining in the air, mark a check mark on my wishlist baby." (A/N 'Wishlist' By: The Ready Set) I laughed at Theo's singing. It was Christmas  time, and after spending four months with Theo, I found out he loves singing in the car.

"We're here." He said. He turned off the car and the radio went off as well. I jumped out of the car and went over to Theo. He grabbed my hand, and we walked into this shack with millions of trees behind it. As we entered a bell rang.

"Hey!" The heavyweight man said.

"Hey Tom." Theo said. The man got up and gave Theo a hug.

"Long time no see man. How's the family?" Tom asked.

"Doing good. Spending some of Christmas here and down at her house." Theo said.

"Oh, I see. Got a pretty lady." Tom said as he reached his hand out. I shook his hand with a smile. "Wow, you've got a strong grip." He commented. "Well, I'm Tom. You are...?"

"Vanilla." I told him.

"Wow, you aren't around here. Those city people are getting creative with those names." He joked. Theo laughed, and I just awkwardly did.

"Well Tom, Vanilla and I are going to look for a tree. I'll see you later. Nice meeting you again." Theo grabbed my hand again and we walked into the forest of chopped down trees. I looked at the dyed ones, and went through one's that could not be real. In the middle of an opening was the wimpiest tree ever. I laughed knowing it was to reference the Charlie Brown tree.

"So, what size do you want from our house?" I asked. I liked calling it our house. It felt good that we owned something together.

"I don't know. Let's just look."

~~~

"It looks amazing." We gazed at our huge tree in our living room. After hours of working on the tree and dying my hair in the process, which looked like a total wreck, we needed sleep.

"Do you want to get Andrew over for planning Christmas?" Theo asked as he wrapped his arms around me. He kissed  on my neck which tickled.

"Sure, and we need to re dye my awful looking hair. Let's do a darker red this time. I'm never doing white again." I complained to him. He laughed at me and kissed my temple.

"Okay, well I will call Andrew while you go and get some hair dye." Theo told me. He walked into the other room as I went to the door.

I grabbed my coat and walked into the chilly air. I put a hat over my bun to cover up my ugly hair. I was meant to be a redhead. I jumped into the car and search around for the keys. I decided that while I was out to get Theo a gift. It'd be our first, and most likely last happy Christmas together.

I drove along the snowy road as I entered the city. I decided that I didn't want to shop alone, and I considered Kyle my friend, so I'd go shopping with him.

~~~

I walked into the apartment building and decided that I'd get the lobby to call Kyle down to me because I honestly didn't want to walked up. The man was very nice, and after ten minutes Kyle came to go shopping. We decided to go in his car, and leave mine here till we come back.

"How's life now, Vanilla?" He smiled to me as we got into his car and started driving.

"It's going good. So, what are you doing for Christmas?" I asked.

"I''m going to my girlfriend's house in Texas."

"Awh, how long have you guys been together?" I asked.

"Two years." He told.

It kind of shocked me. "So, you've cheated on her? That's kind of bad." I felt different around him now. He wasn't that loyal.

"Not really. She sleeps with other guys to. We told each other we could do that as long as we were in different states. It's less lonely that way, and we don't feel as bad when one of us leaves. It was all her idea. And heck, if she never did I'd never met you." He surprised me with his actions. He was a very timid man. He seems almost like a lost teddy bear. He is so caring, that I honestly never thought he'd have this side to him.

"Well, that's your thing I guess. You don't seem like that type honestly." I told him. He rolled his eyes at me and continued looking at the road ahead.

"Nice hair." He smirked. I smacked his shoulder as he laughed.

"I was trying it out. Just take me somewhere to dye it please." I sighed. We drove to the nearest spa, and decided that my hair should be dyed a dark red. I agreed with it because it was some what like my natural hair color.

"Theo's going to love your hair." He grinned. I walked out to the car with Kyle. He looked up and stopped. I looked in the direction to see Mr. Times.

"Hello Vanilla." He grinned. I gave him a look.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Here's an early Christmas present." He told me as he passed me a book with a bow on. "She dropped it." I opened the first page as emotions poured out of the pages.

"Jess." I said.

"I thought you might want it." He said. I nodded as he walked off.

"Who is that?" Kyle asked.

"My sister." I told him. "I've got to get home." I told Kyle. "Okay."  

~~~

I spent Christmas down at the Boss's house with Theo and Andrew. On Christmas morning I went to her grave, all alone. I looked at my sister's name. "Jess." I said. I decided to read her the last thing she ever wrote in her journal. It was the last thing I'd remember her by.

I grabbed my rope and tied him to the bed.

He looked so Innocent.

He smiled in his deep sleep.

I let my fingers trace his jaw.

He tilted his head a little to expose his neck.

I bent over and sucked on it.

It left a beautiful red mark, that in a couple of hours will turn a lovely shade of purple.

I looked at his broken wrist.

It was cut up with words.

"What a waste of a perfectly clean wrist." I sighed.

He shook his head a little.

I smiled.

He's eyes fluttered open.

The huge brown eyes looked at me.

"Who are you?" He groaned.

He was so cute when he woke up.

"I'm the one saving you." I grinned.

"From what? The monster under my bed?" He smirked.

"From the girls under your bed." I told him.

I bent down to his level and kissed his cheek.

"What are you doing?" He growled.

I grinned at him.

"I'm saving you." I repeated.

"I got that, but why me?" He asked.

"I want you." I commented.

"I want to come back home." He cried.

"No, what do you not understand about me saving you?" I said getting a little angry.

"I'll get someone to kill you if you don't let me go." He yelled.

"Why would create something beautiful, and destroy it?" I asked.

"I didn't create you?" He said scared.

I laughed.

"Yes you did. Just close your eyes, and think of something for me." I told him.

He closed his eyes.

I felt my body changing.

He opened them again.

"You're beautiful." He said dazed.

I grinned.

"Now, stay here. This is your world after all." I said.

I untied the ropes around his body.

He got up, and walked out of the room.

"I hope you live." I whispered.

He ended up just like everyone else.

He drank the poison, and passed the fuck out.

I spoke to her grave. "I love you big sister." I said as I started walking back to the house.