A Christmas Short Story Ft. Kylie and Basil

J: Basil Brooks hated parties. He hated the noise blaring in his ears, he hated the tipsy teenagers dancing around him, he hated the claustrophobic feeling of crowds in a corner. Most of all, he hated watching Kylie sway in the arms of another boy, giggling drunkenly and having words whispered into her ear - words only she knew.

G: She had her arms wrapped around the boy's neck now, his piercing blue eyes drowning in hers, dimples in his cheeks. Isaac Sanford, Bas thought, that overrated prissy, preppy English boy that every girl would die for. Bas would never be him, and perhaps that was why it was Isaac who held Kylie in his arms rather than him. Isaac had taken his turn on multiple girls but Bas wasn't about to let him have his way with Kylie. Just as Bas was about to walk over to them, he felt a fist punch his shoulder.

He flinched and whipped around, only to find Jack wearing a smug grin, his eyes dazed with the effects drugs and alcohol. "Hey bro," he slurred. "I have a stash hidden in my drawer. Wanna go grab it for me?"

Bas furrowed his brows but didn't bother objecting. When he turned back around, he noticed Kylie and Isaac weren't there anymore. He glanced at Jack. "Which drawer?"

"One in my room," he said, pointing down the hall.

Bas sighed and made his way through the grinding bodies. (Wtf am I reading? -Jules) Can STDs be transmitted through the air? If they could, Bas was sure he was going to die. Get Herpes or something deadly like AIDS. Bas opened the door to Jack's room and instead of heading straight to the drawer, he froze in place, catching a glimpse at Kylie and Isaac making out on the bed, Kylie's hands up his shirt. Bas cleared his throat. Kylie gently pushed Isaac off of her and smiled at Bas - a drunken, lousy smile. "Wanna join?"

"No Kylie, let's get out of here."

Kylie ignored him and got up, stumbling onto him, her hands gripping his shirt. "C'mon babee..."

"You're not thinking straight."

"I'm thinking perfectly finee,"

Isaac took Kylie's hand and slurred, "Let's go to another room..."

Bas felt infuriated. "Get out asshole, go back to Tide. You belong in Jules' account."

"Fuck off man, I die in that story."

"Good. C'mon Kylie, I'm taking you home."

Bas led her into the main room and shoved through the crowd of people, then helped Kylie into her coat and walked her down the stairs, bringing her into his car and buckling her seatbelt.

Kylie was saying strange stuff the whole way. "I love you Basil Brooks," or "Basy Wasy you're my babyyyy!" At one point, she rolled down the window and yelled into the wind, "I LOVE SNOW!"

When they finally made it to his house, Bas helped her out of the car and aided her as she made her way to the porch. Instead, she collapsed into the snow. "I loovve snow,"

Bas tried to get her to stand up. "C'mon Ky, not now..."

"Come lay with me in the snoww," she smiled, reaching for him.

Bas sighed. "Ky... You're gonna get cold."

"Cold like my soul..."

Bas breathed out a laugh, and when he leaned down to pick her up, she cupped his face and pulled him towards her. "Kylie... What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want you to kiss me."

Basil Brooks felt his heart pounding faster than the wheels on a speeding train, but he played it off cool by breathing out a laugh. He'd loved Kylie for so long. And even though this was just the alcohol speaking, he felt butterflies in his stomach whenever she spoke. When she said, "I love you Basil Brooks" in the car he felt fireworks in his chest. And when she brought his lips to hers, his whole body ignited. Sparks flowing through every nerve.

"I love you, Kylie," he whispered.

And even though he knew she wouldn't remember, it meant the world to him.

--

Bas brought her into his room. His parents were gone on a holiday trip just the two of them, as they did every year. He wrapped a blanket around her shivering body and prepared her a mug of piping hot tea. By the time he got back to her, she was fast asleep. He left her a pile of fresh, warm clothes on the edge of the bed so that if she got cold, she could change. Then, he set up a thin blanket on the floor and took an extra pillow from his bed. He got onto the hard wooden floor, hurting his back a little, but it was worth it, he figured. He watched Kylie as she slept, taking in her every feature, thinking how beautiful she was. He stayed like that for a while before he too drifted off.

Bas was awoken with an impact to the head. His eyes shot open, adrenaline pumping through his veins. "What the fuck?" he muttered groggily.

"What the fuck? I should be the one saying that! Why on earth am I on your bed? And why am I freezing? Oh god... We didn't... Y'know..."

"No, we didn't do anything."

"I don't remember anything. What did I say? How drunk was I?"

"Just a little tipsy," Bas lied. "You felt sick so I brought you home."

Bas didn't want her feeling embarrassed about what happened. She didn't need to know about what happened with Isaac and she didn't need to know about the kiss.

"Don't lie to me, I know I was drunk. God, what'd I do? I have a splitting headache and I'm already in a crappy mood so just tell me, Jesus."

"Why'd you drink in the first place? That's not like you. You're against that kind of stuff because your dad's an... well, you know."

"He left us Bas... He got up and left without a word. Right before Christmas, too. That bastard." Kylie's voice sounded bitter, dark, dangerous. Bas knew Kylie's father wasn't a good man, a good husband, let alone a good father. But never did either of them think he would leave.

"I'm sorry for asking Ky..."

Kylie just shook her head, brushing it off. "Whatever." She glanced at the pile of clothes at the corner of the bed. "Those for me?"

He nodded. "I'll make us breakfast."

"Bas?"

Bas turned. "Hmm?"

Kylie's face looked different, maybe it wasn't just the alcohol, maybe, just maybe, she loved him too.

"Merry Christmas."

Bas' heart dropped. What a fool. But alas, Bas pushed away the negativity and offered the girl he loved a smile, "Merry Christmas, Ky."