Farmer's Daughter

Chapter 18~ Christmas Break

We walked down the stairs and were greeted by a sea of people in the living room. "Welcome to the party sleepy heads," Mason slurred.

"Great your already drunk. Dude its 10 in the morning," I willed.

"Hey, we all had to do something while we waited to open presents, I just chose drinking as my subsitute."

"You waited to open presents? How come no woke me up?"

"Well we sent lover boy up an hour and a half ago but I guess that was the wrong decision." Juliet came up and hugged me. "Merry Chistmas, its hard isn't it?" She whispered in my ear. It took me second to realize that she was talking about my mom not being here this Christmas. I was going to tell her that this isn't the first time someone I love hasn't been there for a holiday, but just settled for a simple head nod. "I know we lost both my grandparents 4 years ago and it's still a tender time of the year." She responded with tears in her eyes. I pulled her back in for another hug and heard her sniffle.

"C'mon already I want to open presents." Ben whined.

"Well if you would have woke me up and not fell asleep, we could have already opened them." I retorted

"But......but..... I was tired." He complained.

"Get over it and lets go open some presents." I rolled my eyes.

"I call first!" Shane yelled.

"What are we five Shane?" Juliet asked as she shoved him.

"Maybe," he pouted.

"Okay pouty pants you can go first."

We all sat in a circle in the living room by the fire. I sat on Ben's lap, while Laurel sat next to Mason, Jules and Shane sitting next to each other, Kristen and Jordan sharing a blanket, Tenley keeping her space from Asher, who was way to close. Juliet handed Shane a neatly wrapped package. He tore apart the present within seconds and saw a box that was taped at the edges. He pulled a pocket knife from his pocket and zipped open the box.

"You keep a knife in your pocket?" Laurel questioned.

"Uh yeah, you don't?" He asked back.

"No, because I am a normal person." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey I am-" Shane started.

"Just open the damn present already. I want to open mine." Mason complained, wiggling in his seat.

"Geez, chill, I'm getting there."

His face dropped when he saw four pairs of Nike Elite socks, red and black, blue and neon green, purple and neon blue, and green and pink. He smiled at Juliet and kissed her on the lips. He picked up the big box that was sitting on the floor with wholes in the top and gave it to Juliet. Odd. She carefully removed the top and squealed as she saw the mini goldendoodle, panting with her tongue out. She picked her up and snuggled her as she smushed her in between her and Shane as she thanked him and kissed him for awhile. Tenley who was at the other end of the couch in the beginning was now sitting next to me as she scooched farther and farther away from Asher.

"I am naming her Zoey." Juliet stated.

It continued for quite awhile like that. Mason gave Laurel a volleyball, spandex shorts, kneepads, and some new volleyball shoes, that were awesome! In return she gave him axe, axe, more axe, and a pair of red under armour tennis shoes.

"Do you think I smell bad or what?" He laughed.

"Yeah kinda," Laurel smirked. He shoved her just enough to make her tip over.

Kristen presented Jordan with a basketball signed by all of the Miami Heat. Which he freaked out about. He gave her a charm bracelet that had a metal oar, since their first date was in a row boat, a basketball, because the reason they are together was because of uneven teams in basketball. It also had a present, since it was their first Christmas together, and a gold heart, which stood out because the rest of the bracelet was silver.

"What is the heart for?" Kristen asked.

"Look on the back of the heart." He replied. She flipped it over and saw 'I Love You' was engraved on the back. Her eyes welled up with tears. She turned towards him and kissed him then hugged him tightly.

"I love you too." Kristen replied before she burst into tears.

"Geez I didn't know this would cause tears, will someone just go before she becomes a complete mess." Jordan rolled his eyes.

"Fine I have a present to give to you." Asher said looking at Tenley.

"What?" She exclaimed.

"Just open it, its a fun thing nothing too bad."

"Fine but I didn't get you anything by the way."

"Aw man," Asher complained.

Asher opened the presents and her eyes widened, she pulled out a twelve pack of sun drop followed by two larger bottles. One bottle was vodka and the other rum.

"What in the world Asher!" Tenley yelled, even at a time like this she still never swears.

"Well you like sun drop and I just thought you could loosen up a little." Asher replied.

"Whatever," Tenley through both bottles at him. He was ready for the first and caught it, but the second hit him right in the stomach with a thud. Coughing, Asher flipped off Tenley as the rest of us just laughed. Dad must have heard the thunk because him and Jackson came into the living room. A sense of relief washed over their faces and they walked back out the door. I handed Ben the red and green wrapped box, that contained his sunglasses. He tore off the paper and his jaw dropped.

"How did you know this is what I wanted?" He asked.

"I didn't, Kristen was the one that told me to get these, but I suspected that she talked to you." I winked at Kristen.

"Wow. I love you." He pressed his lips to mine and pressed a long thin box into my hands. I pulled off the shimmery silver paper with the blue bow. In the box was a silver necklace, with a silver and diamond pendent. It had one larger diamond heart around the smaller silver one.

"I'm the big diamond heart around your heart to protect you and they are intertwined." Ben spoke up.

"I love it Ben."

"Look what is written on the little heart." he smiled. I looked closer to what it said.

"I loved you yesterday, I love you still, I always have and I always will, Ben & Lennox Forever." I read out loud, that earned lots of awes from the girls. That was when I just started to cry, I hugged Ben and when I looked up and Kristen had started to cry again.

"Man, what is with you girls and crying. This is suppose to be a happy day." He shook his head.

"These are happy tears, duh Jordan." Kristen sniffled.

"I didn't know that was even possible." He answered.

We spent the rest of the day laughing and telling stories, along with eating and eating again for the guys. Little did I know this was going to be one of the last good days of Christmas break.

Sorry for the late update. Some of you are probably going to hate me for what happens next but............

Thanks!