Starboy

Chapter 44: Tiffany's! Cartier! Black Starr!

Benji

Christmas.

Christmas was never something I looked forward to. I didn't celebrate Christmas with my parents like most families do. Sure we had a tree—a big one, at that—a fancy dinner, and traditions. There were gifts underneath the tree, plenty of seasonal food on the dinner table, and lots of laughter—just not mine.

It didn't really matter how much materialistic things we had in our home because we lacked the one thing each family has during Christmas: love. My family never loved each other. We never gathered around the fireplace together or watched a Christmas movie. My parents would invite fifty of their closest friends and business partners to celebrate with us, which was never screamed festive to me.

This year, today, is different. My parents didn't even ask me to come over and celebrate with them now that I'm moved out of the house. Some people wish to be an only child for a number of reasons, but for me I wish the opposite. I wish my parents had more kids so that they would pay less attention to me.

I wake up next to Brandy beside me, who is still snoring. I'm hardly the first one to get up between the two of us so I decide to take advantage of it and do something nice for her. I get up slowly and quietly, in a desperate attempt not to wake her up.

I have a quick shower and get ready for the day. I pull out my phone and check the message that was left for me this morning at twelve.

"Hey, baby!" Natalie whispers into the phone. "It's twelve o'clock on the dot so I thought I'd call and wish you a merry Christmas. We should celebrate together. Your mother told me every year she throws a big Christmas party? What do you say, should we go together?

Call me when you get this. Natalie."

I sigh and roll my eyes, wishing I had never listened to that message... now I have to call her back. I really don't want to though, especially not now. I want this day to be about spending time with my girlfriend. I owe her that much.

I attempt to make some waffles on the waffle maker that I have never used before. I hate myself when I try for the third time and it still comes out all gooey and gross.

"Need some help?" Brandy asks with a smile on her face. She's dressed in my hoodie and sweatpants, which makes me happy to see. I love seeing her in my clothes.

"Fuck, I'm sorry, I really tried," I say. "Let me try one more time," I insist.

"Benji, I love that you're trying but quite frankly, I am terrified you are going to start a fire." She laughs. "Here, let me." She pours a few scoops of the batter into the machine. "Oh, right! Merry Christmas," she remembers.

"Merry Christmas to you, too, B," I say, kissing her cheek.

"You know, in our years of friendship, we've never spent Christmas together. Why?" She wonders.

"Well, last year I was in the Caribbean. The year before that, I was in Paris. And then before that, my parents would throw their stupid Christmas party," I explain.

"It's weird she throws the party exactly on Christmas Day, isn't it? Don't these people have, like, families?" She chuckles.

"It's the Upper East Side, babe, a party will always win over family," I joke.

"I was thinking we could go over to my Dad's tonight," she says. "You know, spend some time with him. Today is the first Christmas in almost nineteen years I didn't fall asleep on the couch next to him watching Christmas movies. And then we'd wake up at ten, make French toast and open presents," she reminisces. "Damn it, now I'm feeling emotional. Should I go over there now?" She freaks out.