Cloud 69

50:

a/n: hey, my loves! sorry for the long wait. y'all are really too patient with me and i seriously appreciate all of your endless love and support <3

with the holidays fast approaching, this will most likely be my last update of the year. i expect to have the next chapter published by mid-january, but i don't want to promise anything. 

again, i truly appreciate all of the love and support from you guys, and i wish you all a very merry holiday season, and a happy, healthy new year. make sure to count your blessings and spend time with those you love. peace and love to you all <3 <3

oh, also. happy 50 :)

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He let out a deafeningly high-pitched screech. "Oh my God!" Jason exclaimed, a toothy smile stretching across his face as he tore off the wrapping paper. "Mrs. S, you didn't!"

Dylan groaned, his face twisting in repulsion. "Please tell me you didn't."

My mother smiled, stifling a laugh, "I did." She eagerly leaned forward in her seat, excited by Jason's reaction and not at all put off by Dylan's. 

Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays because it's always been so full of traditions and sweet memories. Gathering at my house on Christmas morning to exchange gifts had been one of the long-celebrated traditions. Eventually, my mother joined in, and would get each of my friends a little gift as well.  

Jason let out another excited squeal as he stood up, holding the footie pajamas up against his body, waving them around for everyone to see. I suppressed a grin as, upon further inspection, it appeared that the red and green footie pajamas were also decorated with Dylan's face. 

"I love it!" Jason screeched again. He bounced on the balls of his feet, waiting for Dylan to fully unwrap his present. His smile grew even larger when Dylan held up, pinched between two fingers with repulsion, his matching footie pajamas, with Jason's face plastered all over. 

Jason clapped his hands together, "I'm putting mine on right now. Dylan, put yours on!"

He ran out of the room, almost knocking off some of the ornaments on the tree in his hurry to get to the bathroom. Dylan remained motionless on the floor, surrounded by discarded wrapping paper, a scowl twisting over his features. 

"You need to stop encouraging him," Dylan said finally to my mom, a grave look in his eyes. 

"Oh, just put it on, Mr. Scrooge," She said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand. "It'll make his day."

"Yeah, Dylan," Carson smirked. "Go put on your matching jim-jams."

I nodded my head, "Do it in the spirit of the Christmas season."

Dylan groaned, rolling his eyes and glaring at the pajamas with disdain, before eventually pulling himself up from the floor. "One hour," He said curtly, giving in, and trudging down the hall after Jason. 

I looked down at Carson; he had been mostly quiet all morning and this had been the first he spoke other than the occasional 'thank you' or 'Merry Christmas to you, too' when necessary. He had been sitting stiff in his chair for the entire exchange of presents, barely even acknowledging me as I came to sit on the arm of his chair. He kept glancing at his phone, holding it outward and constantly flipping it to see the screen before quickly flipping it back over to the back side.

"Hey," I whispered, placing a hand on his back, gently rubbing between his shoulders. His head snapped in my direction like I had interrupted his cycle. "Are you alright?"