under the mistletoe

mr. christmas

🕊🕊

I look Luke up and down in disbelief, "You're messing with me right?"

"Why would I mess with you exactly?" He crosses his arms as he taps his foot.

I check the top of the assignment paper and behold 'Lucas and Julie' is written at the top. "Who's your girlfriend's partner?" I ask.

"I don't have a girlfriend" He laughs as he plays with the drawstrings of his hoodie.

I look him up and down with a crinkle between my eyebrows, "Alright, then who's your hookups partner?" I raise an eyebrow and nod my head towards the car with Carrie in it.

Luke looks back confused and gasps at a moment of realization, "Ew- Carrie's not- we aren't- no" He shakes his body in disgust. "Reggie" He answers.

"Let's switch then. Reggie's like my brother and Carrie is- whatever she is" I wave my hand forward as I put the packages for my dad down inside the door.

"No way. I'd rather eat glass than work with... that thing. You're stuck with me, buddy. Unless you want to work with Carrie" He smirks with a chuckle.

I raise an eyebrow and scoff, "Meaning you work with Reggie? Yeah no. Broke his heart once, not letting it happen again" I groan as realization sets in.

"Ok about the Reggie thing- y'a know what, nevermind. So... partners?"

I roll my eyes and nod. "Partners"

I don't think I've bought or given Christmas gifts since I was... god knows how old. Nine? Even then, at that age, you're still making your gifts from pipe cleaners and tissue paper.

I sit on the couch and look at the presents sitting on the ground. All sitting under the bare tree. If it were up to me, the tree wouldn't even be up. No decorations on it because, as I established before, my father and brother don't know how to do that shit.

My eyes gloss over to the packet of the assignment beside me on the couch. The words on it seem like a lot of work just to look at. Now I have to factor in that Luke is my partner? Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw.

I pick it up and sigh as I flip the booklet over and see a little note.

Call me ;)
213-624-2000
-L.P

With a groan and a little bit of an eye roll, I grab my phone and put in the ten-digit number.

Ring.

Ring.

Please don't pick up.

Ri-

"Hello?"

Fuck.

"Hey!" My voice goes up like ten octaves.

"Hello... who is this?"

I chuckle and shake my head, "It's Julie. Your partner for Johnson's class?"

"Sorry I think you got the wrong number lady"

My heart drops as a groan escapes the back of my throat, "Oh that little-"

"I'm messing with you, Julie. It's Luke" He erupts into a fit of laughter. Not being able to stop and I think I can hear someone asking if he's ok. "Sorry, I feel bad"