December Kisses || chaennie

Chapter 14

There was something that was never going to be liked, despite Jennie's determination to make me like everything holiday related. It was just one of those things that didn't agree with me. Yet, I found myself surrounded by a bunch of strangers from all parts of the city, carrying a few sheets of paper with song lyrics on them.

I could relate more to the people inside their houses, curtains closed and waiting out the voices getting louder and louder in their front garden. The silent hint, the one with eyes peering out from a gap from the windows were dutifully ignored in favour of singing their hearts' out.

With each breath I took, a white vapour pooled into the air and I could feel the cracks on my lips. This trip out onto the streets was a complete surprise and so I didn't come prepared in terms of clothing. Eventually, we shuffled down the street to the next house to torment and Jennie linked our arms together.

"You're miming," she accused, quietly.

"Preserving my voice," I responded, licking my lips.

"You're freezing,"

"Preserving warmer clothes..."

"For?"

"Colder temperatures?"

Jennie stopped walking, letting the group trot ahead and began uncurling the scarf from around her neck.

"What are you doing?" I asked, placing my hand on hers to stop her. "Jennie, stop."

"You're freezing," she reiterated and flung the scarf behind my head and began fixing it properly around my neck. "I'm not going to allow you to freeze, despite the fact you left me to deal with my mother all by myself. I'm not that heartless."

I cocked my head to the side. "You mean, not as heartless as me?"

She fixed the scarf inside my jacket. "Yes."

I laughed as she dragged us over to the next house. "You know what your mom's like. Can you blame me?"

"You know what my mother's like and you left me."

"So, she cried?"

"She cried."

"Happy tears?"

"And ones of 'betrayal'."

I grinned and leaned to whisper, "She loved our Christmas card."

Jennie turned her head so we were inches from each other's face. "She said that?"

People began flinging the pieces of papers within their hands to straighten them out and cleared their throats in preparation as the leader knocked on the door. I nodded my confirmation as Jennie looked at me expectantly. As soon as I gave the answer, she kissed my cheek and waited for our cue to sing.

The homeowner, a man that looked like he just got back from work, wearing a suit with jagged buttons and no tie, looked instantly like he wanted to slam the door but was forced to present a practised fake smile as we began to sing.

This time, with Jennie pressed against my side, I had to sing.

Right after we stopped, I began looking everywhere but at Jennie. The redness of my cheeks didn't come from the wind slapping against my face. It was because of the bright smile directed my way. Reaching the state of discomfort that I did while singing and the paranoid thoughts that I was out of tune, slipped away because of that damn smile and made it worth enduring that torture.

It was sickening.

Jennie pulled on my arm as I went to follow the group to the next house, preventing us from moving.