She's His Everything (He's My Body Guard Sequel)

(8) Anticipation

Seven days. It had been three days of school. It had been six days of news coverage. It had been seven days of hiding from reporters and had been seven days without Rayner. He hadn't returned a single call, text, or even email. Yes, I emailed him.

"Rayner, please pick up." I pleaded leaving yet another voice mail. If he ignored me much longer I promised myself to go to his house. Jackson had been working at the club full time as of lately so that meant I had some alone time when I wasn't at school or working. I currently was watching another replay of the chaos that happened a few nights ago. Someone had been able record the entire thing Friday night. I finally shut off the television because I couldn't watch another second of it.

Christmas was a week away and I was officially on break but I couldn't relax with this crap on the TV or knowing Rayner still was not speaking to me. I decided to do what I always did when I was feeling down. Shop. Christmas tree, lights, ornaments, any and everything Christmas was tossed into my basket. I had gone absolutely nuts, my therapist would have had a field day telling me exactly why this kind of impulse buying was unhealthy and the list of medications he could prescribe me. Christmas could never be the same without family but I was going to force Christmas to feel like Christmas.

I'd even gone as far as buying peppermint and pine tree scented wax for my Scentsy. I was out of control. $468. Downright mad. My apartment had been turned into a winter wonderland extravaganza. Jackson was going to flip, I knew he'd know I was clinically insane the second he walked in and saw the snow machine and the townhouse I'd set up in the middle of the living room. I decided I didn't care and blasted some Christmas music while putting the ornaments on the bright pink Christmas tree I'd purchased.

Jackson couldn't have chosen a worse time to walk in the door. I was in my feelings lost in a stupid Christmas song my parents danced to every year in our family room. "Hooollyyy shit." Jackson dropped his jacket on the floor looking around at the overly decorated apartment. "Why does it look like Christmas threw up in here?" His face was still full of shock as he looked at my tear filled eyes. "Tor?" He questioned. "Are you okay?" I could have laughed, "That was a dumb question, of course you're not." He ran a hand through his hair stepping over the nativity scene and Kato, who was currently eating baby Jesus. "Listen, I'm not good at this. So be patient with me. You gotta talk to me though. What's with all the decorations?" I shrugged sitting down in a pile of tinsel and beads. Jackson plopped down in front of me, and Kato came over too nudging his head under my hand in my lap.

"I don't know what got into me." I started laughing because I realized how ridiculous it looked in here. Jackson chuckled beside me. "I just was feeling down and I-I buy things when I'm sad. I just wanted this Christmas to feel like Christmas." He looked around the room clearing his throat. "Okay... You succeeded and then some, I think." He said slowly analyzing my reactions. I couldn't help but laugh now feeling embarrassed by my outburst of impulsiveness.

"Should I take some of it down?" I asked and he stood up examining the room for the millionth time shaking his head. "No I think it's great Tori!" He was just being nice. "We can-" He didn't finish his sentence as the wind was knocked out of him after tripping over my townhouse crushing the North Pole. He groaned both of us laughing near hysterics at this point. "Maybe you could tone it down a bit?" I nodded helping him back to his feet. "I'll help you starting with broken Santa and his elves." He decided. I chuckled running to the kitchen grabbing a trash bag. We filled a few bags full of the decorations I bought with full intentions of returning them.