Being Santa's Daughter

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

           "Holly, I need to tell you something."

       Spoken by Jett, these words have been haunting me for three days. He said them to me the day after our date, and hasn't said a word about it after that. I don't think he realizes how much he's bothering me about it. When I'm with him, I always say to myself, he's going to tell me now. But he never does. Maybe he doesn't want to tell me anymore.

     "Holly? Holly. Holly!" I jolted out of my depressing thoughts. Jett and I are currently sitting on his couch, watching some Christmas special. Its about some guy who kills Santa and has to become the new Santa. I forget what its called.

    I looked up at him, about to answer, when I got distracted by his lips. This close, I can see they are a bit chapped. As I stared, he liked them, making them a little moist. His lips were moving now. Hmm. They look interesting like that. Like he's saying my name again...

   "Holly! Stop staring at my lips!" Jett said, chuckling a little. I snapped my eyes up to his and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, what?" I said. He smiled faintly, but it dissappeared just as quickly. "I need totell you something," he said quietly. I sat up straighter. This it it!

   He looked at me, then down to his lap. "My grandparents died about three years ago, on Christmas Eve," he started. I gasped a little. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" I said. He looked at me with the ghost of a smile on his face, but continued. "They were my.. my Dad's parents," he said, wincing a little. "My Dad took it hard. He doesn't know what to do anymore, and he.. well, I'll just start from the very beginning.

   "We were all sitting on the couch the next Christmas Eve, trying not to remember, watching a Christmas special. Dad came in and saw us all, Mom, me, Amanda, and Brad, and went crazy. He took his belt off and started whipping me and Mom. I didn't know what to do. Maybe that is the way he deals with his greif. Maybe he just thinks it's our fault they were coming to our house for Christmas and slid off the road and had a head-on collision with a truck. I don't know.

   "What I do know is, that he beat us; Mom and me, for the past three years. I know I should tell someone, but I can't bring myself to do it. He's family, and I want to keep it like that. But, lately, it's been worse. He doesn't stop himself anymore. The last time he beat me, he used a knife. He never cuts deep, so they usually go away pretty quickly, but you can still see it."

    He pulled up the sleeve on his shirt, showing me three cuts, crusted over with dried blood. My eyes wide, I started at him. What am I suppsoe to say? He just told me his Dad beats him. "Oh, Jett," I said. "I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" He shook his head. "Nothing I can think of," he said. "Just wait until he stops it, I guess."

   He just told me a huge secret, but I'm still keeping one from him. That I'm Santa's daughter, of course! I looked down in shame. I can't tell him. He'd think I'm some crazed lunatic. I hugged him around his stomach and squeezed tightly. "I'm sorry you have to go through that," I said. He picked my head up and kissed me softly. "It's not your fault, Holly," he said. "There isn't anything you can do."

~.~

   Later, I was sitting with Hanna. She was aking me all kinds of questions about Jett, and it was getting really annoying. "Hanna," I said, interrupting her. "Can you stop for one minute? It's getting too annoying." She gave me a mock glare and kept quiet.

     And that's when I got the idea. A little voice inside my head was saying it wouldn't work; that it was stupid, but I knew I could do it. It would take me out for the rest of the Christmas season, and maybe the next, but this would be worth it. If it's for Jett, I can do it.

   I stood up, stopping Hanna from saying anything else. "Hanna, I have something I need to do," I said, almost nervous. "It's really important." She nodded. "Want to come over on Wednesday?" she asked. Five days until Christmas. five days until I have to leave. Just five. "Sure," I said. "Today's Monday, right?" She nodded. I nodded slowly. "Good," I said.

~.~

   "Mom?" I heard her gasp. "Holly?" she said. I winced slightly at the accusing tone. "Yeah, Mom," I said. "It's me." I heard her close the oven. "Holly Evergreen Claus!" she all but shouted. "Why haven't you been calling-" I stopped listening to her then, becasue when she starts talking, she never stops. "Mom," I said interrupting her. "Can I talk to Dad?" She grumbled a bit, but reluctantly called him.

  "When you get home, I want a full report on what happened," she said, and handed the phone to Dad. "Honey?" he asked. "You need something?" I took a deep breath, and told him what I had in mind. It's been killing me ever since I thought of it, and I need to do it. I need to.

   He sighed when I finished. "Okay, Holly," he said. "I don't like it, but I can't stop you." I could almost hear him smirk. "The things we do for love," he mused. "I don't- I mean, why would you think that?' I stuttered. He laughed. "If you're going to do it, do it soon," he said. "It's almost night. Do you really think it's a great idea?" I sighed. "Daddy, I need to do it," I said. "I don't want him to go through this anymore, and I'm almost positive they can stop him."

   Daddy sighed. "Okay, hun," he said. "Just don't hurt yourself." I laughed through my nose and said, "Okay, Daddy. Bye, love you." He echoed it back and I hung up. Okay, here we go.

~.~

Dedicated to Miss_Sunshine. Evergreen, you know for Christmas trees? It was a bit hard, but I knew someone would get it!  

HAHAHA! Three more chapter, possibly four if you're nice to me with the comments and votes! CLIFFHANGER! I know, I know, I'm evil. Since I really want to write what happens next, I'll have the next chapter up later today! Thanks for reading!

xxSavannah