It's a warm December evening in Los Angeles. The sun is setting, it's a beautiful golden hour. It's the girls' favorite time to sit on the balcony and talk about their day, eat takeout and listen to some new music.
Jenn's head is resting on Alyx's shoulder. Alyx's mouth is full of sushi, but that doesn't stop her from talking.
"How fucking beautiful is that?" She says pointing at the sun, and spitting some rice on Jenn's face."
"Jesus, Alyx, didn't they teach you to not speak when your mouth's full?" Jenn says, trying to sound grossed out, but doesn't even bother to move her head off of Alyx's shoulder."
"I'm sorry, let me get that" Alyx brushes the rice of Jenn's forehead.
"You're forgiven." Jenn laughs.
"I'm so excited to go to Europe, how could you even think of something so great, I can't wait to live such an adventurous life for a month, we need to figure out all the places where we'll go."
"I'm on that. The trains in Europe seem great, if you get the rail pass, you can go basically anywhere, where the train goes. I'm thinking, that we stay in Amsterdam for New Years, because it seems like such an incredible place to get drunk and spend New Years, then I'm thinking Germany or Austria, I'm not sure yet."
"Jesus, you're such an organization freak. It's adorable." Alyx says smiling. She picks up her phone and literally googles 'cool places in Europe, where trains go.'
"I mean, I can't even be offended, I'm proud of that." Jenn says.
"Woah, this is crazy cool." Alyx screams and she shows Jenn a picture of Prague castle. "It's like something from Harry Potter, literal Hogwarts."
"Do trains from Germany go there?"
"Yeah, they do."
"Prague it is then."
"Do you think anyone's gonna speak English in these places?" Alyx asks
"I literally have no idea. It's gonna be fun though." Jenn replies.
*
They've been reading about 'cool places in Europe' as well as booking tickets for the trains for past 2 hours. It's now a bit chilly and completely dark out, and they're both pretty tired.
"Alyx?"
"Yeah?"
"I find it so sad you've never experienced Christmas."
"Is it though? I never really felt like I missed out on anything, the whole thing seems kind of stupid to me anyway, some old guy who brings you presents and puts them under a tree with stuff hanging all over it. How dumb is that." They've had this conversation before. Jenn wants them to celebrate Christmas in her home town. Alyx is nervous to meet Jenn's mom and friends, almost as much as she is of celebrating Christmas.
"Come on Alyx, come to Pennsylvania with me. I want you to experience how incredible Christmas can be. And you'll finally get to meet my mom. Please?"
"I don't know, Jenn."
"What's the matter?"
"It's just that... I mean. Do you think it's such a good idea? I don't know shit about Christmas or about how to act when meeting your secret girlfriend's mom."
Jenn kisses Alyx's lips softly, partially to shut her up and partially to make her change her mind.
"It's secret just online, you know that. People on the internet can be crazy. My mom's gonna love you, because I do... Jenn freezes, then continues: "I know you'll love Christmas."
"Sorry, What did you say? There was a fly that flew by my ear, I didn't hear what you said." Alyx says teasingly.
"I said that you'll love christmas." Jenn said loudly. Jenn has always had problems with expressing her feelings. She is a very shy and awkward person, even though she doesn't always come out as one. When she does express her feelings and affection for Alyx though, it never is with words but with action. It can be something so simple as hugging or kissing, but her favorite way to show Alyx how much she cares about her are great romantic gestures, such as organizing their romantic adventures. She bought the plane tickets to Amsterdam knowing that it is exactly what they both want and need. To go to some foreign country, where nobody knows them and just live a wild life for a while.
But actually saying 'I love you' is extremely weird to her, she's scared of rejection and looking bad, even though she knows that Alyx loves her, and would definitely not humiliate her, and would definitely say it right back.
Alyx finds Jenn's awkwardness adorable, and now that she heard Jenn say something so close to 'I love you', she's gonna enjoy making Jenn feel even more awkward.
"Oh no, I heard that. I mean that thing you said before that." Alyx said grinning.
"I said that my mom's gonna like you."
"I'm pretty sure you said you loved me. I guess I'm just hearing voices again, they're definitely saying what I want to hear though."
"Oh shut up," Jenn says "what sucks is that I already bought two tickets to Pennsylvania for next week, guess I'm gonna have to find somebody else to come with me."
"Oh shut up." Alyx says as she grabs Jenn and kisses her deeply.
