Staying for the Holiday

Part 1

"You always find a way to mess things up." On top of hearing that my flight home for the holidays was being cancelled, I didn't feel like hearing my boyfriend, yet again, belittling me.

"Drew. Can you please stop? It's not like I begged for this snow storm." I sat down on one of the hard, cold, airport chairs, exhaling loudly. I was already tired and hungry, now on top of all of that I was stressed. The Christmas music playing throughout the airport wasn't lifting my spirits like it usually did.

Why did it have to snow this bad? Why couldn't I just make it home and then the snow storm could've hit?

"Well if you would have just stayed home and just went to Temple or Villanova, or even Community we wouldn't be in this situation, would we?" He muttered into the phone. "Drew..." I breathed. I was really not in the mood to have this argument again. I wouldn't be able to see any of my family for the holidays. It was supposed to snow later tonight after my flight and then continue to snow for three days straight but I guess mother nature changed her mind.

"It was just a dumb decision if you ask me." Even though I asked him to stop, of course Drew continued. "Why'd you have to go all the way to New England for school? Because you think you're so smart? Or is it because your family is too good for me? You should've just taken my advice."

"Drew, please! I've asked you to stop. I'm obviously not pleased about staying up here without you or my family but the last thing I need is for us to argue over the college thing again." I placed my head in my hands leaning down. I was trying to cover my face, I felt myself about to cry. "You know I don't think I'm too good for you, why would you ever say that?" I was so frustrated.

"But this is the problem, Katherine! You're five hours away from me. I can never just take you out and show you off, I barely even get to talk to you anymore." It was true, this past semester was kicking my ass. I was a double major. Music and Linguistics were my picks. I know it might be a weird combination, but music was my passion and linguistics was just to get my parents off of my back.

My dad wanted to ship me off, basically around the corner, to University of the Arts because it would be less money than sending me to Boston U for a "meaningless music degree." So I picked another major and promised him he'd get his moneys worth.

"All you do is study anymore. Babe, you need to relax sometimes." I could feel my anger begin to rise. Was he serious? If I relaxed then my grade point average wouldn't be a 3.8. And let me tell you, a 3.8 was very hard to maintain, ok? "Do you know how many girls are dying for my attention right now? I'm a starting basketball player at Villanova University, babe. Nova! Girls literally will line up for me and yet I stay faithful to you. And what thank you do I get? Being alone at Christmas."

"I have to go, Drew. I'll talk to you later." My voice had dropped to a deadpan and the tears were streaming down my face. I knew I wasn't the best girlfriend in the world but I was trying so hard.

Sometimes, I thought about breaking things off with him. Recently, it's been a pressing matter on my mind. With calls like that every time we speak to each other, why would I want to stay with him? Every time I think that I should just let him run off with one of those girls at Nova, I begin to feel guilty for thinking like that and go back to studying.

I calmed myself down, exhaling and inhaling deeply before calling home. It's like my mom has spider senses for when her children are upset and I don't want her to hear me crying again because of Drew. She's not a big fan.

"Please don't tell me you're about to say what I think you're going to say." Instead of my mom answering, my sister Eliza picked up the phone. Her sadden voice made me feel ten times worse than Drew's complaining. "Hey, Ellie." I said, smiling sadly to myself. "It is what I'm calling for. My flight was cancelled." I ran my fingers through my hair. "Mom and dad are going to be so upset. This sucks, Kit!" When I didn't say anything, she knew I was waiting to talk to mom to break the news.

"Hon, no this is horrible!" I could hear my mom's voice start to quiver. "Mom don't cry! You're going to make me cry." I sadly laugh. "Does she want me to drive up and get her? The boys and I will suit up right now and go!" I can hear my dad in the background calling my two brother's names.

"Mom tell dad absolutely not! It's snowing already and it's only going to get worse. I'll make it home for New Years Eve. I just need to call Rose to come pick me back up before it gets really bad and I'm stuck in the airport for Christmas." I tried to joke but my mom didn't find that particularly funny.

After telling everyone bye and exchanging I love yous, I hung up and called my best friend to turn her car around to come back and get me.

-

An hour later, Rose and her boyfriend, Richie, come to pick me up. "Thank you so much for coming back for me. I know you guys were on your way to New Hampshire so I hope I'm not making you too late." I said, dusting the light snow off of my coat. "You can't help that your flight was cancelled. I'm just glad you called when you did! We were about to pull off from the dorms." Rose said, turning the heat up higher.

"My mom would not stop about me being in the dorms by myself this Christmas. My dad was offering to come pick me up." I laughed, scrolling through the messages Drew sent me about hanging up on him. I hadn't noticed the car go quiet until Richie called my name.

"You know you can just come with us?" He offered. "To New Hampshire." Rose added. She looked into the back seat with a giant smile. "No I-"

"Oh, Kit! Please go! His whole family is going to be in one giant house and I'm nervous to meet them all. Well, I've met his parents but the rest of the family- oh please just come."

"Rose, I can't do that! I don't want to impose at all."

"Kit, my family and my Uncle Grant's family have this big family home that we go to every Christmas in New Hampshire. It has like 8 or 9 huge rooms and most of them aren't even all used."

Richie's family was rich. Like old money rich. Like his last was Vanderbilt rich. Well his last name wasn't Vanderbilt, it was Walker but you get my point. They were loaded. I mean, my family was very well off but we weren't Vanderbilt's so I could only imagine the type of people I'd be encountering.

"All the more reason not to go! If it's a family thing, I don't want to intrude." I notice Rich drive past the exit to drop me back off at school and my heart spikes. "Oh, was that my turn off?" I could hear a smile on his face and I scoffed.

"I guess I'm coming home with you guys this Christmas."