The Bad Boy's Princess

Ch. 30 - The Annual Monrova Family Christmas Dinner

Christmas dinner was the one and only intimate family dinner event we had that wasn't a gala, social fathering, or involved any outside guests. It was my favorite annual event. After dad and I flew back last night, I got home and knocked out like a baby. I was so tired I didn't even set my sleep mode on, so the blinding sun was hitting me right in the face right now.

Normally I would be awfully cranky, but it was Christmas and I had just spent the most perfect day with my girl yesterday so there was nothing that could possibly ruin my mood right now.

To put the cherry on top, I woke up to a merry Christmas text from Avery and a very cute picture of her sitting with Landon, Matty, Kayley, and Kayla under the Christmas tree. As much as I wanted to set that as my wallpaper, my lock screen was the picture of her sleeping with my siblings on the couch in my room. While my home screen was occupied by my favorite picture, one of us kissing under the snow in the middle of the streets in New York from last night.

Good morning and Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mrs. Crazy.

Yeah, definitely nothing could ruin my giddy and festive mood right now.

"Jay, just a heads up, the Callahan's are here to greet our family for Christmas." Ali waltzed into my room and flopped onto my bed.

I lied. There was definitely something that could fucking ruin my mood.

Fucking hell.

The last time I saw and talked to Scottie was two weeks ago when I told her I didn't want to have anything to do with her. I remembered being so heated when I saw her wearing the scarf Avery gave me for my birthday. I swore I had never felt that sort of anger before. If she weren't someone I cared about, I would have ripped her throat out for taking my scarf.

There was no doubt in my mind that she wore it to school so Avery could see it.

"Hell. Tell me when they're gone."

I didn't want to see Scottie. When I said I didn't want anything to do with her, I meant it. For the first time, I walked away from her as she cried and screamed for me to stay. As a friend, I had always felt responsible for her since I was the only one who really knew what she was going through. But Scottie was an adult, she could handle herself. I just took too long to realize it. 

"You know how mom is, she's always too nice to try and subtlely tell people to leave." Ali sighed as she typed furiously on her phone. "Hey, since I doubt you want to stay here. Do you want to take me gift shopping for Ellie and Kaitlyn, and like... everyone else?" 

"You do know today is Christmas and everything is closed, right..." That was my sister for you. Every year, she always waited until the last minute to go gift shopping for our cousins. 

"Damn it. I guess it's going to be another year of Ali pulling the your-gift-is-on-its-way card." She groaned. "Why do shops have to close on Christmas? They would make the most money today." 

"With you procrastinating on gift shopping and pushing it off until the day of, for the last however many years, I bet they would, A."  I grabbed my hoodie and threw it on. Despite the fact that the sun is shining, it was fucking cold. 

"I'm a busy woman, Jay." She shrugged. "Can I talk to you about something?" 

She had that serious look on her face which was extremely rare to come by, believe me. Ali was never serious about anything. But when she had this look, it was something to be actually concerned about. 

"What..." 

"I don't know who else to talk to about this..." She sighed and looked down at my bed. "It's probably the worst thing that has ever happened to me this month. But, I don't know what to do when it comes to serious stuff like this... And I wish I had an older sister or Riley was older for me to come and talk to about this but for now, you're my best bet."