Handmade: A Series of Short Stories

Story Three: Candy Cane Kiss, prt.3

 Copyright of Kall Moss. All rights reserved.

Jayce Hampton woke up early Christmas day, lying sprawled out on a mattress Ann had set up in her living room.

  Hair sticking up in random directions and eyes opening slowly he finally registered and remembered were he was.

  Rolling over he began to recall last night when they had found Charlotte, Ann’s roommate, who had told Ann that she was staying the night at her ‘friends’ place (at the time Jayce could remember glancing at the man beside her, arm placed securely around her waist, and thinking; right a friends place) and suggested Jayce stay the night with her seeing as she hated being home alone overnight.

  Jayce was no fool and could easily see the meaning behind what she was saying, his thoughts were confirmed when the two stepped aside. Were they then preceded to whisper fiercely at each other for a minute before returning.

  Ann blushing beet red had asked him to stay the night, after a moment’s hesitation he’d said yes. After all it was the least he could do seeing as she’d invited him to spend Christmas with her family, well at least that’s what Jayce tried to convince himself was the reason he’d said yes.

  He gave a sigh. Ann sure wasn’t the same teenage neighbour he’d befriended a few years ago, for starters all her childhood baby fat had completely disappeared–acne with it–and since when did she get all those curves? Her thin lips didn’t look so thin either, they now looked full, soft and glossy–in the words of his mate, perfect for kissing– taunting him when she talked…just like that dress. Dear god that dress! Did she have to wear that damn dress!

  Jayce could practically see every man’s head turn to watch her walk past, their faces breaking into grins as they practically foamed at the mouth. Even now the thought of them made his muscles tense; he’d stood by and watched as the brave ones approached her throughout the night. Relaxing with relief as she blushed and rejected each one.

  What was he doing? It was bad enough he’d felt that way about her last night but revisiting those feelings was hardly helping. He’d promised he wouldn’t let this happen; it hadn’t seemed so hard at the time. Granted he hadn’t thought he’d run into a funny, beautiful, intelligent women who he also happened to know so much about on account of their friendship as kids.

  All that aside though a relationship was the last thing he needed right now, things just weren’t good for Jayce Hampton at the moment.

  Between family and friends, work and University he just didn’t have time for a steady relationship. He needed those long hours at work to pay off his University fees not to mention all the added fees that come with life. Bills, food, taxes, electricity, water, rent the list went on and on.

  These days it felt like he was constantly handing out money, he wished he was a kid again. It was all so simple and easy then.

Jayce bolted upright as all of a sudden loud music echoed from down the hall.

"Uptown girl

She's been living in her uptown world

I bet she's never had a backstreet guy

I bet her momma never told her why" 

He laughed as he recognised the lyrics from Uptown Girl by Billy Joel, why and where on earth was that coming from? The song continued to play.

  “And when she knows what

What she wants from her time

And when she wakes up

And makes up her mi–"

The song stopped abruptly and Jayce heard Ann get up and rush down the hallway, the next thing he knew she was standing by his bed slightly flustered

  “I am so, so, so, so sorry! Did it wake you? My alarm I mean, that’s what the song was…I’ve been meaning to turn it off for weeks! Gosh,” she shook her head “I really am very sorry for my forgetful self and very loud alarm clock.”

  Jayce chuckled, “I was awake anyway, but I have to ask. Uptown Girl, seriously? Of all the songs to have as your alarm you chose that one, why?”

  Ann shrugged sitting down on the end of his bed, “It was my dad’s alarm, and it doesn’t feel right if I don’t wake up to it. Really I guess it’s just become the norm for me.”

  “Doesn’t Charlotte get mad at you for waking her up in the morning?” He asked still smiling.

  “At first she complained only on weekends and holidays but after five years now I think it’s become the ‘norm’ for her too.”

  He nodded thoughtfully, a smile still on his lips, then let the subject drop. Ann yawned and stretched displaying the large Santa face on her pyjama tee-shirt, Jayce couldn’t help but chuckle at her Santa face pants too. She looked down then seemed to realise he was laughing at her pyjamas, frowning she looked up.

  “Got a problem with my Santa PJs?”

   Jayce just shook his head beaming, “No, not at all, just never pictured you as being the ‘festive type’.”

  “Oh and what type did you think I was then, hmm? Please Jayce enlighten me.” She crossed her arms under her chest.

  Jayce stopped laughing, “I didn’t mean it in a serious way, I was goofing around. I just didn’t expect you out of all the people I know to be wearing Santa pyjamas.”

  She lowered her arms, looking down, then she looked up again and was smiling, “You are so gullible,” he shook his head disbelievingly, impressive he thought as she stood up.

  “Come on I’ll get you some breakfast, Christmas pancakes are a tradition in the Freeman household.”

  “I thought you lived with your roommate?” Jayce said as he stood up.

  She gave him an exasperated look, “Tradition is tradition no matter what. Now come on Mr Smartie-pants.”

Amused Jayce followed her into the kitchen were they proceeded to make a large mess with the pancake mixture, laugh until their cheeks were sore and eat perhaps the best pancakes either of them had ever tasted.

********

So there’s part three, it was originally shorter and I’ve changed so much of it if you read the original you’d be–hopefully-impressed at the differences between them.

Part four is coming soon, perhaps sooner then expected because right now I’m on a creativeness roll. Haha, thanks for reading, comments, votes, fans–all welcome!

KalMoss xx