Blazing Rivers

27

BLAZE

      25 days until Christmas and already festivities are starting and decorations are out. Everywhere I look there's either a giant creepy Santa on the roof or bright flashing lights in my face.

Many people are getting ready, I however couldn't care less. I'd rather do nothing at all, which was my plan until Bentley called me at 3 in the morning talking about Christmas shopping. Just my luck, the one year I planned to avoid it all, I'm dragged back to the celebrations. Anybody else I would've said no to, but Bentley doesn't get much happiness or fun at home, so I want to make him happy.

Obnoxious sounds from downstairs made me groan. Gagging I shake my head and roll my eyes at the sight. A karaoke machine was set up in the living room, Nicola and Jake singing their hearts out to Fairytale of New York. While they were singing their hearts out, I wanted to rip my heart out.

Freaking Christmas.

Standing in the doorway, watching the whole Casen clan laughing brought the familiar, agonising pain in my chest that I've experienced every December since my family's been gone.

Christmas and December used to be such a glorious time for me and my family. All of us sitting in front of the fireplace, enticing hot chocolates in hand, while my dad sat at the piano playing Christmas songs.

I miss my family's traditions, don't get me wrong I love the Casen's, but Christmas karaoke doesn't really do it for me.

My mother always said "I love Nicola, but that bloody karaoke machine needs to be set on fire." I agree with her fully on the, especially now that Cori is singing.....

Cori is singing!

Shaking his hips and swaying his arms to the song, I realise he's singing Mistletoe by Justin Bieber.

I'm so picking on him for this later.

God this family is crazy, thank god I'm going out so I won't be roped into whatever is going on in front of me.

Coughing, the three Casen's are made aware of my presence.

"Hey Blaze. Want to try a song?" Nicola smiles, holding a microphone out to me.

"Yeah...I'm gonna pass." I state. Never will I ever be caught doing this. 

"Where you heading?" Jake questions.

"Town, meeting Bentley there."

"Need a ride kiddo?" Jake asks. Truthfully I think he wants to leave the crazy karaoke fest going on.

"Yeah, thanks Jake."

I always liked Jake, he is like an uncle to me, especially when I was younger. Jake reminds me of my father in many ways, which doesn't help when I'm thinking of him, nor will it probably help this month. The way Jake acts and speaks to me makes me think of my dad. Jake is so much like him it's uncanny.

Endless roads build with cars making the normally long drive to town even longer. I knew exactly were more cars were out than usual. The Christmas market. An overpriced line of stalls, that could, quite possibly empty someone's wallet.