Chapter twelve
Christmas flew by in a flash. By the time Alice and I had woken up, it was already past two in the afternoon. We decided not to do anything and just lounge and watch Christmas movies, something we always seem to be doing. Her parents decided to spend Christmas in Hawaii or whatever, so it was just us.
"I got you something," Alice said, handing me over a medium sized present wrapped in sparkly snowman paper and a red ribbon.
I smiled and took the gift from her, untying the ribbon first and then tearing the paper away.
"It's a journal," Alice said. "to write down ideas and shit."
It was a small brown leather journal with the name Luke printed onto it.
"Thank you so much," I wrapped my arms around Alice and hugged her tightly. "Thank you."
I was smiling, which made Alice smile as well.
I opened the cover of the book and on the first page, there was a note written in neat cursive.
For Luke,
Write down whatever thoughts your beautiful mind may hold hostage.
With love,
Alice
(not from Wonderland, but from Boston)
This only made me smile more.
I grabbed my present and handed it to Alice. "I kinda got you the same thing," I told her. She laughed.
Opening the present, Alice's face light up. She smiled and gasped, taking the gift in her hand.
"Luke!" She beamed. "This is beautiful!"
It was also a journal, but the one I got her could only be opened up with a locket, which was what she held in her hand. It was a heart and inside was a photo of us when we went ice skating. She couldn't stop smiling and in the moment, she looked absolutely breathtaking.
"Thank you so much," she unlocked the book and then locked it once again, clipping the necklace around her neck afterwards.
✄ ✄ ✄
Thee days after Christmas, I got a call from John, the owner of the record store I applied to. He said Jane said good things about me and he'd be happy if I started working.
Today was my first day and as I showered, I thought of all the possible things that could go wrong. After all, it was my first job I would ever hold, if working around the asylum didn't count. I've never been the best around people, but I'm hoping that being with Alice these past few weeks would have helped with that.
I turned over the shower and then stepped out, drying my body quickly with a towel. As fast I could, seeing as I was running a few minutes late, I threw on some black skinny jeans, some random shirt, and a red flannel over. After tying my vans and quickly putting some jell into my hair, I brushed my teeth and left the bathroom, hangining my towel up before I left.
Alice was in her room typing on the computer. I wondered what she wrote about in there. She never showed what she was writing, or shared any ideas for that matter. All she told me was that she was fascinated with asylums and cheesy teenage romances that most likely never happen outside of novels. Alice's mind is a beautiful place, and I'd kill just to see what she typed about for hours.
I lightly knocked on the door and when Alice said I could come in, I opened the door and stuck my head in.
"I'm off to work," I said.
"Okay, have fun," she replied, not looking away from the screen, her fingers still racing on the key board. "We're celebrating when you get home."
I silently closed the door and left the apartment. Stepping into the cold streets, I noticed it finally stopped snowing. Snow is beautiful, but to have it snow this much is ridiculous.
I quickly walked to the store and the bells rung when I opened them. Jane smiled and waved at me once she saw me, and I walked over to her.
"Hey, Australia," she greated me.
"Hey, Boston," I replied.
She smirked. "Actually, I'm from Maine."
"Jane from Maine," I said. "Your mom was a poet and she doesn't even know it."
"Ew, Luke, I know you're into my mom but keep it to yourself! Children come into this store."
"What can I say," I shrugged and stepped behind the counter with her. "She fulfills my sexual needs."
She playfully hit me in the arm and rang up the next few customers that were waiting in front of the counter. She taught me how to use the cash register and said that the machine is most likely the only thing I'll be working in the store that'll be complicated. Other than that, It's just organizing some records, which she said "any idiot could do". Perhaps this job wouldn't be so bad afterall. Maybe I'll actually enjoy it here and meet some new friends.
The rest of the day went by smoothly and generally I picked up working the cash register quickly. Jane said half of the girls that came in were only because they heard there was a new guy, who was cute, would be working. I laughed at that and called bullshit, but she insisted that's why it was so busy today.
My shift ended at 5:00 and the sun was beginning to set early, like it does on a winter night. Colors melted into the horizon and the sun illuminated Boston. It was beautiful to see a sunset, which hasen't happened in a few days due to all the snow that's been falling from the sky. The sky would turn from white, to gray, to a darker gray, and then suddenly it would be gone. No stars, only a faint moon, and just small white specks of snow falling from the black sky.
Alice was waiting for me when I returned. She was in the kitchen making two hot chocolates piled with marshmallows. She smiled at me and slid over the warm drink, taking a seat at the counter next to me.
"So," she said, takin a sip of her hot chocolate. "how does it feel to be a working man? How'd it go?"
"Twas a success, Alice from Wonderland, and it's wicked awesome."
She laughed at my word choice. "Good, I'm glad,"
The rest of the night we spent eating pizza on the couch while watching Disney movies. This was Alice's idea of celebrating, and I loved it. There's no other way I'd rather celebrate. Who wouldn't enjoy spending a night with a beautiful girl who isn't afraid to eat pizza and not wear makeup infront of you?
Alice fell asleep on my chest somewhere during the part where Belle discovers the rose and the Beast goes shit crazy, or whatever. Her chest rose and fell with her soft breathing and some hair was sticking to her slightly parted lip, but God was she beautiful.
