Not The Same Girl

Chapter 34

The next day went by quietly, Mark and Jake were busy with something since I kicked Jake out of my room so I could wrap all the presents. Brandon's gift arrived a little after noon and I quickly wrapped that as well. I was sitting on my floor when my phone dinged with a message so I quickly got up to answer it, it was a text from Ella telling me to answer my skype, I quickly turned on my laptop before logging on to skype and answering call from Ella and the rest of the girls. "Ray!" She exclaims as the rest shout their greetings causing me to smile. "Hey guys." "So listen, we were thinking of getting together the day after Christmas? All of us and the guys, so we do our gift exchange and all that? What do you think?" Terra asks as the othet girls wait for me to respond. "Yeah, that sounds great actually. We can all go to Jake's house? Or did you guys want to do it somewhere else?" "Jake's house is perfect, we can have a mini Christmas party." Chenise answers as the other girls start agreeing throwing out ideas of the games we can play and things like that. "Planning a party at mine, without actually inviting me? I'm offended." Jake states as he suddenly apears next to me with a huge smile on his face. "Eh, minor obstacle in our path." Jo states causing me to giggle as Jake narrow's his eyes jokinly at her. "You are aware of the fact that I can say no right?" He asks raising an eyebrow. "Ray has a key, so we weren't actually asking." Ella states back sassily causing me to laugh loudly. "Women." Jake mutters inder his breath but a small smile stays on his face as he stares at me while I laugh. "Fine whatever, I'll see you all then." He states before placing a kiss on my head and then walking when he reaches the door he turns back to me. "I made lunch, whenever you're done with your mean friends, please do join me." He states with a wink before walking out the door as I turn back to the girls. "I have to go, but I'll talk to you guys later okay?" I state with a big smile as they all shout their goodbyes before I end the call and close my laptop. I hurry downstairs to the kitchen where I hear Jake and Mark talking, they both smile at me as I enter, when I take a seat next to Mark at the breakfast bar, Jake places a small plate of nachos in front of me with a soda as I smile at him in thanks. After taking a few bites the doorbell rang, and I quickly got up to get it, when I saw Brandon through the peephole, I quickly opened the door smiling as I gestured for him to come inside. "Hey Little one." "Hi Brand." I grin as he gives me a hug. "Jake made nachos, are you hungry?" "Oh, I love his nachos!" Brandon exclaim excitedly before we walk into the kitchen, where Jake already fixed Brandon a plate. "Thanks, Hello Mr. Forest." "Good afternoon Brandon." Mark smiled at him. "You here to train with ray?" Brandon nods before swallowing his food. "Yeah, she's been getting lazy." He grins at me jokingly as I smack him upside the head before clearing my plate, ignoring the look Mark and Jake shared. "I'm just going to get dressed." I state before rushing upstairs.

The rest of the day went by uneventful, Brandon and I spent a few hours in the basement before Jake came down stating that is was enough for one day, the both of them left not long after that. Mark and I were currently watching Home Alone while drinking hotchocolate, it was about 11:30pm now, we always wait untill midnight to give each other's gifts it was a tradition we had back when mom was still alive and we've kept it up every year. Tomorrow morning we'll go to Jenny and Jerry's house to exchange gifts, normally we'll have breakfast as well, but since we were all having brunch at Jake's house later in the day we decided to skip breakfast this year. When the movie was finished Mark checked his watch before giving me a warm smile. "Merry Christmas sweetie." Before pulling me against his chest for a tight hug as I laughed softly. "Merry Christmas Mark." I mumble into his chest before he pulls away. "You got my gift?" He ask raising an eyebrow at me as I grin nodding my head before moving over to the tree. I decided to get him a new bike helmet as well, I had it custom made at the same place I had Keith's made. It was matte black with intricate faded grey lines all over and at the back on the bottom of the hemet was his initials in grey as well. I picked up the bigish box with the smaller on on top before turning and walking back to the couch as Mark pulled a small square box from his pocket. I handed him both of his before thanking him for mine as I watched him open it up. He grinned when he saw the tie and the hankerchief. "This is really nice, where did you do it? Maury would love this as well." I laugh softly at that. "Yeah, I got him a pair as well." Mark sends me a big grin before moving to the next box and opening it, his eyes go wide before they light up witb a big smile as he pulls the helmet from the box and seeing his initials. "Wow, this is amazing! The detail. Holy crap Ray." I laugh softly as he places it back in the box before setting it aside and pulling me into another tight hug. "Thanks sweetie." "My plesure." I grin up at him as he lets me go. "Your turn." He grins motioning to the small box that was laying on my lap. I quickly opened it before my mouth dropped in shock. "No fucking way!" I exclaimed causing him to laugh loudly. "Language." "Are you serious?" I ask as he nods before nodding his head towards the front door. I rush to the door before throwing it open and squeling at the sight in front of me as Mark laughs when he joins me. "It's mine?" "It's all yours." I let out a other excited squeel before launching myself into his arms. "Thank you! Oh my god! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" "It's my pleasure, but it's not just from me Maury chipped in as well. Go check it out." He laughs removing my arms from his neck as he leads me down the porch steps to my brand new Jeep. It was a shiny black colour and I fell inlove as I got inside grinning broadly at Mark who laughed softly. "This is amazing!" I almost yell. "Let's take her for a drive eh?" Mark ask as he gets into the passanger side, I was basically bouncing in my seat as I put the key into the ignition before staring her up. "Holy shit!" I exclaim as she roars to life. "I take it you like it?" "Like it?" I ask bewildered. "I love it!" I state running my hands down the steering wheel. "Well what are you waiting for?" He laughs softly as I put her in reverse before pulling out of the driveway. "I think I'm inlove." I state dreamily causing Mark to laugh again. "Ice-cream at Daisy's?" He asks and I nod sending him a big grin as I drive towards the 24hour diner. "I cannot believe you guys got me a car!" I exclaim again as we walk inside the small diner and take a seat. "Well, you're going to Uni next hear and taking Suzi might not always be convinent, so we settled on her. What are you going to name her?" "Hi, guys. What can I get you?" "One mega caramel special please." Mark states sending me a soft smile as I nod. "Sure, that'll be right up." We nod before Mark turns back to me. "I don't know yet. It'll come to me." I laugh softly we always named our vehicles, there was Suzi and Mark's bike Bessy and his car was Hariet for some reason. "I'm sure it will." "I still can't believe she's mine." I state looking at the car through the diner window. "I'm glad you like it. I wanted to get something smaller, since you are about 1foot of the ground, but Maury insisted you'll love this." I send him a mock scowl at the 1foot comment but laugh along anyway. "I really do love it." I grin as the waitress place the big ice cream between us. "Thank you, and Merry Christmas." "Merry Christmas guys." She smiles before walking off as Mark and I eat the ice cream talking and laughing until it was finished before we made our way home again."I had an electric motor installed for the garage door." Mark states before pressing a button opening the door, the bikes were already moved out of the way as I pulled the car inside. "Well I support that!" I grin as he laughs before we get out of the car and make our way inside.