{18+ COMPLETE} For the past three years, Bren Hadaway has been preparing to die.
When he was sixteen, he watched his dad murder his mom. And ever since, he's been counting down the days until it was his turn to be at the end of a gun. And Bren has...
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September 23rd
Bren,
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you or your mom.
Dad
—
"Do you want to open your gift tonight or in the morning?" I asked, tucking a hair behind Madie's ear.
We made cookies. We ate cookies. We made dinner. We ate dinner. We sang along to the Christmas music that Caroline blasted throughout the house, and we watched movies by the fire. We did everything. And the only thing left was to open those presents beneath the tree.
Madie tilted her head to the side, considering. "Tonight, I think. I've always thought that Christmas Eve was a bit more magical. Maybe it's the night air or the anticipation or...I don't know."
"You don't need to know why," I said, chuckling lightly. "That's the beauty of magic, isn't it? It's unexplainable shit."
Grabbing Madie's hand, I tugged her down to the living room floor so we could sit next to the tree. Caroline had gone to bed about a half-hour ago, leaving Madie and I snuggled up, watching White Christmas. Apparently, it was one of Madie's favorites.
Glancing at the presents I'd gotten her, I tried to withhold a laugh. I was shitty as fuck at wrapping, but hopefully, she wouldn't care. Madie followed my gaze, looking down at the wrap job. I could tell she was suppressing a mocking grin, which made it even harder for me not to laugh. Somehow I managed to murmur, "Open it."
She placed one of the boxes in her lap and began to pluck at the tape one piece at a time. Sliding a finger beneath the creased edges, Madie slowly removed the glittery wrapping paper, covering herself in sparkles in the process. When she'd finally unfolded and flattened the sheet of paper, she moved it to the side.
You could tell a lot about a person by the way they unwrapped a present.
I'd never considered Madie to be a meticulous person. But she did always have an appreciation for the little things in life.
Popping the top off of the little box she'd unwrapped, she froze.
"I saw you looking at it at the festival," I said quietly.
Madie didn't even glance at me, her attention entirely focused on the necklace as she held it up to dangle between us. It was simple—a long silver chain with a round sapphire-colored stone in the middle. "But...but how did you get it without me noticing?" she asked, finally taking her eyes off the piece of jewelry.
I shrugged. "I snapped a picture over your shoulder when you were looking at it. And then Caroline went to pick it up for me yesterday. She had wanted to go there anyway to buy a present for her mom."
