An Angel and a Demon

I sat on the bed in my room, staring at the ceiling. I hadn’t moved in hours. It was Christmas Eve. Yeah, my dumbass parents sent me away three days before Christmas. Nothing says we love you and peace on earth and all that shit like throwing your youngest daughter in her own personal hell hole. I never thought I would say it but I actually missed my home. Christmas was my favorite time of year. Usually Rex and I exchanged gifts and after being forced to spend the day with my family, he would sneak over and spend the night with me. I always felt alone with my family. I now really know loneliness. I don’t have any friends here. Everyone knows who I am now. I’m the joke. I can’t leave my room without someone pointing and staring at me. I guess I’d always hoped if I left my home state that no one would know who I was, but the tabloids and news had gone wild with the stories.

Usually on Christmas Eve, I would be lying in bed watching the Nightmare Before Christmas and then the Polar Express. Our kitchen staff always made me special treats like popcorn balls and hot chocolate. I always helped Rex’s family decorate their tree since my parents always had a designer decorate our tree. I wonder what he’s doing. He’s probably already forgot about me.

“Are you okay?”

I almost jumped out of my skin as I came to my senses and saw Andy standing by the end of the bed. “Jesus Christ, asshole, you almost made me piss myself.”

He chuckled to himself, “I’m sorry. Just came to check on you.”

“How the fuck did you get in here?”

“You left the door unlocked,” he said with a motion to the closed door behind him. I could have sworn that door was locked. I always lock that door. “You were zoned out or something.”

“Yeah,” I said, “I guess so. So what are you doing here?”

Andy glanced at the floor, “Well its Christmas eve and everyone’s either in the prayer service or at the party in the mess hall. I’m not into social events and I figured you could use some company.” He sat on the bed beside me.

“That’d be cool. I don’t really know what to do. I wish I had a tree or something.”

He smiled and reached into his pocket. He pulled out the end of a pine branch. “Well, I have this. I don’t think we could sneak a whole tree in here. I just liked the smell, but we could make it a mini tree.”

I smiled back and took it from his hand, twirling the little branch in my hands. I grabbed my pen holder from the desk and put the stem of the branch in it. I grabbed a little bit of ribbon from one of my bows and wrapped it around the make shift “tree”. Andy pulled some fuzzy lint from his pocket and sprinkled it on the tree. I couldn’t help but laugh at the shitty little tree. “Now we just need cookies and milk,” I joked.

“Let’s go get some,” Andy said as he walked to the door.

“We will get caught in the kitchen, and I don’t need any more trouble.”

“I’ll take care of it, come on.”

I followed Andy down the stairs, careful not to make a sound. We made our way to the edge of the building on the first floor where the store room was. Andy held up one finger, before opening the door and sneaking in. I stared through the small window in the door as Andy walked right by the kitchen staff and grabbed a huge handful of assorted cookies and put them in the pocket of his jacket. Why aren't they getting mad at him or yelling for a nun to come punish him? He then grabbed a bottled of communion wine from the shelf and came out with it.

“Andy, how di-“ I started, but Andy held one finger to his lips again. We started walking back up the stairs to my room when a patrolling honors student stopped me.

“You! Stop!” she called.

I froze. Fuck Andy’s plan is going to get me in a shit load of trouble. I turned to look over my shoulder at him but he wasn’t there.

“What are you doing roaming the halls at this time of night?”

“I was…uh…I was at the Christmas party…in th-the mess hall. Not fe-feeling very well,” I stuttered.

She stared at me with the corner of her mouth scrunched. “Very well, you be straight to bed then, unless you’d like me to fetch the nurse.”

“No thanks, I’m just going to go rest and hope it goes away,” I said slowly. I turned and continued up the stairs, sprinting down the hall to my room. Stunned, I opened the door to see Andy laying on my bed, nibbling on a cookie. “How in the hell did-“

“I went around the back way and took the old stairs. Sorry to leave you hanging,” he apologized.

“Whatever. I need a drink. Pop that bottle.”

Andy pulled the bottle of wine out of his jacket and broke the seal on the screw top. He took a swig before passing it to me. I took a whole mouthful, almost regretting it, but enjoying the feeling. We passed the bottle back and forth, and I ate a couple cookies that he had snagged.

“Now what?” I asked, looking across the bed at him.

“I can go if you want, you look tired.”

Just as he said that, I did feel tired. I let out a yawn, “Well, I am kind of tired, but I really don’t want to go to sleep.”

“Then tell me what your favorite car is.”

I was a little shocked, “Uh…BMW…i8.”

“Interesting. I like Challengers and Chargers, but the older bodies.”

“What is your favorite holiday?” I asked.

“Halloween.”

“Christmas,” I smiled.

His eye brow lifted. “Why Christmas? The gifts?”

“Just the happy feeling people get. Everyone just seems nicer and you just want to be close to people.” I could feel a wetness growing in my eyes.

“Hey, don’t cry,” he said, scooting across the bed to put one arm around me.

I put my face in his shoulder. I’m not a crier, but sometimes you just build up so much to cry about that it explodes after a little spark.

“Why are you crying?” he cooed.

“Everything’s so fucked up. I’m supposed to be home with my family and my friends enjoying my life, not trapped in this fucking hell hole because I’m not who they want me to be. I’m not who the media thinks I should be. I’m not who anyone thinks I should be.”

He wrapped both arms around me, “I like who you are.”

“I hate who I am every day. Wanna know why I’m here?” I said, pulling back to look in his eyes. “I’m here because I didn’t tie the knot tight enough. I tried to kill myself and couldn't even do the world the pleasure of getting rid of myself.”

His eyes seemed targeted on my face, “No, not you.” His arms wrapped tightly around me, “Not you.” He held me while I cried, gently rubbing my back. “The world would be losing so much if it lost you.”

I put my arms back around him. I enjoyed the feeling of his skin against mine. I could feel the muscle in his neck where my temple was resting. It was comforting.

The clock on my wall chimed, it was midnight. I could only crack a smile, before my eyes stared to close. The fatigue had hit me.

“Merry Christmas, Elvira,” Andy whispered.

Notes

happy holidays guys :)