My Neighbor's TV (girlxgirl)

18

Christmas came and went in a flash but I didn't feel the Christmas spirit much this year. I kept wondering if I hadn't made the wrong decision, telling Ann that we shouldn't see each other. What was the point in not seeing her if all I did was think about her anyway?

I'd seen her from afar a couple of times in the past two weeks and I'd been such a coward that I hid everytime in order to not have to talk to her.

The day after Christmas I contemplated going over to give her my gift, since I'd bought it anyways... maybe she wouldn't be there after all. Maybe she was spending the Christmas holidays with her family or her sister and she wouldn't be home, right?

I reassured myself with that and was encouraged by the fact that most likely she wouldn't be home today.

But, of course, she was.

She opened the door visibly surprised to see me, I was the one who insisted in not seeing each other barely two weeks ago after all.

I smiled nervously. "Merry Christmas." I said and handed her my gift. She looked puzzled for a moment before accepting it.

And then we stared awkwardly at each other in silence.

"I... uh. I didn't buy you a gift." She said, looking away.

"Oh, it doesn't matter. It's a stupid gift anyway and I bought it before... yeah." I was rambling and thought better to shut up.

"Thank you, do you want to come in?" She offered, unsure of what to do or say.

"Uh, sure." I didn't really think about it because if I had, I would have said no.

We made our way inside and sat on the couch. A Christmas movie was playing on the TV, although I couldn't recognize which movie it was, not that I cared to find out really.

She examined my gift first and then looked at me. "Should I open it?"

I nodded. "Yeah, go ahead."

I watched her as she carefully went on to do so. Instead of tearing it open like one usually would, she opened the wrapping paper slowly and patiently. When she finally took out the gift, she turned towards me surprised, if not annoyed.

"Really?"

I grinned. "It should come in useful."

She looked back at the gift. "And here I was expecting something cute."

"Cute?" I asked.

"Yeah, like something you give to a friend, not to your mom."

"I've never given my mom something like this though." I justified myself.

"Right. But you have to admit that you don't usually give a cooking book to a friend."

I sighed, trying to explain. "This is not just any cooking book," I said and scooted closer to her, "it's a cooking book for beginners." I pointed on the cover where it was written in capital letters.

She pulled the book away from me and turned the other way, acting offended. I laughed.

"I could have bought you 'cooking for dummies' instead, but since I have such a high consideration of you..." I said holding in my laughter and seeing her back stiffen in anger.