Chapter 25: Mark and Jean's Gifts
Jean's POV
"Merry Christmas Honey" My dad whispered. I was woken up by Dad. He always do this every Christmas. I smiled and greeted him back of a Merry Christmas. He then smiled back and placed something in my bed side table. Every year He always gives me a gift though he always tell me not to give him one, i tried to give him a present once and i never even saw him using it. I gave him a good looking neck tie when i was 13 and i don't even know where it is right now. He doesn't want me to spend money for him, not until i have my own job though.
I got up the bed while dad waited me downstairs for breakfast. A Christmas breakfast with Dad. I then got in the shower and washed my body. By the time i pulled out off the shower the sun has been in a real shine. Birds tweeting gone. No more morning breeze. I dried my hair with a hair blower and do a simple braid with my own hair. Then i saw Lynn, Mark and Clay's presents beside my bed. After dressing up, I sat down my bed to open the presents.
I first opened Mark's. It really looks interesting. Asian wrapping huh? But i thought this was supposed to be wrapped like this if it's like...food? I guess? But whatever, the fabric looks so good. I do love patterns. It's a blue and red patterns of geometric shapes but the bright side is, it doesn't look childish. It really looks good. I untangled the fabric and placed it in the drawer of my table. I will be using it one of this days for some fashion statements. I then opened the box and what I saw is something my mind couldn't register. He gave me... a very weird looking book. It's a book i guess. It's brown with designs i couldn't distinguish. I opened the book, it has pages written with ink and there are also those that are none. This looks so not interesting and old. It has a Christmas card attached to it. "It's from your mom, she figured that you will not accept this if it came from her. Just don't throw it away if you're not gonna use it. Merry Christmas!" For once she had something right. I wouldn't really even touch this if i knew it was from her, but i'm cool with presents. I turned to the first page. "A Diary" it states. What does she wants me to know? Underneath it is another small box. This must be Mark's. Inside it is a necklace. A necklace with a resin pendant. Inside the resin is a stone which is shaped like a heart. "Guard your heart. Merry Christmas!" A small letter says. It really looks good. I decided to put it on the table first while i open the others.
I then grabbed the paper bag, Lynn's. I first read the letter without looking at the inside. I bet my phone that this is something expensive. Judging just from the box, it really looks like it. "Merry Christmas Jean! I hope you like it" the letter says. Inside it is a dress. A pearly pink dress. My eyes couldn't decided where to look first. The collar has details. The sleeves with it's very soft fabric. By the touch of it, it feels like water woven in it. A really good quality dress. But the downside of it, is it's pink. I don't think pink suits me. It looks so girly and soft. But i love it. I might not be wearing this for two reasons, because it's pink and also because i felt not worthy of a very good looking dress.
I then hang the dress with it's plastic wrapper and placed it in my closet. You'll be there for some time until my soft side dominates. Maybe in a date, and that would be really taking some years. I got back to my bed and opened Dad's present. I just saw it in my table though, at first i thought it was a display but then i remembered i don't display things like that. I opened it. Inside it is a beautiful bracelet. It has small chains and four pendants scattered. One is a crescent, like the moon. One is a star shape. One is a circle with a ring, must be a planet. One is a circle with spikes, that must be the sun. It's a bracelet with, what i call them are heavenly bodies.
So far, i'm having a total outfit for a perfect day i'm not sure what and when. The necklace, the dress and the bracelet. I swear if Clay will give me a pair of shoes i will wear them all at once and walk the road. Luckily, when i opened Clay's present, it wasn't a pair of shoes. But it was a rather curious thing. He gave me a book. Yes, another book for this year's Christmas. It was black with silver linings. Nothing written in the cover, just the silver borders. It's empty inside too. I scrolled through the pages until a letter comes out. "Don't let emotions get the best of you, write what you feel, you'll feel better. Merry Christmas!" The letter states. I don't actually feel like writing stuff so i put it inside the drawer too. I then got down with dad with a gleaming smile. Some gifts may look lame but i am very happy with what i received.
Mark's POV
It's Christmas! I woke up early to cook before mom could. It's sort of my treat for her. I cooked her... pancakes! That's the best i can cook though. I put on an apron to feel the vibe of being a cook and heated the pan. I put some butter then let it melt. When the entire pan is smoking with heat i poured the pancake mixture that i added some water. After some moments I heard my great grand father whispered that it's time to turn the pancake on the other side and with a spatula i turned it over and revealed... a very black pancake. It burnt. I then threw it away and made another one. I decided to add more butter so it will not burn easily. That will do the trick i guess. I then heart my great great grand mother whispered it was ready to flip over, then with a sweep of my spatula, the pancakes flew out of the pan. Gosh this is way more trouble than it's worth. After so many attempts while i emptied three boxes of pancake mixtures i managed to cook two perfects. Two graciously beautiful creations. I then got up to wake mom. I greeted her a very Merry Christmas and escorted her to the kitchen where my two beautiful babies are waiting. She laughed at my stupidity but ate the pancake. It was a very happy breakfast with mom. I then gave her my gift. A necklace with a pendant of a key. I hugged her and told that i'll be showering before we do our Christmas stuffs.
I got up my room and there i saw my friends' gifts. I totally forgot them when i woke up. When i saw their gifts at me, i remembered the fun last night and made me smile. I decided to open them first before i shower.
I first opened Lynn's. I'm sure that this is something that will cost my soul. Just from the paper bag itself, i bet it will be a very grand gift. Although Lynn doesn't spoil us or herself with their wealth, i think she bears the burden to spend for gifts. I first read the card, "Yow Mark! I'm really in great pleasure to be friends with you. I haven't feel as alive and active in my life, not even cheerleading has to offer. I hope you'll like my gift. Merry Christmas!" It says. I then opened the bag and pulled out something. A black leather jacket. Not just any other leather jacket, but a really fancy looking one. This must be a designer clothing. I examined the leather jacket with joy and excitement when i saw a tag dangling. She forgot to remove it. My eyes narrowed so much that my head aches. It costs $200! She did not. No. This is too much. I'm not a man worth a couple hundred of dollars to spend with. I was there seating at my bed with an open mouth. I felt like time stopped for a moment, i don't know how long i've been at a trance. By the time i pulled myself together, i hang the jacket in my closet with dry throat.
I then opened Clay's gift. A near to medium size box. Smaller than jean's. I opened the box and saw an ornament. A dream catcher. There's a note at the bottom of the box. "I made it myself since i don't know what you like as gifts. Gave that to you as a reminder that whenever you look at it always remember the reason why you do things. Always go back to where you started. Merry Christmas!" The note states. I was really touched by Clay's gift though. A combination of blue and white strings for a dream catcher. I like it a lot.
I turned my gaze to Jean's box. Then i remembered her mom's gift.
I received that gift from her mom the night after their dinner. It was indirectly given to me, sent in a parcel with a note. It says there that it's from Jean's mom and pleading me to give it to her. After all, she's her mother so it wouldn't be illegal if she give her a present. I didn't open it honestly. Whatever that book contains must be between them.
I opened the box the Jean gave me. Inside it has shredded papers, with a glass bottle in it. Did she just gave me a bottle as a Christmas gift? I lifted the bottle then i noticed that the bottle has a stained white colored liquid inside. It has a note. "I made it myself. It's a perfume. I've known you for so many years and i kind of known what you smell for years, i tried to imitate your fragrance and added a little different scent. Wear it, it reminds me of a brother, someone who's been there for me for so long. Merry Christmas!" Jean's note said. I smelled the perfume and fragrance sort of matches my perfume but much more of a metal scent. I love it. I loved everything they gave me.
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