On the Strawberry Moon - 14. Chapter 14

‘The holidays are coming!’ yelled Ronny as they ran into the shopping centre.

The guys laughed as Daz said, ‘Best Christmas carol ever, go Coca-cola advert.’

The shopping mall glittered and the coloured lights were loud with green and red tinsel; giant baubles hung from the high ceilings. Christmas songs were jolly and bold. The smell of gingerbread was hot in the air.

As the gang ran through the busy shopping, all Kalum could think of was the song the REM song, ‘Shiny, happy people.’

‘Let’s split,’ Billy turned around and announced to the gang. ‘Me, Oscar and Ronny will go in the west section, Tom, Daz Sammy and Robert you guys can go east section and the twins can go north.’

Both Kalum and Jasper gave thumbs up for that. Timed well.

‘Let’s go, guys,’ yelled Sammy, running into the crazy busy stressful herd of other shoppers.

‘See you guys soon,’ smiled Daz as they all split.

***

Few hours later, all bruised and tired and hungry, the gang met back up again and sat outside the shopping centre. They were in the lane near the entrance, leaning against the brick walls.

Tom had managed to get everyone a big pretzel each, so they all sat outside, in their coats, gloves and hats, munching away and laughing at each other.

‘Stop saying you hope it snows soon,’ Daz rolled her eyes at Sammy.

‘It ain’t Christmas without snow,’ Ronny agreed with Sammy, with his mouth half full.

‘So, we all good to meet up at mine on Friday?’ Billy asked. He was sitting on the floor and he pushed himself up against the wall to his feet.

‘Your folk making the gingerbread house?’ asked Tom.

Billy smirked at that, ‘Plenty for all to eat, too.’

‘Your family’s gingerbread is the best,’ grinned Sammy as they all got up and gathered their shopping bags.

‘I hate Christmas shopping so much usually,’ smiled Robert. ‘But you guys made it fun.’

‘We’re good like that,’ grinned Sammy.

***

It got to Friday and the gang were at Billy’s house.

It was festive house, decorations were many and proud, the house was incredibly toasted warm. It smelled of sweet food and the smell flowed throughout the house. Christmas music chirped in the background.

This never excited Kalum the way the rest of the gang got excited. He appreciated their happiness for Christmas vibes. But it was just another day for him. He never let anyone know that. He didn’t want to be revealed as the ‘Scrooge’ of the gang.

Jasper loved it and Kalum had to love it too, which is why they were wearing matching funny Christmas jumpers. Funny alien Christmas jumpers.

It was a week before Christmas and the gang had met up early to exchange presents. It was Robert’s first time being with the gang and he was in awe at how much effort they all went into everything.

‘People didn’t do this back home?’ asked Tom.

‘Not really. Just Facebook messages and that was it.’

‘That’s lame,’ snorted Sammy. ‘Anyway, I want gifts, so who wants to start exchanging first?’

‘Got one for the twins,’ smiled Ronny, passing the really badly wrapped presents over.

‘Wow, dude,’ Daz stared at him. ‘Like how are you so bad?’

‘It’s wrapped, isn’t it,’ retorted Ronny.

The twins opened the presents. It was the new Call of Duty game that had been released.

‘Dude!’ yelled Jasper. ‘That’s amazing.’

‘That’s awesome,’ grinned Kalum. He stared down hard at the game; the grin on his face felt far more plastic than the wrapping on the game.

‘Why did you get them both one? Couldn’t they share?’ asked Tom.

‘Nah, one each. So, they don’t fight over it,’ grinned Ronny.

‘That’s stupid,’ retorted Tom.

Before anything else could be said, Kalum smiled, ‘It’s probably best I have my own anyway, you know how competitive Jasper gets.’

‘You’re just a sore loser,’ grinned jasper.

Everyone laughed at the comedic due. Jasper would be loving this.

‘While we are on the twins,’ Daz reached over and passed her perfectly wrapped gifts with stylish bows over to them. ‘Merry Christmas.’

The twins opened the presents.

‘No way, the whole Scream set?’ grinned Jasper, looking at the DVD set in his hands.

Kalum smiled down, ‘A whole Office set?’

‘I know you guys only like Scream one.’

‘I’m happy to watch them all, and all The Office too,’ Kalum replied, his plastic smile back again. ‘Thanks, Daz.’

‘Best season is Season two,’ declared Jasper.

Tom tutted and shook his head.

Everyone went around the room to give the twins their presents. Sammy got the twins matching funny hats. Tom got them funny matching t-shirts.

Kalum knew his friends had gone to trouble to get presents. It just felt like they were giving Jasper two presents and him not much, these were all the things Jasper liked not Kalum. But then everyone though that Jasper and Kalum was identical in everything they liked.

The hollow sadness started in Kalum’s stomach again but he tried to focus on his acting.

Robert looked like he was about to say something when Sammy caught him and said, ‘You got gifts, too?’

‘Um, yeah,’ Robert smiled and passed his gifts over to Kalum and Jasper.

The twins opened their presents.

‘Aw. nice,’ Jasper smiled, softly. ‘Book on weird facts hah, I like the cover ha, ha.’

Kalum stared at his book. Pig Facts. The same one he was reading in the library when Robert first spoke to him.

‘I know books are dull but, um,’ Robert shrugged, with a sheepish look.

‘Books aren’t dull,’ Daz immediately said.

‘They’re good for firewood,’ said Ronny while Daz reached over slapped him around the head.

‘Pigs, though?’ asked Tom, looking at Kalum’s book.

‘I’ve been told it’s really interesting to read,’ said Robert also staring at the book, he smiled, ‘Um, pigs are smart, apparently? Clean too.’

Kalum couldn’t take his eyes off the book.

Robert remembered. He didn’t just buy matching gifts or gifts that Jasper liked. This was a real gift for him.

Acting like an emotional wreck would freak everyone out. So, Kalum blinked a few times.

He looked up and smiled his real smile of the night, ‘Thank you.’