Kiss Cam [Teaser/Published October 2016]

CHAPTER TEN | TWELVE DAYS OF KISSMAS

THE AISLE I walk down smells like artificial pine trees and that musty smell decorations get when they've been stored away all year. "Jingle Bells" plays on an endless loop, red and silver bulbs shine under the fluorescent lights of the superstore, and giant plastic snowmen fall into my path every couple of steps.

It's that odd time during the year, a few of weeks out from Christmas, that every store in town—at the exact same time—stocks up for the holiday. This year's date of choice ends up being a Saturday. It was just last Thursday that turkey and cranberry sauce were on sale and Jasper and his mom were helping my family make Thanksgiving dinner.

It was the day after the wall-slamming Kiss Cam, and Jasper kept giving me suggestive looks across the table that I had to pretend weren't making my stomach knot. There is no way my dad would be finding out about Kiss Cam. That would only give him the wrong idea, and the next thing I knew he'd be giving me condoms for Christmas.

Anyway, I have this sneaking suspicion that Jasper will be getting me back very soon. For right now, though, I can walk through this giant superstore with Allison, Lenny, and Jasper and be completely relaxed.

"Hey—hey, guys . . . Look!" Lenny's voice is a pathetic sort of excited, and I have to smile to myself before I even turn around and see he's got a red bulb stuck to his nose and an antler headband atop his head. Jasper has the video camera in hand and turns it on him.

"Sweet!" Jasper chuckles. "Where'd you find those?" Lenny takes a few steps back and shows him the bucket of red noses and headbands. Jasper trots over and begins digging through the box, showing the camera elf ears and jingle bells. They start trying on different looks for the vlog.

They're completely enthralled, and I shake my head in disbelief. My eyes have already gone back to looking up at the wreaths and Christmas lights on the top shelf. I don't even remember why we came down this aisle. Maybe it was Jasper who pointed out how early Christmas decorations are being sold and dragged us over.

"What's the big Christmas special going to be this year?" Allison's rich voice turns scratchy this time of year from the cold, and I almost don't recognize it's her speaking until I glance sideways and find semi-interest softening the angles in her face.

Every Christmas on VlogIt the boys and I find something grand to do. Three years ago we opened fan-mail Christmas gifts on camera. The year after that, we reenacted a modern-day Nativity story. Last year we live-streamed a Christmas-special questions video, since Christmas landed on a Thursday. This year is yet to be decided. However, Thursday we asked our subscribers what they wanted to see, and I have yet to check the comments.

I shrug. "Not sure yet."

"Well, didn't you give your viewers options?" Allison wonders while she reaches for various Christmas decorations and inspects them.

I shove my hands in my coat pockets and look back at the boys. "Usually, if someone makes a good suggestion it'll get a couple hundred likes. That's how we narrow it down."

"Are you nervous for what it might end up being?" Allison asks curiously, and I know she's being genuine by the softness of her usually sharp features.

"I trust the viewers," I tell her. She nods, but doesn't quite meet my eyes.

There's a loud crash behind us, and we both swivel around to find that the boys have managed to knock down a dancing Santa Claus from a couple of shelves up. Before I know what's happening, Jasper's ordering us to run, and we're being pushed out of the aisle and dragged to a new part of the store. I pretend not to notice the way Allison smiles at me when Jasper grabs my hand.