It Started with the List

31

"These lights are gonna be the death of me!" Ty yelled, trying to get out of the lights he tangled around himself.

"How do you do that? I really wish I had your skill." Steven teased, throwing some tinsel on his face.

"Thanks for your help, really." Ty sighed, trying to break out of the ights.

"Oi, lovebirds, help!" Aileen yelled into Shaylie and Henry's ears. "We're almost done, so why don't you go in the kitchen." She pushed them off the couch and smiled at them. They rolled their eyes at her.

Two hours and three more Ty mishaps later, we finished decorating everything and my mom was mostly done cooking.

"Okay, you guys have uh, 4 hours to get ready. Have fun." I went up to my room and stare at the clothes I had laid out earlier. It was simple, white button up and some black jeans. It's normal, I don't know why I'm staring at it. I wear this kinda stuff every year. Why is it irking me, though?

Maybe I just need some sleep. Yeah, that's probably it. I got a few hours to kill, I'll just take a nap.

3 hours later, I'm being shaken by Carly and Ty. "GET UP!" They yelled.

"Why?" I stretched.

"Come on, dude. You know they never come on time, you have to get ready earlier. So, up you get." Carly clapped. I yawned, rubbed my eyes and looked at my younger siblings. Ty was wearing some dark green jeans with red and green plaid. Carly was wearing a green dress with a red and green plaid belt-bow.

They always do that, coordinate their outfits like that. Most of the time, Carly has to find something to go with Ty's outfit because he doesn't like doing it but she still does it every year. If you didn't know them, you'd think they're twins.

"Okay, I need to go take a shower. Leave me, please." I got up and went to the restroom. I took a 15 minute shower and came back into my room. I dressed, fixed my hair and made sure I didn't look like I just woke up. I was about to leave when I remembered my santa hat. I grabbed it off my desk and put it on my head. I walked down the stairs and the smell of Christmas just came at me. I loved it.

"Come, hurry, Ashton. You are gonna be greeting the guest." Mom told me. She was in her Mrs. Claus outfit that she wore every year.

Dad was Santa. It's great to see that she still wanted to carry on the tradition. "You look beautiful, mother."

"Thank you, son." She kissed my cheek and pushed me towards the door. "Have fun at your post."

The first to come were Jimmy and Veronica, they brought Clarissa too. Then the Haydens and McVeys came, looking at each other with fake love and real distaste. Reece came with his younger brother, Charlie. He had told me before hand neither of his parents would be joining us.

"Hey, how's everything going?" I asked him, giving him a hug.

"Well, they're meeting with their divorce lawyers right now, which is why they can't be here. But, I'm actually okay with it. I just hope Charlie gets to stay with my dad." He tells me. Honestly, his parents weren't ever right for each. They always seemed toxic for each other. But Charlie doesn't deserve to be caught in the middle of his parents. He's just 10, just a little boy. No one deserves that kind of thing at such a young age.

Amanda and her parents came, along with her two older brothers. Reece waved at her and she gave him a small smile. "Progress." I tell him. "Trick her into going under the mistletoe." He grinned at me and went over to her. "You must be Amanda's family, she is really amazing."

"Cole, Trevor." Her brother said, pointing to himself then the other.

"I'm Ashton, it's nice to finally meet you all." They nodded and walked all the way into the house, exploring it.