Taylor
As dinner was drawing to a close I wanted to spend some time alone with Callista, again. I had no idea how long I would be staying here and I needed Callista severely. She squeezed my hand and I snapped out of my thoughts, laughing at myself for thinking in such a way.
" Come on we've been excused and I wanna spend some time with you. " she whispered in my ear. Her warm breath lingered in my ear and released tingles down my spine.
" Good, my thoughts exactly." I responded picking up my plate and following behind her to the kitchen.
We cleared our plates and slowly made our way to her impressive living room. I was awed, again, as I had been when I first came in the house.
The living room was large with cathedral ceilings and elegant furniture. There were beautiful portraits and pictures on the walls and as formal as the room was it was homely and comfortable. The furniture was exquisite yet cozy, all overstuffed chairs and whatnot. But it fit the house well. The tree in the corner was probably nine feet tall, decorated with white lights, silver angel's hair, and glowing balls and bells and tiny intricate decorations collected over a lifetime, and finally atop the highest bough rested an exquisite angel. It was the so beautiful and it made me long for my own tree in my own home, though neither were as grand. My house was nowhere near as large and distinctive as Callista's, nor was my tree quite as large or as lavishly decorated, although it served the same purpose.
I watched as Cally slid under the tree with ease and made some space for me. I too slipped under the tree in the vacant space she had made for me. We lie under the tree close to each other, quietly reflecting. I could feel her arm touching my arm and it made my heart skip a beat. I was just looking up at the tree, lost in my own thoughts. And I could feel her eyes on me, investigating my body. Not in a dirty, unclean way but in an inquisitive way as though she wanted to take in all of my appearance and never forget it, the same way I wished to do with her.
The silence that had fallen between us was not uncomfortable but words came to my mind and I had to express them, that was something I always did, let my feelings go. I usually had trouble verbalizing my feeling unless in a song, especially when it came to girls but with Cally it was different. I was able to say exactly what I felt at the moment and that made me feel so good.
" I never thought I'd find anyone else in the world that did this," I whispered to her, for some reason I thought that speaking any louder would break the tiny world we had made for ourselves.
" Huh" she mumbled, snapping out of her entranced state.
" I mean I didn't think that anyone else just laid under the Christmas tree for the sake of getting away. It's cool that you do though." I whispered, again, I wanted her to know the way I felt at that exact moment.
" I didn't either. No one ever understood why I did this. It was just what I did when the rest of the world got to me. In the rest of the year I disappear to the tree fort. My parents and siblings make fun of me for it they say how I'm so introspective and I'm a loner and have no life but I deal with that. When you have a family this size and you're like me you just find places to go and think and be alone this is one of my places."
" I know what you mean about big families and all, I've got five brothers and sister and one more on the way. My house is just like this and the tree is an awesome place to escape when you need some time. I escape to our tree house too, I mean in the rest of the year." I smiled, again, I just couldn't help but smile when I was around her, and "We have so much in common its kinda funny"
" Yeah, its pretty cool" she replied, although it appeared as though she wanted to say more but couldn't.
She looked up at the tree again. The white lights illuminated her ethereally beautiful face. I was again entranced by her delicate features, her soft lips, and gentle cheekbones. Her long and curling, dark eyelashes, button nose, flickering green eyes, and pale, freckle spotted skin, just made me want to tenderly caress her face.
There was soft music playing in the background and then Callista began to quietly sing along with O Holy Night.
" O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, this is the night of our dear savior's birth" her voice was as beautiful as her delicate face and I wanted to hear more but she suddenly ceased singing.
Just as suddenly as she relinquished her voice I gave mine, " Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth, a thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn�"
I stopped singing and delicately took her smooth hand in mine. I loved the way her small hand fit inside mine so well and the way her skin felt against mine. At that point my mind began to wander, I thought about how her skin felt and wondered if it would taste as good. Harboring my craving to taste her urbane skin I looked into her soulful eyes. They were so shallow yet deceptively deep. As I looked into her eyes it felt comparable to having her read my soul, as though it were an open book. I was beginning to get lost in her starry gaze when she abruptly looked away, I guess out of nervousness. Then I realized it was not out of nervousness at all, but she had seen a small child fall behind me. When the little girl wailed I quickly slid out from under the tree, regretfully letting of her hand. I scooted over to where the little girl had fallen and was now lying, a sobbing mass of green velvet and wavy blond hair.
Instinctively I picked her up from the cold wood floor and pulled her close to my body, as I had done so many times before with Avery or Jessie or Mackie. I protectively rocked her back and forth to comfort her, all the while trying to end her tears. " Shh. Shh. it's okay, it's okay. You're all right, no cuts, no blood. In fact I think you'll even live to see some of your new Christmas gifts." I joked smiling at her.
She stopped crying and looked up at ME, then she beamed back. "Who are you?" she asked with a look of adoration upon her face.
" I'm Taylor Hanson one of Noah's friends."
" Oh." She paused with a mischievous grin on her face; "you're cute!"
" Thank you. So I'm guessing you're feeling better now." I said, feeling my cheeks softly flush.
" Yes I am," she said and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Then she squirmed out of my arms and ran into the kitchen shouting, " I kissed a boy! I kissed a boy!"
I laughed and turned around to face Callista who had come out from under the tree while I was attending to the little girl. I offered her a hand and lifted her up off the floor. She too was laughing; I couldn't help but to continue laughing.
" She is too cute for words!" I whispered in Her ear.
" Yeah she is a sweetie, but then again so are you." She responded smiling at me.
" Well ya know you didn't have to tell me that, I already knew" I joked.
" Ugh!" She gently groaned and I gave me a soft shove, I stumbled back and fell into the plush armchair, which as luckily behind me.
" Thank you. You know you're really sweet too."
" Thank you." She mumbled, then looked down at her suddenly enthralling shoes and flushed, "but I mean that you are so good with little kids and you don't even know her."
"Well she reminds me of my little sister Avery, just a bit younger. Plus she's related to you so what could be bad about her."
She giggled almost nervously and sat down on the couch. I wanted so much to be near her and decided to go and sit next to her. I sat down close to her. I took both of her hands in mine and looked her straight in the eyes. I found myself getting lost again and whispered to her, " You know your eyes are so beautiful."
" Thank you" she whispered and then blushing she looked away from me at the tree.
I could stand it no longer, I wanted to be able to gaze into her eyes and read her thoughts, I wanted to be a part of her in that way and every time I got close she closed up and looked away. 'Carpe Diem' I thought to myself.
Then, I cupped her chin in one hand and brought her face back around until it was merely inches away from mine. I could see the golden flecks in her eyes and the tiny freckles were magnified even more. They were no longer imperfections but works of art on the angelic tapestry that was her countenance.
" Why do you always look down, when I look at you. I want so much to just stare into your eyes and every time I start to, you look away. I promise I won't hurt you, I don't bite." I tenderly said, still holding her chin with one of my hands. By this our eyes had locked and I doubt that looking away was possible.
" I d�"
" SSH. No explanation needed." I silenced her by putting a finger to her soft lips.
Then I tilted my head to the side and she did the same, and in one fluent motion our lips came closer. They had just begun to brush against one another, and I was about to fulfill my craving to taste her sweetness when�