Right In Front of Me (Finished)

Chapter 26: Last Day Before Break, Part 1

***Avalon's POV***


        I get changed while Greyson turns around, then I wash my face. I walk back into my room, see Greyson standing there waiting. He says, "Ready? Close your eyes." I close my eyes, cover them with one hand, and he covers them with his hands. He guides me... toward the window? What could possibly be out in the cold that is so interesting?
        We walk toward the window, and he takes one hand off of my hand to grab my other hand and help me out the window and onto the bridge. Once we are both out there, he puts both hands over my hand, and says, "Okay... open your eyes." He removes his hands, and I lower mine away from my eyes. I then open my eyes and see a strange structure before me. It takes me a second to realize what it is, then it hits me; Greyson built a bridge cover. With curtains.
        "This is amazing Greyson!" I exclaim, attacking him with a hug. I wrap my legs temporarily around his waist quickly, then jump back to the ground. "How-how did you do this? And in such little time! What is it made of?" I question him. His face breaks into a huge smile. "I knew you'd love it. Remember when you told me we needed a bridge cover?" I nod as he explains. "Well," he gestures toward his creation, "here you go! I got to work as soon as you left."
"But how did you do it? What's it made of?" I ask.
He smiles, says, "Follow me." He undoes the pieces of fabric holding the curtains shut, and opens the curtains for me. I walk in, totally in awe of what he did. Greyson walks in behind me. I gaze at the Christmas lights draped everywhere. "It's beautiful! And... warm! How is it so warm?" He tells me how he did it, followed by him telling me it was no big deal. I hug him. I hug him so hard I can't believe his eyes didn't pop out.         
        I say thank you a million times before he cuts me off, saying that I need sleep; we still have a day of school ahead of us. "oh, yeah..." I say, disappointed. We decide to have a sleepover that night. We attempt to sleep on the bridge, but it is just too cold so we move to Greyson's bed.

        In the morning I wake up on top of Greyson, since I always sleep like I'm a spider, using up all of the space. I get up, which wakes Greyson up. His voice is groggy and deep when he asks, "What time is it?" I tell him it is time to wake up and get ready. I go to my room to change.
        I pick out what I will wear, since it is ugly sweater day at school. I think about how tough it will be to return to school today. But it's just for today. Then I have two weeks for it all to blow over, I tell myself. I finish getting ready, meet Greyson in his driveway, and we drive to school.
        People stare a little as I walk in, but not too much to make me run home. I spot Hallie in the hallway, adjusting her skirt. I run over to her and tell her how amazing she looks while she hugs me. "You are amazing. Still putting in the effort of looking good right before break. I am just so ready for sitting at home, watching 'Home Alone' and drinking hot chocolate." I tell her. She says, "Me too. But you look so comfortable! I should really take a break from trying sometime. Well, I gotta go. I have Mid terms to fail! Whoohoo!" She walks away, and I make my way down the hall. Of course there are those few girls strutting around in their Sexy Santa outfits; I am surprised they haven't been in trouble for the many dress code violations they are parading around and showing off. "They look like the girls in 'Mean Girls', during the 'Jingle Bell Rock' performance." Greyson tells me, causing me to laugh.
        The whole school was buzzing with excitement for The Snow Ball tonight. A Christmas party at the school which I had forgotten all about. At lunch, I ask Taylor what I should wear in case I decide to go. Diego, of course, had to butt into the conversation and say, "I have a few ideas..." Taylor and I both push his face away with our hands. She shows me a picture on her phone of what she is going to wear. It's beautiful. I have no idea what to wear now but I tell her I'll figure it out. "I really hope you come. We can party together!" She exclaims. I smile.

        After school, I begin tearing apart my closet. Greyson bursts in (through my door, strangely) and asks what it is that I am doing. "Looking for something for The Snow Ball." I look up at him with big eyes, almost as if it's embarrassing that I am doing so. "Why?" He asks. I shrug. "I don't know. I just want to get out. Have some fun!" He stares blankly. "I can't talk you out of going can I?" He asks. "I shake my head. He sighs and says, "Fine, I guess I'll go for your protection..."
"Don't call it that. I don't need protection anymore. You can come if you want to; though I would hope you would..." I look up at him again with big kitty eyes. He throws his arms up in the air after a moment of having a staring contest with me, and exclaims, "Okay! I'll go!"
"Yay." I say, feeling small, and turning my attention back to my avalanche of clothing. "Let me just go get ready..." He sighs. I ask him to stay for opinions on my dresses.
        I hold up a variety of dresses, all of which were ultimately rejected by Greyson. After twenty minutes of confusion, we are torn between two different dresses. After hemming and hawing about it for a little while Greyson interrupts me making a Pro and Cons list about each dress to say, "Hey, what's that?" He points to a bit of lavender material poking out of my clothes mountain. I pull it out of the pile to present it to him. "What, this?" I ask. He nods. "It's. Perfect."