Right In Front of Me (Finished)

Chapter 32: Cuddling & Shopping

When I woke up the next morning, Greyson was sitting on the window seat drinking coffee out of a mug with 'Hampton Inn' printed on it. I sit up rubbing my eyes. He looks over at, smiling as he said, "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." I said good morning back in a tired voice. I push the covers back. I don't remember putting the covers on me; Greyson must have done it while I was sleeping. I squeeze my eyes shut as I slip out of the comfy bed. I open my eyes, squinting as they adjust to the light while I walk over to Greyson. I sit on the window seat, and struggle to fit on it. "Isn't the view pretty?" He asks me. I raise my eyebrows so my eyes can open wide enough to see the view. It is the sun shining over a bunch of trees on a hill with a few birds singing to each other. It really is pretty and I say so. I scoot closer, trying not to fall off. I blink, my eyes finally able to open the whole way.
        "We can't both fit on here." I tell him. "I have an idea to fix that." Greyson answers me. "What?" I wonder. "I can't tell you, not until I get my good morning kiss." I roll my eyes and kiss him briefly. He smiles and says, "Good. Now, my idea..." He trails off as he gets up, then signals for me to follow him. He gets the couch and, with my help, pushes it near the window. He takes the cushions off, and pulls out a bed. I had no idea that the couch was a pull-out bed. We push it against the window seat, and drape a blanket over the whole thing. He climbs on top of it and opens the window. He then gets up, pours me a cup of coffee, and lays down on the bed after handing me the mug. We put the mugs on a side table. I lay down next to him. We put our feet out the window and feel the morning air on them, even though it's freezing. We spread the blanket over us to keep warm.
        I sip some coffee, and think to myself, I want to do this every morning with this boy. I would have no problem waking up to this every morning, no worries, no problems, just each other. I put my head on his shoulder and smile. "I never knew that the little hill over there existed." I tell him. He shakes his head slightly. "Neither did I."
        I tell him that this was the best Christmas I have ever had, and will ever have. "I don't expect you to be able to top this next year. And you won't need to. Just the memory of this will be just as good." I continue. I feel him smile, and he says, "You have no idea what's going on in my head. It's a party up there. I've got quite a few tricks up my sleeve, don't you worry." I kiss his cheek.

        Later, we have to check out. We grab all of our stuff, and while he puts the couch back, I got changed. He then got changed while I made sure all of the 'Friends' disks were in the case. They were. I put the case in Grey's bag, then wait.
        We bring our bags down to the lobby with us. While Greyson talked to his aunt, trying to convince her that he was good, I made us hot chocolate in the breakfast area. Then, I put a few of the donuts they had there into a bag and put them in my bag. I chuckle, putting a top on Greyson's cup as he shouts, "I didn't make her uncomfortable!" His aunt looks to me for verification. I say, "He really was a good boy. Our stay was lovely." I assure her. "Nothing... happened... right?" She said uncomfortably. I giggle. "No need to worry, Aunt Della. Thank you so much, and good luck with that baby of yours on the way!" We walk out.
        I hand Greyson his hot chocolate and he says, "Oh, thanks Is this what you were doing over there?" I nod. He puts his arm around me, shaking his head as we walk to the truck. On the car ride home, which was short, we each took a few bites of the donuts I got us, but we didn't finish them before we got to my house.
        We walk into my house and every one floods to the door. "There they are!" My dad announces, a big grin on his face. I see Summer eyeing us, looking at our intertwined hands. She raises an eyebrow. I just shut my eyes briefly, as if to say, I'll tell you later. She nods and smiles suspiciously. That's when I hear a toilet flush and Dakota appears next to Summer. "Dakota? What are you doing here?" Greyson asks his sister. "Oh, Summer asked me to have a sleepover last night." She smiles. We look at Summer for further information. She says, "Dakota didn't want to be home alone with your parents because you weren't there, which would mean it would be a game of Twenty Questions about College." We nod.
        Brian says, "They have food!" He runs over to my bag of donuts and I let him grab one. He runs into the kitchen with it, yelling in excitement. We all laugh at him.

        Greyson goes back home, and when no one was looking, I kissed him passionately, then saying how thankful I was for everything he did. Then he left. and now I am sitting in my room telling Summer everything. About kissing under the mistletoe, the scavenge hunt-like gift, and even about how there was no party and we hung out at the hotel. She was tearing up at the end. "Why is this not a movie? You and Greyson are dating now? I've wanted this since I walked in on you two 'stage-kissing'."
        "Wait, I was still dating Hayden then. You wanted me and Greyson together even when I was with Hayden?" I asked her. She looked sheepish as she answered, "Yeah... but I still liked you and Hayden together! I just... preferred you and Greyson." I laugh. "So... you don't have a Prom date now?" She asked. Oh, shoot. I hadn't even thought of that. "Well, I hope I'll end up going with Greyson. Plus, that's still, like, four months away." I answer.
        Just when I thought everything was ruined. Just when I lost hope. I had no idea that the solution had been right there the whole time. Now, everything was perfect. Like I thought in the hotel room, there were no worries. Even when I am not laying down next to him, I still know it will all be perfect in the end. Because of Greyson. Because he is there.

        The next few days flew by, full of watching movies and using the new mugs with Greyson. Now it was the day before New Years Eve, and I was out shopping with Hallie, Summer, Lana, Mercedes, Yolanda, Taylor, and Dakota. We were shopping for the huge New Years party that Missy Cercy was throwing at her parents' Hotel that they own. She is super rich, by the way, so we have to look good. I'm glad Summer and Dakota still came with us, even though they aren't coming with us to the party.
        "Okay, ladies, so what are we thinking for outfits for the party?" Taylor asks, walking backwards so she can face us. "For some reason, when I think 'New Year', I think of something sparkly or shiny, you know, because it looks new and just sorta makes you feel awesome right as the new year starts." Hallie says. We all agree. Taylor says, spinning around so she is walking forwards with us, "All right then; Commence Operation-" Lana cuts her off, saying, "Sparkly New Year!" We all laugh and turn into Forever 21.
        "Ooh, Yolanda, you have to try this on!" Summer says, pushing a pair of sequin shorts at her. Dakota is with Mercedes trying to convince her to wear a skirt. "C'mon, from what I hear, you never wear a skirt!" Mercedes counters, "That's because they're uncomfortable! They are not very practical." Dakota rolls her eyes. I jump into the conversation, saying, "Okay; let's compromise. You don't want to wear a skirt, and everyone else wants you to. So, since this is the kind of party where you need to dress up, you can wear a skirt that's less girly. How about a skater skirt? It'll look great, especially if you pair it with these." I hand her the black skirt along with some sheer black tights and a pair of black leg warmers that go a few inches above the knee. "You'll seriously look great." I assure her and she goes to try them on, followed by a reluctant Yolanda, who is now holding the shorts Summer showed her. They go into a changing room together while the rest of us keep looking.
        Hallie comes over to me, her phone in hand, and says, "I'm looking up New Year's Party outfits. I think that I should wear something like this." She shows me an outfit made up of a tight white crop top, a light blue, sparkly skirt and a cropped grey blazer. I tell her we should definitely look for stuff like that for her.
        I find a velvet-material red skirt, and I just fall in love with it. I am about to go try it on when Yolanda and Mercedes burst out of the dressing stall. They both strike a pose and we all laugh. "I told you that you'd look great!" I tell Mercedes. "You were right! But what should I wear with it?" She asks. "Umm..." I think. I tell her she probably has a top to wear with it at her house. She decides on a tight, striped top. Dakota suggests she wears a black infinity scarf with it, so we add that to the list of things we are looking for specifically.
        I go try on the skirt with the top I was already wearing. The skirt looked great; I just have to figure out something to wear with it. When I ask, the girls throw out suggestions, but my favorite was one that Lana had brought up. "What if you paired, I don't know, a cute, loose tank top with it and a black blazer? The top should be black and white to match." I agree, and in Love Culture I find the perfect Peter Pan collared shirt. I buy it.
        After lunch, the only one who hasn't put an outfit together in her head was Taylor. She found a sparkly crop top, but she doesn't know what to pair with it. Yolanda says she can borrow a black skirt of hers, since she never wears it. Taylor buys a white blazer to go with it at the next shop we go to. Soon enough we have it all figured out, and the girls all sleep over at my place so we can all get ready the next day together.
        
        "So... Avalon, tell us about what's going on with you." Mercedes demands that night. I act confused. Yolanda says, "Oh, c'mon, we know you are hiding something. So spill!" The other girls agree with a chorus of 'yeah's and 'tell us's. I roll my eyes and answer, "Okay. So... on Christmas Eve, Greyson and his family were hanging out with my family, and when they all left and I went to my room... Greyson had hung mistletoe on my ceiling." I pause, letting them predict the next part. They all gasp. "Did you kiss?" Lana asks. I hide my mouth and nose behind my hands, smiling, and nod. They all celebrate shortly, then all at once, they regain composure. "Wait- there's more, isn't there?" Taylor asks, eyeing me suspiciously. "Way more." I answer.