by M.E. Timmons
Chapter 16
I slept in on Christmas morning. I wasn't expecting anything special to happen, so I hadn't bothered to set my alarm. I was quite surprised when I woke up to see that there was a package for me on top of the chest at the foot of my bed. It wasn't big, but it was still unexpected. Jack and I had never exchanged gifts, and I didn't expect anything from any of my new friends since none of them really celebrated the holiday. In fact, I hadn't received a gift since before my parents died.
I got showered and dressed before I went anywhere near the package. It was too late to go to breakfast, so I grabbed some food from the fridge in the kitchen off of the common room. Finally, when I had run out of other things to do, I went back to my room and picked up the package. It was square and flat, and wasn't wrapped, though the box itself was covered in a silver snowflake pattern, and it wasn't very heavy. My name was written in very neat letters on a tag in one corner. I didn't recognize the handwriting, and it didn't say who it was from.
My curiosity got the best of me. I took the lid off of the box and set it down beside me. Inside was a card and a smaller box that was surrounded in tissue paper. I picked up the card and opened it. It featured the same neat writing as on the tag.
Juliet,
Forgive me for not getting you something better, and for not having gotten you anything else in the past sixteen years. I do not expect gifts to be welcome to you, since you are unfamiliar with them. I am only giving you back something that already belongs to you. You will not need it, but I hope that it will give you something to think about, and maybe some of the answers you seek. I would say more, but you would not want me to. I will merely wish you a happy holiday instead.
Yours,
A Friend
It still didn't sound like anyone I knew, but I couldn't help but be intrigued. If there was ever anything that I wanted, it was answers. I opened the inside box, not knowing what to expect, but eager to see what it was.
Inside the box were three beautiful keys. One was black, and looked like it was made of obsidian. It had a skull with wings carved into one end. It was sleek and shining, like glass. Another one of the keys also had an interesting design, and appeared to be made of brass. It was heavier than the first, and one end looked like the branches of a tree, so the handle appeared to be a trunk. Still, it was the third key that interested me the most. It was the most delicate and intricate, but I couldn't tell what it was made of. It didn't look like any type of metal, rock, or wood that I had ever seen, but I thought that it may have been made from ivory. It was bright white aside from three small sapphires that were embedded in its interwoven design. I had never seen any of the keys before, so I wondered why the person who gave them to me said they were already mine. I also didn't understand their significance. Still, they were beautiful, and I wanted to keep them, so I strung them on the chain I found in the box and put it around my neck. I slipped the keys under my shirt, and kept them close to my heart.
Jack came and found me shortly after, and we spent the rest of the morning swimming in the pool. I told him that I had spent time with Adrian the day before, and he wasn't surprised. He said that Adrian had been more cheerful than he had ever seen him before. I was happy to hear that. I didn't tell him about my keys. It seemed too personal.
After we went swimming we went for a walk outside. The sun was shining brightly and it was warmer than it had been, so we weren't the only ones out enjoying the weather. The snow was melting away, which made me sad. I liked the way it made everything look so pure.
"Remember Christmas at Pembrook?" Jack asked as we were walking. "It was my least favourite day of the year. Ms. Holland always made us decorate the house, and Mrs. Jameson would make those horrible cookies that we had to eat because she made them as a treat. I don't think anyone had the heart to tell her how bad they were, even the younger ones."
I smiled briefly at the memory. "They really were horrible, but they weren't really the worst part. I remember how only a couple of kids would get gifts, and some of the younger kids who hadn't been there for very long would cry because they didn't get anything. It always made me sad, even though I never wanted anything myself."
"Dan was one of the people who got gifts. He would say they were from his grandparents or something, but they were always from his mom. He told everyone she was dead, but he had gotten taken away from her because of her drug use. I heard Ms. Holland talking about it once."
"Do you ever miss them?" I asked.
"Not really," Jack admitted, shrugging. "I never liked anyone enough there to miss them except for you, and I still have you here with me." He smiled.
"Thank goodness for that," I said. "Who else would I be able to drag with me to the library?"
Jack groaned. "You better not want to go there right now," he complained.
I laughed and shoved him playfully. "Why would I want to do that when it's so nice out here?"
"Thank goodness for that," Jack said, and we kept walking, breathing in the fresh air.
