I was happily humming as I got into my house, what I found there almost made me forgot all the happy things going on in my life…In the middle of the living room was a shirtless G, with the console's visor, throwing jabs to a virtual enemy.
I wasn't surprised, this was like his second home, so it's not that weird. What was strange was the smirk on his face when he noticed my arrival…
"I heard you spend the night at Hayley's… how it was?"
"My mom told you?"
I stopped playing and started to look outside…
"Yeah, I came today early as we promised… you said that you would help me, but what did I find when I came here?!?!... that you trade me for your girlfriend!!... so now you are forced by our friendship to the tell me everything… did you two did it?"
He was smirking at me…
"…Yes, but I'm not telling you anything else… find yourself a girlfriend and try it yourself. I would start by wearing a shirt."
He seemed to ponder about it for a second before ignoring my answer.
"At least tell how they look. From the outside, they seem pretty nice."
He was putting his hands at the front of his chest nodding with a gaze that said… "you know what I mean."
"I'm not doing this G… and if it was anyone else, I would have already punched you…"
G noticed that he went a little overboard with the last comment.
"Sorry men, I'm just curious… just finish to this discussion… how it was?"
"This is all you will get from me… amazing. Now let's go before Rose ends with the tenth Christmas ribbon in a row."
"Ok, let's go, I don't see new colors for the ribbons, so I need your help with the gift."
He turned off the console off, and we got ready to leave the house.
"So… Are they C- cups?"
I punch him on the arm as we left the house…
…
…
We are moving to the city center to a specific shop that I already was familiar with.
"You are a horrible friend you know that?"
He was still massaging his arm, I didn't hit him that hard, but he wanted to make me feel guilty, so I tell him more about my night with Hayley.
"Stop talking about that I'm not going to tell you… now besides another ribbon have you thought about something else for Rose."
"Not really…. What about a pair of socks?"
I just facepalm myself as I looked at the idiot of my friend.
"At least think of something for a girl… and don't say something stupid like last time."
I had to add the last part as I knew he was going to say something stupid as soon as he opened his mouth… he closed it just after he heard me and thought for a second.
"mmm, a teddy bear?"
"That's better… but if you want to give her a teddy it has to be a special one, and that is the kind of place we are going."
… I get into the shop that I was aiming for since the beginning, inside of it I went to a corner full of posters of a particular game.
"Are those collectibles from a video game?"
"Not any game… her favorite game series, we still play from time to time together. Now, those two teddies are the cutest paid pets in the game, she likes the one that looks like a colorful puppy."
"This one?"
"Yes, that one."
He was holding a little Rainbow wolf cub, it was mostly white, but the legs, eyes and his tail had a bunch of different colors.
"Holy shit this is expensive… What are you getting for her?"
The price of the little cub wasn't that high, but G was always stingy with his money.
"Probably these earrings."
I said showing him a pair of transparent crystal roses. They were also an in-game item, and it included a code to get the cosmetic for the game, I knew she liked this one because she use ones that are similar to this, but the stats they give are awful.
"Let's trade."
"Are you sure?"
"How much does those cost?"
"15.000 credits."
"I'll just get this one."
I went to pay and put away the earrings… with this, I had all the gifts ready.
…
"I hope I get a good gift this year."
"Stop crying, this wouldn't have happened if you went to a normal gym instead of that expensive place you chose to go peek at girls."
"Worth every penny."
"Stop whining then, come let's go eat something before we go back."
We went to a food cart that was near, and as we walked there, I noticed two familiar figures.
"Hey look those are Hope and Rose."
I got near them and happen to hear a part of their conversation.
"I can't believe you bought that."
Was Hope telling Rose, I'm sure she bought something expensive for someone.
"Hey girls what are you talking about."
""Nothing""
Sometimes I think that they spend to much time together.
"With G we are going to eat something before going home, wanna come?"
"Sure! I'm starving."
"I'm… a little short on credits."
Rose blushed a little, every year since she has an allowance she spends most of her saving on gifts for everyone, and despite telling her not to, every year becomes worse. It's her way of showing us how much she cares about us.
"It's on me."
"Mine too?"
Hope was blinking at me with her big eyes to get some free food too.
*sigh
"Yeah, but we are just getting that offer… hot chocolate + muffin for 500 credits."
…
"I love chocolate!"
Hope was happily drinking her chocolate, the chocolate muffin was already gone for a while. Rose was sitting peacefully eating the same muffin as me, blueberry.
G got a soda instead and already ate his … I don't remember what he ate… it disappeared too fast.
My bracelet vibrated, and I took the earbud with a smile on my face.
"Hi sweetheart, how was the trip?"
"Nothing special… my dad forced me to listen to old music, and he gave me "the talk" …"
"You told him?"
"No… it's because you stayed, my mom knows, and she also gave me a long talk about being responsible and stuff. How are you?"
"I went to buy some gifts with G, and we met with Hope and Rose, so we are eating some muffins and hot chocolate in the park… we are going back later."
"I heard that there is an outdoor ice rink."
"Yeah I saw it while I was walking, I remember that I used to go there when I was younger."
"You should go… you need to practice a little, so you don't embarrass yourself when you take me there for our next date."
"That's a nice plan. How are your grandparent by the way?"
"My grandma still makes the best cake on the west coast and keep spoiling me."
"So I have some fierce competition on spoiling you?"
"Yes, you will have to make a huge effort when I come back… give me a second. My mom is calling me."
…
"I wish I could keep talking, but I have to go..."
"Don't worry we can talk later, I love you, Hayley!"
"I love you too, talk to you later…"
…
At my side, Rose had finished eating her muffin. I was in high spirits because of… well, everything.
Hope and G were having a snowball fight because G destroyed her snowman by mistake.
"Hey! wanna go ice skating?"
"Sure! Let's grhh."
G stopped the fight to look at me, and a giant snowball fell on his face.
Hope answered without even asking the others opinions and grabbed Rose's arm to walk towards the ice rink. I waited for a little for G to finish cleaning the snow that got inside his shirt and we followed the girls.
To make the things short, G fell a lot, and we kept laughing at him, Hope helped Rose who hasn't gone ice skating since we were little and I just peacefully take a couple of laps and took some pictures of everything… I might have focused on the times that G was on the floor…
It was a great day.