THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

"You loved me, understood me. So why are you running away from me?"

Aaron whispered the words to the darkness of his room, his gaze locked on the house across the street. Lights from Emma's family's tree spilled through the large living room window, casting a warm glow out into the cold. He watched her laugh with her family, watched her little brother Jake hand her a present, watched the way her eyes sparkled with happiness—without him.

It felt like he was living two lives: one in the silence of his room, the other in the warmth of her home. But tonight, he decided, that distance between them would finally disappear. He had a gift for her, a special gift that would make her realize they were meant to be together. She just needed to see it.

It had been two weeks since she'd broken up with him, said she couldn't keep up a relationship once they went their separate ways after graduation. She didn't understand—they had to stay together. She had to see.

Slowly, he stepped away from the window, his fingers curling around the small, wrapped box he'd prepared. He slipped out of his house, moving across the snow-crusted lawn in silence, feeling the thrill of being so close. He crossed over to her house, carefully jiggling the lock on the back door until it clicked open. In the shadows, he moved toward the living room, slipping beside the Christmas tree, feeling almost at home here, where she and her family celebrated. He held the box in his lap, waiting.

Christmas Morning

Emma heard Jake's footsteps thundering down the stairs before she was even fully awake. "Presents!" he was shouting as she rubbed her eyes, smiling in spite of herself as she climbed out of bed and hurried down after him. She heard his little giggle of excitement as he rounded the corner into the living room.

And then—silence.

"Jake?" she called, rounding the corner. Her stomach twisted. Aaron sat by the Christmas tree, smiling at her, a wrapped box in his hands. Jake was beaming, looking back and forth between them.

"Aaron," Emma managed, her voice barely a whisper. She felt frozen, unable to breathe. "What…what are you doing here?"

He held up the box, his smile brightening as he gazed up at her. "Merry Christmas, Emma," he said softly. "I knew you wouldn't let me come, so I thought I'd surprise you. I wanted to give you a present."

Her face drained of color. "Aaron, you need to go."

But he only tilted his head, his expression softening. "You don't mean that," he said, patting the spot beside him. "Come sit. It's Christmas, after all. We should be together." His voice turned darker, quieter. "You promised we'd always be together."

Emma's heart pounded. "That was before," she stammered, glancing toward the stairs, praying her parents would wake up. "Please. I told you…I told you it's over."

His face shifted, a shadow falling over his eyes. "I thought you were just…confused," he murmured. "You're scared, I know. You're scared to love me the way I love you. But I brought this gift to show you. To help you understand."

At that moment, her father appeared in the doorway, his face darkening when he saw Aaron by the tree, Jake standing too close. "Aaron, get out," he growled, pulling Jake toward him protectively.

Aaron didn't even flinch. He set the box down carefully, his eyes still locked on Emma's. "I'm not leaving until she opens her gift," he said. His voice was calm, eerily steady. "Because once she does, she'll see."

Her father took a step forward, reaching into his pocket. "Get out, now, or I swear I'll make you regret it."

Aaron only smirked, leaning back with an unsettling calm. "Oh, I don't think so," he said, holding his hand up. "Because that would ruin Christmas, wouldn't it? Besides…" he tapped the box lightly. "There's a timer. It's already ticking." He turned his gaze to Emma, his voice softening. "If you come back to me, I'll turn it off. Just…give us another chance."

Emma's eyes filled with tears as she dropped to her knees, her hands pressed together as if in prayer. "Aaron, please. Just…just leave, and I swear I won't tell anyone you were here."

He watched her, his expression softening, almost sympathetic. But he shook his head. "You don't understand, do you? It's too late. You're the only one who can save them now, Emma."

Her father's voice was barely a whisper. "You're bluffing."

Aaron glanced at him, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "Go ahead, take your shot. But if I'm telling the truth, well…you won't get to try again."

Emma's father didn't hesitate. There was a flash, a loud bang, and Aaron fell back against the tree, his eyes wide as he gasped for breath, one hand reaching out toward Emma. "I…wasn't lying…" he choked, his eyes darkening as his fingers curled around the box one last time. A faint beep filled the silence.

The explosion was deafening, a burst of flame and heat that consumed the room, tearing through the walls and windows, swallowing the tree, the lights, everything in its path. Emma covered Jake with her body, shielding him from the flames as best she could.

When the fire died down, only the shell of the house remained. Emma lay sprawled on the ground, Jake clutching her hand, his small frame trembling as he looked around at the charred remains of their home.

Aftermath

The hospital room was too quiet, too white. Emma sat up in her bed, her hands trembling as she cradled a cup of water. Across from her, an officer took notes, watching her with a mix of sympathy and unease.

"Emma," he asked gently, "can you tell us what happened? Do you remember how the fire started?"

Her lips trembled as she tried to speak. "It was…Aaron. He came to…to see me." She laughed softly, the sound tinged with a strange sadness. "He had this gift. He said it would bring us together."

The officer exchanged a look with his partner. "Emma, we've spoken with your family and friends. They all said the same thing. You didn't have a boyfriend named Aaron. There's no record of anyone by that name."

Her face twisted, her laughter turning hollow. "What are you talking about? He was real. I…he loved me." She squeezed her eyes shut, clutching the hospital blanket as if it were his hand. "He was there with me. We…we were meant to be together."

The officer hesitated. "Emma, we found the remains of a gun. The fire was caused by a shot to the gas line. No one else was there but you, you had a gun."

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. "No…no, no, no, you're wrong. He was there. He loved me. He…he was the only one who ever loved me." She looked around the room, her gaze drifting over the nurses, the doctors, the officers, her little brother lying in the bed beside her with burns covering his arms. She let out a soft, bitter laugh. "You're all just trying to keep us apart."

The officer sighed, gesturing to the nurse. "Her records show…a history of paranoia. Delusional attachments." He paused, lowering his voice. "Her family had concerns. She's been known to…see things that aren't there."

Outside the room, the nurse whispered to the detective. "She's been calling out to him in her sleep. She's…still waiting for him to come back."

In her bed, Emma clutched her bandaged hand, whispering his name to the empty room. "You loved me, understood me," she muttered, her smile slowly widening, "and now…you're waiting for me. You always knew they'd never understand."

Her laughter echoed through the room, empty, lost, as her brother watched her with frightened eyes.

The End