Page 39 of Shifted

"Yeah, sorry, I sound like a crazy person right now." He chuckled, shaking his head in disagreement, and took my hand, kissing it.

"If you were a true loon, I wouldn't have driven you home, Hope." He pulled in front of my apartment building and parked the car.

"I'm sorry this night was cut short, but thank you." I leaned in, and he pulled me in for a kiss. "For the record, I think it was super hot how you took that guy down so easily." I pushed his chest playfully, "What! I did, and now I'm going to have to go home to take a cold shower?" I scoffed; that was one of the many things in life I never needed to know.

"Ew, all right, bye, Reed!" I opened and shut the door, readjusting my dress as I walked towards the glass front doors to my building.

?

The last nail holding up the vent fell to the floor as the smell of the stale beer took over. The lid fell and clattered against the ground as I heard shuffling in the other room. I slid my body through and landed in a living room surrounded by old furniture and beige walls.

Half the side of the room was a mess, and the other half was dusty. "George?" His voice called from the bedroom as I stood waiting for him. I went to the couch and took a seat, moving a brown and aged, smelly banana peel aside with my pistol and throwing it to the floor. I leaned into the couch and stared at a painting. It was just a detailed drawing of a woman's body, and above it hung LED lights.

It laced the ceiling like crown molding but more frat boy-esque. This boy was supposedly 35 but lived in a home that looked like he was 20. It seriously had me questioning if he were a college boy due to the amount of discarded beer bottles on the floor.

Waiting for his presence was exhilarating. Now I knew why Amartolós was so infatuated by the chase. It was almost thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. But this one was more vengeful because he’d nearly wronged my own best friend.

"George, I told you not to…" He opened the door to see me waiting for him. He froze and just stared at me, "Did one of my guys order you? Because this is Dustin Bingham's apartment, George's is two doors-" I lifted my gun to his face, and he froze, mortified.

"Do I look like a fucking stripper to you?" I watched as his body started to shake, and he shook his head rapidly. "I thought the costume was interesting," He squeaked as I clicked the gun pointed at him. He doubted me and what I’d do, but I never backed down from a mission—especially one so personal.

"I'm not here to give you a lap dance, just a death sentence. I told you I'd kill you?" With that I pulled the trigger.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Hope Taylor

I can honestly say that the worst time of the year may just be known as 'The most wonderful time of the year.' I found it to be rather stressful. Though I'm no Grinch, I love Christmas morning and certain parts of December, especially with the music and the holiday decorations.

But the looming thoughts of my family came in. Christmas during my childhood wasn't something I looked back fondly on. I was one of those children that Santa didn't really have time for. So when I had Joely, I knew that Santa was something my children would experience.

But the stress of holiday shopping and the overwhelming remembrance of past years make things hard. But Christmas isn't all gloom. There's a Jones and a Peters who make it a little bit more, merry, and bright.

The taxi door opens, and I feel my arm being yanked out by Bella as she holds Joely in her hand. My feet hit the pavement, and the taxi door shuts as we leave for the local Christmas market. Every year at the Sea Port, a Christmas festival is held. Tourists and locals fill the port, finding stuff to do, "We should try and get her to Santa before the line gets way too long." Joely was half awake on Bella's arm; I don’t know how she’d feel about Santa.

"Will she even remember meeting Santa?" Bella almost looked insulted by my slight suggestion for Joely not to meet the creepy old guy dressed in a suit.

Bella gasped, "She has to meet Santa?" She was acting more like Joely's mother than me. "No Grinch for Christmas Hope, get your Holiday cheer on!" She was right; I needed to escape this Holiday slump. My mind keeps telling me it doesn’t feel like Christmas, but when did it ever really feel that way?

Her excitement reminded me of when she helped run the Middlebury High School Christmas festival. She forced me to help her even though I wanted nothing to do with it.

We walked through Christmas decor and giant candy canes with lights as far as the eye could see. I personally wanted to be snuggled up on my couch with cocoa right about now. "Next!" The elf called, and I handed Joely off to Santa. Bella clasped her hands in excitement.

Yet again, Joely was only three, so her knowledge of Santa was slim. So when the tears came the second she sat down, I wasn't left surprised. "Alright, Joe, let's go." I picked her up and glared at Bella, "Shhh, it's okay. It's okay. It was just Santa." But really, a creepy dude in a suit who looked almost too young for the role.

I believed that Santa was just the start of leaving children with major trust issues. Suddenly, we are all cool with a big fat man sliding down our chimney. Of course, I’d never rob my child of it. I think I’m this way because I never got the chance to believe in him. The parents who tell their children early, ruining the magic, are the worst. Why not just let their child believe and have some sort of a happy childhood?

"Bella, I told you that was not a good idea," Joely fell asleep on my shoulder again as we walked through the market.

"Well, lesson learned?" She bit back from my words as I sighed and turned towards the ornaments. I lifted an ornament I recognized and smiled at the memory it holds, "Joely's father took me here once during freshman year of college to get me into the holiday spirit for Christmas.”

Six years ago

"I think this is our worst idea yet."

The train stopped, and I stared through the window at the trains parallel to this one. His gaze met mine in the reflection. I was a nervous wreck. "I'm teaching you how to live, Hope. Come on, you're going to love Boston."

College in the city was definitely a better experience than I had, but I have failed to explore it since getting here. Growing up in a suburb 45 minutes outside of Boston actually held me back from the city. I've only journeyed here a few times from Middlebury before starting college this fall. But he was determined to show me the city as a whole and what I’d been ‘missing out on.’

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