Page 28 of Scrooged for the Holidays
“Greer Louise Mallory!”
Present Me’s skin prickles. I swing my gaze from the scene before me to my front door, where a younger version of my mom is standing. She has red hair and a curvy frame like mine. Her hands are on her hips, and she’s got a red apron tied around her waist.
“Get in here right now!” she scolds.
Kai and I watch as Young Greer pulls her ski hat from her head and bites her lower lip. There’s no missing the tears in her eyes, another thing I forgot about that day.
“Greer!” she yells louder this time.
“I’m coming!” I scream back.
I take a step forward to follow her, but Kai’s hand on my shoulder stops me. At his touch, memories of what happens inside flash through my mind like I’m watching a movie of my life.
My mom yelled at me for what I told Avery, told me how disappointed she was in me for ruining Christmas for my best friend. I tried to argue back, but my mom sent me to my room after she told me how upset she was in me—but not before she added, “If Santa is real, you’ve been a very naughty girl now, Greer.”
Kai pulls his hand from me, and the memories stop. I gasp, feeling like I had been holding my breath. It’s dark around us now; the winter sun has already set.
The lights from the house allow me to study Kai’s eyes. They’re no longer warm but sad. No, not sad—full of pity. Which is even worse.
I exhale a loud breath. “What’s going on? How did you do that?”
“You needed to see that,” he says, not answering my question. “And I know you’re upset, but there’s still more to see.”
My brow furrows as he reaches for me again, but I step out of his path. I don’t need to see more of this night. I remember how much I cried in my room, not eating dinner or speaking to my parents. Not only because I knew I hurt Avery but also because I remember wondering if Santa trulywasreal—if my cousin was wrong and I for sure wouldn’t get what I wanted because I was a bad girl.
Spoiler alert, I didn’t get the snowsuit. That was one of the worst Christmas mornings I’ve ever had. It wasn’t until I got older that I understood that my parents couldn’t afford it, that not getting it had nothing to do with me being bad. But this Christmas changed everything for me. It made me feel likeIwas bad.
“Greer.”
I blink away the sting in my eyes, replacing the sadness with anger. I huff, but the air doesn’t turn to ice from my breath. It’s a reminder that this—whatever the hell this is—can’t be real. It just can’t be. Because how do I explain what I just saw? What Kai showed me with his touch? That doesn’t happen in real life. It could only happen in dreams—or something else.
“This is a nightmare,” I say.
“It’s not,” Kai answers.
I shake my head. “It is. It has to be.” I bring my hand up and smack myself.
“What are you doing?” Kai’s alarmed tone only makes me laugh.
“Waking myself up.” I hit my face harder, but like the cold, I don’t feel anything.
Kai’s hands grab mine before I can hit myself a third time. “Stop it, Greer. That’s not going to work.”
“No? It’s my nightmare, right? My brain? I can wake up!” I go to yank my hand from his to hit myself again, but then he snaps his fingers.
The scenery around us changes, and my stomach drops again, but this time, I don’t land in a snowbank. I’m standing in what looks to be my parents’ living room. A fake pine tree with no decorations on it yet sits in the corner, and boxes labeled “Christmas Stuff” litter the floor.
Fuck me, is this another memory?
Kai’s gaze is intense as I look at him. The light of day makes it easier to see his angelic features. I studied them before but not like this. High cheekbones, soft, wavy brown hair, anddamn, he is tall. I’m five-nine, and he towers over me.
I shake my head. Why am I thinking about his looks right now? I need to focus. I have questions, and I’m pissed…or freaked out…actually, both.
“Give me answers now, Kai! Why can’t I wake up?”
“That’s a complicated question,” he says.
“It’s not like I’m going anywhere. I’ve got time.”
