Page 145 of Tragic Lies (Rixon High 2)

“Come here.” I pulled her into my chest and dropped my chin to her head, holding her.

I had no idea what the future held, how I was going to survive tomorrow or whatever came after that. But I vowed to myself to do everything in my power not to screw this up.

“Can I give you your gift now?”

“You got me something?”

“Yeah.” Her smile hit me dead in the chest.

“But I didn’t—”

“You’ve given me more than enough.” She went over to her purse and pulled something out. “It’s only small.” Holding out a small box, she added, “Merry Christmas, Xander.”

I accepted the gift and carefully opened it, floored at the glossy black keyring inside.

“I saw it this morning in a store on my way to work. I thought it would be—”

“It’s perfect.” I ran my fingers over the engraving, feeling emotion clog my throat.

Sometimes you don’t choose it, it chooses you.

“Every time you look at it, I want you know that I choose you.” My eyes slowly lifted to hers. “I choose you, Xander.”

If I thought she owned a piece of my soul already, this sealed my fate.

Peyton Myers was mine.

But more than that, I was hers.

* * *

The next morningwas the same as the last five years. I woke up alone. No presents under the tree—I didn’t have one—and no one to wish me Merry Christmas.

Except when I snatched my phone off the nightstand and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I had a message from Peyton that made me smile for the first time in a long time.

Blondie: Merry Christmas, Xander. I know we can’t be ourselves today, but I’ll be wishing we could be.

She’d sent an image too.A photo of her in a floppy Christmas hat and not much else if the expanse of her bare shoulders and collarbone was anything to go on.

Me: Merry Christmas. I think the rest of the image is missing…

Blondie: Flirt.

Me: With you, always.

My imagination had run awaywith me, picturing her in nothing but that silly little hat and maybe a giant bow for me to unwrap.

Blondie: Lily’s mom wasn’t kidding when she said Christmas is chaos. Poppy was up hours ago and your brother and Hailee just got here. What time are you coming over?

Me: Later. I try to avoid the gift exchange.

I checked my other messages,and sure enough, I had a message from my brother encouraging me to come to the Ford’s sooner rather than later. There was one from Hailee too. But they knew I wouldn’t concede.

I never did.

Blondie: Party pooper. I’ll see you later xo

Blondie: p.s. I’ll wear something special…

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