My Christmas Wish - Ep. 4

~Aaron~

I put my earphones in and close my mind to everything but the musical perfection of Meatloaf, letting the surrounding chaos of the school bus on a Friday ensue around me. I don't understand when people don't understand why I want to be alone, just come on my school bus and you'll see... A sandwich flies over my head, I duck slightly and look up at the only other student on my bus who has decided not to join in with the food fight, Jennifer. She has drawn a keyboard in her history book and is delicately pressing the 'keys' in an order that I'm sure sounds beautiful to her. My guess is she's practicing for the Christmas Concert on Monday that I still haven't told mum about and I'm not planning to...

The bus breaks suddenly and I fly forwards to the constraints of the seat belt, the bus driver stands up and I look down and turn up the volume on 'Bat Outta Hell' trying to pretend that I don't see him surveying the bus. He walks along the aisle giving each a look over before his huffs and returns to his seat pushing the handbrake forwards and starting off again. I switch to 'I'd Do Anything For Love' and wonder if I actually would but before I even have time to think the bus pulls up at the end of my road and I step off and begin to walk past the 5 terraced houses, turn left at Mr. Time's mansion, crossover at the house with the two silver gates and continue until I arrive home.

I try to sneak upstairs before anyone notices that I'm home but as soon as I get in Mum is blocking the doorway.

"Aaron, can you explain this please?"

Mum holds a printed off email in my face from the school. I take it from her and begin to read it...

'Dear Mr and Mrs Harrison,

We hope you are aware that your son, Aaron, has expressed interest in performing in the Christmas Concert here at NorthDoor High School. However, the issue with this is that it will be on Monday afternoon, as I'm sure you know, when Aaron will be absent. Please let us know-'

Mum took it out of my hands.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were in the concert?"

I shrug

"You do want to do it don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Oh, that's brilliant! You know that me and your father are coming too? And that we'll have to drive you in? And-"

"Okay mum, I'm going to practice..."

I go around her and head upstairs but mum calls my name when I'm half way up.

"Yes mum..."

"Be quiet when you go up, Lucia's sleeping..."

Monday 20th December and I'm sitting in the pews of our local cathedral watching as Tiffany prepares to sing her cover of 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'.

I look around imaging the crowd there'll be tonight and my eyes stop once again on Jennifer who has just entered at the back. Tiffany stops singing and gives her a death stare, clearing her throat. Mrs. Wright turns to her with a smile that quickly turns to a frown.

"Jennifer! Why are you not wearing your jacket? And why is your hair still purple? You said it would be sorted by today!"

"I said it might be sorted Miss..."

"And the jacket?"

"Too warm, and formal..."

She goes and sits down at the piano and sets out her music ready to play.

They run through the song again before she calls everyone up to the front to practice for choir where Tiffany once again takes the lead. Noah, Caden, Grayson, Aria and I all shimmy out from the pews and go to the front. I take my seat at the drum kit.

Aria leans over to Tiffany as she passes and whispers something that makes her jaw drop and a single laugh come out. Then they lean into each other and whisper again, although this time they bother turn to me and snigger. I look down at the cymbal as Mrs. Wright goes to the door to help the other students carry some speakers in.

"Hey Aaron! You alright over there all alone?!" Aria says

"Don't worry Aria, he's used to it... After all he never did have any friends anyway..." replies Tiffany more to me than Aria

"So, how is your search for true love going anyway? Or just anyone who likes you at all for that matter?"

Jennifer stands up and points at the giggling girls.

"Hey! Stop being mean to him!"

"Aww, standing up for your boyfriend?" Aria coos

"Shut Up!"

"Jennifer! We will not be using that kind of language here... Sit down please and turn to page 42. For the rest of you it's page 8 and for you Aaron it's page 34"

I try to smile but don't do anything else as I don't have a book. Then I play, Jennifer does too...