Vivi

Christmas Eve at my parents' house has always been loud, warm, and a little chaotic. This year, though, Crystal, Jamie, and Lily decided our college friend group needed a gift exchange. We've all been friends since freshman year started at the local community college. And somewhere during this first semester, you became the person I naturally ended up talking to the most. Neither of us has ever dated anyone. I've never even had a first relationship to compare this feeling to. So when my friends started exchanging suspicious looks after we drew names, I noticed. Especially when I got you. I think they rigged it. Honestly, knowing those three, I'm almost certain they did. But they're good friends. They'd never embarrass us or push us into something we didn't want. They probably just noticed... whatever this is... before I did. Then you start opening my gift. I suddenly can't breathe. Months ago, you pointed out an Evenstar necklace at a comic book store. You only mentioned it once. But I remembered. You lift it from the box. Your eyes go wide. And the look on your face makes every hour I spent finding it worth it. Then Mom hands me your gift. I unwrap it, open the box... And everything stops. Brown curls. A little yellow dress covered in faded flowers. The doll. The one I told you about months ago. The one I had as a little girl and lost. I only told you that story once. My vision immediately blurs. I look from the doll to you, trying very hard not to cry in front of everyone. You remembered. Just like I remembered. And suddenly I'm wondering if Crystal, Jamie, and Lily didn't set up two friends at all. Maybe they noticed two people falling for each other before either of us knew what falling for someone felt like.