What I love about Christmas

I have strict parents. As an only child, it was as if my parents expected me to live up to the glory of both of them combined.

The holiday season was coming around, and with every step there was a reminder that loved ones were spending time together. I, on the other hand, was not. I was stuck at home, studying. But I wasn't worried; I knew my parents cared little about my education aside from my grades. Beyond that, they were wholly ignorant.

It was the first day of holiday break, yet I had feigned doing homework the night before. My parents knew not when school was out for the year, and I planned on taking advantage of it. I left at the usual hour, around six in the morning, and arrived at the bus stop. I hopped on the bus that usually takes me to school. However, I got off the bus five stops early.

Walking up the short driveway, I called Christina, my best friend. We had known each other since third grade. Drowsily, my she answered.

"Hrgmf why are you calling me at this hour? There's no school today."

"Look outside your window, and then go open the front door."

"What?"

I had arrived at my best friend's house unannounced and was waving at the upstairs window. Christina's face appeared in the window, contorted as if saying what in the world, girl?, vanished, and a few seconds later the front door swung open.

She was still dressed in her pink pajamas tessellated with fluffy sheep, rubbing her eyes. I entered the house, rubbing off the remnants of snow on the doormat, and then shed my layers of winter clothing on the floor. Together we went upstairs, and I explained that I wanted to spend time with my boyfriend, but there would've been no way I could've done so if my parents knew I wasn't at school.

She grinned and turned on her computer, and we watched music videos of hot Korean singers until the sun rose. Then, I thanked Christina, caught another bus, and arrived at the park, glittering white with freshly fallen snow. I saw my boyfriend on a bench, and he stood up as he saw me. I flew into his arms, and thought: my favorite thing about Christmas is spending time with the people I love.