Page 72 of Girl Like Me

I give Echo the watered down version of what happened. He knows that he’ll have to talk to me later or to my uncle to get more details. There are just some things that the others don’t need to know. He nods and helps himself to more garlic bread.

We talk about our plans for the next year and Chloe is excited that she got into University in New Hope, Mac plans to visit on weekends, he needs to stay in Canary Bay for training. Chev is silent and hasn’t really had any input into what is going to happen. Mossy wants to be a mechanic and has been applying for apprenticeships wherever he can. Echo has to talk to my uncle before he makes any plans. I know they all just met but you only live once and if it’s meant to be it will all work out.

We spend the rest of the night hanging out until my uncle calls Echo and tells him that he needs to get the car back. We extend an invite to everyone for Christmas day. They are unsure of their plans currently, but will let us know.

All I know is that I have a few days to get the guys a gift each and I have no idea where to start. None of us really need anything when we’re going to be traveling around the world for an entire year. All we really need is each other.

“Wake up, wake up.” I groan and roll to my back, Rocky is standing over me jumping on the bed. “It’s Christmas,” he whispers. The excitement on his face is contagious. I hold my hands up and he helps pull me up. We both look down at all of the guys sleeping on the floor in their sleeping bags. I don’t think I have ever seen them look so peaceful.

“Come on guys, wake up!” Rocky shouts causing everyone’s eyes to snap open at the commotion.

I’m so excited that I feel extra jittery this morning. We all agreed that we wouldn’t go overboard with the gifts we give to each other. There's no way we could haul them all with us, so we focused our energy on buying presents for our families.

I look around the room and notice that Mercer is missing.Wonder where he ran off to.

Everyone else is up, after shaking off the startle that Rocky gave them when he shouted. We all head down to the kitchen, where the most amazing smell is originating from. Rocky insisted that we buy matching pj’s and because of that we’re all wearing matching Grinch pyjamas.

We were also lucky enough to get a last minute bulk printing order of ugly Christmas shirts from a local printer, Certified printing really came through. So everyone who walks through the door today gets to wear one. The best part was we were able to personalise each one to the individual person. So if you’re looking for a personalized shirt, they’re your people.

We find Mercer in the kitchen plating up breakfast. He has gone all out; eggs, bacon, pancakes and fruit.

I walk up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. “Merry Christmas Merce.”

He spins around and leans down placing a kiss on my lips. “Merry Christmas JD.”

“Hey, enough of that you two. Let's eat so we can open presents.” Levi retorts and laughs when Mercer flips him off.

Maximus has his phone in hand, taking pictures of everyone. I love that he captures the moments that you don’t realise you have, before it’s too late and you can never get them back again. I bounce around the counter and to the table, leaning in to press a kiss on Maximus’s cheek. I’m so bummed that I missed his birthday, but he said it was fine, he hates making a fuss anyway.

“The catering company is going to be here shortly. They will convert the formal dining room for us.”

Rory’s mum had a formal dining room made -it’s massive- the table could possibly seat fifty people. Rory said when her and his father moved in they would throw these massive dinner parties. There are large windows lining one wall that overlook the perfectly manicured lawn.

After we all take our seats, we eat and talk, laughter filling the air as the guys joke around with each other. I’m so excited to spend the next year traveling with them and discovering who we are individually and as a group. I won’t be the girl who was beaten and lost her memory and they won’t be the little boys taken into foster care. We will just be a bunch of teenagers having fun and living our best lives.

“Let’s do presents,” I say once everyone is stuffed.

Rory didn’t have a tree, so we went and found a store that still had up all of their display trees. Rory used his money and Rocky used his charm to convince the manager to sell them the tree that had the lights and decorations already on it, just because I said it was the prettiest tree that I had ever seen.

“Us first.” Maximus says in a whisper. Even if no one else could hear him, I always would. His voice is like music to my ears. It gives me butterflies every time he trusts me enough to talk in my presence.

Maximus walks over to the tree and pulls out a gift from underneath it. He hands me a small box, wrapped in silver paper with a red bow on top. I open it and gasp, my hand flying to cover my mouth in awe. It’s the prettiest necklace I’ve ever seen.It's a floating locket, with my name engraved on a heart and all their birth stones floating around it. Each of their names are printed around the edges, surrounded by diamonds.

“I love it,” I say, as tears gather in my eyes. I can’t believe they got me something so meaningful.

I jump up and crawl under the tree, pulling out a gift for each of them. I climb back to my feet and pass them out. They all tear through the paper at super speed making me laugh. I found us all Versace sunglasses, stylish and extremely practical for our vacation.

“Heck yes, look how sexy I look in these,” Rocky announces as he gets up and starts posing with his glasses on. We all laugh at his antics. Maximus is quick enough to pull his phone back out and snap a picture.

We open the rest of our gifts one by one. I end up with my necklace, a new bikini, a travel pillow, a new suitcase, a backpack, and a bag of travel adapters courtesy of Rocky.

Rocky declares he has to try on his new Speedo that I brought him. I knew he was going to buy me a bikini after he left his browser open and I went and made sure we had a matching set. My bikini came with a sarong and his speedo came with a Hawaiian style shirt.

He races off to get changed and the rest of us clean up the wrapping paper ready for when our families start to arrive, which will be any minute now. Carson and Phillip called to say they were leaving early. They tried to sleep in but it was no use. Carson was up and ready to leave over an hour ago, but Phillip insisted that he give us time to enjoy our very first Christmas morning together.

Rocky comes back into the room strutting his stuff wearing his new speedos, shirt and sunglasses singing “I’m too sexy,” by Right said Fred.

I cheer him on as all the others exit the room to go and change out of their pyjamas before anyone turns up.

---