Page 161 of The Nightmare Before Kissmas
“There’s always next year,” Hex tries. His eyes flash between Kris and Iris too, picking up on that weird energy. But he doesn’t seem surprised by it.
He knows. Whatever happened. She must have told him.
Kris elbows me. Hard. Enough that I grunt.
“Give him the gift,” he says, and I relent.
“Fine, fine, upstaging me.” I hand the box to Hex. “Here. Merry Christmas. Unless it’s terrible, then this is all Kris’s fault.”
Hex takes it and begins to peel at the tape on the paper.
Both Kris and I moan in harmony. We bust up laughing, and it momentarily dispels the weirdness.
“What?” Hex holds, fingers splayed over the box.
“Rip the paper,” I say.
“You don’t save it?”
“It’s recyclable.Rip the paper.It’s part of the fun.”
“Christmas barbarism.” Hex shakes his head, but complies, working his fingers under the edge and ripping a long strip off the box. He flips open the lid, and I can’t see whatever’s in it, but his face breaks out in a big, cheesy grin.
He throws that grin at Kris. “Where did you get this?”
Kris is beaming. “I have connections.”
“Ah, yes, the infamous Christmas black markets.” Hex pulls it out of the box and twists it around for Iris and me to see.
I crack a laugh. Even Iris finally smiles up from the floor.
It’s a black, long-sleeve shirt that has a stocking on it under the wordsI Deserve Coal in My Stocking.
“I am marked by Christmas yet again.” Hex drapes the shirt against his chest. “Should I wear this today, or is it perhaps too tongue-in-cheek?”
I have so many comebacks to that, starting with some quip aboutmytongue being inhischeek and ending withwear nothing so I really can put Coal in Your Stocking,but I settle for rocking into him and grazing my teeth on his neck.
Kris bumps his knee against mine. “Wren set up meetings with the winter Holidays, the heads of our noble Houses, and—” He falters, gaze flicking in the general direction of Iris before refixing on me. “And King Neo. First one’s with the winter Holidays in an hour, before all our Christmas Day duties.” He pauses. “Dad said he’ll be there.”
I watch Iris. “How involved in these meetings do you want to be?”
Her eyes pop up to mine. “I haven’t talked to my father yet. But I’d like to listen to what you have to say. As your friend, and as—” Her breath is level and resolved. “And as an Easter representative.”
She misses my proud grin when her gaze drops to stare fixatedly into her coffee.
“Well. Good,” I say slowly, eyes darting between Kris and Iris one more time.
Neither of them look at me now.
Huh.
“Good,” I say again with even more hesitation. “I guess I should go get ready and let you—”
Kris leaps to his feet. Absolutelyrocketsoff the couch. “Me too. I’ll see you there. Merry Christmas and shit.”
He rushes from the room before I can so much as get the first letter of his name out of my mouth.
I drop another look at Iris. Who is still staring down into her coffee like it’ll tell her the secrets of the universe.
