Prologue

[Christmas]

I’m letting my tears to fall together as the rain drops coming from the grey sky. I am watching him who is looking at me without tears for my mom’s death. An evil smile glimpsed at his face before he turned his back at me. In the first place that I saw Carlos, I never like him. He is just 2 years older than me and yea, my mom become his sugar mommy. Gross! But that isn’t bothering me this moment. 

“Christmas, let’s go!” Carlos shouted, standing right in front of the car waiting for me.

Six months after my mom brought him in our house…

“Don’t worry, Baby. My daughter will understand why are you here.”

           My forehead knotted as I heard what my mom said. I’m just right here at the kitchen, finding something to eat that’s why I heard her clearly. I walk out in the kitchen to see what is going on.

“Oh, Christmas,” my mom uttered as she saw me, holding the hand of a stranger in front me.

“Who the hell is he, Mom?” I asked, pointing my finger on the man she is with.

           The stranger was looking at me straight in my eyes and it’s kinda creepy the way he looking at me. I can’t deny the fact that he has this charm but my feeling about him wasn’t good. I guess we are just in the same age and the way my mom holding his hand, telling me he is her new boyfriend!

“He will be your step father sooner, Christmas,” she answered that made my jaw drop.

“You are just kidding, right?” I asked, looking unbelievably at them both.

My mom shook her head. “I’m serious. We love each other and I hope it is okay to you, darling.”

“Bullshit, Mom!” I run in the staircase, heading at my room. 

Bam!

I slammed the door as I got inside and throw myself in my bed. “What the hell is she thinking? Why is she replacing you, dad, with a man that is likely my age?” I asked, looking at the photo of my dad in my bedside table. “Why is she replacing you?”

           Since I lost my mood with my mom’s ‘Babyboy’, I didn’t join them in their dinner even I am starving in death. Maybe I will just take a nap for me not to feel this hunger.

“Oh, Carlos you’re so good. Ahh. Ahh.”

           My forehead knotted when I heard my mom’s voice in the room that is just beside mine. Their noises made me awake. They are still keep doing their thing loudly and in annoyance, I get off my bed and walk out in my room. I headed downstairs to search something to eat while they are not yet done at their room. 

“This is really annoying,” I said and open the refrigerator. My eyes sparkled as I saw a box of Kitkat chocolate that I didn’t saw lately. I took it and closed the door of refrigerator but my heart jump in surprise. He is just with my mom. How come he is here?

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, half nakedly wearing only his boxer.

I averted my eyes somewhere. “How long you’d been standing there?”

“Just now,” he answered, “Did you like the chocolate you were holding?”

I face him because of his question. “Don’t tell me this was yours?”

“Yea, I bought it for—” 

 “Here takes your chocolate. I’m not hungry anyway.” I give the box that I am holding and passed him, heading back to my room. I don’t want to get poison of his chocolate. Maybe that’s the reason why my mom is sick in love with him.

           After my mom brought Carlos in our house, he already stays with us. Every day that I saw his face, I’m cursing his presence around us. Especially every time he is looking at me. My mom wants me to practice calling him dad but I never did. I rather call him brother or in his name than calling her dad/daddy. No one can replace my dad for me. I thought everything will going well like a normal day for us but after of months everything changed.

“Christmas, Darling!” my mom shouted at the living room.

“What?” I shouted back while going downstairs and I saw her wearing her pencil skirt, “Where are you going?”

“Guess what? I already got a job interview today. Gosh! After all the long wait, finally!” 

“That’s great! Good luck with the interview, Mom.” 

“Thank you, Darling.” She wears her shoulder bag holding a brown envelope where she putted all her papers. “By the way, I will not be home tonight. I need to see your auntie in Florida. I need to get the money she loaned to me last month.” 

 “Okay?” I answered with a heavy felling on what might going to happen as she leave.

“I have to go now. Just say to Carlos that I already left if he wakes up,” she said hurriedly and slammed the door as she leaves.

“I hope he didn’t wake up,” I said and straight at the kitchen to eat.

           My mom didn’t cook yet anything for the breakfast that’s why I have to do it myself. I will only cook my food here. I prepared 2 pieces of beacon, 1 sun side up egg and 4 slice bread that I toasted in the oven. I only have fresh milk in my glass. After settling all my breakfast in the table, I eat fast like I am on a food fight contest. I don’t want him to see me here. 

           After eating my breakfast, I walk back upstairs to go in my room. But before I could get inside, I notice the room slightly open where Carlos is sleeping. I’m not sure if he still sleeping but there is something pushing me to take a glimpse inside.

“You’re going to regret this, Christmas,” I said to myself and walk with a light step, heading at his room. As I stopped in front the room, I slowly push the door and my forehead knotted, seeing he wasn’t inside. “Did he go downstairs?” 

As the curiosity hits me what is inside, I entered not sure if he is really downstairs. I never saw him there or maybe he is just outside the house? Since my mom brought him here, I stop entering here because of that guy. At this moment, I’m just here to see what can I find here. Let’s start at my mom’s drawer. Seeing my mom’s picture together with her guy, made my eyes rolled in annoyance. I flipped down the picture frame and start checking what is inside the drawer. My forehead knotted as I saw my class picture when I was in college. There is a red circle exactly on me in the picture.

“Did you find what are you looking for?”

           I become motionless as I heard him at my back. I can hear his footsteps heading towards me that made my toes shake in nervous.

“Give me that.” He took the picture in my hand.

“Wait.” I faced him and he is half naked in front me. “That picture belongs to you?” I asked to clarify if my thought was right.

“Yea and you didn’t inform me that you are going to visit me here.” He steps forward and sniffed like a dog closer at me. “You smell like strawberry.”

“What the hell!” I pushed him in the bed. “Don’t you dare to do that!”

“Why not? Your mom will not be around here till tonight. So, I am free to do what I want.” He smiled devilry at me.

I rolled my eyes to hide the tense. He sounded creepy as hell! “Whatever. I will not be here tonight, by the way. I’m going to sleep at my friend’s house.” I said and about to turn my back at him when he suddenly grabs my arm tightly.  

“You’re not going anywhere, Christmas,” he said at his dark aura.

“Get off me!” I yelled, trying to get my arm at him, “What is your problem?!”

“I’d been waiting for this moment, Christmas.” He grabs my other arm and pull me closer to him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked confused, still trying to release myself from his hands. 

“You see the picture, right? Are you not curios, why there’s a red circle in you?”

           I didn’t answer and only gave him a questioning look. This is not really good.

“I already known you since we are in college. I really admire you since I saw you until then,” he said that made my whole nerves in tense. “You’re really pretty, smart and nice, Christmas. I wasn’t really after your mom because it was you who really I want.” he added and push me on the bed.

“W-what are you doing?” I asked stammering, moving backward here in the bed. Tell me this isn’t happening!

“The thing that I should’ve done,” he answered and goes on my top, holding my wrists in my both sides. “I love you.” he whispered and start kissing me in my neck. “You’re mine, Christmas.”

“Ahh! Get off me!” I yelled and start panicking on what he is doing to me.

He stopped and put his finger in my lips, exploring its parts. “Shh. This is just quick.” 

Before he could continue what his intention to me, I kick him out on my top and run fast through my room. I locked the door and go to my bed. My heart keeps on thrashing in nervous ‘bout the man that I am with now. How come he knew me when I didn’t? I never saw him in my whole college life!

Knock! Knock!

           I galped when he knocked twice at my room’s door.

“Christmas?” he called my name calmly than his creepiest voice recently.

“Stay the hell out of me!” I yelled and throwed the pillow on the door.

“I’m sorry on what I acted. I didn’t mean it,” he said, “But I meant what I said to you. I love you and I want you not your mom, Christmas. So please, let me in?” he starts trying to open the door of my room but it was lock.

“Stay away Carlos! Or I will call mom!” 

He stopped turning the knob outside my room. “You’re bluffing. You are not going to tell your mom about this. She wouldn’t believe you.”

“Dare me!”

“Okay,” he only replied and I heard his footsteps walking away.

“Damn this,” I whispered at myself and start packing my things. I already texted Kashia that I am going to sleep over in their house and I have to go before Carlos do something to me. The thing I’d said a minute ago, I really mean it. I’m going to tell this to mom tomorrow as she got back. If I’m going to call her now, she might lose her job interview that she’d been waiting.