Presents (Part 3)

Sarah was the hardest to think of a present for because there was a possibility that she wouldn’t like what I wanted to give her, so I had to think of a backup. In contrast, Alice was actually the hardest because I didn’t know what to get her at all.

Alice’s ultimate passion was cars. There was no doubt about that. But what could I give her that was within my budget and that would make her happy? A full tank of gas? New windshield wipers? Hell no. It was during my quest to find Noelle’s gift that I ran into something that I thought Alice would love.

M-Maybe I was wrong. So with an apologetic smile, I gave her her present. It was a smaller and lighter box than Noelle’s.

The exchange was awkward. I had an urge to apologize as I was giving it to her, and Alice looked ashamed and riddled with guilt.

“Th-Thank you…” the blonde said. She unwrapped her present slowly, with care. Then relief washed over me when I saw her eyes light up. “W-W-Wait! They sell these too!?”

It was a model kit, too. One that you had to assemble yourself. However, this wasn’t a robot. It was a model kit of Alice’s RX-7 FD3S.

This was one of the many times that the mind reading and the connection between us was a life saver. Alice smiled and looked the box over, examining the pictures. If not for our connection, I would’ve thought that her reaction was an act to make me feel better. But it wasn’t. Alice saw that her present was a small, model version of her favorite car and was brimming with excitement.

Mila and Isabelle let out loud sighs of relief.

“Safe…” Mila said.

“I understood that you’d getten her a model kit, too,” Isabelle said. “But I thought you’d bought her one of those robots.”

“When I saw that they also had cars, I knew I had to give you one,” I said sheepishly. “But I understand if you don’t like it. You do have to take the time to assemble it, after all.”

Alice chuckled. “I spend like three to four hours after school working on an actual car. I think I can make time for this.” She set it aside, too, and came up to me to give me a hug. She rested her head on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. Should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

“N-No. It’s fine. You’re not obligated to like my present.”

“But I do like it,” she said, kissing my cheek. “I really do, okay? I didn’t know they made cars, too. In fact…” Alice turned to Noelle, pouting. “Why didn’t you tell me they had cars?”

Noelle stood her ground, crossed her arms and frowned. “Because you said before that you didn’t see the appeal of model kits and you never said you were into cars until just recently!”

“Okay, that’s fair.” Alice laughed. “But… I don’t know how you build these. Would you teach me?”

Noelle smiled brightly. “Of course! I have tools you can use. And paint.”

“Ah, I did buy some nippers for her, too,” I told them.

Alice smirked and poked my ribs. “Buy a kit for yourself and we’ll make it a date.”

“Deal.”

Grace chuckled. “You agreed rather quickly, didn’t you?”

It was when I turned around to say something back to her that I noticed. Mila and Sarah were gone. “Wait, where are…?”

As if on cue to my question, there was a knock on the door. The last thing I saw was Isabelle going to answer before Alice covered my eyes from behind.

“Um… What are you doing?” I asked.

Alice whispered closely in my ear. “You didn’t think we’d forget to get you something too, didn’t you?”

“We had to hide it in Sarah’s car because it’s too big and would draw too much attention,” Noelle explained.

“Cover his eyes well,” I heard Isabelle say. “He can still peek from under his glasses!”

Ugh, caught. Alice moved her hands to leave as little space for me to see as possible. I also heard the sound of footsteps coming from the front door… and from the stairs. Someone started running.

“Curious?” Grace asked me.

“Just a little,” I said, trying to play it cool but failing. I was fidgeting a little too much. It got a giggle out of the girls.

I heard people moving things around, like the presents and the discarded bags and boxes. Heavy sounding things were being set over the coffee table, too. What on earth did they get me?

“Alright, Oliver. Are you ready?” Alice asked me.

“S-Sure.”

I heard mom chuckle. So she was here too, then. “He doesn’t sound too sure. Maybe he should wait a bit longer?”

“I’m ready!” I told her.

The girls laughed and Alice let go of me. Now able to see clearly, it was impossible to miss the four huge boxes on the coffee table, all of them neatly wrapped in colorful paper. Well, two of the boxes were longer than the others, about half my height and somewhat flat. The two others were more square-ish.

Mila was standing across the table, grinning. “These two,” she started, touching one of the longer boxes and another square-ish box, “are from Grace, Sarah, Alice, Noelle and me to you.”

My chest was tight with anticipation and elation, but also a tinge of anxiety. Remember what I said before. I was dating five rich girls. A single one of them had access to more capital than I did in three months of savings, likely even more. If they pooled their money for this.. Not to mention the shape of that long box…

“Come on, open them,” Sarah told me. “I know what you’re thinking, but let it go. We put a lot of thought into this.”

I sighed. Yeah, I could tell from all the setup alone. Well… Nothing for it.

The bigger box called me first. I carefully undid the wrapping, and under it found both what I was fearing and hoping for. I felt my eyes itch with the threat of tears, so I pursed my lips in an attempt to hold them back.

An Ep. Les Paul Custom model electric guitar. A… ‘budget’ option to the top of the line GBSN guitars, but every bit as good and not all that ‘budget’. My lips quivered as I opened the box and looked it over. An almost hourglass body of shining, pure black mahogany with that iconic single-cut design and a dark rosewood fingerboard.

It took all I had not to cry, but a couple tears still fell.

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