Christmas & Chill

Ariana felt a little silly as she sat at her baby grand piano in her new home studio, listening to the track she’d just recorded. This one would never hit iTunes or be included on any holiday EP’s. It was just for her, a love letter for a guy who had walked out of her life a long time ago. It felt stupid listening to her own song all by herself, but she wasn’t ready for anyone to hear this one. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

The clock read 2am and Ariana could see the lights twinkling on her Christmas tree through the glass window of her studio. She pulled her feet up onto the chair, decked out in a cheetah print onesie. She knew it was officially Christmas now. She knew she’d just finished a great song and she knew she should be happy, but in the quietness of the moment, all she felt was sad. All she could think about was last Christmas and how heartbroken she’d been when she woke to find the boy of her dreams gone from her side forever. She thought she’d feel better a year later. She’d tried dating other guys, tried being single, tried throwing herself into her music, but at the end of the day, she just missed him.

Knock. Knock.

Normally it was next to impossible to hear a knock on the front door in this part of the house but with it dead quiet, the quiet sound echoed like a gong. Ariana scrambled to her feet and pushed open the studio door, racing across the hardwood floor before her mom, her Nona or her other brother Frankie yelled at her for having friends over at 2am. She didn’t even know who it was. She certainly wasn’t expecting anyone.

Whoever it was knocked again. Ariana swore under her breath. Calm the frick down, goddammit. She was on her way.

She finally slid into the entryway, flicked on the porch light and jerked open the door.

“Why the hell--” Ariana wanted to finish her question, she did, but there he was with that messy brown hair and blue green eyes, standing on her doorstep like he’d been invited.

He looked embarrassed as he cracked a smile and slipped his hands in his pockets. “Hey Ari. You been alright?”