A Place To Belong
By: Rebekah Parham

-10-

Christmas was just around the corner. Usually at Christmas time Samantha wasn't into all the festivities, but this year she had so many things to be happy about. She wanted to make sure it was perfect. After school, on Friday, Samantha and Anna went Christmas shopping. She bought things for Artie and a computer game that Josh had been talking about for a while. She would have to come back later to get Anna's Christmas gift, but she still couldn't decide what to get John for Christmas. She knew that she wanted to get him something after how nice he had been to her. She and Anna went through every store in the mall but Samantha couldn't find anything she thought he would like. Besides music, Samantha didn't really know too much about what John did like.

Samantha and Artie went out to find a small tree that would fit in the apartment, but instead they came home with the largest tree on the lot. It took up most of the space in the living room but neither of them cared, it looked perfect. Artie wanted to buy all the beads and tinsel to put on the tree but Samantha wanted to make her own. She and Artie strung popcorn and cranberries on thin wire and wrapped it around the tree. The living room became Samantha's favorite place because she loved the smell of fresh pine.

Christmas was two days away and Samantha still hadn't bought John anything for Christmas. She was becoming frustrated until she saw an article in the local newspaper on the Rolling Stones. It hit her, she knew what to get John for Christmas. "Artie, I need to do some last minute Christmas shopping. I will be back in a little while" Samantha said running out the door.

She jumped off the bus in front of a ticket outlet. She went up to the desk where an older man in his mid to late thirties was working, "Can I help you?"

"Two tickets for the Rolling Stone concert, please." Samantha paid for the tickets a went outside to wait for the bus to take her back home. She was so excited that she had finally found the perfect gift. She just hoped that John didn't already have plans for New Years Eve.

Samantha and Anna exchanged their gifts for each other on Christmas Eve. They went into hysterics when they opened their gifts. Both girls had bought the same gift, a fuzzy pink sweater they had seen while shopping a couple weekends ago. "I guess great minds do think alike" Anna told her.

Christmas morning Samantha and Artie spent together. They had breakfast and opened their gifts. Later in the afternoon they went over to Samantha's grandparents house. It was the first time she had seen them since her mother's funeral. It was another huge dinner followed by more gifts. It was late when they got home but Samantha was too excited to sleep. She told Artie that she was going to take a friend their gift and left. It wasn't a lie because that's what she was going to do.

Samantha started walking the short distance to John's apartment. She was looking up to see if his light was on when she saw him sitting outside on the fire escape. Samantha waved and yelled, "Mind if I come up?"

"You're always welcome," He yelled back.

Samantha was up the stairs in a flash. John was waiting for her at the door and she greeted him with, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too," he said as Samantha walked inside his apartment.

"What did you do today?" Samantha asked him.

"I went to my sister's house. You know did the whole family thing."

"Yeah, that's what Artie and I did. We just got back," she said settling herself on the couch. She couldn't stand it any longer she opened her bag and pulled out the envelope. "Merry Christmas," she said handing it to him.

John looked at the envelope, "What's that?"

"Your Christmas present silly," she said.

"Thank you," he said taking the envelope from her.

"You haven't even seen what it is yet," she told him.

"It doesn't matter, if it's from you then I know I will love it," John said opening the envelope. He pulled out the tickets and studied them. "It's Rolling Stones tickets. How did you know I loved the Stones?" he asked.

Samantha was so glad he liked her gift. "When I got in your car that day. Their music was playing, and I remembered how you talked about the guitar player."

"Your amazing," John said reaching over to giver her a hug. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I hope you enjoy the show."

John pulled back to say, "Well, you will be there to find out."

"What?"

"There are two ticket here. You can go with me."

"Oh John, I didn't buy two tickets so you would have to take me. I thought maybe you could ask Robby or Mike to go with you," Samantha said.

"You have to go," John insisted.

"But I don't know anything about them. I couldn't even tell you what the name of any of their songs are."

"That's a perfect reason for you to go. No one can go to a Stones concert without becoming addicted," John said smiling. "This gift is something we can share."

"Wouldn't you rather spend New Years Eve with someone special?" Samantha asked

"You are special to me, Sam" John said

Samantha thought about it. The concert was across the Canadian border near the Niagara Falls. She had always wanted to see that, "Well, if you're sure you want me to go, because it would be fine if you wanted to ask someone else."

"No way. You're going to have the time of your life. I'll see to it myself," John said nudging her arm.

Samantha got up off the couch and reach down to get her bag. "I have to be getting back now..."

"Wait, I haven't given you your present yet," John said walking into the bedroom.

"John, I gave you my gift to show you how much I appreciate you listening to me babble all the time. You didn't have to get me anything. I haven't really done anything for you."

"You don't believe that anymore than I do," John said coming out of the bedroom, holding out a small velvet box to her.

Samantha took the box and carefully opened it. Inside was a tear shaped crystal on a necklace. There was a card stuck in the top of the box that read,

You can always share your tears with me.

Love, John

Samantha remembered the day John had let her cry on his shoulder after telling him about her mother. He never belittled her or scolded her for showing a weakness. Samantha looked up at John with tears in her eyes that matched the tear on the necklace. She didn't know what to say, how to thank him for this gift.

John saw what he thought was confusion in her eyes. He bent down in front of her and said, "Sam, I hope I haven't upset you with this gift. I just wanted you to know that it meant a lot to me that you felt comfortable enough to share you secrets with me."

A single tear fell from the corner of her emerald eyes. "No one has ever given me anything that has meant more than you just did." She touched the crystal tear and looked back to him, "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I will always treasure this," she said motioning toward the box. "And I will always treasure you," Samantha said after she had pulled him against her to hug him.

"As I will you," John said back to her.

"Will you help me put it on?" Samantha asked taking the necklace out of the box. She touched it like it was made of glass when she held it out to him. Samantha turned her back to John and held up her hair.

"There you go," he said when the necklace was safely clasped around her neck.

Samantha turned around and fingered the tear that fell below the neckline of her shirt. "How does it look?"

"It looks just like you, beautiful."

Samantha smiled her shy smile and said, "Merry Christmas, John"

"Merry Christmas, Sam"

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