Young Writers Society

The light pored through the window waking Naya from the sleep she’d been in. Rubbing her eyes and stifling a yawn, she turned over to see Julian fast asleep on the bed opposite. For a while she just lay there watching his chest rise and fall.
Suddenly there came a knock at the door followed by the familiar voice of a woman. Frowning slightly, Naya sighed and heaved herself from the bed and opened the door.

“Hi,” smiled the woman who stayed in the hotel room next-door. “Nice to see you without all the uh...” she motioned her hand to her face obviously referring to the shaving cream.

Naya just stared at her. Why was this woman at her door?

The woman cleared her throat awkwardly. “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here...”

Wow, she could read minds too.

“Well, um, my husband and I were just wondering...whether you and your husband would like to come over for dinner...”

Naya blinked, she was either still very sleepy, or this strange woman had just invited her and Julian for dinner, either way, she had to be sure. “Sorry?”

“It’s tradition, you see, my husband and I usually have a pre-Christmas dinner and invite people from our neighbourhood, but this year since we’re not at home, we thought we’d invite everyone here...”

“Uh, that’s really kind of you...” Naya paused not knowing the woman’s name.

“Oh,” she flustered, “call me Liz!”

“...Liz,” Naya smiled. “It’s sweet of you but I really don’t-”

“Oh, no need to thank me, dear!” the woman smiled excitedly. “It’ll be my pleasure to have a young happy couple over to spread the festive cheer!”

Before Naya could get a word in edgeways the woman was already backing away from the door.

“Just pop over at about nine, alright dear?”

And with that, she was gone.

Naya sighed in disbelief before closing the door. She knew the woman meant well, but she wasn’t sure Julian would like the idea of having a pre-Christmas dinner, not after everything that had happened last night. Christmas, she remembered suddenly, she didn’t even realise it was December let alone Christmas!

When Julian woke up, the sky was clear and the room was light. In fact, the light is what woke him up. His eyes ached and his headache was still there. He really hoped this wouldn't last forever. He had this don't-talk-to-me-I'm-half-asleep look on his face. He knew that his hair was ruffled and it didn't bother him. He saw Naya putting on her make-up and the bathroom door was half way open. He looked at the clock next to his bed, it was only 8:15 AM. He shoved the blankets off. He had slept in sweats and a red t-shirt and sat up on the bed, rubbing his eyes.

"Goodmoring." Naya said, cheerfully, as if nothing had went on last night.

Oh good, maybe it was just a dream.

He looked around the room. Nope, same place, same motel. Julian grunted at her comment. Naya turned on the faucet and washed her hands.

"What's so good about it?" He grunted.

She turned off the faucet and looked over at him. "What did you say?"

He faked a smile. "Nothing, dear." He got up and pulled off his shirt, still half asleep. "This is the fourth time I've had to wake up in this shit hole." He growled...

Naya dried her hands on one of the towels before stepping out of the bathroom. She almost ran into Julian’s bare torso as he pulled off his shirt.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there...” she said sheepishly perching herself on the edge of her bed. She watched as he sniffed and rubbed his eyes.

“Is there something you wanna say to me?” he asked her, obviously feeling her gaze on him.

“Uh, yes...” she said simply. “We’ve been invited over for a ‘pre-Christmas’ dinner.”

Julian glared at her. “Excuse me?”

“I know right,” Naya smiled. “I didn’t even know it was December let alone-”

“No,” Julian interrupted, “I meant who the hell has invited us over for dinner?”

“Liz...the woman next-door...”

Julian looked incredulous. “And you told her no, right?”

“I didn’t really get the chance to,” Naya responded. “She was already gone before I could say anything.”

Julian shook his head, clearly irritated. “Naya, we’re on the run from kidnappers, we’ve just found out that our family are drug-traffickers, my little brother is being questioned for murder as we speak, do you really think I’m in the mood to go next-door and have a ‘pre-Christmas’ dinner?”

Naya watched as Julian angrily headed for the bathroom. “You can go and tell her we’re not coming...” he said to her.

Naya sighed and followed him. “Look, I know the past couple of days have been...difficult,” that word was an understatement, “but the fact is that right now there’s nothing we can do about it. Sitting cooped up in here and being miserable about it isn’t going to get us back home any faster-”

“Yeah, well neither is going to dinner parties,” interrupted Julian bitterly.

Naya shrugged sadly. “I know, but...this is our first Christmas away from home without our families and friends, I just thought it’d be nice to go...try and get our mind off things for a bit...” she sighed and headed for the door, “but, I mean, whatever, if you don’t wanna go I could just tell her we can’t make it...”

"Yes, please go tell her we are not going." Julian said, in a totally calm tone.

She stopped and turned to glare at him. She probably thought the guilt trip would work, it didn't. "Julian!" She said, in a whinny tone placing her hands on her hips.

"What?" He asked, clearly showing he was annoyed. He really needed to go back to work. It wasn't for the money, it was for the wasting time.

"C'mon, let's just go. We'll only stay to talk a bit, eat, and then help clean up. Max would be two and a half hours. Please?" She had a sad look on her face.

While Julian would never admit out loud, he hated to see women cry. He didn't understand how it could bother him so much, since he had never cried since he was at least seven. It did, it bothered him the most when Jennifer cried and now he didn't understand why but Naya too.

"I'll never ask you for anything again." She promised, like a child.

He threw his shirt into a corner. He shrugged. "Alright! Alllll right. I'm holding you to that though." He looked through the wal-mart bag for clean shirt. The only other one was a black shirt that fit him well.

She smiled. "Thank you."

He nodded. "You're welcome."

It was totally sad, but Naya was actually looking forward to having dinner with a bunch of strangers. Excitement practically burst through her when Julian had finally agreed to go. It was like Christmas was already here for her. As she began to rummage through her pathetic excuse for clothes to try and find at least one outfit that didn’t look so pitiful, her mind wandered back to what her house was like during the holidays.

Though her parents weren’t religious in anyway shape or form, they’d always put an effort when it came to Christmas. As soon as it hit December, the Du Maurier household would became a winter wonderland. Her mom would set up large decorated trees in every room of the house, there’d be parties with waiters and waitresses dressed as Santa’s elves, huge eatable gingerbread houses, fake snow, carol singers and delicious food. It was more of a social event for her parents, but for Naya it was a holiday that she loved. Her favourite moment would be Christmas night when the parties were over and all the guests would leave. It would just be her, her parents, Rosa and occasionally Naya’s tipsy grandmother. Whilst Olivia du Maurier would pass out on the sofa, the rest of them would hang up their stockings, have a cup of coco by the fire and play games like charades and Pictionary...

Naya stopped rummaging through her bag and sat down on the edge of her bed. Those memories seemed so far back now, it was like they happened in another lifetime. Back then she’d had her parents put up on a pedestal, back then they could do no wrong, only now did she realise how wrong she’d been about them, and what bugged her the most was that even after everything they did, everything they put her through, she still loved them, she still missed them, and she’d still forgive them.

“Get a grip,” she said to herself, as she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. Quickly wiping them away with the back of her sleeve, she returned to her bag. This was why she really needed to go to this party. It wasn’t just a way of recapturing the family element of the holidays, but so that she could forget about everything, even if it was for just two hours...

As 9pm approached, Naya was dressed. It wasn’t in anything particularly festive or fancy, thanks to wal-mart; just a low-cut red boyfriend cardigan and some skinny denims. She saw Julian walk out of the bathroom dressed in a black shirt and a pair of jeans. He looked far from happy.

“You look nice,” Naya smiled, attempting to lighten the mood, his mood in particular...

He gave her the look. The Are-You-serious look. He looked around for a second. Then looked back at her.

"Thanks." He replied. He remembered why holidays were so terrible. His mother was killed on Christmas Eve and then his dad probably dumped her body in the river on Christmas. Then, Linda moved in with them on New Years. What a great family holiday. Sergi bought the kids everything they ever dreamed of. He may not hate Julian, but he probably never felt much love for him. He obviously didn't love Jessica. The two were twins. First borns. "Are you sure we have to go?" Julian asked.

"I think it would be good for us." Naya smiled.

Us. As if the us were permenant. As in forever. She made them sound inseperable.

Julian nodded. "Alright, lets get this over with then." He said.

The familiar short and plump brown-haired woman opened the door. She was dressed in an awful looking knitted jumper and had a Santa’s hat on her head.

“Oh, wonderful, you’re both here!” Liz clapped her hands in excitement before stepping to the side to let them through. “Please, please, do come in...”

Naya and Julian awkwardly stepped inside to see groups of men and women stood around the small motel room with drinks in their hands. They were also wearing Santa hats on their heads.

“Would you like to wear one?” Liz asked, with two Santa hats in her hand.

Naya tried to stop herself from laughing at Julian’s reaction. He looked like the woman had just asked for his kidney.

“Sure,” she smiled at Liz sweetly before placing the hat on her head. “Thank you so much for inviting us, this place looks great...” she said, looking around at the holly and mistletoe covered room. They even had a small albeit tragically decorated Christmas tree.

“Thank you, and don’t mention it. I have a daughter your age and you remind me so much of her, I just had to have you over,” Liz smiled, before pointing over at the small table across the room, “Now don’t be shy, you both make yourselves right at home, there’s food and drinks over there...”

Julian didn’t need telling twice. He headed straight for the table and miserably grabbed a beer. Naya rolled her eyes in annoyance and decided to join a group of ladies who were sat around a couch. Liz kindly introduced her to every one of them and for the first five minutes things were great, they talked and laughed about their lives, but then they started getting nosey about Naya’s life. Something about her age and appearance seemed to intrigue them in ways that made her feel slightly uncomfortable...

“You’re twenty-three!” one woman raised a brow in shock before taking a sip of champagne. “You're still so young...I imagined today’s kids not wanting to commit so early. You two must really be in love...”

Naya half-smiled in response before taking a long hard swig from her own champagne glass.

“How did he propose?” another woman asked with a girlish excitement that Naya normally had when she’d buy the latest Chanel bag. “Was it romantic? Oh, I bet it was...”

“Tell us!” the women all clapped.

Naya just stared at them. Maybe if she said nothing they’d take it as shyness and decide to back off, but their faces were expectant. It wouldn’t work. Swallowing her drink, she decided it would be best to just come up with a story. She didn’t want to cause suspicion.

“Well...” she began, feeling incredibly stupid, “he asked my parents before he asked me...”

They all cooed.

Naya had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “Then...”

That was all Naya could come up with. Her brain just froze. She suddenly looked up at Julian who was still miserably drinking his beer across the room. An idea came to mind...

“Julian will tell you the rest,” she smiled. Suddenly all the women’s eyes were on him. “It’s his favourite story,” Naya explained as Julian looked at her dangerously. “Isn’t that right...honey?”

He'd probably kill her for this afterwards...

If looks could kill, Naya's limbs would be in different parts of the room. Julian felt something rise in his throat. What did she expect him to say? Oh right, this can all be pretend. He could use what little imagination he had left... He simply stared at her. Oh yes, he could have fun with this. Finaly he uncrossed his top leg and stood up, he stood behind her and stared at the big eyes of the other women. They were all so interested.

It was so quiet, you could probably hear a mouse fart.

"Well, We met in Paris." He tried not to smile. Not now, it was dangerous. "It was true love at first sight. I knew I had to have her. No one was going to get in my way. So I made one of my close friends bump into her, make her drop everything and then, well I came to help her pick things up." He walked around and sat right next to her, their legs were touching. "We got talking and went out on a couple dates. I met her parents and asked them for her hand, and well... Here we are now! Happy and loving." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into him. He made sure it was a little painful.

She grunted, a little girly grunt.

"Oh, my gosh that is just soooooo cute!" One of the woman said. "I wish Jared and I had met like that. Nooo, we had to meet at McDonalds." She had a look on her face that said 'pity me'

Liz smiled so brightly. "So are you two planning on having any children any time soon?"

Julian almost jumped up. "No." he said, it was a solid answer. "We're not planning on any. Nor will their be any. Ever."

Then, in less than ten seconds, it became all awkward...

Naya just glared at him. She didn’t care if Julian was being serious, he couldn’t just tell a group of middle-aged women that they were a ‘happy couple’ and then say that they weren’t going to have any kids. It just didn’t make sense and judging by the silent reaction from the women around them, they didn’t seem to think it made much sense either.

Naya let out a laugh that she hoped didn’t sound too fake. She just wanted to get rid of the awkwardness that now hung in the air. “He’s just kidding,” she explained to everyone.

The women around them sighed with relief, and just like that the tense situation seemed to clear.

“Oh good!” Liz smiled, chuckling slightly. “You’re husband had us all worried there for a second!”

“He's just scared that he might not have what it takes to be a good father,” Naya explained, patting Julian lovingly on the cheek. “Isn’t that right, honey?”

Julian glared at her dangerously.

“I was the same at his age,” said one of the husbands who decided at that moment to come over and join in with the discussion. He sat beside his wife, a short blonde woman, before continuing, “I was convinced that I’d suck as a father, I mean I could barely look after myself let alone a child! So I told Rachel ‘no kids’ not now, not ever. Then, two years down the line we had a daughter...” the man drifted for a moment with a smile. “I can still remember the moment I first held her in my arms, she clasped her tiny little hand around my finger and I thought to myself, how on earth could I not have wanted a baby...”

“Oh please...” Naya heard Julian mumble irritatingly under his breath. Naya nudged him on the ribs pointedly.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” the man concluded dreamily before addressing Julian. “You’ll learn that soon...”

Julian had a ‘yeah right’ look on his face.

Liz suddenly re-entered the room. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen,” she addressed them all happily, “dinner is served. If you would all make your way towards the table and take a seat...”

Naya got to her feet and followed everyone to the table. Suddenly, Julian discretely grabbed her by her arm.

“Nudge me like that again and I’ll sit on your face...”

“Oh, charming...” Naya said, rolling her eyes, and rubbing her now aching shoulders, “You’re the one who practically tried to squeeze the life outta me!”

“Well, you shouldn't have forced me to make up some stupid story to tell them!”

Naya drained her champagne glass and smiled. “It wasn't a stupid story, it was quite sweet actually. I mean, if I didn’t know you any better Julian, I’d say you were quite the romantic...”

Julian just stared at her. “Are you drunk?” he asked bluntly.

Naya thought for a moment, “I’m getting there...just a few more glasses and I might just forget how pathetic my life’s become...” and with that she headed for the table.

Julian couldn't help her, she was getting drunk and he decided to also. Might as well. And he was NOT a romantic, by any means. He had almost fainted when he had to tell the story. Yet, usually every day he presented infront of tons of women and men for business. He guessed somethings you just had to work at. He grabbed a bottle, and sat down next to Naya. Dinner seemed like a life time. Everyone was talking about true love, and religon, and where this and that came from. Honestly. This was getting tiring. When dinner was over Julian looked down at her.

"Are you ready to go yet?" He whispered.

Naya enjoyed the company more than anything. She just sat there drinking glass after glass of cheap champagne listening to random conversations about random subjects. When it was all over, Julian looked more than ready to leave.

“Are you ready to go yet?” he asked her quietly.

Naya slurped her champagne. “No...” she replied, smiling lazily, “in case you haven't noticed Julian my glass is still very very full!”

Julian glared at her before taking her champagne away. “No more for you,” he said.

“Oh, but it’s Christmas!” Naya moaned.

Julian ignored her and grabbed her by the arm. “Come on, we’re leaving...” he pulled her towards the door before turning to face Liz to explain, “I should get her back, she’s obviously had way too much to drink...”

“Haven’t we all!” they all slurred in response, raising their glasses into the air with drunken happiness.

As Julian ushered Naya towards the door, she turned her head to say goodbye to Liz. “Thank you so much for the dinner,” she said, drunkenly. “We should so totally do this again some time! How about tomorr-”

“Okay...” Julian interrupted loudly. “Goodnight everyone...”

And with that, Julian swiftly led Naya out of the door.

“You’re such an embarrassment,” he commented.

“Aw, thanks, big-guy!” she smiled, punching him jokily on the shoulder.

Julian just rolled his eyes and began putting the key to the door. All the while, Naya stared at him hard, like she was examining him.

“What?” Julian asked her, irritably, before opening the door.

“Has anyone ever told you, you're like super hot...” Naya slurred with a very serious expression which lasted a good few seconds before she burst into laughter. “Wow, I have had a lot to drink tonight!” she said as she stepped inside.

He brushed everthing she said, off. As if it were dust. Julian pushed her into the room, and slammed the door shut. Then it was just them, and them alone. She sat down on the floor. Julian stared at her.

"Are you happy now?" She said, glaring up at him.

He wasn't sure what she meant, plus she was drunk. "If you're talking about leaving that damn dinner, then yes, I'm jumping up and down." He paced and ran his hand through his hair. He was probably going to be bald at thirty because of this woman and he didn't like it one bit.

Her shoes were half way off her feet. "Good." She said it as if she were an angry toddler.

Julian knelt to the ground and started to take off her shoes. He pulled them from her feet and flung them across the room.

"You know, you're starting to become a pain in my ass." He said, it was more like a whisper.

She just stared up at him as he placed her on the bed.

Naya rolled her eyes in a bored way as Julian placed her on the bed. “You like me really...” she said.

Julian laughed. It was a genuine one.

“What the hell gave you that impression?”

Naya shrugged at him innoccently. “I dunno, maybe it was the way you came onto me two nights ago...”

He said nothing for several seconds and simply glared at her.

“Don’t worry, nothing happened thanks to me...” she said before reaching deep into her pockets and pulling out a mini Smirnoff bottle.

Julian’s eyes grew wide. “You stole that from next-door?”

Naya pulled a face. “No...” she scoffed like she was insulted, “I...borrowed it...” she was nowhere near getting drunk enough to forget the past few days...with that thought in mind she began unscrewing the lid before her eyes met Julian’s angry gaze. The man was such a stiff.

“God, Julian, just loosen up a bit will you? Learn to live a little, it’s Christmas!” she took a swig from the bottle before pointing it to his direction. “Here, have some...” she slurred, her face dead serious. “You totally look like you need it...”

Julian glared at her.

"I need a bullet to the head, that's what I need." He growled.

She smiled. "I'm not that bad of a person. You secretly like me. At least a little bit."

Julian took a swig of the bottle. A small one, he needed to relax a bit. "I care about you. I don't love you. I never will."

Something like hurt flashed across her feautres. She looked down and then back up. "Why do you have such a problem with opening up to people? We're not all the same Julian."

Julian huffed. "No, see that's where you're wrong. You are all the same. Hell, if it were up to me, I'd live in the mountains sit on my porch and hold a shotgun all day long."

"Some people are bad and some are good."

"In the end it doesn't really matter though, does it? So why love? Why even care?"

She closed her eyes. "You just think too much is all." She slurred. "You need to lighten up, live in the moment."

He looked over at her. Maybe she was right? Maybe he should apologize, but he then realized he didn't really care what she thought of him anymore. They weren't really getting anywhere...

Julian handed Naya the bottle back. While Julian only took a small swig of the bottle, Naya took a rather large one. She lay back onto her pillow and blinked, her vision was starring to become blurry...

“You know,” she said, swallowing hard. “You’re nothing like Jace...”

Julian’s eyes turned cold in an instant. “Don’t talk about my brother,” he warned her through gritted teeth, but Naya was too stoned to notice.

“He was always so much fun...so spontaneous and daring...” she continued, she was talking more to herself than to Julian. “Guess what he did on my 22nd birthday? He picked me up after school and put a blindfold over my eyes telling me that he was taking me out for lunch and that it was a surprise, but we were driving for like ages so I kept asking him where we were going and he just kept saying ‘it’s a surprise’...”

Naya took another happy swig from the bottle. It was almost empty now. “By the time he opened my blindfold I saw that we were in his private jet, my bags were already packed and we were going to Hawaii!” she burst into girlish giggles. “It was so crazy, my parents had no idea where I was and Christmas was only a few days away but he didn’t care...god, we had so much fun...”

Naya’s mind suddenly flashed back to that amazing vacation, and all the other’s Jace took her on during the two years they were together. He would plan each one so that it was more special than the last, all to show how much he loved her, how much she meant to him, and how he lived to please her...

But underneath all that love lay something sinister that Naya didn’t know about until it was far too late...

“I still don't know why he...” she lazily drained the final contents of the bottle, “...why he hurt me...”