Page 24 of His Secret Santa
His steps slowed as he walked toward the cheerleader. She and her friends hadn’t noticed him yet. For a split second, he considered aborting the mission and fleeing the scene. He kept walking forward, Jamie and Abby at his side. Had he been alone, he would have run away, he was positive. He felt foolish for fearing a girl smaller and weaker than him, but it wasn’t her physical assaults that wounded—but the emotional, psychological strikes. Such abuse didn’t require size and strength on the part of the abuser.
Jamie touched his back when Holden faltered. “You got this, bro,” he spoke low. “Don’t allow her to make you feel bad for doing something nice.”
Holden took a deep breath and moved ahead, nearing the cheerleaders. Tonya spotted him first and nudged McKenna. The cheer captain turned and looked at him, one perfect eyebrow sliding up inquisitively.
Clearing his throat, Holden struggled to find his voice. “I, uh… I’m your… Secret Santa.”
McKenna laughed short. “No shit?” She glanced at the other two girls who appeared thoroughly amused at the notion.
“Yeah,” Holden mumbled and reached into his pocket, taking out the small gift. “I know you don’t like me,” he said quietly, “but I hope you’ll like your gift.” He handed it to her.
“Wow.” She smirked, accepting the present. “You really got me something?”
He nodded and started to turn away when she stopped him.
“Don’t go,” she said. “Let me see what you got me.”
Holden stood nervously as Jamie and Abby came closer.
McKenna opened the gift and stared at the earrings. “Oh, my God.” She smiled, lifting the earrings from the box. She frowned, puzzled. “How did you know…?”
He shrugged and glanced at Abby.
“I told him,” Abby said softly.
To his shock, McKenna flashed a genuine smile. “Thank you. This is so… nice.” She gazed at Holden. “And after I’ve been such a bitch to you. That takes… integrity.”
Tonya and Gina looked as confused and uncertain as Holden felt. They didn’t speak, just observed their friend and leader.
“You know,” McKenna looked at Abby. “Senior year is almost over, and what you said the other day about going out into the world… you were right.” She shifted her eyes to Holden. “I’m sorry I didn’t see what a cool guy you were before now. I guess I just wasn’t looking. But…” She exchanged a quick look with her friends. “… someone in our group did see it.”
Holden stared at her, his heart beginning to thump. “W-Who?”
She smiled. “Lincoln. He doesn’t like it when I act like a bitch, especially to you and your friends.”
I’m imagining it—she didn’t just say that.
“It’s true,” Tonya spoke up. “He doesn’t.”
Holden was speechless as he glanced at an equally stunned Jamie.
“In fact,” McKenna went on, “he was talking about inviting you to his birthday party this weekend. Kind of an apology to you for the way I’ve treated you. I get it now, what he sees in you.”
Holden fidgeted, his mind in a whirl. Was she serious? She seemed genuinely pleased by the gift. Sometimes a single act of kindness could change a person.
“So, will you come?” she asked with a hopeful tone. “Please? I swear, Lincoln really wants you there. He was just nervous about inviting you because he thought you might think he wasn’t serious. But he is. And with the other day being the anniversary of his brother’s death, he’s been feeling kind of down. I think it would lift his spirits if you came. And you guys, too,” she told Jamie and Abby. Focusing on the other girl, she added, “I don’t blame you for quitting the squad. We were awful.”
Gina and Tonya nodded. “We were.”
“But like you said before, it’s not too late to change… is it?”
Abby stared at her, uncertain. “No… I-I guess not…”
“Then you’ll all come to the party?” McKenna asked. “We still have half a school year to be friends.” She glanced down the adjacent hall. “We gotta go, but I hope you’ll come. Tomorrow night, seven o’clock, Lincoln’s house.” The three cheerleaders headed off down the other hallway.
Holden stood rooted to the floor, the shock of the encounter immobilizing him.
“What just happened?” Jamie murmured.