If only it was that easy

"Alex, I told you that she was coming so you WOULDN'T freak out." I said to Alex as he paced the front lounge area. "Dude, I didn't bring any of her Christmas presents with me and tomorrows Christmas and I'm FREAKING out!" He said back giving me a please help me figure something out look. I sighed and stood up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, there's a mall around here somewhere."

He nodded and I pulled out my phone looking for the closest biggest mall I could find. I found on called Towne Center and that looked promising. "Alright, we can get a cab." "Don't forget he has to go with me and act surprised when we pick Lisa up at the airport." Rian added. "Ok, I can do that." Alex said smiling. I laughed. "Yeah, he'll be back." I grabbed his hand and pulled him off the bus. We stepped off and I called a taxi service.

They came in a timely manner and we climbed in the backseat. "Towne Center mall, please." I said and the guy began to drive. Alex was still acting a little crazy, scrolling threw his phone trying to distract himself. I was turned to the window to my right and stared at all the passing buildings. A long 35 minute drive later we got out of the cab after I payed. Alex was to frazzled at the moment to do anything so I let it go.

We walked in and Alex started looking everywhere for something. "Alex, you're gonna have a heart attack if you don't slow down and breathe." I warned him, while he ran around some random store we were in. "I can't just slow down, Jack. I love this girl and I have to find her something tonight like before she shows up." He said.

I bowed my head following behind him, laughing he said the L-word. "Ok, Ok. Laugh all you want but I really do love her and anything I find that I think is perfect when I buy it wont be perfect when she opens it." Then he stopped making me bump into the back of him. He whipped around and took hold of my shoulders. "When Jack Bassam Barakat finds the woman of his dreams he will feel the exact same way."

He finished and turned back to his frantic searching. "Right, cause I'm gonna get a girl friend and settle down any time soon." I said with sarcasm oozing out of that sentence. "You just see. It happened to Rian, it happened to me, you could be next." I laughed again as we circled this one store for the 3rd time, searching high and low for the perfect gift, or gifts.

We'd been threw a couple of the stores and it had been about 2 hours. "Alex, I'm so tir-" Then his phone rang and he ripped it out of his pocket. "Hello...Yeah, Ri...Towne Center, I'll meet you outside of the American Girl doll store...Nope but I'm gonna ask Jack....Alright see you." He shoved his phone into his pocket. "Ask Jack what?" I questioned as he turned around and gave me the biggest smile."Please, Please, Please, Jack. Would you stay at the mall and find as many things as you can for Lisa."

I sighed and threw my head back. "Alex..." I whined. "Jack, please. I owe you big time then." He said. I looked back at him and he didn't show any signs of letting up so I agreed. He gave me a hug. "God, thanks Jack. You're the best." He ran off but waved bye first. I smiled and waved back. "Great." I said and looked around. "Where do you even start, buying things for your best friends girlfriend." I mumbled to myself.

I turned to leave the store when a tall blonde came across my view but stopped in front of me. "Can I help you find something?" She asked. Normally I would say no, I'm fine but I really didn't need help and she was hot. "Uhh, yeah actually. I'm here shopping for my best friends girlfriend...but the gift is from him." He smiled. "Wow, he cuts it short doesn't he?" I nodded and laughed. "No, not really he bought her a shit load of stuff but it's back in our home town and he thought he wouldn't see her over Christmas so he didn't bring it."

"Ahhh. So what does she like?" I froze, what does Lisa like? "I have no idea." I said. "Perfume, um... scarfs? Jewelry?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders. "I have no idea, I knows she wears that sort of stuff, does that help? I'm no good with this whole buy things for your significant other." I said. She smiled and that's when I noticed how perfect her teeth were, and just how kissable her lips were.

She laughed at my words but as I'm sure had no idea I wasn't serious. Wait, she didn't know who I was? This is such a nice change in pace. "Alright, well we can go around the store if you want and look around?" She suggested. "Yeah, yeah. That sounds great." It came out of my mouth so fast, I was eager to know something about this girl. She giggled and started to walk down a few isles.

I followed behind as she pointed things out seeing if anything looked like something I could see Lisa with. We went through the whole store. "Alright, that only took us an hour of nothing. We could try another store?" She said and turned around to face me. "Wait, don't you work here?" Yeah but I think my friend can handle it with out me. I've never asked her to cover for me or done anything like this so it should be fine."

She took my hand and pulled me back up to the front but really should could have taken me anywhere, I was focused on the fire that erupted on my skin when the touched it. It wasn't until the fire turned into a tingling sensation that I realized we reached the from and she had let go of my hand. "Alana, do you mind covering for me? I'm gonna take... him to the-" "Please say the break room, he's super hot."

Her friend Alana said leaning back on the counter a little. "No...I was gonna say around the mall so I could help him shop." She said with a blush on her cheeks. I liked the way that blush looked on her face, she looked adorable. Oh My god, Adorable Barakat? Listen to yourself. I shook my head trying to get those thoughts out of my head. "Sure." Alana said and she jumped up and down a little but then turned and pulled me out of the store.

"Ever been to this mall before?" She asked. "Uhh, no." I said not really knowing what to say when I couldn't even think straight seeing as her hand was in mine again. "Ok well come this way." She pulled me to the elevator which had a ton of people waiting for it. When we got on I went back to the wall and she stood in front of me. As the doors were shutting someone ran on and that made her get pushed into me, I didn't mind though she was gorgeous.

"Sorry." She said. "No, it's fine." I said as she smiled at me. Her upper body and legs were tangled in mine and every inch of skin she came in contact with was on fire and I liked it, I never wanted it to go away. The elevator dinged though and we all piled out. She started to walk down the way and I stood next to her. I dug my hands in my pockets not really knowing where else to put them. "So what do they call you?" She asked.

"I am Jack." I said over and over again in my head what I said and it made sense but didn't at the same time, I wanted to smack myself. "Alright, Jack. You can call me Izzy or Iz. Either one is fine." She said walking into a store. "So what does this girl wear?" She asked. "I don't know she's not my girlfriend and I don't pay attention to what she wears." I said following Iz around.

"We're never gonna find anything." I whined after going int and out of store for what I've counted as 2 more hours. "Yes we will, you just gotta keep your eyes peeled, Jacko." I loved the nickname she came up with for me. "Like...oooohhh. What about a piece of Jewelry?" She said and ran over to a case full of jewelry. "Yeah that'll work." I said standing behind her. I leaned a little closer to get a better look.

I lightly placed my hand over her upper arm, she stiffened but softened shortly after I touched her. "Can I help you two out? Our wedding ring collection is over there-" "Woah, woah, woah. Wedding is very far in my future and that's if I ever want to get married, I like to have fun and marriage and commitment, not fun." She said to the man. I think this is the one, I found my soul mate she just described my feelings about marriage and being with someone perfectly.

"Oh sorry, y'all just make the cutest couple." I moved my hand from her arm. "Nope...just friends." I added stepping next to her. "Can I see that necklace, though." She asked. "Sure." He pulled it out of the case. "Iz, you found it. That looks just like something she would wear." "Oh yeah?" She said and held it up to her neck. It was a diamond necklace in the shape of a heart infinity sign, perfect for Lisa.

"Yep, that's it." I turned to the man. "That's it that's the one, I'll take it." I said throwing my card on the counter. He took the necklace and boxed up and packaged it for me. Then swiped my card. I turned to Izzy and she had a smile on her face. He handed me the bag and we left the store, we walked back over to the store she works at. "Stay here, I wanna say bye but need to check and see how things are going. Be right back." She said and went into the store.

I stood there with my hands jammed in my pockets regretting the moment she was gonna hug me bye cause I would never get to feel it again. She came back out, but something was off, but she smiled when she saw me still standing there. I could get used to that smile. Get a hold of yourself, stop being a hormonal teenage girl. She walked back over. "Where are you going?" She asked. "I guess back to our bus." I said. "Do you need a ride? I just got fir... off work. I live in Woodstock so..." She said. I nodded and she smiled.

"Ok, this way." She said as I followed her down the escalator and out the doors to a parking deck. We walked over to her car. Which happened to be an old Volkswagen bug, 1950. "This is my car, Bertrice. She's really awesome, and has a CD player." She said unlocking the doors. We got in and I gave her the address where the bus was. "I live down the street from there." "Cool." I said as she pressed play on the radio and Green Day played threw the speakers.

This is my kind of girl. I sang along with her as we sang the words to When I come around. Then I expected another Green Day song when I quickly realized this was a mixed CD, Country poured threw the speakers now and the sad part was it wasn't half bad but I was mesmerized by her voice. "Just to see you smile I'd do anything that you wanted me to, When all is said and done I'd never count the cost it's worth all that's lost, Just to see you smile."

I smiled at her as she sang the words. "Who wrote this?" I asked. "Uh, Tim McGraw duh! Musical genius, but he's not even the best one, Garth Brooks is my favorite but I like a wide range of music." She said. I nodded as the song changed and something she said the title was Holding onto you, by Twenty one pilots. Was completely different and I liked it. She continued to sing along, I liked that she wasn't shy in front of me.

Well we made it to where the bus was and we both stepped out of her car. "Alright, well you said when we first met that normally you would be up in your home town so I'm assuming this isn't your home town and if I'm assuming already, I'm gonna assume that you and whoever is on that bus with you has no plans for Christmas so I'm inviting y'all to come and spend it with me and my family, I mean we're crazy and loud but we throw a good party. That's if you wanna come I mean you don't have to-"

"Sure, we'd love to." I said trying to get her to slow down. She smiled at me. "Cool, then that makes what happened today totally worth it." She said. I gave her a confused look. "What happened today?" I asked. "Don't worry about it." She said. "Did you get in trouble?" I asked wanting to know if I really did get her in trouble. "Yes and no, I mean not exactly. I just sorta you know... got fired." She said nonchalantly trying to play it off as a big deal.

"Wait, I got you fired?" I asked. She raised her hands and shook them. "No, no, no. This had been coming for a long time, it just so happens this was the last straw." She said with a smile, her smile was beautiful. "Ok, but I still feel bad." "Well, since you're coming to the Christmas party maybe it wouldn't have been for nothing then." I smiled at her and she gave one back, her beautiful blue eyes focused on my dull dark brown ones. He hair now out of the pony tail long and flowing in the wind.

"Yeah, we'll be there." I said. She pulled out her phone. "Here, so I can tell you where to go." She said. I took her phone and she went back into her car. She walked back over and took her phone after I put my number in it. "Here, you seemed like you were really enjoying it." She said handing me a CD, the one out of the radio I'm assuming. "Thank you." I said genuinely. "You're welcome." "No I mean everything. You helped me find the perfect present and got fired from your job for me today and gave me something no one has given me in a long time, a mix CD. They're the coolest. You're the coolest." I said.

She stepped forward wrapping her arms and my torso. I did the same but her body and pretty much melted into her, yet again that fiery sensation came back. "Thanks, Jacko." "Welcome Izzy." I said into her hair, which smelled fantastic. We let go. "So I'll text you tomorrow." she said. I nodded and watched her pull away. I ran over to the bus and swung the door open.

"Jack!" Lisa yelled. I ran over to her engulfing her in a hug. "What are you doing here?" I asked playing along. "Here to kick your ass." She said and pushed me away but smacked my arm. "Ow." "That's for blowing this for Alex."She said and hit me again. I laughed and sat down on the couch. She headed back over and sat on Alex's lap. But he pushed her off onto the couch.

"Jack, to the back." He said. I stood up and went to the back lounge. "What did you buy?" He asked. I took out the bag and showed him the necklace. "Dude, it's perfect." He said. "I know." "And you found this?" He asked looking straight at me. "Well, I had some help from this girl. Which reminds me, we all now have plans for Christmas." "Ohh, do tell the details my friend." He said.

I went in to detail about what happened and got him up to speed with everything. "And she handed me this and drove off." I handed him the CD. "Cool, she sounds awesome Jack." "Yeah, she was really awesome. Also we have to go cause I sort of got her fired..." I said. "You got her fired from her job?!" He asked. "Yeah, so now I owe her..." I said. "Yeah you do, and an awesome gift." I nodded. "We." I gestured between the two of us. "Can find that tomorrow." "Yep." He said as he headed from the back lounge to the front.

I got up and went to my bunk. I slipped off my jeans and shirt, keeping on only my boxers. I laid on my back facing the ceiling and all I could think about was her. He hair, and the freckles that ran across her nose and cheeks or her beautiful blue eyes and that she was perfectly tall for me and that she smiled and blushed at everything I said and I loved that. She was perfect and I couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Notes

Ok... please comment like should I keep going or stop? I like writing this but if it sucked tell me so I can either change it or delete it... LOVES :P I'll probably update tomorrow or something if I get a comment...that was a lie I'll update either way but it would be nice to get a comment. :P