The past couple of months have been the absolute hardest months of my life. I realized that when you are in a relationship with someone you truly admire, everything becomes difficult just because they aren't in your arms.

My house was fully decorated for Christmas. It was currently December 24th, Christmas Eve. I planned on going to my parents' house for Christmas tomorrow but now was just a time to relax and watch Christmas movies in the comfort of my own home. Elle would have been over but she went to visit family in Washington. Shawn was in Canada with his family.

I turned on the tree lights, leaving everything else off, turned on the television, and put on "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". It definitely was a children's movie but it was a classic and classics should be given some attention too. I grabbed the plate of cookies I baked earlier from the kitchen counter, along with a glass of milk, and brought it with me to the living room.

I was watching for a good thirty minutes when I heard the doorbell ring. I looked out the peephole and saw big bins of presents outside. Curious, I opened the door. Nobody was there, just the bins. I saw that there were tags on the gifts so I looked at one and saw my name on it but no evidence of who it was from. I stepped out into the porch, then peeked over to look at my driveway and saw a black car pull out of the driveway, my car blocking whoever was on the other side. I watched as the figure started walking towards me and it wasn't clear who it was because of how dark it was outside. The figure looked really puffy, interesting.

The person finally reached the other side of my car, rolling a large suitcase, and I saw exactly who it was. "Shawn!" I ran up to him, practically jumping him, and wrapped my legs around his waist. He was wearing grey sweatpants, a puffy snow jacket, and a black beanie. I took off the beanie to see the entirety of his face.

Brushing my hands through his curly locks, I cupped his face and kissed him, passionately. "What are you doing here, love? And what's up with the snow attire" I got down from him, embracing him in a large hug.

"Since you surprise me all the time, I thought that it was finally time to surprise you. And it was snowing in Toronto. Obviously it's not here and I'm scorching" He smiled, removing his jacket. We walked into the house, bringing everything inside.

We sat down on the couch, facing each other, and I looked at him with amazement. "What about you family?"

"They're going on vacation and I thought that it was about time I came and visited you" He smiled.

"So you're going to be spending Christmas. With my family?"

"Do you not want me to?"

"Of course I want you to!" I looked around the couch. "Where's my phone, I need to tell my parents" Shawn put his hand on my shoulder, sliding it down to my bicep, almost caressing it.

"Don't worry. I already told them"

"My parents knew about this?"

"Yeah" He grinned. "For a couple weeks now" I climbed onto his lap, cupping his cheeks in my hands, and giving him small pecks on his lips. I looked him in the eyes and smiled. "I missed you, handsome"

He pressed his lips softly into mine, smiling into the kiss. "Mmm. I think I missed you more"

I got off of him, grabbing the plate of cookies and offering him one. He took one and took a bite out of it. "Mmmm"

I chuckled. "Is it good?"

"Maybe one of the best cookies I've ever had" I led him to through the kitchen/ family room and into my bedroom, letting him get his things situated.

I sat on the bed, watching him put some of his clothes into my closet. "So" I said. "How long are you going to be here for?"

"Well" He paused, hanging up a black hoodie. "I'm going back to Canada for New Years. I was thinking that you'd maybe want to come?"

"Of course I'd want to come!"

He looked back, giving me that loving smile of his. I walked to the closet next to him, grabbing a pair of black satin pajamas, and placed them on the bed. I took off my shirt so I could put it on and I heard a cough behind me. I turned around to look at Shawn. "What?"

"I love you and all, but I'm kinda tired"

"What are you talking about?"

He smirked, then made a straight face. "I do not appreciate you showing me your underwear at such a late time in the night"

I looked at him, then began laughing. "What's so funny?" He asked, sarcastically.

"Oh. Nothing" I grabbed my shirt from the bed and threw it at him. He looked at me, pausing for a second to contemplate, then started running towards me, lifting me off the floor, and onto the bed, tickling me.

I shrieked and Shawn started tickling me. Everyone knows that I am the most ticklish person alive. He finally stopped when I asked him to, out of breath from laughing so hard. He was positioned on top of me in a way where I was pinned down under him. He looked at me for a second, then smiled leaning down for a kiss. The kissed turned from soft to passionate in seconds, making my heart beat.

I stopped the kiss, looking at him. "I thought you said it was late?"

"Shhh" He placed a finger on my lips. "You must have mistaken it for someone else" He went back, tracing soft kisses from my lips, my cheek, and then my neck.

The Next Morning . . .

I got out of the shower, putting on my clothes for the Christmas breakfast at my parents' house. Shawn was in the living room, watching a movie or something. I looked at my outfit in the mirror. I was wearing a red, grey, and black plaid skirt with a white turtleneck. I curled my hair, applied some mascara, and went to tell Shawn that I was ready to go.

I walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. "Shawn?"

"In here!" He yelled from the pantry. I walked over to him and he was looking at me, smiling.

"What's going on?"

"Come here" He smiled at me. I walked to him and he placed his hands around my waist, my hands went to his chest.

"Look up" He whispered into my ear. I looked at the doorframe; hung from it was a piece of mistletoe.

I looked into his eyes and smiled. "Merry Christmas" He said, leaning in.

"Merry Christmas" I whispered, smiling into the kiss.

---------

Shawn put the bin of presents into the trunk of my dark grey Jeep Wrangler as I went into the driver's seat. Shawn followed behind me, going into passenger's. "You didn't have to get everyone presents, you know"

"Of course I do. Your family is letting me spend Christmas with you, the least I can do is get them a gift" I reached my hand over to his, giving it a squeeze.

"Anything I should be cautious about?"

"Hmm" I contemplated. "Usually, on Christmas Day, we eat breakfast then open gifts. That's kinda how it's always been. My parents aren't scary. My sister, eh. She's cool. Oh! She has a four year old little girl, Layla"

He nodded his head as I pulled up into the driveway. We went down, getting the bin of gifts and I opened the front door with the key I had. The second I opened the door, we were hit with the smell of freshly made bread.

"Shawn!" My mom peeked at the from door from the kitchen. I closed the door and watched as my mom quickly walked up to Shawn, giving him a hug. "It is so nice to meet you Mrs. Sinclair!"

"Please, call me Jane. Come, come" She motioned for him to follow her to the kitchen.

"Thanks for acknowledging my existence, mom!" I yelled as she led Shawn to the kitchen. She ignored it, continuing to talk to Shawn.

I brought the bin with me to the Christmas tree in the living room and placed the gifts under the tree. After that, the doorbell rung, telling me that my sister, Elena, was here. I opened the door and Layla instantly ran up to me. "AUNTIE ALANA!"

I laughed, hugging her, and picking her up. "Hi, sweetie" She squeezed me back. Elena brought her gifts under the tree and started walking towards the kitchen. "So" She said as I followed her. "Where's this lover boy of yours"

"Mom basically abducted him. Hey! Where Josh?" Josh was her husband.

"He is in Texas for a business conference, sadly" We entered the kitchen and Mom and Dad were already in a deep conversation with Shawn, smiling and laughing. They looked towards us.

"Hey! The girls are here!" My dad said. Elena stopped near the counter, about to introduce herself to Shawn when she stopped and looked at me, then back to Shawn. "Alana?"

"Hmm?"

"You never told me that Shawn, your boyfriend, is Shawn Mendes" Everyone chuckled and she finally gained the confidence to introduce herself. With Layla still in my arms, I went up to Shawn, introducing the two.

"Hi honey!" He smiled, grabbing her tiny hand and shaking it. "I'm Shawn!"

"Shawn?" She asked. "Are you the boy that Auntie Alana always listens to in the car?"

I started giggling. "Yes he is, Layla"

She looked back at him, then at me. "He's very pretty"

He smiled, cheerfully. "Thank you. You're very pretty. I like your dress" She was wearing a red, Santa-type dress.

Layla looked at me again. "I like him" She said.

I grinned widely. "So do I"

We spent the rest of the morning eating food and opening presents. I was blessed that my family liked Shawn because since I was the youngest, they always had some sort of weird protectiveness over me. I was in the kitchen, finishing washing up the dishes when Elena came into the room.

"Hey. You gotta come see this"

I followed her through the hallway to the living room. Shawn was sitting on the floor with Layla and they were having a pretend tea party. There were little tea cups, saucers, play food, and everything.

"May I have some more tea please?" Shawn asked, holding up the tiny cup in his big hands.

"Yes you may!" Layla said in her little voice, picking up the teapot and 'pouring' some tea into his cup. I leaned against the doorframe in complete awe.

"You lucked out" Elena whispered.

"Huh?"

"He's. Amazing? I don't know how you were able to catch him. He's perfect with kids, kind, a great soul, a total babe"

I looked at her and softly smiled, chuckling. "Yeah. I don't know how I got so lucky either"