All I Want for Christmas is You
Chapter Two: Shy
I opened my eyes slowly, and listened. I heard running, giggling and moving of furniture downstairs and Mrs. Cynthia’s voice. I sat up and looked at my clock on the night stand. 11:00. I looked over to Veronica’s bed and she was gone. She was an earlier riser and an early person so I didn’t think too much of it. I lied back down and closed my eyes, but only for a brief moment because she suddenly came bursting into the room telling me to wake up. I lazily sat back up and watch her fix her bed.
“What are you doing?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Veronica said over her shoulder
“It looks like you’re fixing your bed. Did hell freeze over?”
“Ha-ha.” She turned to me. “Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez are coming over.”
I laughed at my friend not believing her. “Yeah right.”
She walked over to the foot of my bed and sat down. “I’m not kidding. Mrs. Cynthia told me and the girls this morning at breakfast that they wanted to come over and meet us all and have lunch. By the way you missed breakfast again.” She glanced at the clock. “And almost lunch.” Veronica stood up walked and over to her side of the room. “You better start getting up and getting dressed. The guys are on their way over.”
I nodded, watching Veronica sit on her bed and look through her compact and apply a little makeup. I snickered. “Since when do you start wearing makeup?”
“Shut up.” She peeked over her compact. “You can use some.”
“Shut up. You’re jealous of my beauty and style.”
Veronica arched an eyebrow at me. “Yeah that’s it. I’m jealous of your messy bed hair and your pajamas. Go get dressed.” Laughing, I climbed out of bed and left the room and crossed the hall to the bathroom to take a shower.
Thirty minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom to hear male voices downstairs. I tip toed to the end of the hall and poked my head around the corner to see if JC and Justin had arrived. They had, and they were sitting in the living room with Mrs. Cynthia and the girls talking and laughing.
Veronica came up behind me without me knowing. “What are you doing?” I screamed, startling both of us.
“Girls!” Mrs. Cynthia called from downstairs. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, Mrs. Cynthia we’re fine,” Veronica called back down. “Amanda just saw herself in the mirror again.”
I shoved her back playfully. “Shut up!”
“Girls come downstairs and meet our guests.”
I looked at Veronica uneasily, hearing Mrs. Cynthia. I was a very shy person and rarely comfortable meeting new people. It took a long time before I became comfortable talking to Veronica or anyone at the orphanage for that matter. Veronica was extremely opposite of me. She was very sociable and loved meeting new people.
“Go,” Veronica, giving me a shove from behind. I shook my head and gripped the stair railing.
“Girls!” Mrs. Cynthia called.
Veronica chuckled softly at me and walked down the stairs to the living room. Both JC and Justin stood up. “Amanda is not coming.”
Mrs. Cynthia gave JC and Justin a smile. “I’m sorry Amanda is VERY shy. She’s not comfortable meeting new people.”
“That’s fine,” said JC with a smile. “We’ll meet Amanda some other time.”
She nodded with a smile and gestured to Veronica. “This is Veronica Valentino, she’s my social little butterfly.”
Justin smiled at Veronica. “Social little butterfly, huh?” he asked. She nodded with a cheesy grin and he laughed softly.