Christmas at the Harris' residence was always a tragedy. It was no strange development, as they were poor and had high and expensive expectations out of the holiday, but there was something about the 25th that seemed to haunt Noah every year.

It had been a Christmas night when his father decided enough was enough and left them. Elijah had more than once ruined what little they managed to whip up for the celebration by getting horrendously drunk, and let us not forget the time Hazel had appendicitis and they almost had not enough cash to go to a hospital.

All that past set a very low bar for what a merry Christmas looked like for the high schooler but, boy, did this year disappoint once again.

Not only his older brother skipped town again, he did so by stealing his girlfriend's money and leaving him behind to deal with the fallout with the principal and the art teacher. His mother, instead of reporting or at least return the cash to its rightful owners, decided to use the ill-gains to take his sister to Florida, and, therefore, he is left all alone for the end of the year.

The one bright side amidst all that shitstorm was that said girlfriend came around to check on him after the incident with his brother.

Noah, in that moment, is happy that Emma chose to pass by his house on the 23rd, just so she can spend some time with him. So much so, he is actually kind of glad about the fact that he did not go to Florida and about the fact that all members of his family were not around nor would be bursting through the door. The house was completely and blissfully empty.

Except for him, and except for her.

The former cheerleader is lying on his bed, a thick book about photography he did not recognize was perched on her lap, covering almost all of her face. Yet, Noah cannot seem to focus on anything else but the image of her wearing his black leather jacket.

It looks so baggy on her. Reaching just above mid-thigh, loose around the arms, almost completely swallowing her figure. Nevertheless, Noah is both entranced and in love at the fact that Emma fucking Price is wearing his jacket. A jacket he has had for years and worn many times, because it was not often that he could actually get new clothes, ones that had not once been his father's or Elijah's.

She looks damn beautiful with it. That girl can pull out a leather jacket like the best of them.

The two of them had only been dating for a few months. They were past that awkward stage but just breaching into the familiar and comfortable one where the two of them were completely relaxed around each other. The two of them had been great friends beforehand, and while neither of them regretted it, dating had caused an air of unfamiliarity and questions like how do I act now that we are not just friends, but they figured it out.

They still were figuring it out, really.

This was the first time Noah had ever seen Emma in his clothes, though.

"How long are you just going to stand there and stare at me?" The girl asks suddenly, and her voice pulls him from his reverie.

Blinking, Noah's blue eyes fall on her chocolate own to see she had pulled back the book and was now grinning at him from ear to ear, a twinkle of mischief in her gaze. His poor heart hammers against his chest in response.

"So-Sorry."

Emma shakes her head, sitting up in his bed and setting the book down on the table next to her. She smiles up at Noah, silently beckoning him over and he easily obliges, falling into the bed next to her with ease, something the two of them had done before. The privacy was different, though, but much appreciated.

He lets her fall into his chest, wrapping his arms around her thin frame.

"How are you?" She asks, quietly.

"Good," Noah mumbles, swallowing thickly to force his voice to be less raspy. "And you?"

"I'm happy I'm with you." Emma smiles back at him, eyes warm. "You're okay about not doing anything special over the holiday? Dad's going to work, it's just going to be me and Mack for dinner tomorrow. You'd be more than welcome to come, if you're alright with the menu being frozen chicken."

To be honest, the football player had been perfectly comfortable with the idea of keeping the holiday on the down-low, even when he had not the first clue about her offering to spend those days with him, but now, in light of new information, he is more than just okay about it.

"Yeah, I'd love that." He nods, smiling down at her questioning gaze. There is a pause, his eyes drifting lower, to his jacket once again, and he cannot help but ask, or rather state, "That's mine."

She blinks, baffled, before she glances down, pulling at the soft material, as it suddenly clicks in her mind.

"Oh!" The teenager mumbles in surprise, suddenly frowning as she pushes herself up from him. "I am sorry, it was laying around and I was cold. I didn't think it would be a big deal... I can change now."

Noah's hand latches around her wrist quickly but gently, halting her.

"No, no, that's fine! It's fine... I, actually... I really like it." A small warm spot washes over his tanned cheeks and Noah hopes the girl does not notice it, but by the soft smile that curls onto her lips, he knows she has.

Leaning back against him, Emma lets out a teasing giggle.

"Really?" Her eyes twinkle, grinning up at him. "I'll have to wear it more then."

Please.

Noah does not realize until his girlfriend lets out a loud laugh that he had said that part aloud.