-Josh-

Okay, so maybe Ezra's not as bad as I thought.

I still don't want to be his friend or anything, but he's not the worst. He was actually pretty nice about the whole Halloween thing.

We live in civility for the next couple of months-- our first Finals Week passes, and we both do okay. I continue spending most of my time playing football or hanging out with my buddies, and he reads and does his homework as usual. I stop with the petty stuff, though. And though I don't steer clear of him, we just generally don't interact outside of our room.

It's when December starts that stuff starts going south again-- but only for me.

I get an email from my family that just sucks to read.

TO: josh.preston@gmail.com

FROM: prestonfc@gmail.com

Josh--

This is your dad. Unfortunately, we don't think it's best for you to come home over winter break this year. Jesmyn is bringing home her boyfriend for the first time and we want to test the waters without your... explosive personality throwing off the image we'd like him to have of our family.

We understand that this will be hard for you, as you haven't spent a Christmas at school at any point in history, but you must know that it's more important that we make a good impression on Peter. We'll send your presents to the school so you can open them there, and we'll definitely do our best to send them on time, but we can't promise that they'll arrive to you before Christmas Day.

We'll see you for spring break.

Love,

Dad

I don't know how to wholly process this.

My parents don't want me home for Christmas-- they care more about making a good impression on my sister's boyfriend than they do about having their own son home for one of the biggest, most family-centric holidays of the year. I can hardly believe I'm reading this.

I must look devastated when Ezra gets back from hanging out with his friends after dinner, because he gives me a sort of concerned(?) look. "Are you okay, Josh?"

I glance up at him, about to just say 'yeah, just fine', but it doesn't come out. "I-- no, I'm not."

"Oh... what happened?" He sits on his bed. "If you want to talk about it."

I want to, but not exactly with him. Except... it's not like me to bother the guys with this. Who else would listen to my bullshit?

"My parents don't want me to come home for Christmas... which has never happened before. I just... I don't know what to do with myself."

He brings his knees up to his chest. "Oh... that sucks."

"Yeah."

There's a moment of silence.

"I've never actually celebrated Christmas," he tells me. "I mean, my family aren't the most strictly Jewish people ever, but we only celebrate Hanukkah."

I cock my head at him. "Huh."

"Yeah." He pauses. "I could bring you some Hanukkah stuff, if you want? To make it feel a little more like you actually get to celebrate?"

"I..." That actually sounds really nice. "Sure. But only if you want to."

"I do. I think it'd be nice for both of us." He smiles softly at me.

I can't help the smile that spreads across my face, too. "Yeah, maybe it will."

"Okay. So I'll bring you some stuff I pick up while I'm home. You'd better be prepared for a Hanukkah sweater."

I chuckle. "Yeah, okay."

"I'm not kidding."

"I believe you."

He laughs, too. "Okay. I hope your Christmas isn't too terrible, though. I know it'd suck if I had to spend Hanukkah here."

That makes me laugh even harder. "Yeah. Thanks, Ezra."

"Of course."