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Jess closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She was exhausted, and desperately wanted to give in to some much needed rest. It had been a whirlwind day. After their last final, Jules had dragged her off to the mall where they shopped till they dropped and then shopped some more.
Tomorrow was the house Christmas party -- her first Christmas party ever -- and they had gone overboard with presents and decorations. Jules had been so enthusiastic that it had rubbed off, and she'd gone a little wild. In one day, she'd bought more Christmas gifts than she had in her entire life combined.
As a child, she had envied her few Christian friends. She had wanted to get toys and presents, not just clothes, as was tradition for Diwali. Now she had a hint of what it felt like.
Hours later they arrived back home and with the help of their housemates they decorated and wrapped until the wee hours. Jess sighed. She was so tired, and in the morning there was still cooking and baking to do, and somewhere in there they had to pack their bags for their flight.
She felt herself start to drift off and that awareness was enough to jerk her awake. She couldn't sleep. She had a present to wrap and this was the only time that she could do it.
She looked over at Jules. Her breathing had deepened, and she was curled up on her side as always when she was fast asleep.
Jess eased out of bed and tiptoed across the room to her desk. Carefully, she opened her desk drawer, praying that for once it would open silently. It didn't. She cringed at the grinding of metal on metal and peeked over at Jules -- but she hadn't stirred.
She picked up the small box she had hidden away. They had agreed to wait and exchange presents on Christmas day, but she wanted Jules to have before she went home. Jess wanted her to wear it the whole time they were apart., their first separation since they had realized that they were more than friends.
Stepping around the debris of the shopping trip, she made her way out to the living room, where they'd left the last of the wrapping paper. She turned on the smallest light and picked up the white and blue snowflake paper that Jules had admired and cleared a spot to wrap.
She placed the jewelers box on the paper and hesitated, opening it to take one last look until tomorrow. The silver choker gleamed and the small dangling heart twinkled in the light. The heart was engraved on both sides with a cursive 'J'. Jules had eyed it in the store a few weeks ago and Jess knew right away that she wanted to give it to her.
Yawning, she closed the lid and smartly wrapped it. She tucked it under the tree, made her way back to bed, slipping under the covers. She snuggled in close to Jules. "Happy Christmas, luv."