18 Going On 30 || h.s. au

forty

for the optimal reading experience: dust off your favorite christmas playlist and just click shuffle. you won't regret it.

THANK YOU FOR 17K!!!!!!!!!!

MADDIE'S POV

THREE MONTHS LATER: CHRISTMAS EVE

"I have to go-"

"Wait! I have to give you your present!" Addison stops me before I take a step towards the door, running and disappearing into her bedroom and coming back two seconds later with a large, flat, thin, wrapped gift in her hands. "Okay, here."

She hands me the massive thing, bouncing on the heels of her feet and biting her lip to suppress a smile.

"Do you want me to-"

"Open it!" She finishes my sentence for me.

"Alright then." I take a few steps over to the wooden dining table and place the gift down carefully because it feels fragile.

I go for it, ripping right through the Christmas themed wrapping paper and revealing the exciting mystery.

I should've known. A giant, framed, perfect quality photo Addison took this past fall of me, Harry, and Arlo together.

"You didn't." I gasp, turning around to see her jumping up and down with a smile on her face.

She squeals. "I did."

"You said you were just testing out your new lenses!"

"I was, and look at that, they worked!" She laughs. "I picked my favorite- which was one of the hardest decisions of my life, by the way- and found the nicest frame I could find. And now you can hang it up in your brand new home." She squeals again.

"Addison, I fucking love it, what the hell? I feel terrible because we're leaving in an hour and I don't have your gift with me."

"You think I care? Give it to me never. Your gift to me is being hot and letting me take pictures of you."

I shake my head at her words, looking back down at the picture frame of the three of us and the joy on our faces.

Harry and I are sitting shoulder to shoulder against the trunk of a tree, a bunch of fall leaves surrounding us and filling the forefront of the photo with oranges, reds, and yellows. Harry has his knees pulled up to his chest and is holding his arms on his knees comfortably, looking at me with that dimple-popping, lopsided smile like I'm the best thing since sliced bread.

My legs are laid out and crossed in front of me, and I'm looking at Arlo who Addison caught at the perfect moment- rolling on his back on a little pile of brown and orange leaves as his tongue hangs out of his mouth in sheer joy. I'm smiling at him with my hands positioned like I'm reaching out to pet him, an equally happy smile on my face.

I just know Harry's gonna pull out the hammer and nails the second I walk through the door with this thing. Can you blame him? I sure can't. It's our little family.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out to glance at a text from Harry himself.

"Okay, I really hate to cut this short but I do need to go. I haven't even packed and we're leaving soon." I tell Addison regretfully.

"Bitch, don't apologize. It's Christmas Eve. The season of giving. So give me a hug and then get your ass back to Holmes Chapel."

We squeeze each other tightly, and soon I'm walking out to my car with extra care in my steps in order to keep the frame in pristine condition.