Falling For The Shoulder You Lean On, chapter 7

(December 22, 2006. Serenity and Liam's house.)
Seri's POV


Over the past two years, Liam and I have made up and things are better between us, not great, barely good, but things are back to the way they were before the fight. After I came home from Tokyo we had a long talk and he apologized for all the asshole things he had been doing and saying. Well, he has actually taken a full week vacation from work just so we could spend some time together this Christmas. I am so excited. Today is going to be a busy day for me since I have to buy everyone's Christmas presents today. I walked over and plopped down on the sofa and snuggled up to Liam. He wrapped his arm around me.

"Good morning, Serenity."

"Morning, Liam."

"So, what's the plan today?"

"Well, you get to have loads of fun being in the house by yourself today because I have Christmas shopping to do."

"Christmas shopping?"

"Yes, and you better not have forgotten to get a certain girlfriend a present this year."

"You're never gonna let me live that down, huh?"

"No, not really."

"I don't want you to go, I'm starving."

"I baked cookies last night and they are in the fridge. Bon appetite."

"When will you be back?"

"Eight at the earliest. Mall closes at Nine, huh?"

"How does Christmas shopping take that long?"

"Well, let's see. We're going over to Mike's tomorrow for the Christmas Eve party so that means I need to buy presents for Mike, Brittany, Tre, Billie, Adie and Claudia. Her present is gonna double as a wedding gift because she just got married and moved out of Tre's house."

"That's a lot of people."

"Yeah, and on Christmas we are going to Billie's for Christmas dinner so we have to get presents for Joey, Jake, Stella, Frankito and Ramona since she's spending Christmas with her father this year."

"Now I see why it's gonna take that long."

"Yes so I will see you around eight or eight thirty. Bye, Liam."

I gave him a kiss.

"Bye, babe."

I grabbed the keys to our car and drove to the mall. I turned on the radio and heard the new My Chemical Romance single, Desert Song. It is really good, a bit creepy, but very well written. I remember when they went on tour with the boys and I got to meet them. They are total sweethearts. I kept driving until I reached the mall and parked my car.

The fascination with malls has always confused me. Sure they have nice clothes and all but does everyone in Oakland have to go shopping on the same day? I kept walking and dreading the daunting task ahead of me. What do I get for them? I walked past a Starbucks, damn they are everywhere nowadays, huh? Well, anyway, I walk past it and I look inside to hopefully see my caffeine obsessed friend and I do. There sitting at the back booth with a hat and ridiculously over-sized sunglasses was Mike Dirnt sipping a cup of coffee. He is so predictable. I walked inside and sat in the booth across from him.

"Hey, Mike. Nice little get-up you got there."

"Hey, Seri. Shut up. I have to go out like this now so I don't get caught."

"By who? Is Mikey scared of the boogeyman?"

"No, worse. Thousands of screaming little girls."

"Ah, teenies."

"Precisely."

"So, you doing late Christmas shopping like me?"

"Yeah, I got thirsty."

"We all know you have to feed your addiction."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I came to ask if you would like to accompany me on my oh so exciting day of shopping."

"Well, let's see. I could A, sit here and enjoy this wonderful cup of coffee and this rare moment of peace and quiet or B, go shopping with my psychotic and hyper-active sister. What do you think?"

"I knew you'd choose me over coffee."

"Hey!"

I grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of his little coffee crack house and I linked my arm with his.

"I didn't exactly say I wanted to go with you."

"Don't care. I need your help."

"Help with what?"

"What to get everybody."

"Who's everybody?"

"You, Billie, Tre, Liam, Joey, Jake, Stella, Frankito, Ramona, Adie, Claudia and your girlfriend."

"Oh, those people."

"Yes, now where shall we go first?"

"Um, try FYE. They sell a lot of stuff."

"Good thinking, Mikey-boy."

"Did you just call me Mikey-boy?"

"Yes, now let's go inside or I'll call you that again."

"Fine, fine."

We walked inside the store and I looked around. Who's present should I get first? I walked around and looked through the shirt rack and found a Misfits shirt that I knew Liam would love.

"Yes, one down."

"And who gets the Misfits shirt?"

"Liam. The Misfits are his favorite band."

"Oh. Got any ideas for what you're gonna get me?"

"Yeah, and you'll find out on Christmas Eve."

"Ouch! That hurt, Seri."

"You think I don't wanna know what I'm getting? And don't tell me Michael, I have the decency to wait."

"I hate it when you call me Michael."

"I know."

"It makes you sound like my Mom."

"No, me calling you Michael Ryan Pritchard at the top of my lungs would make me sound like your mother."

"Good point. Got any ideas on what you're gonna get Billie this year?"

"You know how they have that Greatest hits cd of The Replacements? I think it's called Don't You Know Who I Think I Was?"

"Yeah."

"It screams Bill's name, now I just have to find it."

I walked past Mike and ran to the cd section. I scanned through the R's. I am so lucky! There's only one copy left. I walked back towards Mike and waved the little piece of plastic around in the air like an award.

"Ta-da. Two down. Now let's see what else is here."

Mike looked at me dumbfounded as I ran through the store like I was a present detector or something. I walked over to the kid section and found an awesome Ramones shirt in Ramona's size and a stuffed animal of Animal from the Muppets for Frankito.

"Okay, so that means I have Liam, Billie, Ramona and Frankito."

"How do you shop so fast?"

"It's a woman's natural habitat, Mike. You should know these things."

"Yeah, okay."

"So that leaves Tre, Adie, Claudia, Stella, Joey and Jake."

"You don't really have to get Stella anything."

"No, I do. I love her like she was my own. Auntie Seri is definitely getting something for Hero."

"Okay, Seri. I'm not gonna argue with you."

"Good, now let's see. Who is the hardest to shop for?"

"I'd say Claudia."

"Nope, she just got married to um, what was his name? Blaine, yeah that's it. Anyways, her and Blaine just got married and they bought this new house so I can get her a house warming slash wedding slash Christmas present."

"And what is this super present going to be?"

"I have no idea until I find it."

"Then why don't we go into Sharper Image? They got stuff in there."

"Another brilliant idea, Mike. I should take you shopping with me more often."

"Oh God, please no."

We walked into the Sharper Image which was only a few feet away and I looked around. I saw this ultimate smoothie maker machine thingy and I grabbed it. Claudia has an obsession with smoothie's and I knew she would love it.

"Okay, done with Claudia."

"And what is that?"

"Smoothie machine."

"Smoothies? She likes smoothies?"

"God, you men are so oblivious to everything. Yes, Claudia is to smoothies as you are to coffee."

"If that's true then she'll definitely love it."

"That's what I'm hoping."

I walked up to the desk and paid for the smoothie machine. We walked around the mall absentmindedly for another half an hour and my search was not going so well. Adie, Tre, Joey, Stella and Jake? They really are hard to shop for.

"Hey, Seri. I'm starving. I'm just going to the food court to grab a bite to eat. When I'm done I'll come find you."

"Oh, okay."

"Where's the next store you're gonna be at."

"Either Spencer's or that little art store across from Forever 21."

"Okay, see ya."

"Yeah."

Yes, he is finally gone. Now I can go buy his present. I walked away and headed back to the Starbuck's I found him at earlier. I decided to buy Mike a hundred dollar gift card to Starbuck's. That should last him at least a week. I walked out of Starbuck's and headed to the little art store. I can never remember it's name but they do have a great selection of paintings and pictures. I walked inside and found what I as going to get Adie. There before me was a gigantic framed black and white photo of Marilyn Monroe, her idol. I made my purchase and walked outside. Now only Joey, Jake, Tre and Stella. I walked into a jewelry store on my way to Spencer's and found a gorgeous platinum bracelet that had Hero on it. I fell in love with the beautiful bracelet and bought it. Stella was going to love it. Now I got the three kids left. I was outside Spencer's when I looked across and saw a Guitar Center. When did they start putting those in the mall? I decided not to question it's location further and walked inside. Guitar shops always smell so nice. I looked around and saw Joey's favorite Ernie Ball strings and bought him five sets and a bunch of cool looking holographic picks. This is the easiest Christmas shopping has been for me in a long time. I only have Jake and Tre left. I really had no clue what to get Tre. You would think he is the easiest one to shop for but you are far from the truth. I walked into Spencer's and saw Mike looking in the 'naughty' section of the store.

"Michael Ryan Pritchard! You nasty little boy."

"Huh? Hey, Seri. I was just looking for something to get... "

"Sure. You're positive you weren't looking for something you and Brittany can do?"

"No, shut up Seri. I'm a grown man."

"You sure as hell act like one."

"What I do in the privacy of my bedroom has nothing to do with... "

"Yuk, Mike, keep you're sex stories to yourself."

Mike grunted and walked away. I love annoying the piss out of him. I know it is wrong but he is so damn easy. I looked around the store. I skimmed through the posters, looked through the clothes racks and even played with the gag toys. Nothing seemed to be right for Tre. I almost gave p searching until I found a huge Donut pillow. It was so cool, it even had little donut sprinkles and chocolate icing. Yes! Tre was going to love it. I bought the gigantic donut pillow and left the store to find Mike waiting on me.

"So, you done yet?"

"I thought you wanted some space?"

"Shut up Seri. I'm bored and that's the only reason I am still here."

"Sure. Are you sure it isn't because you love me?"

"Yes, who'd be crazy enough to love you?"

"Lot's of people. People like you who stand outside of a store for thirty minutes waiting for me to finish shopping so we can go to yet another store."

"Oh, come on. I don't have time to waste."

"Don't kid yourself, Dirnt. You know you just wanna spend time with your second favorite woman in the world."

"And I ask myself why I hang out with you in the first place everyday?"

"Oh, so kind."

"I'm always kind."

"As kind as a lion is tame."

"Lion's at the zoo are tame."

"And that's why zookeepers die all the time while feeding them."

"No the don't, do they?"

I just shake my head and laugh at how naive he is. I could tell him the sky is purple and he would believe me, I walked off and found the Tony Hawk store. Perfect for the last person on my list, Jakob Danger Armstrong is determined to become the next famous skater, just like his uncle Steve. I walked inside and saw al the things in the store. This place is huge. Now what to get Jake? I looked at some of the skate shoes and shirts. I doubt he would want clothes, he gets enough what with Adeline and all. I looked up at the wall behind the counter and knew what I was getting him. Jakob has not gotten a new skateboard in at least two years. He had been asking for one but I do not think Billie as paying attention. I asked for the one with the Zero symbol in red tint. The guy gladly got it down for me and I paid him the money. I am finally done.

Oh, crap. I need to find something for Brittany. I almost forgot about her. I walked inside a Claire's and looked around. I walked towards the back where they placed their perfumes. I read off some of the labels. Summer rain, Cocoa flower, Hawaiian Ginger, Coffee? Wait, a coffee scented perfume? I picked up the bottled and sprayed some on my wrist. Sure enough I smelt a whiff of that dark brew. Mike was going to thank me for this one. I waited in line and bought the perfume. Now, I am officially done. Just to be sure I ran through my checklist in my head. Liam, Misfit's shirt, Billie, Replacement's cd, Tre, donut pillow, Mike, Starbuck's gift card, Adie, Marilyn Monroe picture, Claudia, smoothie machine, Joey, guitar strings and picks, Jake, a skateboard, Stella, the bracelet that says Hero, Frankito, the Animal toy, Ramona, the Ramones shirt and Brittany, the coffee scented perfume. That is everyone and I am officially done with the mall.

"Mike, I'm done."

"Seriously? You got everyone's present and it's only seven thirty?"

"Yes, I deserve to win a trophy for fastest recorded Christmas shopping ever."

"You really do. You need a ride home?"

"No, that's okay. I brought my car. You go home and have fun with Stella."

"Thanks, see ya Christmas Eve, Seri."

"Yeah, see ya, Mike."

I walked out of the mall carrying my weight in bags and threw them in the backseat. As soon as I get home I am going to bed. My feet hurt so bad. I can barely move. I stuck the key in the ignition and drove home.

There was a car I have never seen before in the driveway. Maybe Liam's parents came to visit? I only remember meeting them once. They were nice people. I walked up to the front door of my house and put my key in the door and opened it. When I did I saw the most horrible thing I could possibly imagine. Liam being straddled by some blonde and he was enjoying it.

"What the fuck?"

"Oh my God, Seri. I can explain."

I dropped my bags on the floor and I could barely breathe. I felt so angry, so used. I could not feel anything. Liam threw the girl off of him and ran to me.

"Babe, it's not what it... "

"Don't fucking touch me, Liam. This is what you do to me? Fifteen fucking years and this is what you do? I have been nothing but loyal to you and you treat me like this? This is the last straw. Fuck you and your whore. We're through. And don't you dare come and find me."