Vignette #4
Underneath a draping of paper chains hanging from the ceiling, sat a calm gaggle of girls chatting and cheerfully laughing from the thick of their diaphragms. Some lay on their stomachs, while most of them sat with their backs resting against the edges of the parallel beds with their fluffy sock wrapped feet tangled in the middle of the floor. They had tried their best to make the dorm feel Christmasy and festive – like their houses were back home. They adhered string lights to the wall, rainbow light pooling around the room. Crafted paper into stars and a mistletoe swinging atop the door. Lit candles, that they most certainly were not allowed to have, and found an artificial evergreen no taller than anyone’s hip. If you asked them, they would say it was perfect. And admittedly, it was.
On the left side of the room, sitting on the edge of the gathering, she observed the scene. Mismatch mugs full of peppermint tea and hot chocolate radiated warmth into the fingertips holding them and thrummed familiar festive scents into the air. Ruby and emerald paper crowns cradled the tops of everyone’s heads from Christmas crackers they opened previously together with satisfying pops and squeals. A radio was playing in the far corner from her, singing carols and classics. She would’ve felt more merry if it wasn’t her first Christmas spent without family. Without the money to spend on a plane ticket to return home for the holidays, she was left in San Francisco. A worry of loneliness had crept into the season, sinister and snarling, threatening to take away her chance of a good Christmas. There was relief when her roommate and the friends she had made were all in the same boat, but she missed her family. She craved the ornaments from her childhood glittering on the tree and matching pajamas. Could nearly taste the homemade gingerbread houses she had decorated so many times. It made her ache. Homesickness pulling at her heartstrings. Then as she looked around again she noticed the handmade decorations they created for their little tree, the correlating socks on their feet, and the gingerbread men and snowmen resting on a plate on the floor. A glow kindled in her chest.
“It’s snowing!” One of the girls cried excitedly and fled to the window. Gasps and astonishment filled the room as one after one the girls huddled around the window. With tiptoes and arms wrapped around shoulders and waists, her roommate turned around to look at her still sitting on the floor indulging in her homesickness. Her face was bright with glee. She gestured enthusiastically for her to join them – and she did, accepting their arms wracked full of love and light. Admiring the slow descent of the snowflakes fluttering down from the navy sky, she realized she felt not an ounce of loneliness. All the love and warmth she was ready to miss so desperately this year, was right here surrounding her. The girls watched as the first snow danced and mused in the air.
“It’s so beautiful.”