Santa's List

"Son, you need to get ready now. We are having the Christmas Party at our place tonight. Guests would be coming in very soon." 

His father said this to him, while the little ten year old Aryan was reading one of his many story books.

He had some other plans. He frowned. He was supposed to visit the nearest Church along with some of his friends, the friends his parents didn't approve of. He belonged to a rich family while his friends where the children of servants who worked for his parents and lived at the back of his house. 

He knew what was going to happen. Like every year, his parents and their friends would end up drinking too much. Some of them might blabber out some secrets which weren't meant to be disclosed or the others might get into a fight. While the ones left would get amazing stories for the town to feed on for a month or so. He had always felt out of place at such gatherings and tried to avoid them as much as possible. 

He walked to his parent’s room. His mother was busy picking out her dress while his father was almost ready and giving orders to someone on the phone. 

"Here comes our baby", said his mom. 

He had mustered up a lot of courage and went to his mom.

He said, "Uh, umm, Mum, I was wondering if I could go to the church with my friends instead. I have no business in your party. Maybe I could skip it this time." 

He saw the way his parents expressions changed and he knew he was in trouble. His father was fuming with anger. He had told him a thousand times to stay away from those friends of his.

To control the situation, his mother said, "Listen love, it's Christmas today. Do you want that the Old Santa adds you in his Naughty List like the rest of those poor friends of yours? You're in the Nice List sweetie, do you want it to change? I and your father would never like to see you on the other side. You and those kids, aren't the same baby. See your clothes darling and look at theirs. If you stay with them all the time, how would the Old Santa make out who our Aryan is?" 

And that's how she said a no to him.

He walked out of their room, disappointed. His friends must be waiting for him. He promised them that he would come. He lived in a big mansion but he still felt suffocated.

And the party started. The same thing which happened every year was being repeated. Almost all of the guests were busy within themselves. Everyone was having glasses of wine in their hands, munching up the food, they were discussing each other, bitching about each other and laughing away to those stories. His parents were busy attending the guests. 

 And that was his perfect chance to escape. He filled a bag with some of the delicacies that were prepared for the guests and tiptoed to the servant’s quarters from the back door. 

He saw his friends and a smile lighted up his otherwise disappointed face. He gave them some food and little gifts he had got for them. Those little children hadn't been this happy since a long time.

"Merry Christmas friends." And he hugged them.

And then one of them said, "How come you're here Aryan? We thought you won't be coming today. We thought you would be inside since a party is going on." 

And the rest of them nodded in unison.

"Mom said that if I see you people, Santa would put me in his Naughty List. But I don't believe her. The people inside, drinking, bitching about each other, cursing each other should be the ones who should be in that list. All those people who think you and me shouldn't be together because we are not the same should be in that list. I wonder how we are different. We all are little kids celebrating Christmas here, aren't we? And even if Santa puts me in that list, I wouldn't mind at all. I get to celebrate this day with all of you. I get to make you all smile. I won't mind being in that list. But I don't think so he'd put me in that. We all are in his Nice List, I'm very sure. And I hope this year, Santa comes and tells this to my parents and makes them realise, I really wish. We're in his Nice List friends, I know." .

Little Aryan looked towards the sky and wished that Santa would listen to him. 

And the children enjoyed their Little Christmas Party and along with those little gifts, Aryan shared a lot more with them, his happiness. Unlike the one going on inside his house, this one was merrier, this one was the reason those little faces had a big smile on them.