No Noël | ✓

17 » no such thing as christmas miracles

17 » no such thing as christmas miracles

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I pulled away from Avery at the sound of Angel's, my mother's, and my father's voices. I knew once I turned I'd face them, but my eyes firstly landed on Avery.

I dropped my hand from her waist, wanting to quickly put some distance between us, but my grip on the back of her neck stood in place. It was like I hadn't been thinking clearly, because rather than just removing my hands from her altogether, I slowly moved my thumb, lightly brushing it against her swollen lips, before finally dropping both of my arms to my sides.

Avery's eyes held my attention, dazed and eyelashes fluttering. She didn't say anything. She casted her gaze downward, then seemed to cringe as she side-glanced at my family standing at the other end of the hallway.

I turned that way too, taking in my father's bored look, Angel's proud one, and then my mother's—caught between happiness and disgust.

"So, dessert?"

Everyone scattered at my question. The sounds of pushed chairs in the dining room, my mother asking who wanted the honor of cutting the pies, and Angel's cackles served as the soundtrack to me slowly turning back to Avery.

"Uh, you never answered me," I said in a low voice. "When I asked if you wanted to stay for dessert or... leave."

Avery gulped, and her eyes stood clear of mine. She looked everywhere but at me.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. I hoped I hadn't completely fucked this up, but it was becoming increasingly clear that I had.

Just as I was about to hit panic mode and ran through three different lame I ride solo speeches, something seemed to shift in Avery. She rolled her shoulders and finally looked up at me.

"It's up to you," she said in a calm voice. "I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee, but I'm not a big dessert person."

I nodded, unsure how to act now. "Okay, let's, uh... Let's just stay for a cup of coffee for you, and a cookie or two for me, and then we'll go."

"Cool," she replied with a nod.

"Cool."

Was it really cool, though?

We ate dessert in silence. No one said a word. My grandpa was knocked out on the couch in the other room, and my grandma silently sipped her tea, while the rest of us just sat there. I saw Mom hiding a grin behind every piece of cake she shoved into her mouth. I had never wanted to leave there so bad—and that was saying a lot, considering how many horrible moments I'd had in that damn house.

Once the table cleared and Avery helped Mom clean some dishes, I went to stand by the end of the staircase. Our coats were hanging there, and I was ready to toss Avery hers and run out of there the second they finished in the kitchen.

"Hey."

I furrowed my brows and turned toward my brother, a little thrown from his low, unsure tone. "What's up?"

I expected a remark about earlier. I was shocked Angel had contained himself throughout dessert, but the smirks he had sent every time we caught eyes told me he was waiting to say something. But now, there was no teasing look. He seemed serious.