MY CHRISTMAS ROMANCE

CHAPTER 6: DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

I dedicate this chapter to @_eMKay You just melted my heart the other day, and I'm so happy if I can help and inspire a little a young and talented writer like you 😘❤

"I have everything planned and under control–" I freeze all my movements, the precious dress and my smile falling at the same time as my eyes take in a detail that I don't have planned, and even less under control.

I keep blinking my eyes, hoping this is a nightmare, that I will wake up in my comfy bed alone. But no, nothing changes, and I'm frozen; even my mind is blank as if processing what has just happened would be too much. Although it's really simple: it's a disaster.

I don't know how long I stay like this, one second? One minute? One hour? Yet he doesn't say anything; he keeps the same expression, and it's when his dimple starts to twitch that my brain comes out of his frozen state with a burning rush of despair and anger.

"Theone."

My muscles are put back into movement, and I rush to close my laptop. I don't even know why, maybe with the idea that it's better to not have witnesses.

"What are you doing here?" I seethe, my jaw clenching, while his expression stays the same: calm and mocking.

"Your mom told me there are extra covers in your wardrobe," he replies simply, almost innocently – almost, if he wasn't still wearing the same devious smirk.

"Haven't you learned to knock before entering a room?" I know I'm avoiding the real question, yet I'm not ready for the answer, and actually, his left dimple has given me the answer the second I've seen him standing by the door.

"I did, but you didn't answer, and the door was open." He shrugs as if it was nothing, but his green eyes sparkling with mischief scream the contrary. "Apparently you were too occupied..."

I close my eyes for a second, preparing for it. "Did... What did you hear?"

"Ooh... I've heard a lot of things..." He doesn't even try to hide his delighted evil grin.

My chest shrivels with the realization that all hope is gone, and actually, my lungs are getting crushed with the possibilities of what's to come because except if I kill him, I'm now at the mercy of Theone Homer and his devious smirk

"I knew you had a wild imagination, but this?!" He lets out a loud chuckle. "I can't believe this is fake! A plan–"

"Shh!" I rush to close the door before another disaster shows up – and not because I still have the idea of murdering him discreetly. "You can't tell this to anyone."

"Because this is really real?!" he asks, pressing his lips together to hold back his taunting laugh, but failing as it can be heard in his tone, echoing in prickles under my skin.

He knows very well that it's real, and the blood that has left my face a few seconds ago is now boiling inside, ready to explode. However, this is not how I will fix this. I need to be the wisest, since I'm in no position to declare war on him. Now he has a fatal weapon in his hands.

So I take a deep breath and opt for a Christmas truce with my best puppy eyes. "Please, Theo, it's really important. No one can know."

I can't even imagine the humiliation. Theone's mocking snicker is nothing in comparison, and I'm used to it, but my parents, Aden... My romance would be definitely over before starting, and Aden would see me in a new light, yet not a good one.

"Oh, my nickname? It's really serious then, Penny?"

He's making it really hard for me to remain sweet and nice as he's emphasizing my nickname, his green eyes twinkling with so much delight that they look like a mix of an illuminated Christmas tree and a fresh snowflake.