MY CHRISTMAS ROMANCE

CHAPTER 20: STOP THINKING

Today's chapter is dedicated to the amazing @alarue15 I wanna thank you for your support on all my stories, it means so much to me ❤ I hope this little chapter will warm up your heart like you do all the time with your support 😊😘🎄

A crack on the old wooden floor makes me open my now-dried eyes, and as soon as I peek the brown boots through the slit between my arms, I bury my head back inside the cocoon of my knees hugged against my chest. "Go away."

Another crack, and then it's a soft tug on my arms that startles me and makes me tighten my arms around my knees. I shouldn't be surprised; he never listens to what I say.

"Look at me, Penny."

"I don't wanna see your stupid dimples," I groan as I feel Theone pulling a little bit more firmly on my arms, yet I know if he wanted he could push my arms away easily.

"I promise they won't show."

"I can already hear them." I narrow my eyes, even if he can't see me.

He clears his throat and repeats, "I promise."

This pulls me to lift up my eyes, just to check if he can hold his promises, and he is; well, he's fighting his smile tightly with the hold of his teeth. This is cute, but I know his left dimple is threatening to appear at any second, so I focus on his eyes instead, surprised to find the concern so clear there.

"Everyone is worried about you."

"I'm fine." At least, that's why I've been trying to repeat myself for the past two hours.

"Curled-up in your old treehouse? Sure, it looks fine, hidden there," he notes with sarcasm, though it's already a Christmas miracle that his dimples still haven't shown up.

"Yes, that's the aim. How did you even find me?"

"Once we've done all the bathrooms of the town, it was obvious." He shrugs, and once again, he makes it look easy.

Yet I haven't stepped there in such a long time, and that's why I've chosen this place – that, and also because it's been the first place my feet have led me to in my escape.

This is my cocoon, where I've escaped during my whole childhood, whether it's been from my annoying brother and his even more annoying best friend, from my parents when I've done stupid things – often because of the two mentioned before – or even just to escape in my bubble of creativity.

"Well, it turns out milk and rum don't make me reach the world record of vomit, like eggnog does, so I haven't thrown up more than on Aden," I announce, not finding one ounce of humor in my words, but Theone does, and he's fighting hard against his dimples. 

"My romance plan is over." I go back to my curled-up position to avoid his laugh. "This is the worst humiliation ever," I mumble what's been overflowing my mind for the past hours.

You would expect that after having emptied my stomach and my eyes, I would feel better, but no. I always come back to the same image: my vomit on Aden's feet and his wide eyes before I've run away.

"Come on, don't say that." I hear him move around from his crouched position in front of me, and I hope that he's going away, even if I know better.

Of course, he's still there, and actually, closer, as he sits on the wall next to me. Yet I'm glad that he stays. His warm presence fills my chest with some comfort, and his dimples distract my mind a little.

"I promise seeing a girl throwing up doesn't stop you from falling in love."

My heart starts in something more than hope, and once more, he makes me believe his words easily, even if... how would he even know?