[ESTELLE]
You know those romantic holiday movies where the girl magically ends up with the guy she likes, complete with snowflakes falling in slow motion and twinkling lights in the background? Yeah, well, my Christmas wasn't exactly like that.
Instead, my Christmas involved running through half the city after Damien—the one guy who acted like I didn't exist half the ti but also didn't seem to mind when I was around.
It was like a weird ga where he ignored just enough to be frustrating but never actually told to leave. And since I have zero sha when it cos to getting what I want, I spent the entire day determined to stick to him like glue.
It started early in the morning when I spotted him near the town square. He had that signature brooding look—dark coat, hands in his pockets, and ssy hair that sohow made him look annoyingly attractive instead of unkempt.
"Damien!" I called out, practically sprinting toward him through the light snowfall.
He turned slightly, just enough to acknowledge my existence before continuing his walk.
"Hey! rry Christmas to you too!" I puffed, catching up to him. "Where are you headed?"
"Sowhere."
Sowhere? Really? That's all I got? "Oh, great! I love 'sowhere.' Mind if I tag along?"
He didn't answer, just kept walking, so I took that as a yes. See, Damien is the kind of guy who never outright tells you to leave but also doesn't exactly roll out the welco mat. It's infuriating, but I've learned to work with it.
Or maybe it was because of . He couldn't exactly be rude or act like a complete jerk because of who I was. So, instead, he settled for the next best option—ignoring , but without being entirely cold or arrogant about it.
We walked in silence for a while—well, he walked in silence, and I chatted about everything from holiday traditions to how my neighbor's cat keeps trying to steal my cookies. He didn't say much, just the occasional grunt or nod, but hey, at least he wasn't running away.
At one point, I realized we were heading toward a small outdoor market. Perfect! I could already imagine us sipping hot cocoa together, maybe standing under so mistletoe. Romantic, right?
Wrong.
Damien walked straight past the hot cocoa stand without even a glance, heading for . . . I don't know, nothing, because there was literally nothing interesting that way.
"Hot cocoa?" I suggested, pointing toward the stand. "It's festive. It's warm. It's . . . cocoa."
"I don't drink cocoa."
Who doesn't drink cocoa? I an, is that even legal during Christmas? Still, I wasn't about to give up. "Okay, no cocoa. How about so roasted chestnuts?"
"I'm not hungry."
I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he doing this on purpose, or was he really this oblivious to my holiday cheer? Either way, I wasn't going to let him ruin my Christmas spirit.
After another hour of trailing behind him like a determined Christmas elf, I learned two things: Damien is incredibly good at pretending I'm not there, and I'm incredibly good at not taking the hint. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire
But the real highlight of my day ca later, when I overheard sothing interesting—or rather, eavesdropped, because let's be honest, I wasn't about to play fair at this point.
Damien had paused near a bench, talking to a familiar face—Kelsey, a childhood friend slash complicated relationship of his, who always seed way too perfect for my liking. Tall, elegant, the kind of person who probably never tripped over her own feet like I did on a daily basis.
"Dinner tonight?" Kelsey was saying, flashing him a dazzling smile. "It'll be quiet, just us."
A private dinner? Oh, no. Not on my watch.
I waited until they'd agreed on a ti and place before slipping away. If Damien thought he could have a peaceful, romantic dinner with Kelsey without , he had another thing coming.
Fast forward to dinner ti, and there I was, standing outside the little restaurant they'd picked—a cozy, intimate place with candles on every table and soft Christmas music playing inside. I took a deep breath, braced myself, and walked in like I owned the place.
"Estelle?" Damien looked surprised as I slid into the chair—right between him and Kelsey. Perfect positioning, if I do say so myself.
"Oh, hey!" I said, acting like this was a total coincidence. "What are the odds? I was just wandering around when I saw you two. Mind if I join?"
"Yes, we—" Kelsey started, but I cut her off with a bright smile.
"Thanks! You guys are the best." I grabbed a nu and pretended to be deeply interested in the appetizer section. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damien pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Mission accomplished.
Dinner was . . . awkward, to say the least. Kelsey tried to carry on a conversation, but I kept interrupting with random stories and questions. I wasn't being rude, exactly—just enthusiastically involved.
"So, Kelsey," I said at one point, leaning forward with a grin. "How do you know Damien?"
"We've been friends for years," she said, her smile a little too tight.
"Wow, that's great!" I turned to Damien. "You've been friends for years? That's so great. I hope you can remain friends forever."
Damien shot a look that could've frozen the entire restaurant, but I just kept smiling. He wasn't getting rid of that easily.
By the ti dessert rolled around, Damien looked like he was ready to strangle with a strand of tinsel, and Kelsey looked like she wanted to bolt out. But hey, at least I was having fun.
When the check ca, I leaned back in my seat, patting my stomach. "Wow, that was delicious. Thanks for inviting , guys!"
"We didn't," Damien muttered, but I ignored him.
As we stepped outside, the snow was falling softly, and the air was crisp. Kelsey said a quick goodbye and left, probably relieved to escape my presence.
I turned to Damien, who was glaring at . "What?" I said innocently. "It's Christmas. No one should be alone on Christmas."
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "You're impossible."
"I know," I said with a grin. "But you like , right? Admit it—you prefer over that friend of yours. She's too stiff. You're too stiff. What are the two of you planning to be in a relationship? Matching broomsticks?"
For a mont, he just stared at , his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned and started walking. And, like always, I followed—because no matter how many tis Damien tried to ignore , I wasn't giving up that easily.
After all, Christmas is about persistence, right? At least, that's what I was telling myself.
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