A Brand New Ending

Chapter 15

Phoenix



I stand there, my heart racing, wondering where he has gone off to. I inhale deeply, my nerves on high throughout our entire encounter but the smell of the tree seems to calm me slightly. Smells like home. I fidget with my hands, impatiently waiting. Walking around the room, I go through the boxes again, making sure we haven't missed anything. When I get to the last box, I overturn it and a bundle of mistletoe falls out onto the floor.

Reaching down I pick it up and hold it between my fingers. I smile, remembering when my father used to give me Eskimo kisses whenever we would pass underneath it. I find the tape and climb up on top of the couch, reaching up to attach it to the archway. Just as I climb back down, Braeden comes around the corner, two mugs in hand. He smiles at me, obviously not seeing the mistletoe. He hands me one of the mugs and I reach out with a shaky hand.

"I know it will never be as good as your father's..." he says, taking a sip.

Looking down I realize what he is talking about. He made me hot chocolate. I fight back the tears, so many memories flooding through me. The record changes songs, the melody recognizable. I look over at Braeden, his hands gripping the handle of his cup tight.

Taking a sip of my hot chocolate, I close my eyes, almost feeling the snow crunching under my feet. When I open them again, Braeden is no longer at my side. I look around the room, making out his figure far off, moments later the entire room lighting up in all colors of the rainbow. It's so beautiful I fight even harder to not let the tears fall. Braeden returns to my side.

"It's so beautiful," I whisper.

"Yes it is," he answers, but his eyes are not facing forward.

Taking another sip of my hot cocoa, I look up once more at the mistletoe, Braeden's eyes following mine. My heart skips a beat, a lump in my throat forms. Leaning forward, I place my lips on Braeden's cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin on my lips, it makes me inhale deeply.

Pulling away quickly, I notice that Braeden's face has no emotion. A flash of panic flows through me, feeling as though I have just made a grave mistake. I can't form words, my body in panic mode. Before Braeden has time to say anything, I turn around abruptly, the hot chocolate spilling over the mug's edge and burning my hand slightly.