Spellbound

Christmas Special

Lera

I shiver in the cold, as a warm strong hand wraps around me, pulling me into an even warmer chest. A soft kiss is pressed to my forehead as we reach the front steps to my house, as Christian's hand extends to knock the door loudly. We stay huddled together as a loud commotion is heard from inside the house, the door being yanked open not even a second later.

"Lera!" Janet, Christian's mom exclaims, bringing me into a crushing hug. You'd think I hadn't seen her in years, rather than mere hours.

"Hi Janet!" I reply, pulling out of her hug slowly and going to hang up my coat.

"Honey, call me mom now. I've been wishing upon it for years, but now we're only one step away from reality!" She replies, kissing my cheek as I blush. I throw down my bag before turning back to see Christian crushed in his own hug.

"Oh, my darling boy!" She exclaims once again, as Christian shoots me an annoyed glare over her head.

"Mom, we literally saw you three hours ago." He grumbles, hanging his own coat up before walking back over to me, positioning his hand around my waist.

"Three hours too long. I've missed the both of you so much, now come in, lunch is nearly ready."

I lean into Christian as we walk into our living room, where we find the rest of our family. You see, me and Christian have been alternating where we sleep each night, and last night was at his house. This morning we made waffles together, and opened some presents with Christian's family, but they left early to help out with making Christmas Lunch, leaving me and Christian to make our own way to my house later.

We enter the main section of the room, seeing Kat and Noah lounging together on the couch, with Kat braiding sections of Fern's hair. They all stand when they hear us enter the room, hugs flying everywhere. I'm first enveloped by Kat, and I break apart from Christian's hold to wrap my arms around her.

"Geez, my brother comes home and suddenly you abandon me? I thought better of you Kat." I say jokingly, referencing the lack of time I've spent with Kat in the last week since my brothers come back home from college.

"Oh, and you can talk, I see you all the time at school anyway L." Kat replies, her face bright and smiley. I move to my brother next, punching him in the arm lightly before pulling him into a short hug. I barely have enough time to pull away from him before soft hands are clasping onto my body.

"Oof. Keep growing and you'll be taller than me soon, Ferny." I say, scooping Fern up and hugging her in my arms. She giggles, pressing a wet kiss to my cheek before I lower her back to the ground. I next move to my grandma, and both Christian's grandmas, who are sitting at the kitchen table discussing the latest gossip magazines. I bend down to kiss each of them on the cheek, seeing Christian mirror my movements and doing the same.

"Awwww, you kids look so nice together. Why'd it take so long?" one of Christian's grandma's, Patricia asks. I feel my cheeks flush, as they always do when I'm questioned about Christian, and I drop my head to mask the redness. But of course, Christian, being as confidently charming as he always is only smirks, throws an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest and pressing a kiss to the top of my hair.

"Well, I was stupid, and Lera was stubborn." He replies smoothly, to which all 3 ladies laugh. I pull out of his grip, scowling sarcastically at him before bidding goodbye to the Grandma's club and walking into the kitchen. My nose fills with delightful fragrances and I walk over to my mum, pulling her into a hug.

"Hi honey, how was your morning?" my mom asks, kissing my cheek before moving back to her work.

"Good, I missed you though." I reply, leaning on our kitchen bench as I talk to her.