Dear Santa Claus - 14 Short Stories Until Christmas

16 December - Secret Santa (1)

"Alright, kids! Everyone pulls a name. Check carefully and don't let anyone know.", Mrs Irwin announced. She walked between the rows of tables and let every student draw a paper strip from her bowl.
"Keep it a secret!", she warned a couple of students, as they started talking in hushed voices. It was Thea's turn. She picked a paper strip and opened it carefully. She sighted with relived as she read the name of her best friend. That would make things a lot easier.
"Remember- You have two weeks' time to hide your gift for the person you pulled. In our last lesson, we will then reveal who is behind the gift.", their teacher reminded them.
Hanna popped her head next to Thea.

"Who do you've got?", she wanted to know. Thea smirked and crumpled up the paper strip, hiding it in her fist. "I am not telling you."
"Oh, come on! You always do, why even try?", her best friend argued. Thea giggled.
"Because you are so bad at keeping secrets! I don't want you to ruin it." All of sudden Hanna's face lit up.
"Oh.", she exclaimed," Oh- I think I know. It's me, right? You picked me!"
"I didn't say that!", Thea persisted, but the look in her eyes gave her away. Hanna smirked goofily.

"Well, just in case, all I am saying is, that I like THE Candle. You know which one, but I don't want to have the normal-sized one- I want the big glass- A whole lot of Christmas cookie smell right in your face! That's all I want. That's all I need." She sniffed an imaginary smell of said candles in the air and groaned in pleasure. Hanna had a pleased look on her face.

"Yeah, sure.", I just replied, making imaginary notes to myself. Hanna moved back to her place and scribbled in her notebook. Thea's attention, however, drifted to someone else. Two rows behind her in the corner sat the new guy. He looked out of the window, watching the snowfall silently as the windows shielded them from the cold and the noise from the big city. Thea's gaze traveled down to his table, where the paper slip laid calmly on the surface. She leaned closer, but couldn't make out a name. Thea hoped it would be her name written on it. Hudson moved from Chicago and had never said anything. In class, he would sit in a corner, looking through the window and after class, he'd leave the room without a word and disappeared. From the first moment, he walked into class -his dark brown eyes scanning the room, meeting hers briefly- Thea had never felt the same. There was something about him, that pulled her closer. She knew they had a special connection...If only, he realized it too.

Hudson lifted his head, his eyes met hers. Thea blushed and looked away quickly, her heart racing in her chest. Carefully, she dared to take a glance back at him. Hudson was still looking at her. Her mouth twitched to a shy smile; Hudson replied with a soft smile. Thea could feel her body heat up, the blood rushing through her veins, coloring her cheeks in a faint pink.
The bell rang. Thea jumped and threw her pen on the floor. She leaned down, a dark-colored hand reached for the pen, picking it up. Thea whispered a casual "Thanks", but all of sudden, her head bumped against his. The boy groaned in pain. Thea looked up, her world stopped spinning. Hudson stood in front of her, holding her pen while rubbing his forehead in pain.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry! Are you okay?", she asked after the shock washed passed her. Hudson nodded and put the pen on her table. Then he made a turn and left the classroom. Thea groaned and dropped her head on the table. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"Oh my god!", she heard Malcolm in a high voice, next to her. Thea replied with a whimper. "Did Hudson just pick up your pen? Did he really interact with the outer world?" Thea replied again with an incomprehensible whimper.
"It's the eighth wonder of the world!"
"Can't you just let me die in shame?", Thea complained.
"Can't do.", Hanna butted in. "It's too much paperwork." The surface pressed hard against Thea's forehead, making her headache even stronger. But she didn't care. She wasn't ready to face the world, yet.

"Come one!", Hanna exclaimed, clapping in her hands. Thea could feel the air hissing, as Hanna jumped from her chair.
"You know how Coach gets when we are late for practice." Hanna wrapped her arms underneath Thea's and pulled her slack body up. Reluctantly, Thea got up and packed her bag. Together they left the classroom, the last ones as usual.
"Where is our sugar bean?", Malcolm wanted to know. Thea shrugged her shoulders.
"He was late for his shift, so he rushed out, but we'll meet him at the Café later." Malcolm nodded. Shortly afterward, he separated from the girls. Hanna placed her hand on Thea's shoulder.

"Alright, you have to tell me everything. This was the first time Hudson ever talked to someone."
"He didn't talk to me", Thea cleared instantly, feeling a heavy burden still on her chest.
"Yeah, but like it's the first time he made contact!" Thea giggled.
"He is not an alien."
"You don't know that!", her friend argued against that, making Thea laugh a little harder.
"Yes, but I know that you are crazy."
"You don't- Oh wait.", Hanna paused, her shoulders sagged, "Yeah, I can't argue against that. But what I can argue and proof is that I am way faster than you- Last one on court pays for coffee!" With those words, Hanna sprinted away. An ambitious look sparked in Thea's eyes. She smirked.
"Oh, I see. It's on!", she whispered and ran after her friend.