All I want for Christmas is you

All I want for Christmas is you

She rubbed her frigid, mitten-clad hands together, trying to regain some feeling again. A flurry of snowflakes fell from the winter sky, sticking to her long, auburn hair. She blinked, dislodging several snowflakes from her thick eyelashes.

She sat on the frozen bench, waiting for the night bus. She crossed and uncrossed her legs impatiently. Adjusting her scarf, she exhaled heavily, her breath visible. The city lights danced in her peripheral vision as she checked her cell phone: 7:42. Bright lights and a loud horn startled her from the place she had unconsciously retreated to in her head.

The bus had arrived. It pulled to a shuttering halt, the engine sputtering. The doors creaked open, several stairs leading up to an ancient man with hair whiter than the snow outside, sitting in an even ancient-er chair that had the small man so high up he could barely reach the pedals.

"What're ye' waitin' for? Next 'ristmas?" The old bus driver inquired, huffing.

The girl hurried off the bench, dragging her small roller suitcase behind. She heaved her large purse up on her shoulder and ascended the creaky stairs quickly.

She took a seat near the middle of the empty bus, just having time to stow her luggage before the bus took off again, throwing her into her seat. Her elbow slammed against the window, sending a jolt of pain through her.  She grimaced, glaring at the back of the bus driver's head.

After getting settled, she shoved her hand into her purse, fishing around for her earbuds, which was a hard task due to the immobility the mittens caused. Several minutes later, she was victorious as she produced a pair of white, tangled earbuds from her bag. She untangled them easily, even with the gloves on, and had them shoved in her ears in seconds. Indecision flickered through her at what to listen to, and she eventually decided on the local Christmas station. The announcer was a jolly young man who had had one to many cups of coffee, from the sound of it. He spoke rapidly for a little under a minute before the first song came on: Jingle Bell Rock.

She hummed along, leaning against the frigid window pane. Her breath fogged up the glass. She sighed, exhausted. Her eyelids slipped shut as she convinced herself she was only resting them, it would only take a second.
                                  ❄️ ❄️ ❄️
The bus made a sudden halt, sending her sleeping self into the seat ahead. She hit the fabric-covered seat rather hard, awakening her at once. She rubbed her cheekbone, the impact zone, with her palm, disoriented. Santa Claus was coming to town played softly in her ears. She tapped the home button, the bright light illuminating her face. She grimaced, turning the brightness down all the way. Her clock read 9:45. She frowned, glancing out the snow-dusted window for a road sign.

It was very dark outside already, combined with the flurry of snow falling rapidly from the sky, making for a very unpleasant combination to see. She checked her GPS app, finding out the next stop should be hers. She gathered her stuff together, anticipation making her jittery. She tapped her foot impatiently, until finally, after what seemed like ten thousand years later, the bus pulled to a stop, the front doors shuttering open. The redhead scurried off the bus, luggage in tow.

Snowflakes and the harsh, cold wind assaulted her the second she stepped off the bus. Pulling her scarf closer around herself, she called for a cab as the bus drove away. Within minutes, she was tucked safely inside the cab on her way to her final destination.