Mrs. Grinch In Love

6. Birth of Mrs. Grinch

I didn’t meet Daniel the Christmas when I was running away from his house like a madwoman. The first time I met him was at Alice girl’s night out.

Alice was the first friend that I made in junior high, and since then we have stuck together. When she turned thirteen, she held a girl’s night out and forced me to come. There were other girls too and were constantly chatting about how hot Alice’s brother was. I never saw him before and at that time wasn’t interested either.

That night when we were all asleep, not me, I was wide awake. I have a habit of sleeping in only one place, and if it’s not the exact pillow or position that I want, I couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning in my place to get a suitable position when my stomach groaned; I thought of going downstairs to eat something.

I was looking in the fridge with my head ducked in it, when I heard something behind me, because of the sudden movement I hit my head with the fridge’s door, which hurt like a bit-

“Are you okay?” An amused voice from behind me.

“I’m not stealing!” I cried out, rubbing my head.

“O-kay...” He trailed off.

“Really, I’m not.” I whirled on my heels with my hand on my head. “I was looking for something to eat-“ I froze when my eyes landed on him, and the first thing that came to my mind was. Trouble.

It was like a love at first sight thing; I felt nothing like that before.

He was in front of me with a beautiful smile on his handsome face. I stood there like an idiot, blinking at this handsome boy in front of me, not realizing he was saying something to me.

He waved his hands in front of me. “Hey, you there?”

“Huh?” I looked at him, dumbfounded.

He chuckled and boy; it was a beautiful one. “Come here. Let’s sit down first.” He grabbed my arms and helped me sit on the stool. I felt a tingle in my arms.

When I sat there, he went to the fridge and took something out; I kept my head down, didn’t want him to see me blushing. In the background I heard him moving things, then microwave sound. After a while it beeped, then I heard some more movement and he placed a cup in front of me.

It was hot chocolate.

“Here.” He said and went to the other side of the counter sitting in front of me. “Couldn’t sleep huh?” He asked taking a sip from his cup.

I finally collect some courage and glanced at him. He was hotter than the girls were saying he was. Now I knew how they were feeling.

I gulped and replied. “N-No.” Great, I stuttered. What a first impression, Victoria.

“What’s your name, I haven’t seen you before?” he asked tilting his head.

“Vic-Victoria.”

Why can’t I stop stuttering?!

“Victoria...” He repeated slowly nodding his head. Even my name felt good coming out his mouth.

“Victoria, as in Caleb’s sister?” He guessed.

“Yes, Y-You know him?” After asking that, I wanted to slap myself hard. Of course, he knew my brother; he was a senior at his high school and they both are on the football team. Idiot!

“Yeah, he’s the captain of our football team.” He raised his eyebrows at my stupidity. I darted my eyes at the mug in my hand, took a sip.

“Wait... That means you’re The Mrs. Grinch?” Someone kill me now, please.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I mumbled, taking another sip.

It tastes so good!

He burst out laughing. “I always wanted to meet you, and you are quite popular in our high school, even though you’re in junior high.” He continued laughing.

Grim Reaper, where are you when I need you the most?!

Heat crept up my neck and I kept my head ducked, covering my face with my hair. He stopped laughing when he saw me uncomfortably. “It’s pretty cool you are popular, I mean that’s what high school is about right, getting popular?” He tried to make me feel good.

I’d rather be invisible for the rest of my life than be a popular Mrs. Grinch.

“I’m curious.” He asked making me glanced at him. “Why do they call you that? At first, I thought maybe you were green...” Wow! What an imagination, “... but that’s clear that you are not, so why?” He genuinely looked curious.

I never opened up to people, especially not the one I just met, but there was something about him that made me tell him.

*~*~*~*~*

It was our last day at school before winter breaks and was my first winter in town. Our teacher asked every student to come in front and tell their Christmas plans. Students came and said almost the same thing, decorating Christmas trees, going shopping, and making cookies blah blah.

When my turn came, I blurt my guts out.

“I hate Christmas-“ Everyone looked at me with wide eyes. “-I don’t get it why everyone prepares for this stupid holiday, it’s not like Santa is even real.”

Everyone gasped and one girl even started crying. I think I broke the ten-year-old girl's dreams of marrying Santa.

“Why we work so hard on decorations when we have to remove them the other day. We could just enjoy our holiday resting at home in our warm blankets, drinking hot chocolate, and sleeping all day...” I continued rambling until my teacher stopped me.

“Okay, that’s enough Tori, go back to your seat.” She was the only one who looked amused by me.

I sighed and glanced at everyone glaring at me. Out of the blue, one blond boy named Tom stood from his seat, pointing his finger at me screamed, “She’s a Grinch!”

And Alas! Mrs. Grinch was born.

Everyone agreed with him and since then I was known as Mrs. Grinch.

*~*~*~*~*

When I finished my story, I took a glance at Daniel, who tried so hard not to laugh at me and said. “That’s pretty interesting.” He chuckled a little, then cleared his throat. “Why do you hate Christmas that much?” He wondered.

I stared at him with wide eyes. No one has ever asked me that. Everyone called me Mrs. Grinch but never asked why I hated it.

“It’s a long story...” I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. It was not like I didn’t want to tell him. I was not used to sharing my feelings like that.

He bobbed his head like he understood and started getting up. “Okay, maybe some other time then.” He started to leave.

He halted when he reached the door. “By the way...” He turned around, gazing at me, “... Mrs. Grinch doesn’t suit you, Tori.“ He smiled and left me in wonder.

His words kept replaying in my head.

Hmmm... Maybe Mrs. Moore will suit me?

And since then it began.

*~*~*~*~*