MY CHRISTMAS ROMANCE

CHAPTER 12: HOT AND COLD SWEAT

"Oh, wait, I'll grab a cookie too!" Theone's voice resounds behind the door before he quickly barges in the room, and it's his outfit that paralyzes me an inch away from biting in my cookie.

He's wearing grey sweatpants, a white tee-shirt that says 'troublemaker' and that fits him perfectly in every way, his usual gray beanie, and like Aden, sneakers.

"What are you doing?" I ask, staring with wide eyes between Theone and Aden.

"We're going running, baby." My heart flutters as Aden leaves a kiss on my temple, surely because of our audience, and I should be enjoying this warmth, but I'm too focused on Theone, who is holding his snicker with the hold of his teeth.

My heart jumps in fright when his left dimple flashes, and I really take in Aden's words.

"What?! But... with your wrist?! No, you should be resting." I gently grab his wrist, now able to look at it since the swollen bruise is hidden under a white gauze.

"I'm not using my wrist to run." Aden chuckles softly. "Don't worry. And I love running every morning, you know it," he adds, though it's one of the rare information I don't know.

"So you're going together? Only you two?" My big eyes travel from Aden to Theone, trying to force a natural smile, while I'm praying for Santa to make someone else appears, but I doubt anyone else would go at such an early hour.

 "Yep," Theone replies, grabbing a cookie.

"I'm going with you!" I exclaim, stopping them before they can even think of leaving the room, and I don't even know why I've said this. It's a survival instinct in front of Theone's smirk, or maybe because of his 'troublemaker' shirt that looks like a warning.

"You?!" Theone looks as shocked as me by my suggestions, but I don't let it show, straightening my back.

"Yes, me."

"You hate running, you always skipped PE, and ended up with the record of the worst mark." Theone lifts one of his eyebrows, his green eyes trying to pierce through my bullshit.

"It was a long time ago. I've changed." The truth is that my hate for running has only grown.

But there is an image even more terrifying for me than running shoes: Theone and Aden alone. God knows what guys talk about when they're working out. The sweat and endorphins are prompt to confidences, and I'm already scared enough that they're sharing the same room. With Theone, who knows what can slip out of his mouth, unintentionally or intentionally, and especially when his dimples are just around the corner of his lips, like right now.

"So you go running with your boyfriend every day now?" Theone taunts, his left dimple indenting on his cheek even if he's fighting to keep a serious and curious expression, and the daggers I send him through my gaze only seem to encourage him more.

"Yes, she does," Aden replies with a smile, putting an arm around my shoulders.

He's so sweet, and once again, so oblivious to the whole situation. If he knew that he doesn't have to put an act in front of Theone... but I'd rather not tell him because I think it would only make things more complicated, and that way, I can still enjoy his warm touch so close. Although with Theone laughing under his breath and barely hiding it while drinking a glass of orange juice and almost choking on it, I don't know how he doesn't see it.

"I'll go get ready, wait for me." I turn to Aden's soft eyes, offering him a smile, before I head out of the kitchen with one last glare that I hope clearly says 'Don't even dare to spill something' towards Theone. Though I wonder if he ever cares about what I'm saying, whether it's with my eyes or with my mouth.