I had to put this song! It's a classic! 😍🎄🤩
As promised, it's time to announce the ship names *drum roll* It'll be Peneone and Adpen 😁 What do you think? Thank you for all your suggestions, it was hard to choose cuz they were all awesome!! 😘
This chapter is dedicated to another one of my new readers @belovedfinch Your comments are cracking me up and warming my heart, so thank you 😘❤ I hope you're enjoying the story so far!
My eyes flutter open only to close again, not ready to pull out of the peacefulness I've been floating in. My mind is slowly awakening, but my body is still wrapped in a warm cocoon; it's fluffy and firm at the same time, and I can't put a word on what it is, yet it doesn't feel like my old mattress, and it's moving.
I lift up my head abruptly, the jump of my heart finally opening my eyes, and I take in the dark grey tee-shirt with what looks like a video game print and the chest underneath me. Theone. He's still sleeping peacefully, and it's almost ironic how angelic he looks with his curls falling messily on his forehead and his rosy lips slightly parted to let out steady breaths.
But I quickly snap out of my stare as I become aware of the rest of his body intertwining with mine from his legs under the cover to his arms holding me securely as if to make sure I don't fall.
I try to slide out of this cocoon as softly as possible to not wake him up. There is no way he can know about this, or he'll never stop with his snide remarks.
As soon as I'm on my feet, I run out of the room, and I head straight for the kitchen when I see the bright light from the sun already illuminating the hallway.
"Slept well?" I jump once more as I enter the kitchen.
My mom and Emily are looking at me with the same sparkle in their eyes, and it's clear as much in the icy blue of my mom's gaze as in Emily's dark brown one that they've seen me on the couch, or more exactly on Theone.
All the blood rushes to my face as my sleepy brain can't even imagine what they're thinking, but why are they smiling at me this way? I turn away from them to focus on serving myself a much-needed cup of black coffee.
"What time is it?" There's no point in answering my mom's previous question, and I just want to avoid the subject.
"Half past nine."
I almost choke on my first gulp of bitter coffee. "What?! Why didn't you wake me up?! We have all the decoration to do for the party."
I swear I've set my alarm, but of course, my phone has stayed in my bedroom; I haven't planned to sleep in the living room. I've been supposed to watch my movie and go back to sleep with a dreamy mind in my room, but then, Theone has been there, and... I don't know. I must have fallen asleep before the end of the movie. I've missed the best part.
The blood leaves my face as fast as it's come on this realization. I never miss the best part. Yet last night, I've barely followed any part of the movie, and I remember more Theone's laugh than the storyline, even if I can still guess it from my experience.
"I couldn't. You looked so cozy." My mom's small smile leaves me no doubt that she's seen us on the couch, and her puppy eyes make the unease crawl on my skin.
"This is not what you think, it was nothing..." I need to make it clear; I don't know why.
"I never said the contrary." She shrugs, and the smile tugging at the corner of her lips is really unnerving for my already blurry mind.
"It wasn't cozy... it was too warm, and his chest is too firm..." I mutter under my breath as I grab a bagel and walk to a stool.
"What's too firm?"
I almost drop my bagel as I pass near the door, and Theone appears behind it at this exact moment.
My boiling blood does another return trip to my cheeks, and I avert my gaze because it's way too early for the sight of his left dimple flashing mischievously. Actually, I focus my gaze only on my bagel as I hear Emily snorting in her cup of tea.
I don't dare to ask if he knows we've slept together on the couch – oh no, I can't even pronounce those words without making them sound like something they aren't – but the question lingers in my head with the flash of his morning dimple, especially when I feel him take a stool beside me.
Luckily, another appearance diverts the attention.
"Hi," Jason mumbles with his eyes still half-closed, taking a stool on the other side of me.
"By the way, you're really making the perfect couple with Aden because you snore too," Theone whispers to me, making me snap my head up and meet his cocky smirk.
"What?! No, I don't snore!" I exclaim before even thinking and all the attention comes back on me. I blame the heavy slumber of last night and the not-strong-enough coffee for this.
"Yes, you do." Theone keeps his smug expression before grabbing the box of cereals. "Though not as loud as your boyfriend, more like a cat purring."
"Did I miss something?" Jason asks with his eyebrows furrowed, looking between Theone and me.
"Nothing!" I quickly reply.
I don't need to talk more about it. Though there's still one question remaining in the back of my mind. If Theone knows that I 'snore', then why hasn't he waken me up? Why he's let me sleep in his arms?
"I'll explain you later." Emily joins Jason, leaving a kiss between his creased eyebrows, and it's so cute how it instantly turns his frown into a smile. They're clearly relationship goals.
Speaking of relationship goals...
"Where is Aden?" I glance my widening eyes around the room.
"He's gone jogging, don't worry," my mom replies, yet I still worry.
What if he's seen Theone and me? Just yesterday he's asked if there was something between us, and this would only make my arguments doubtful when in fact, there is nothing between Theone and me.
I don't sound really convincing when his chocolatey-spicey scent is permeated in my nose and my clothes, and his laugh is still echoing in my mind, and I don't even know who I'm trying to convince.
***
"It's splendid!" Aden exclaims, standing next to me.
"I don't know... I feel like it lacks something..." I furrow my eyebrows as if it would help sharpen my gaze and find what's missing in the large frame in front of us.
"I think it's perfect. It looks magical, almost moving, and it's totally a map Santa would use!" Theone notes on my other side.
"It's the relief paints and the glitter I've used to imitate little sparks." I let my fingers pass on those details, tracing the outlines of South Africa, as the large world map is stretched on a large part of the wall, just where there have been the abstract art paintings not long ago. "It almost makes it look possible to travel the world in one night..."
"The red pins?" Aden asks through a smile, and once more, it lights a bulb inside my head.
"That's it the red pins! Thank you! You're amazing!" I exclaim, rushing to one of the tables covered with felt pens.
"We need a mark to show Santa where to go," I explain in front of the two wide gazes, my eyes traveling from soft cinnamon to striking green before I focus on the red point I draw on New Jersey.
"Ah yes, the red pins, I remember!" I can guess Theone's smile turns into a thoughtful frown just through his voice, and I almost hear the wheels spinning in his head before his next words freeze my pen on the map. "Why didn't you do your round-the-world trip after college? You kept bending everyone's ear about it during all high school, and you had everything planned!" His tone is light and slightly curious, but it feels like a weight is crushing on my chest with his words, or maybe the memories.
For a second, I'm paralyzed with my pen hovering just above the map, yet it isn't exactly above the same part of New Jersey as the word 'planned' echoes deafeningly inside my head.
A miraculous apparition luckily saves me as we hear the door opening and excited chatters following.
I turn back to the two men with a smile a little too wide. "It's a long story, and we don't have time." I try to avoid the piercing green eyes staring at me under a dubious lifted eyebrow, and I walk to greet my little angels.
"Hi, Penelope!" The chorus of high-pitched voices makes me forget all the bad clouds from the past, and I immediately find back my merry spirit.
"Hi, my little elves! Ready to work at Santa's workshop?"
***
"Santa's workshop is really nice!"
I pull my gaze away from my glue gun, putting it down before ending up with my fingers glued together or another disaster I would cause when I hear Aden's smooth voice behind me.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner about it? Now I'm starting to really like Christmas!"
I turn to Aden to find him with a too-small Santa hat on his handsome smiling head, and I giggle at the surreal sight that makes me believe anything is possible.
"You have to earn it." I offer him a playful smile that I hope is flirty, and I think it works when he asks with twinkling eyes,
"So I earned it now?"
What are we talking about again? I'm too lost in his cinnamon eyes to remember, but I'm quickly brought back to reality.
"Aden! Aden! We've finished the shield!" Three little elves rush next to us, almost jumping up and down.
It turns out that Aden has become their new superhero in barely two hours. Well, it isn't surprising with his Clark Kent's looks.
"Already?! Show me!" He offers them a smile before leaning closer to tell me, "Who would have thought I'd find the Christmas spirit while making a superhero attire?"
"I told you it's in the air." I nod to the two boys and the girl carrying carefully their piece of art in the Christmas colors. "And in the Christmas tunes!" My smile grows wider as I recognize the song 'All I want for Christmas', and I turn up the volume.
"Don't tell me the catchy tunes are part of the lessons?" Aden laughs lightly.
"They are! It's a must-have with the shield and Santa hat!" I grin, already bobbing my head to the rhythm.
This song is impossible to resist; the catchy rhythm seeps in your veins, and the lyrics are a bonus that I hope can reach through Aden's armor. I swear he's about to let the Christmas music takes over, along with maybe something else, and when the kids are joining my wiggling, there's magic in the air.
However, the volume is suddenly turned down, the mood switching off with it.
"Some of us are trying to work here," Theone groans, his piercing eyes glaring at me.
It's crazy how his eyes can pass from as warm and sparkling as an illuminated Christmas tree to sharp like cold slivers of glass. Yet both ways, they make my blood boil, and I'm about to argue when a voice calls my name and makes all the anger vanish from my body.
"Penelope!"
I join the figure running eagerly to me, but she stops before meeting me. "I forgot my bag!"
I just have time to catch sight of two front teeth before Lilly rushes back to Patricia, and they walk out as fast as they've come, leaving a shy Alexis standing near the door.
So I go greet her, still glimpsing out of the corner of my eye Theone, who is 'working' hard, hanging tinsels of popcorns, and of course, eating half of them.
He's wearing his new 'Let's get baked' sweater, and it fits him perfectly, the dark green and the flashing lights making his clear eyes stand out exactly like I've imagined it. Though his gaze looks darker because of the frown he's displaying since we've arrived at the function room, and I would have never thought anything could be more annoying than his dimples. But here it is, the furrow of his eyebrows is slowly consuming my patience like the faint yet steady flame of a lantern that I feel down in my stomach. Why is he so grumpy today? If it's because my supposed 'snoring' hasn't let him sleep then he could have woken me up.
I shake those thoughts away because I don't want to bring back the embarrassment I've gone through for breakfast. Instead, I focus on Alexis and I don't let Theone ruin my incredibly good mood.
"Hey, how are you? Two days in a row to help us? We're lucky!"
"Oh, it's only because they feel bad, so they're trying to distract us." Alexis shrugs with a small smile that doesn't reach her eyes, and it brings all my attention to her.
"What?! Why?"
"Another family has visited us today, but they don't want the whole package. The cute little princess is perfect, but the goth teen not so much..."
Despite her unaffected expression, I can hear the insecure wavers in her voice, the faint sound resonating too loudly in my heart, and behind all her black clothing, I easily see the little broken-hearted girl.
"Don't listen to them. You're as perfect as your sister." I lean down to try to catch her blue gaze, and I recognize the way she plays with the hem of her large black shirt, the same way Lilly tugs at her tutu.
Actually, it's together that they're even more incredible, and it's crazy how these two sisters have found a way in my heart so rapidly.
"Yeah, but if we don't find someone who agrees with you quickly, we'll be separated..." She offers me another half-smile, and I'm speechless. Speechless at the fact this young girl is already so mature, and it reminds me that she must have faced a lot for her young age, but mainly speechless because of the lump forming in my throat.
I can't even imagine what they've gone through, yet I know that family is the most important. I wouldn't be who I am today without my brother, no matter how crazy and weird he can be, and the special bond between these sisters is easy to see. How can people be so blind?!
I try to swallow the sour lump in my throat, once again feeling almost impressed and searching for what to say in front of one of these sisters.
"Have you tried... maybe changing a little your clothes? So people can see who you are behind–"
"What are you doing?!" A voice booms beside us, and all the little parts of my heart, which has been broken for Alexis, stop in fright.
I look up to find a seething Theone in front of us, well more exactly in front of me because his piercing glare is clearly directed towards me. If before I've thought his eyes have looked like sharp glass, now they are sharper, yet boiling at the same time, and it feels like burning blades boring through my chest.
"If you want to change yourself for your little plan, that's your problem, but don't go around telling innocent children to do the same," he whispers for only me to hear, yet the words passing through his clenched teeth sound harsher than if they'd been shouted.
He doesn't leave me time to reply, and actually, I wouldn't be able since I'm breathless; he just turns to Alexis.
"Don't listen to her. You're awesome as you are, don't ever change yourself for anyone." He pulls her away, and I'm left standing alone with a burn in my chest and behind my eyes.
His words hurt deeper than I would have imagined, maybe because of the way his eyes have pierced through me.
I'm not changing! Who does he think he is to tell me this?! I haven't seen him in more than a year, and he thinks he knows me, but he doesn't, and I've never said anything bad to Alexis. I've been trying to help her because my heart is breaking for her, because I care for them. Why does he always pretend he knows everything better? He doesn't even know what it is to have siblings.
The burning behind my eyes quickly turns into a rush of boiling anger in my whole body. But once more, a little voice soothes it, well more exactly, it makes the heartache comes back and engulfs everything.
"Penelope! I'm back today, and I have something to show you!" Lilly exclaims, and her smile could almost make me forget everything. It's so pure and precious like everything about her, and about her sister too, in a different way maybe, yet I still see it, and Theone doesn't know. He doesn't see how I just want to help them; he doesn't know me.
I shake out of my thoughts before looking like a lunatic, but I swear it's Theone who drives me crazy.
"Yes, I see! We're so lucky. Can you go back to what you were doing yesterday? I just have something to ask Patricia, and then you'll show me what you have inside your sack." I lean down to hug her quickly before she runs off to join the other elves.
"Can I ask you something about Lilly and Alexis?" I ask hesitantly to Patricia, and I can see her smile falling down the same way mine has minutes ago.
"Alexis told you?" She sighs, glancing at the girl who is now helping her sister to set her things.
"Yes, she's said they risk to be separated if they don't find a family who wants them both soon?"
"Yes, we keep turning down couples who want to adopt only Lilly because we don't want them to be separated, but we can only keep doing this for a certain number of times, and we've already refused more than allowed." She lightly shakes her head before turning back to me. "If we don't find them a family before the end of the year, they'll be separated."
"What?!" I gasp, and it's like a protest from my heart, but I continue quieter, "I'm sure there are couples who would want both, I mean, they're adorable."
"Yes, they are." Patricia smiles. "But two children is always more complicated, and teens are not the most adopted." She lets out another sigh, and I imitate her as her gaze travels to all the children around, small and tall, younger and older.
They all deserve happiness and a loving family, even if they are already forming one, and now, I feel like I have another mission with this Christmas party.
The first notes of 'Jingle Bells Rock' stop me before I can even open my mouth.
"Sorry." Patricia pulls out her phone, and I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has a Christmas-themed ringtone.
I nod, leaving her alone and joining Lilly, as I need her cheery smile to lift up my mood, and I also have work! Now, it's even more important with the new stakes adding up.
"Penelope!" I think I'll never get tired of hearing her small voice adorably swallowing the 'l'.
"Yes, Lilly." I grin. "So what do you want to show me?"
"I've brought my princess gear." She grabs her bag, rummaging eagerly through it. "You know... in case Santa can't bring me the horse..."
Oh my god! The way her twinkling eyes glance to the side and her two front teeth tug on her lower lip... How could Santa not give her the world?!
But now, I want to offer her more than just a horse, and my chest is shriveling as I feel powerless.
I need a plan.
"He will, you know I promised." I crouch down to be at her level, while she sits with her legs dangling from a chair.
"Wow!" She distracts me once more as she takes a pink tiara out of her bag, along with a cloudy veil and a scepter that are awakening the little Penelope inside me.
I go back to my seven years old, and I'm probably as excited as Lilly – no, actually, I'm more excited. "They're so beautiful!"
"Here, for you." She pulls out another golden tiara and puts it on top of my head with her petite arms.
"What? No, it's yours!" I protest, despite the amazement of the little Penelope inside.
Lilly waves her hand. "No, I already have one, and you'll be a princess with me."
"Okay." I smile, unable to argue with her, and who wouldn't like to be a princess? "Do I look like a princess now?"
"Yep! You just need a prince."
My gaze instantly slides to Aden, but I focus more seriously on Lilly. "You know a princess doesn't need a prince to rule."
Despite what Theone might say, I'm not a bad influence, and even if I wish for my romance with Aden, it doesn't mean I can't live without a man; my many years of single life are proof of it.
"I know." She nods, pulling a cardboard crown out of her bag, and at this point, I'm wondering if I have a little Mary Poppins in front of me. "But it's the prince that needs you." She climbs down her chair and glances around the room as I watch her bewildered.
"My best friend Amy would like you!"
She offers me one of her gap-toothed grins, and she runs to the left side, my gaze and my feet following until I catch sight of Aden, who is now carefully folding napkins.
Could this little angel help me in my plan? I don't even have time to feel the hope wash over me that she's already passing by Aden and continuing on her way, and it's something else crashing on me as she finally stops a few feet farther.
"Theo, you'll be the prince!"
I watch frozen as she tugs on his arms to have his attention, and he lifts up his gaze from the paper he's holding – wait, is it the list of tasks I've given him?
"What?" He puts away the list to look down at Lilly, who is jumping up and down with her crown in her hands, and he's about to grab it when she explains,
"You'll be Penelope's prince."
He freezes, exactly the same way I've done it seconds ago, and in fact, I'm still frozen, but I'm pulled out of my daze when he snaps his head towards me.
"No, no. Lilly, I already have a boyfriend. It's Aden here, so he'll be my prince." I point to Aden, who lifts his head at the mention of his name.
"No, it's Theo your prince," Lilly insists, now pulling on Theone's hand.
"No, I'm not, Lilly," Theone argues gently, and it's crazy and almost dizzying how his gaze switches from soft and tender when looking at Lilly to sharp when he glances at me.
"Yes, you are."
I've never seen someone as stubborn as this little princess, well, except myself.
"Lilly, he isn't a prince. Come on, it doesn't matter." I crouch down to try to distract her.
"It does, he needs you."
Her words make Theone snaps. I can feel it before even looking at him, and I peer up just in time to catch his jaw tick as he quickly grabs the crown from Lilly's hand.
"No, I don't, and I have work to do," he grunts, his eyebrows finding back their deep frown. "Give it to Aden. He'll be perfect for the role." He puts the crown on the table, next to a wide-eyed Aden, and he walks away, leaving an eerie silence of 'All I Want for Christmas' playing in the background.
Though I still catch clearly the last glare he sends me, as if I was responsible for any of that.
"What's up with him today?" I ask, even if no one in the bewildered audience has the answer.
Is it just because Lilly has said that 'he needs me'? Well, in a way, he does with this party. Is his ego that big?
He's been so sweet and sincere last night, and now, he's even worse than usual. If he's in a bad mood, why does he has to lash out at me and everyone around? And then, we say it's girls who are moody?!
"And it's you the adults..." Alexis mumbles beside me, yet I don't have time to ask what she means; she already walks away with Lilly, and actually, everyone around leaves to go back to their tasks.
I'm left alone, and even more lost than before. So I do what I do best in those cases: I busy my hands with decorations.
Yet it doesn't stop my mind from replaying all that has happened today, well more exactly since we've arrived at the function room because I don't want to remind myself of this morning and the rush of heat and confusion it always brings to my face.
Besides, I have enough to think with Theone's mood swings and all the discussions I've had with everyone here. What have I done wrong? I keep questioning myself, especially since every time I near the kids, they go silent. Are they mad at me?
The only one who keeps talking to me is Aden, but I'm avoiding him because I'm afraid that if I open my mouth, it'll end up like it has with everyone today: with me saying something I shouldn't.
My brain is too busy with even more important plans for Lilly and Alexis anyway. Yet every time I think about them, it brings me back to Theone's piercing eyes and his words digging a hole in my stomach.
What do you think of the snoring princess and her prince charming? 😉😍 Personally, it's Lilly who has my heart, and the way she'll be separated from her sister is so sad 💔 Sadly, it's a reality, people prefer young, adorable kids than teens, but they all deserve love ❤
Anyway, speaking of something else... Someone is moody today... 😏😈
Tell me what you think in the comments and vote ⭐ if you like the story so far!
I'm quite stressed to finish this story on time, and there's so much more to come, but the notifs I get from you, my little elves, are the best motivation. So thank you 🥰😘❤