Winter Wonderland

twelve: christmas eve

*

I wake up with my face buried in Storie's neck, my arm draped over her body. Weak winter sunlight is trying to filter through the thin gap between her curtains, though the sun hasn't properly risen yet – a good thing, considering sunrise is at eight, I have to be at work at nine, and it takes an hour to get to Cleveland from here.

According to my phone, it's seven twenty-four. Probably shouldn't have stayed up late and had those couple beers last night because all I want to do is close my eyes and pull Storie close and fall asleep again. But she has work too, so I get up with a discontented groan and take advantage of no-one else being up to jump in the shower.

I don't have long. We need to be gone in, like, twenty minutes max. I don't take any more than five minutes on a quick rinse, and Storie's up when I return to her room. Her hair's falling out of its plait and she looks all sleepy and adorable.

"Ugh," she says. More of a grunt, really.

"Mood."

"I can't be bothered to go to work today," she says with a heavy sigh as she digs out fresh underwear and uncrumples her jeans. "Why can't we just stay in bed?" A huge yawn takes over her face for a moment.

"Might be a bit suspicious if you call in sick on Christmas Eve."

"Just a bit. Ugh. Okay. Are you okay grabbing breakfast on the road?"

"Yup." I probably won't have time to change once I get to work, so I have to get into my elf costume now. At least the new one fits better – thanks for quitting, Baz – but it's still a tunic and tights, and it still makes Storie laugh when she looks up from her bra hunt to see me dolled up like Santa's little helper.

"Sorry, it gets me every time," she says, grinning. "Looking fine, Mr Alexander." She finds her bra under the bed and pulls a fresh top out of her bag, remarkably wrinkle free, and manages to change in a matter of seconds. Within fifteen minutes of waking up, we're both ready to hit the road, and it surprises me when I don't want to go.

I was so nervous about coming here, and now I don't want to leave. I want to have breakfast with Tad and Jen; I want to hang out with Gray and Navya. I want to spend time with Storie and her family.

No-one else is awake. Storie leaves a note on the kitchen table and before long, we're driving out of Five Oaks. The town lives up to its name at last, now that the tree in her backyard is growing into a proper little oak to join the other four in the town center.

"I loved this," I say as we hit the first junction out of town, tapping my fingers on my knee in time with the song Storie's playing. It's one of her own playlists, and every song so far has been great.

"The song?"

"No – well, yes, Harry Styles is pretty great – but I meant coming back to Five Oaks. Seeing your family again. I really enjoyed it. And I forgot how fun Gray is. And how sweet your mom is. I still can't believe she hugged me."

"See?" She squeezes my knee. "I told you it'd be fine. I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it."

I put my hand over hers, running my thumb over her fingers, and let out a long sigh. For the first time in a long time, there's an absence of nerves in my chest. If anything, what I'm feeling is hope. Like the only way is up. Like the future is bright.

I lift Storie's hand to my lips and kiss her knuckles, and when we come to a red light, she looks at me with love in her eyes.

When we get to Cleveland's Second Best Winter Wonderland, it's a struggle to get out of the car, knowing I've got a long day of work ahead and it'll be a while before I see Storie; I promised Daria I'd come home for the entire week between Christmas and the new year.