t w e n t y  s i x
" not my type "
-

-

"How many decorations do you need?" Chris questioned in complaint as Cora pulled another set of lights from the shelf and put it in their trolley.

"Enough to fill the whole bar, I guess?" She paused for a moment, running her finger along the cold, metal edge of the trolley, its jagged points where metal joined metal digging into her fingertip. "I've never really done this before, to be honest."

"You've never decorated before?" Somehow, his frown got deeper as he looked at the bar-owner in confusion.

She sighed, clicking her tongue as she turned away from him, not wanting him to see the slight blush that had crossed her cheeks. That hadn't been what she'd meant and now she felt stupid.

"Of course I've decorated, you twat. I just meant I've never decorated the bar so I don't know what will work, what won't work or what will just get stolen or damaged by idiots who can't handle their damn drink," She rambled, pretending to be disinterested in him and instead more interested in the selection of light up snowmen.

In her ramble, the warm presence of Chris had come to stand next to her, also looking at the products. "I don't think you can go far wrong with a light up edition of Frosty the Snowman," He joked, nudging her slightly with his elbow.

She grumbled an inaudible thank you and grabbed one of the boxes with the snowman inside.

"What was that?" Chris asked, eyebrows raised and a cheeky grin sliding across his face. "Did I just hear a thank you, or am I just hearing things?"

Cora kept her eyes down as she attempted to balance the box on top of her other purchases, trying to keep the matching grin off her face as she denied it. "Nope. You owe me one anyway so it's only fair you help me, right?"

"I didn't ask you to kiss me," Chris continued, attempting to keep pace with Cora who was now speedily pushing the trolley towards the check out. "But you did it anyway."

"I did it because you looked like a deer caught in headlights with those guys waiting for you to explain what you've done with your life since you left the hell hole known as school," Cora justified. Her glance to him, even for a second, was a mistake, because he was still grinning. He knew he'd gotten under her skin and he was enjoying every damn second of it, just like she would. "Besides," she swallowed. "It wasn't as if you had an awful time."

"I wasn't complaining, but you know you're not my type right?"

The cashier inhaled sharply at those words, busying herself with scanning the items through as Cora unloaded them in an attempt not to be a part of whatever argument the assumed-couple were having.

"Oh, shut up," Cora replied, regaining her swing. "I'm everyone's type and you know it."

"When was the last time you went on a proper date then, hm?" Chris challenged, squaring up to her for the first time. It wasn't common for him to rise up to her like that and part of her liked it, even though he'd definitely caught her with that question and hit a nerve in the process.

"At least when I go on a date I actually care about their personality, not how much sport they do," She snapped back and Chris actually recoiled a little at those words, but she continued anyway as she packed the bags alongside him. "Maybe if you were a little less picky you wouldn't be signed up to every dating site there is and you would be engaged like your old school peer is. But here you are, shopping with a girl who isn't even your type."

At the end of it, Cora drew in a breath and turned to smile at the cashier as she put her card in the machine.

-

-

"You look stunning, stop worrying about your hair and get your heels on because we need to go now," Alice demanded, already pulling her coat on over her sleek, black dress. "We're going to be late."

"Fashionably late?" Adela responded as she stepped away from the mirror and stuffed the lip gloss into her bag.

"No," Alice handed her the coat forcefully. "not fashionable at all if we turn up and everyone else is already either drunk or full of all the good food."

"Fine," She grumbled as she pulled the coat on, reminding herself of snowy winters when her mum had forced her to wear layers upon layers to even step outside. She sat down on the edge of her bed to pull on her shoes. "You remember the promise you made me, right?"

"Yes." She sighed. "Not to leave you in a room with Catherine. Easy, okay? I got this." Alice tucked her hair behind her ears and made for the door, leaning against it while she watched her best friend stand and brush herself off. "I wasn't lying when I said you looked stunning, okay? You're going to make a good impression and you're going to enjoy yourself."

"I know, I know," Adela mumbled as she wrapped an arm around the girl's waist. "Let's get going because otherwise I'll chicken out in going, let alone wearing this scandalous dress."

Alice bumped her with her hip playfully, laughing at her. "That is not scandalous. People wear much worse and much less. Honestly, if anyone has something to say about it that isn't "wow, you look really good, can I get your number?" then they're not going to see tomorrow, let alone Christmas day."

"Please don't punch anyone, especially not Simon or Catherine," Adela asked, half joking, half not. She would never forget the time Alice had punched Robbie Hill for saying that Adela's shirt was gross. They were ten, but Alice had a hell of a right hook then and still did now. Robbie never spoke to either of them again.

"I won't promise anything."

"Alice!"

"Come on, the taxi's waiting outside," Alice said, laughing as she ignored Adela's cry and pulled her into the elevator.

-

-

The streetlights flashed by in streaks of yellow as they drove. It was dark outside and it only made her sleepier as she sat in the back of the car listening to Alice chatter with the driver while she watched the houses go by.

It was only when they got to another junction that Adela slowly turned her head to Alice with narrowed eyes. "This isn't the way to Simon's house," She said suspiciously. "Where are we going?"

Even in the dim light from the streetlamps, she could see the sheepish smile slid onto Alice's rosy lips. "So, turns out I invited Lewis to tag along?" She held her hands up in surrender. "I just thought it would be nice."

"I'm not mad, I just wish you would've told me." She groaned and let her head fall back against the seat.

"Why? You would've told me not to," Alice pointed out, and she was right.

"But then I could've worn a nicer perfume," Adela whined, a frown contorting her features.

The car began to slow. "Stop frowning and smile because we're here. Now go and knock on the door, sunshine." She sprung the idea on her so suddenly that there was no time to back track or back out.

Before she knew it, Adela was stumbling out of the car in her heels and walking up the small pathway to his door. It was uneven and hard to walk in with her slightly-too-high-to-function heels, but she made it and rung the doorbell before she could talk herself out of it.

Moments later it swung open and there stood an unfamiliar man who looked her over once with a frown of confusion written all across his face.

"Hi, I'm Adela," She said, biting down her nerves. "Is Lewis here?"

"Oh, you're her? I'm Josh," The bearded man, who she now knew to be Josh, held out his hand to be shaken. She shook it, hoping her couldn't tell how clammy her hands were. "Lewis is inside, you can come in and wait here if you want. Probably a bit cold to make you wait out there." He smiled and opened the door wider for her.

Adela smiled and thanked him as she stepped into the house, closing the door behind her to keep in the warmth.

"Lewis, Adela is here!" Josh called out as he left her to wait alone, offering her a small wave as he disappeared around the corner, out of sight.

Only seconds later there was the sound of someone rushing down the stairs and then Lewis was there, standing at the bottom with an ugly Christmas jumper on and a smile plastered across his face, which Adela quickly matched at the sight of him.

"Hi," She managed, laughing as she barely had time to open her arms to him as he pulled her in for a hug, his cheerful nature warming her, as well as his body pressed against hers. "It's good to see you again."

"You too," Lewis replied. He pulled back and dug his hands into his jean pockets. "You look lovely, by the way. Red is a good choice for a Christmas party."

Adela's cheeks almost matched her dress at his compliment. "Thanks," She said, swallowing her nerves down once more. "You looks great too. I love the jumper."

"My mum got it for me last year. I never thought I'd have to wear it, but here we are." He laughed again, pulling the jumper down slightly as he looked at it. "Right, we should probably go, right?"

"Yeah," She breathed out, not taking her eyes off him, even as he didn't look at her when he pulled his jacket on. "Let's get going."

-

1631 words
a longer chapter than usual but SO worth it.