Christmas was just around the corner, and I decided it was time to buy some gifts for Gabriella. I knew exactly what she wanted. A few weeks ago, she had shown me a picture of a pair of boxing gloves she had been eyeing. I thought it would be the perfect gift, but I also wanted to get her a few more things. Her gym bag was starting to rip, so I decided to get her a new one. I also picked out a pair of sporty shoes and a cute keychain for her to hang wherever she liked.

As I strolled through the mall, my eyes were drawn to a Nikon camera in one of the stores. I paused, wondering whether I should treat her to it. Should I get one? I thought as I moved closer to the display. As soon as I picked it up, a member of staff walked up to me.

"Hello, would you like to purchase this item?" she asked with a bright smile.

"Oh! Uhm, yes, just this," I replied, suddenly feeling a bit flustered.

We made our way to the checkout, and I handed her the camera. "This will come to £804.07, would that be cash or card?" she asked.

£804?! I thought. I had the money, but this was way more than I had intended to spend today!

"Card, please..." I said, forcing a smile as I handed over my card. I kept my eyes fixed on it as she swiped it, waiting for the transaction to go through. When it did, she handed me the camera in a bag, and I smiled weakly before walking out of the store.

Hours passed, and I managed to buy everything on my list—and even a few extra things. What I was most excited about, however, was the matching Miffy keychain I had bought for us. I couldn't wait to give it to Gabriella.

At that point, I was starting to feel hungry, but I wasn't sure what I was craving. I wandered around the mall for a bit, and then decided to have some white sauce pasta. My arms were sore from carrying all the shopping bags, and I was exhausted from walking around all day. As I sat down at the table, I heard a notification from my phone, but I was too lazy to fish it out of my purse. I rested my head on the table, just for a quick nap. But then, I was interrupted by someone shouting my food order. Groggily, I got up and took my food. I ate quickly, barely finishing the meal before I packed up the leftovers and headed to my car.

I started driving back to my apartment, eager to put the day behind me. When I pulled into the parking lot, I parked my car and was already mentally preparing to shift into my room. Another notification pinged on my phone, but I was too tired to check it. I muted the phone and tossed it onto the passenger seat. I grabbed the bags from the back seat and made my way towards the elevator.

Once inside my apartment, I placed the bags on the sofa and made my way to my room. I stripped off my jacket, then my sweater, followed by my undershirt, jeans, and finally my tights.

I collapsed onto my bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion lifting as I closed my eyes.

The next thing I knew, I was jolted awake by loud banging on my door. Still not fully awake, I stumbled out of bed and rushed to the door. When I opened it, I frowned, trying to process what was happening.

"What?" I asked in an irritated tone.

Standing there was Gabriella, her arm still raised as if she had been knocking, her eyes wide and her mouth open. She was breathing heavily, drenched in sweat, as though she had been running. She quickly looked me up and down, and I could see her ears turn bright red. Her gaze shifted to the left, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

I was still trying to make sense of what was going on when I glanced down and realised... I was only wearing my underwear.

In sheer panic, I slammed the door in her face and ran to my room. I grabbed a pillow and screamed into it, my entire face flushed with embarrassment. I quickly opened the dresser, grabbed a pair of pyjamas, and before I opened the door, I hid the gifts I had bought for her under my bed.

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to face her.

Slowly, I opened the door, peeking through it. Before I could react, Gabriella pushed the door open and pinned me against the wall. She placed her hand gently on the back of my head and kissed me deeply. Her lips pressed hard against mine, and I could feel the passion in the kiss. It was all-consuming, and for a moment, I forgot everything.

When she finally pulled away, she looked me in the eyes with a soft smile, then pulled me into a tight hug.

"You're so beautiful, Mia," she whispered, hugging me even tighter. Her embrace was warm and comforting, and for a moment, I just wanted to stay like that forever.

"I missed you so much, I missed you so, so much," she said, her voice filled with longing. We hadn't seen each other for two days, but it felt like so much longer.

"I missed you too," I replied, giggling and kissing her on the cheek.

We sat down in the living room, and she asked me about my day, wondering why I hadn't been responding. Suddenly, I remembered that I had left my phone in the car.

"Oh my god, I forgot my phone in the car!" I said, slapping my forehead.

"That explains it," Gabriella said, her voice soft with concern. "I was so worried."

She kissed my hand gently, and I smiled, feeling my heart flutter. I cuddled up to her, feeling the warmth and security of her presence.

It had been a long, tiring day, but in that moment, everything felt just right.

Days went by quickly. The weather was getting colder each day, and Christmas was drawing closer. I bought some Christmas decorations and placed them all around my apartment: in the kitchen, bedroom, living room, and even the bathroom. I got a new necklace for Pearl, and a little Christmas hat. She looked absolutely adorable. Gabriella mentioned that her parents were hosting a big Christmas event and had insisted she attend. I supposed I'd give her her presents the day after Christmas.

It was the night of Christmas Eve, around 10:45 pm. Christmas songs were playing in the background, and I was drinking hot chocolate while sitting next to the fireplace. Pearl was snuggling on my lap, fast asleep. I checked my phone "no new notifications" and placed it on the floor before continuing to sip my hot chocolate. I was singing along to the music when I heard a knock on the door. Gabriella! I thought as I rushed to answer it. I opened the door, and it was...

"Evelyn!" I exclaimed. I hadn't expected her.

"Merry Christmas, Mia! I know it's still a few minutes away, but I just wanted to tell you before I went out with some friends," she said, smiling brightly. "Isn't your girlfriend with you?" she asked, peeking into the apartment.

"Uh, no, she had to be at a family event. It doesn't bother me, though," I said, smiling back at her. She nodded and then headed to the lift. As the lift doors closed, Evelyn waved at me. I waved back just before they shut. I walked back into my apartment and locked the door.

A few minutes passed, and now it was just thirty minutes until Christmas Day. Santa Baby—by Laufey was playing softly, and I sang along while carrying Pearl like a baby and spinning around. The scent of cinnamon candles filled the room, mingling with the faint aroma of the hot chocolate still in my mug. My Christmas tree—a bit smaller than I'd hoped for but perfect nonetheless—twinkled with fairy lights and ornaments I'd collected over the years.

I heard another knock at the door, so I gently set Pearl down and unlocked it. I was greeted by Gabriella's magical blue eyes. Her face was buried in the scarf she wore, and her red cheeks and nose looked adorably cold. But.. what was she doing here?

I pulled her into the apartment, closing the door behind her. She was holding several shopping bags. She took off her shoes, put the bags down, hugged me tightly, and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. She didn't say anything, but she looked sad.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked, placing my hand on her cheek. She leaned into it, savouring its warmth.

"It's nothing... really," she said in a sad tone. I didn't believe her, but I thought I'd ask her about it later.

She carried the bags over and placed them under the tree, looking at me."Merry Christmas, Mia," she said, pulling me closer by my waist. I giggled and hugged her back. "Merry Christmas, Gabriella," I said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Wait, are these gifts for me?" she asked, looking at the wrapped presents.

"Oh, yeah. I got them for you, but when you told me you were going to be with your parents, I thought I'd give them to you the day after Christmas," I answered.

"Did you wrap these yourself?" she asked, her expression like that of a hopeful child.

"Mhm! I even did the bows—aren't they cute?" I said softly.

"And are these for me?" I asked, glancing at the shopping bags she'd brought.

"Yeah, I got them in a hurry, but I hope you like them," she said, grabbing my hand. Her hands were cold, but the warmth in her voice made them feel cosy.

We sat by the tree, and she began opening her presents.

"Oh my God, a camera! Thank you, babe!" she said, beaming at the gift. Every present she unwrapped was met with the cutest reactions, which I filmed on my phone. Seeing her so happy made me happy too.

Then it was my turn to open my presents. The first bag I opened contained two Jellycat bunnies—one white and one pink—fluffy hello kitty home slippers, and a vanilla bean candle. Everything seemed perfect until I opened the next bag: light brown UGG boots, YSL perfume, Dior Lip Maximizer gloss, gold hoops, and finally...

"A pink Van Cleef & Arpels set?! NO WAY!" I yelled, staring at her. She smiled at me, and I threw myself at her.

"These are all so expensive—I can't believe my eyes!" I said, still in disbelief.

"You deserve it, Mia. I really like you," she said, pulling me into a kiss.

"I like you too, Gabriella. Thank you so much for coming tonight," I said, giving her another kiss.

We sat in front of the fireplace, chatting, taking pictures with the camera and drinking hot chocolate. The hours seemed to melt away as we talked about everything and nothing at all. Gabriella told me stories about her family's Christmas traditions, which ranged from silly games to extravagant dinners. I shared my own childhood memories of Christmas mornings spent unwrapping gifts with my sister.

"You know," Gabriella began, her voice soft as she looked into the fire, "I wasn't planning to come tonight. My parents were upset when I left. But... I couldn't imagine spending Christmas without you." Her confession made my heart swell, and I reached out to hold her hand.

"I'm so glad you came," I said, squeezing her hand. "This means so much to me."

Outside, snow began to fall, blanketing the streets in a serene white layer. We decided to step onto the balcony for a moment to take in the view. The city lights sparkled, and the quiet hush of snow filled the air. Gabriella wrapped her arms around me, resting her chin on my shoulder.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"It really is," I replied, leaning back into her embrace. "This might be the best Christmas I've ever had."

As midnight struck, the distant sound of church bells echoed through the city, marking the arrival of Christmas Day. Gabriella and I exchanged one last kiss under the soft glow of the fairy lights before heading back inside to warm up. We curled up on the sofa, Pearl nestled between us, purring contentedly.

In that moment, surrounded by love and warmth, I knew this Christmas would be one I'd treasure forever.

*****

END OF CHAPTER 14!

Q: favorite book so far?

A: my fathers eyes my mothers rage / nick & Charlie