On the first day of Christmas, you gave me back my smile.

It was a casual day of Christmas shopping – that was all – but to bump into somebody I surely didn't want to see wasn't part of my plan.

I was too busy listing off the people I had to buy gifts to inside my head that I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking. It was alright though, people were all aware that it was usual for someone to have their head in the clouds while walking in this street that's why they easily stepped aside when they notice me looking down on my heads instead of where I was going.

That was when I noticed a pair of sneakers on the ground as the shining sun was suddenly blocked out. Ever so slowly, I tilted my head up at the culprit and I swallowed hard at the figure that made me stop.

Standing in front of me with his towering height was my so-called ex-boyfriend. My arms felt heavier than before as I stared at him, scanning his whole appearance. Along with his thick sweater, there was a knitted beanie on his head – both were giving him some insulation to battle out this cold weather. His eyes, still as unexpressive as ever but the more I stared in them, the more I got lost in them. My gaze then settled on his lips – those soft pink pair that I used to claim as mine was now tightly shut as he kept on staring down on me.

Judging from the lack of shopping bags, I assumed that he just arrived. Unlike me, I would have made Santa Claus proud with the weight of my purchases for the day.

I wanted to run as fast as these boots could take me, but I couldn't. My feet were glued to the sidewalk as I tried to formulate and intelligible words inside my head. You would think from the way that we were acting, we had some nasty break-up scenario.

If only that was the case.

We started going out because I finally plucked out the courage to tell him what I felt. My friends urged me that I was going to regret it for the rest of my life if I don't say it to him. To everybody's disbelief, the smart-mouther and stoic boy said yes and agreed to go out with me.

I thought that it was mutual, but I soon faced the consequence of jumping on ahead without thinking things through.

I was the only one pushing through the relationship, almost everything felt one-sided. I was the one to plan the dates, I was the one to remember the important dates, I was the one who initiated the first, and the more time I spend with him, the more I felt like I was being a burden to him.

So I called it quits. When I told him this, he had the same reaction as to when we got together – he just grunted as he nodded his head.

Part of me was completely embarrassed to face and the other part agreed with it, because it knew that the moment I do see him, I'll just fall harder than I ever did before.

And today was a testimony to that. The more I looked at him, the more I wanted to reach out and wrap my arms around his skinny body. His hair tousled and messed up, but it was part of his charm. What I would do just to see that permanent frown miraculously pull up into a smile.

"Max," I finally gained the courage to greet him, forcing myself to give him a polite smile.

He did a curt nod in acknowledgement before his eyes zoned in on the bags I was carrying. Noticing this, I released an awkward laugh, "Just a busy day of shopping."

Compromising? Yes.

"Well, I better go," I said as a form of goodbye, desperate to get away from here.

To my surprise, I felt his hand on my arm when I passed him, halting my movements. My heart started to beat rapidly inside my chest as I willed myself to slowly glance back at him. It took him a while to realize what he had done and when he did, he quickly released me.

Turning to him, I gave him a question look as he started to nervously scratch the back of his head before I finally heard his deep, gruff voice, "I need help in choosing a gift."

"What?" I questioned in shock to his sudden request.

"I don't know how to pick a present for a girl."

A girl? Something in my chest dropped when I heard his explanation. Who was he shopping for? His mom? His sister? A girl he likes?

The last one just rendered me motionless as I stared intently at his face, trying to decipher his expression.

That was another problem when we were dating, I could never tell what he was feeling.

"Is that okay?" he asked.

My head was screaming to me that I should say no and walk away to prevent myself from doing any further damage. But when I heard the desperation in his voice, I unconsciously agreed.

He allowed a small smile to lift the corner of his mouth with my reply. For the umpteenth time, I froze in shock. It wasn't the first time I saw him smile but even during the time that we were together, it was a rare occasion. So when he showed it to me, I knew I was putty in his hands.

He looked around the area, scanning the different shops, "Where should we start?"

"How about this place?" I suggested, pointing at whatever store that was directly in front of us.

Goodness Gift Shop.

He shrugged as he walked forward, pushing the glass door of the store as he stepped into the warmth its heater provided.

"Welcome," the young woman greeted from her spot on the counter, "Would you like to leave your baggage here?"

I took up on her offer and left all of my shopping bags by the counter as I followed Max who was already gliding through the shelves of different trinkets. I trailed behind him, my eyes scanning through the objects being sold here.

My plan was just to agree to the first appropriate thing he picks up and leave as quickly as possible. The more I stay with him, the more I will lose my sanity.

"What kind of girl are we shopping for anyway?" I asked, trying to start up a conversation.

"She's really annoying," he deadpanned and I had to stop with that reply.

Should I worry with that answer or not?

"But that's because she's always cheerful and smiling," he started to say, "I like that part about her. She's headstrong and fierce, never takes no for an answer."

My head lowered at the way he spoke about this mystery girl. His voice was laced with this kind of adoration and it took me everything in my body to make sure I didn't cry.

Clenching my first to my sides, I swallowed down the sadness that was starting to take over and I forced a smile onto my face, "She must be really lucky to have you then."

"She probably hates me right now though," he frowned, mindlessly touching one of the multi-colored hour glasses, "And because of me, I felt like she hasn't been smiling as much as she used to before."

I don't know about you, but if I was the one he seems to care of so much, the only thing I would be doing is to grin of happiness.

Opening my mouth to give him some encouraging words, I stopped myself from doing so. If were to say anything, I might just end up breaking down in the middle of this store. Or worse, I might blurt out that I like him again.

He was pouring out his affections to this girl, while he barely looked at me when we were dating.

"I'm going to look over there," I said instead, quickly scampering off to the other side of the store.

I gripped on the shelf before I bit my lip, wiping the stray tears that dared to escape my eyes. The pain I was feeling was something else, I spent several months convincing myself to move. When I thought that I finally did, he comes in and makes me fall in love with him all over again.

Lifting my gaze, I paused when I a figurine pig – it looked ridiculous with the way it was grinning and whoever painted it added too much blush on its cheeks. Craning my neck to the side, I lifted my hand to let my finger feel the ceramic.

"Well, at least one of us is smiling," I mumbled. Blinking at it, I mentally punched myself. As if being dramatic about this whole situation wasn't bad enough, I'm now talking to this toy pig.

Maybe I was too carefree back then to think that he might actually like me back.

"There you are," Max suddenly rounded up the corner, making me jump away from the small pig as I glance back at him. His gaze went to the pig before back at me.

Alright, this is enough, "I better go, my mom texted me."

I'm sorry that I have to lie.

"Oh," he breathed out.

"I'm sorry, but good luck with the shopping," I told him, quickly turning around and ignoring the fact that he called out for me to wait for him.

I picked up my shopping bags from the woman in the counter, before I quickly sprinted out. Not even bothering to apologize to the people I bumped into, I made my way towards the direction of my car.

Dumping everything into the backseat, I just sat there in the driver's seat, my hands resting on the steering wheel as I stared straight ahead.

I shouldn't have come here today.

It was enough of a horror to run into him, but to find out he has a special someone, it was torture.

I rested my head in my hands, I don't even remember why I fell for him.

Maybe because he was always kind. Even with this troublesome nature of mine, he never got mad at me and tolerated me with the patience no one else had. He would always look at me with those gentle eyes and keep himself one step behind me, ready to catch me when I slip or fall.

The memory finally made the tears spill out, rolling down my cheeks as I didn't try to wipe them off or anything. I allowed myself to sob out in heartbreak, opting to do this instead of bottling up everything that I felt.

At least I was alone this time.

Hearing someone tapping on my window, I whispered out a curse. Slowly lifting my head, I jumped in my seat to see Max as his face was pressed up against the glass. When he saw my current condition, he didn't think a second more before reaching down for the door handle and opening my car door.

"Yes?" I asked but my voice came out hoarse and broken.

He bent down and pulled me into his arms, resting his chin on top of my head as he cradled my shaking body, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

What?

"I know you probably hate me right now, but please accept this and I promise to never see you again," he told me as he slowly let go, holding out a paper bag.

My hands reached out and took it from him but before I got the chance to open it, he started to speak once again, "You were my first girlfriend, if you could only imagine my shock when that boisterous classmate of mine came up to me and asked me if I wanted to go out with her."

Again, what?

"But I fell in love with you – you were the only one who looked at me as if I wasn't some weird kid who avoided everyone," he added, "I thought that I was only causing you pain so when you decided that you wanted to break up, I told myself that it was better for you if we did."

I was frozen in my spot as he continued on with his speech, "I didn't know what to do and I know you deserve the damn best, but I was afraid of doing something wrong. I should have said something instead of letting you walk away."

When I was too shock to reply, he took it as a sign that I didn't want to talk to him. He turned around and started to walk away, his head now bowed lowly at the misinterpreted lack of response. Looking back down on the paper bag, I slowly opened it and with a shaking hand, I reached in.

Pulling out the single thing inside, I stared at the pig figurine that he caught me staring out earlier. It took me some time to process it, but after a while I finally figured it out.

He was shopping for me all this time.

Wiping my eyes with sleeve of my coat, I smiled at the though. It may have been ridiculous, but I kissed the gift he had given to me before I gingerly placed it on the passenger seat. Stepping out, I closed the door behind me and locked it as I started to chase after him.

Max, it's not fair for you to steal my smile and return it again too quickly without saying anything.

I want to be grinning and blushing as hard as that pig, but I'll only allow that if you're the reason why.

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Just a cutesy little story to start us off. See you tomorrow!