The Magic Of Winter

Christmas Party - Part 3

You and Ellie worked tirelessly for the next hour on the party, making horderves for the guests and preparing the rest of the decorations. About 15 minutes before you were finished Dylan came home, he kissed Ellie and commented on her beautiful dress, telling you two the place looks amazing. He says that he'll go change but then has to work for a little while before the guests come. She nods her head and lets him go, turning back towards you, "He's amazing, isn't he?" You look at her with a small smile and nod, you didn't say it there, but you knew in your heart you would always want a relationship like theirs.

Ellie turns around towards you as she thumbtacks the last of the tinsel to the wall. You look around at the progress you've made and she gives you a smile. "I think this is going to be perfect" she gets down from the ladder as she says this, standing back at her project. We've hung mistletoe over the doorways, tinsel around the windows, her tree is fully decorated, and we have many different foods laid out for guests on her tables.

It only takes another 20 minutes or so until the first guests come. A couple who Ellie knows that always come into the coffee shop, a girl who you used to go to college with and a boy she barely knows as her guest, Ellie's realtor, some of Dylan's friends, and more. You're constantly being introduced to new people who weren't here last year as you grab drinks and socialize. It's exhausting to say the least, everyone wants to talk about their fancy jobs or their problems in their expensive apartments, and all you can do is sit and nod along.

You're about to get up for another drink when Ellie ushers you over, saying there's a guy she wants you to meet (single and handsome, as described by Ellie). She directs you over to where Dylan is standing, you don't see the guy Ellie's talking about until you're right next to him. You can only imagine the look on your stunned face when you see Oliver standing there, dressed in an expensive suit and tie. Your brain goes blank as Ellie introduces the both of you, he sticks out his hand for you to shake and you look at it for a moment before snapping out of your trance and smiling up at the man before you, you put out your own hand and shake it "Maeve" you say in response to his name. He smiles back at you with pearly white straight teeth, and your surprised to see the smile goes to his deep blue eyes as well. You're about to say something more to him when from beside you a girl comes out of no where "Ollie!" She screeches in excitement and runs into a hug with Oliver "It's been so long since we've seen each other!" You watch as Oliver looks back at the girl, in his eyes the smile has disappeared "Cassidy" he says "Good to see you!" You can hear the clear forced excitement in his voice, but obviously the girl doesn't "We should get you a drink! Catch up a little" and Oliver reluctantly follows her away to the drink table, giving you a tiny wave as he goes.

You turn to Ellie and slap her "Why would you do that!" "What?!" She says touching the arm you slapped "I wanted you to have someone, Maeve!" She says, "You've seemed so lonely since your dad" it hits you in your gut when she says this, so could everyone see it in you? But you push it aside, "I'm fine how I am, Ellie" you say, a hard expression forming on your face "I don't need you setting me up" and you turn around from here, walking into the crowd of people, putting on a fake smile for everyone as you push them aside towards the door.

You go out into the hallway, away from any people inside. You slide down the wall and sit on the floor next to Ellie's door, putting your head in your hands. You can't tell exactly how long you sat there, all you know is that it wasn't long before someone else came outside too.

You removed your head from your hands and looked over to the door, someone was sitting out here too, just on the other side of the frame, and they were looking right back at you. "I take it you got tired of everyone too?" Oliver asks with a sad smile, it's funny how even that was beautiful on his face, you nod your head and laugh a little as you look back down at your hands. "I don't even know most of those people" you say with a sigh, leaning your head back to the wall "My friend Ellie is convinced I need more friends" you laugh a little, "I know a couple," he says copying your action, "Dylan is a work friend of mine, he knows I'm not too sociable but he insisted on inviting me" he laughs a little at this too and looks back over at you, it takes him a moment before he says anything, and you sit there staring into each others eyes. "I've met you before, haven't I?" He says breaking the contact. You look at him, "Busted" you say with a smile "You work at that bookstore down the street" he says, pointing towards you, "Yep" you say with a sigh. But beside you he laughs, a real laugh, "I knew you looked familiar. You're bookstore girl" and he continues to laugh. You look at him, your face going red, was he making fun of you? "Sorry we all can't have money from our daddy's and be fancy lawyers" you say with a huff of anger, you start to get up, you weren't going to take this, you were leaving. But beside you Oliver got up too, stopping your arm before it got to the door nob "I didn't mean it like that!" He says quickly and you turn to him "Then what did you mean?" You say crossing your arms, "I love bookstores" he says, his hand still hovering near your arm, but your expression doesn't change and he continues "I was laughing because..." He looks down for a moment dropping his hand, "Well I... I may have left my hat there, I hoped you would try to find me" out of all the things he could have said, you were not expecting this. He looks up at you, shock clearly written across your face, you let your arms fall, "Why would you do that?" He laughs a little "I thought you were cute" your feel the blush come across your face "Oh.." "But obviously I gave off the wrong impression and you clearly are not interested so I should go" he starts to ramble, reaching for the door nob, but you interrupt him "Would you want to go get some coffee?" He looks at you, his turn to be stunned, "I- yeah, yeah I'd love that" and you smile a little "Let me grab my coat" you say motioning towards the door.

You enter the party again, smiling to yourself before you realize what you've done. You just asked out a guy, randomly, without even knowing him. You take a moment to yourself, thinking this over, before coming to your conclusion. You turn towards the coat rack and grab your jacket along with your purse and scarf, deciding that you should take this risk, after all, what harm could it do? Maybe you won't be alone on Christmas after all.