Red and Butter

5 | Enchanted

Taylor to Red

"What kind of joke is this?" I pinch myself. "Ouch! It's real. I'm not dreaming." I look around from the sheer white curtains to the 36-inch TV mounted on the wall to my reflection on the built-in wardrobe with sliding door. I'm still in my bedroom, not in another strange place or planet. "This is all a joke." I get the hat and attempt to shoot them in the bin but it lands on the couch, sliding down, filling the room with the sound of the jingle bells as the hat hits the floor. Nice shot. Not.

I lie down on my bed and my phone starts ringing. I reach for it not moving my body even for an inch from where I am lying down.

"Elle," I say.

"So have you opened the gift?" Her curious tone makes me imagine Elle's twinkling eyes and feet kicking the sheets.

"Hello to you too. Yeah I did —"

"And?"

"Aren't you eager? It's a joke."

"Ohmygoals! What creepy crawlers are there?"

"Not like that. Someone gives me an elf hat." I say and give her a nonchalant shrug even though she can't see me.

"An elf hat? Why a joke?"

Oh yeah it doesn't sound like a joke since Christmas is just around the corner. "The note tells me to wear it on...on..." Suddenly telling her feels weird and sounds insane.

Oh yeah the note tells me to wear it every night at 8 starting today until Christmas.

And what will I do?

Elf of Love. What is that?

Err...no, Elle will laugh at me. I'll definitely laugh out loud and call her crazy if our position is reversed. "It says to wear on Christmas."

"Maybe your Mom sends it." Clearly, she doesn't think before saying.

"Elle, CS doesn't spell Mom. And she's MS, Marjorie Swift."

"Your dad maybe?"

"Elle!"

"Fine! I'll stop. I'm thinking of the possible persons that would possibly send you that."

Me too, Elle. Me too. But I won't tell you that.

She continues. "At least you have an elf hat if you can't buy a costume for Christmas." How sweet of her to always think positive.

"Ha ha ha." I give her a shallow and forced laugh.

"Hi Elle M N O P!" A playful manly voice cuts our convo followed by a soft gasp coming from my friend. There's only one man who can take her breath away.

"Oh, hi Zach 'n Shoes," she retorts back and his laughter bellows.

"Cute!" I say, chuckling. "Now stop grinning like an idiot."

"His laughter is my favorite song."

Oh my goodness. She didn't just say that. "If that is love, tsk, it's crazy."

"It's not crazy. It's overwhelming like I can clean the house without complaining," Elle says, obviously still over the moon.

"Get your ass over here. I need a cleaner."

"And leave the house while the love of my life is here?"

"Better than staring at Zach dreamily, drooling and clenching your thighs and listening to him talk about his girlfriend."

"You really know how to ruin my mood," she says dejectedly.

"I'm your bestie. I want you to wake up and move on. You deserve better, Elle."

"Elle! Do you want pizza?" It's her brother.

"Yup!" Elle shouts back.

"I guess this is my cue to leave. Goodnight Elle."

"Goodnight. Bye Tay!"

When the call ends, the time is already 8:15. I glance at the Christmassy hat. It's past 8 o'clock and nothing happens. Should I at least try it? I get up and pick-up the hat. It looks authentic and the jingle bells look like they were made of real gold. The stitching in the elf hat is perfectly done and the material isn't made of cheap fabric or felt, actually they look expensive. I shake the hat and the sound of the jingle bells echoes like music to my ears, a lot better than when they hit the floor. I can't explain the feeling that reverberates through my senses.

Well, it's past 8 and nothing happens. I guess it's safe to try whether it fits me. As soon as I wear the elf hat, a warm sensation travels from my toes to to the ends of my hair. When I open my eyes, I scream to see my reflection on the wardrobe. I thought I'd remove my makeup before opening the gift but here I am with a thick make up and luscious red lipstick. Can bangs and pointed ears just appear in seconds and change my bright blonde little curls into straight dark blonde ones? How about this pearl drop earrings? They aren't mine.

Suddenly, a yellow car flies and stops right in front of my window. I turn around and run to my window at the same time a handsome elf guy with pastel-colored hair gets out of the car. My jaw drops but my cheeks get warmer, feeling like I'm going to faint when he knocks and flashes me an eye smile. It's snowing outside with a gorgeous guy and his car who think the air is the ground, what kind of sorcery is this? I was totally enchanted.

"Red, open the window!" I blink several times, hoping my eyes are playing tricks on me but they don't disappear.

"Red!"

His voice makes me rush to open the window.

"Hi!" He waves his hand. "I'm Butter, you must be Red."

"Red?" I ask in confusion.

He points at my left chest.

"Oh, yeah. Red is written there." My eyes move to his left chest too. "You are Butter. Ha ha." Red and Butter. Bread and Butter. Ha ha...not funny at all.

"You're late," He says, still smiling. He flips the hair on his forehead and his fingers arr stopped by the hat, hitting the small jingles bells.

"Are we really elves?" I still don't believe in this.

"Apparently, yes." He offers his hand. "Come on, Cupid Santa is waiting for us."

So CS is Cupid Santa. I stare at his hand. Should I take it?

"Yes.

"How did –"

"Your expression says so. Come on. We don't have forever."

"I have a door, you know."

I take his hand and she helps me to climb out of the window and into his car. I join the club of those who think as though stardust is sprinkled all over our body and the car.

"Betty thinks it's cool and more efficient this way." He chuckles as soon as he enters the driver's side.

"Hi Red! I am Betty." The chipmunk says. Chipmunk?!

"You have a chipmunk?" I look at the backseats but they are empty.

"No." He laughs and I stare at him like he's a lunatic. His laughter is so pleasant in my ears and his face lights up like a Christmas tree. A warm feeling melts my slightly cold heart. "Betty is the car."

"This car talks?!" He nods, amuse. I don't want to think about the how because it won't do any good to my brain cells. "Hi Betty."

"Ready? Buckle up! Next stop, Cupid Santa's house." The chipmunk, I mean Betty says.

###
Title: Taylor Swift - Enchanted

How was it?

This is my fave chapter so far.

Thank you for reading.

Lovelots,
Alya

...6 days before Christmas!