Red and Butter

8 | All Too Well

Red

Glitterpie is getting on my nerves! Grr! This elf makes me feel like a third wheel. Since we left Cupid Santa's house, she never leaves Butter alone, sticking to him like glue. I am skating all by myself for almost half an hour while the married couple and this flirty couple are going together, laughing and pushing or pulling each other. I sigh and move to the side to observe my surroundings.

The skating rink's walls are also made of thick ice adorned with tinsels and twinkle lights making it look cozy and romantic. I'm the only one who isn't feeling the romance. I watch Truffles and Chippy. They are the epitome of true love and forever. They look at each other with so much love and affection and their smiles are as bright as the starry night sky.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Butter suddenly appears beside me and I have no time to switch the swirl of emotions that engulfs me.

"Looking at them, wishing someone will look at me with the same intensity as Chippy to his wife." I don't bother to look at him, afraid that he'll see right through me.

"You haven't been in love before?"

"I did or so I thought."

"What happened?"

"Cheated on me, a two-timer and sold me to a client." I take a deep breath. No one knows about my past, not even Elle. It's maybe the Christmas spirit and vibe of the surroundings that make me spill the beans.

"What?! That's horrible!" I am startled when he holds my hand. "Please tell me he didn't succeed." His voice laces with worry and I am tempted to look at him but choose not to. I don't want him to see how vulnerable I am right now. It's still traumatizing to think about it because I remember all too well everything that happened that night.

"Nothing. Lucky enough to land in a spy who wants to put my ex and his gang to jail."

"Thank goodness." He puffs, reliefs in his voice.

Since then, whenever I spotted a red flag in my relationship, I ended it. I don't want to talk about it anymore so I changed the topic. "Where's Glitterpie by the way? She's like a clingy Koala."

"In the toilet. Do you want to get out of here?" He asks and this time I face him to confirm that he's serious. He is. No doubt about that when his eyes are anticipating my response.

I nod. "How about the others?"

He runs his finger through his hair until it hits the elf hat. "I want to be alone with you." He adjusts his hold to my hand and we skate towards the exit door.

I watch at our hands and even though we are both wearing mittens, heat still travels from my hands to my entire body. There's something about Butter that I can't pinpoint. I've already felt different kinds of emotions in just a few hours that we are together. Right now, my mood is yellow, I'm happy.

Butter doesn't let go of my hand nor I attempt to disconnect them. It feels right.

"Where do you want to go?" Butter asks as soon as we are out of the rink.

"Christmas market. I heard from Truffles that they are selling hot wine. I want to try it."

"Ok let's go."

We walk hand in hand, my heart is beating loud. I hope he can't hear it when he looks at me. His eyes are twinkling and I'm pretty sure mine as well.

In less than ten minutes, we reach the busy Christmas market with food stalls, coffee, hot chocolate and wine bars, different arts and crafts that are mostly made of wood, jewelries, books and Christmas decors.