Must be Santa (COMPLETED)

58

Wynter

I hope Nick couldn't hear my heart beating out of my chest. I was nervous...fearful to answer the question Mother Nature asked me.

I nod, thinking back to the preparations I had gone through these last few months. I knew the name of every Santa Claus. I knew the venues of the castle, the type of sleigh they drove and each treaty that formed the land.
So imagine my surprise as I hear the nature of the query. This question had truly caught me off guard.

I stop to ponder my reason and look into Nick's eyes.

Christmas?
What does Christmas mean to me?
What is the true meaning of Christmas?
How could I answer this? I was a girl who never celebrated the holiday?

Nick grabs my shoulders and runs his hands across each one affectionately "Just speak from the heart Wyn"

"Nick! You know I never celebrated Christmas growing up."

"But you did for the first time this year, didn't you?And look where's that gotten you"

I nod, realizing the truth in his words then chuckle. "In the arms of Santa Claus" I tease. I smile as he placed his hand against my cheek.

He bends to kiss my forehead before looking into my eyes affectionately.
"Speak from your heart." He whispers before walking away to leave me at the center of the room.

The panel members' gazes were intense. Mother Nature watches me impatiently. She was waiting for my answer.

"Hello. Everyone.
Hi. I am Wynter Ryder.
21 year old. Ummm... so... yea." I play with my fingers nimbly, trying to gather my thoughts.
"To be honest, I never really celebrated Christmas. You see, my parents died when I was only five on Christmas Day and I kinda cursed off the holiday. I actually hated Christmas. Is that ...bad to admit it out loud?
Oh! But I love chocolate Easter eggs!" I look at the Easter bunny, trying to garner up a few points of support. His eyes never left his papers.

Nick POV

"She's bombing." Drew whispers into my ear as we stand in the rear of the room.

"Shut up and give her a chance Drew." I hit his stomach, forcing him into silence.
Jack Frosteneson turns to focus on me and smirks. He relished in Wynter's honesty no matter how disadvantage it was.
He was a bit too smug for my liking.

Come on Wyn. You got this.

Wynter

The council members look disinterested. The Easter bunny looked as if he had already written me off.

I look over at Nick, pleading for some sort of sign. He nods, urging me to continue. I turn my gaze back to the panel and grin awkwardly.

Speak from the heart.

"On earth, November ends and December arrives. The stores start playing Jingle Bells and they put up Christmas trees with big flashy lights and colorful artificial snow. Tv stations start playing those clay animation specials and radio stations, Christmas carols.

I remember watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special back in the orphanage. It was the first Christmas without my parents. It was the end of the movie and Charlie Brown said "Christmas is a time where you spend with family...and friends and with loved ones. That's the true meaning of Christmas
I felt sad after he said it because? I didn't have a family anymore and I didn't have a lot of friends"

I paused looking at the winter witch who watched me curiously. "So... instead I was a recluse. Only looking to be depressed. I wallowed in my sadness instead of looking at the beauty of the life I had. No matter how little it was.
I used to think I wasn't worthy of happiness because my parents died on a day that was supposed to represent so much.
I believed it was my fault they died and I blamed myself for their deaths for 17 years. I made sure I was miserable because I felt if that if I was miserable every year, then my punishment was working and..."