Stubborn Love

Changed Perspectives

Allie blinked, her mouth slightly agape as she processed his statement. "What are you talking about?"

Bernard went silent, freezing in his spot, as if he hadn't meant to say that. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He went rigid so suddenly, it took Allie back. He hunched over, and his head was lowered as he spoke. "When I was 16, I had spent Christmas with my Uncle. He was the only family I had left, and despite that, we were having a so much fun. It was almost like our lives were whole again. You know, before the death of my...my parents and sister. But during the night, I woke up to thumps and stomps on the roof. I awoke my uncle, and we headed outside and we saw Santa and his helper. They both ended up falling off the roof. My uncle put on the suit, and I put on the hat. When I put on that hat, my whole life changed. I felt the magic run through me."

"Wait," Allie interrupted. "You said that the last person that felt the magic was in the year 1702." Allie's eyes widened, a look of disbelief. "That was you?"

Bernard nodded, looking miserable. He shifted, and Allie studied him, his small confession fitting into the last of the puzzle. That's why he talked so weird all the time. Why he would sometimes use the words like 'shan't', 'shall', and 'thou'. It wasn't often, but it was enough for Allie to notice it.

Allie studied the boy, and he looked a bit sad as he though about the past. The blonde tilted her head, and softly asked, "What...what happened to your Uncle? Curtis said that if something happened to Santa, you would become head elf. How...what happened."

"Dog attack." He shrugged, his voice low. "We had to find a new Santa."

Allie's mind reeled with thoughts about Bernard's story. It sounded awful, having to lose your family, and then your life doing a complete 180. Then, on top of that, losing the only family you had left.

"What about Coco?" Allie questioned. She thought he said that his sister died. "You said..."

"I found her abandoned in the snow." He admitted. "I brought her here, and raised her."

Allie nodded, leaning back in her chair. She and Bernard studied each other, a sort of understanding of the other settling into them. They both began to think that maybe the other was so bad.

{}~{}~{}~{}

Hours passed, and the tension that once crackled between them gave way to an unexpected friendship. 

They played board games, painted, built gingerbread houses that almost always fell apart, and occasionally bickered over pointless things. Despite their bickering, moments of laughter echoed in the walls of Bernard's home, slowly chipping away at the wall that had been built between them.

The next afternoon, with a mug of cocoa with whipped cream, a fire crackling in front of her, causing a warm feeling to fall on her, Allie found herself nestled in one of Bernard's armchair, an untouched book resting open on her lap. As she gazed into the fire, she could have sworn she saw dancing figures in the flames. But she couldn't help it as her mind drifted back to Bernard.

Across from her, Bernard sat with a book in his hands, but he wasn't reading. Instead, he was stealing glances at Allie, his cheeks flushed crimson. He struggled to comprehend the flutter in his chest, the way her laughter seemed to resonate in his very soul. It gnawed at him that all this time he had thought of her as a foe, when in reality, he was beginning to admire her—not just for her starlit smile but for her unyielding spirit.

Allie turned her gaze towards Bernard, caught off guard by the intensity in his dark eyes, and it struck her then—the fleeting moments of joy they had shared, the easy banter, and the way he could make her laugh even when she wanted to scream at him. Perhaps all her previous hatred had been masking something deeper, an admiration she was just beginning to understand.

"Are you going to read that book or what?" Allie asked, her teasing tone echoing the familiar banter they had come to enjoy.

Bernard chuckled, his resolve cracking, unable to help himself as he blurted, "I might as well read your expressions instead; they're far more interesting."

She raised an eyebrow but couldn't help reverting to a gentle smile. "Okay, Bernard. What do you think I'm thinking about?"

A comfortable silence filled the air, and for the first time, they looked at each other without the weight of their previous animosity. Just as they were about to lean into the moment, Bernard cleared his throat—a sign of nervousness in the face of growing feelings. "I think you...you've changed."

"Maybe we've both changed," she admitted, leaning a little closer. "Maybe it's time we let go of the hostility."

With that realization, the space between them felt charged with possibility. The hatred, once a thick fog clouding their connection, began to disperse, revealing the sunlight of a burgeoning friendship—and perhaps something more.

As the golden hour waned, Bernard and Allie shared an unspoken understanding. They were no longer just enemies forced to coexist because they worked together; they were two souls discovering the beauty in their differences, the richness in their shared moments. Each small victory over their past prejudices drew them closer together until they couldn't deny the truth any longer—the spark ignited in their hearts was undeniable.

In the quiet that settled, Allie whispered, "You know, I really did think you were the worst at first. I guess you got better in time, though."

"You're not that bad. You have your moments, but you're not that bad, Allison."

Allie rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, right back at you, Bernard."

The two smiled at each other, before turning back to their books, though they both knew neither was actually reading.

{}~{}~{}~{}

Allie and Bernard sat together on the couch, a mug of cocoa in each of their hands.

"Okay, okay, I'll admit—this hot cocoa is pretty good," Allie said. "Maybe I'll make it like yours next time."

"You always say that, and then you deny my choices," Bernard said, a smile tugging at his lips. He had grown fond of this easy banter, the comfortable rhythm they had created together.

"Can you blame me? You once suggested something with marshmallows and a—"

"Marshmallows are a sacred tradition of hot cocoa!" Bernard interjected, pretending to be offended.

She rolled her eyes, but her grin betrayed her amusement. "Fine! Maybe you'll win me over one day. I'm not certain about the peppermint spoon, though."

There was a moment of laughter before a comfortable silence settled between them. Bernard could feel a flutter in his chest, a warmth that lingered just beneath the surface every time they were together. He caught himself stealing glances at Allie, her excitement seemingly igniting something within him. He felt safe with her—a feeling that was both exhilarating and terrifying. He had been trying to convince himself for the past eight years that it was hatred, but as he stared at the smiling girl in front of him, he knew it wasn't hatred.

"Hey, do you ever think about—" he started, his voice trailing off as he gathered his courage. The words hovered in the air, electric yet uncertain.

"What?" Allie prompted, her head tilted in curiosity.

"What it would be like if we..." He hesitated, the anxiety causing his heart to race. He desperately wanted to get his feelings out, to bridge the gap that lingered just beyond their playful friendship. But that gap loomed large, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to jump. Maybe it was too soon. They had only just gotten on good terms. Not that they had necessarily been on bad terms the past eight years, but they hadn't been on good terms either.

But instead of finishing the sentence, an overwhelming urge possessed him. Allie caught his gaze, and something shifted between them—an unspoken understanding. Slowly, they leaned closer. Bernard's heart thudded erratically in his chest, and he felt a slight thrill that he rarely felt as he was about to step into that unknown territory where friendship and love intertwined.

Just as their lips were about to meet, the door to the house was thrown open.

Allie and Bernard jumped apart, their faces flushed with embarrassment. Allie turned to the door, tucking a piece of hair behind her hair when she saw who was at the door. The tooth-fairy gave her a wide smile, and she waved slightly. The blonde woman smiled at her, though instead of it being cold, it was warm, and said, "Hello, Allie."

Allie, who felt as if she were in high school again, answered, "Hello, Principal Newman."

Her gaze shifted, and her heart stopped when she saw the third person standing there. "Charlie?"

The boy looked up, his face turning shocked, and his mouth dropped open as he tried to say something. Before she could stop herself, she ran to her brother, throwing her arms around him, shaking as her fingers dug into his shirt.

Bernard watched, upset about the ruined moment, but his heart swelled a bit at the Calvin siblings reunion.