Last Christmas

Under The Mistletoe

 Ezra's arm is hung around both of my shoulders, while his hips lean close into mine as he talks to another tall and stalky friend of his. It's been an hour since I agreed to this arrangement. It's also been an hour since I sobered up enough to realize what I had really agreed to.

"You never introduced me to your little friend, Ezra." The man next to us asks. His hair is a dirty blonde and his eyes are bright blue. He wears a light baby blue top, bringing his eyes out in a way that almost makes me uncomfortable.

"Oh, right. This is Ahnalise. She's in town visiting from New York. She's also my girlfriend." Ezra slips the word girlfriend out of his mouth like it's an off-pudding taste in his mouth. I almost spit out the coffee I've been sipping on for the past hour. The man looks unconvinced.

"Damn Ez, you didn't tell me you had a long-distanced girlfriend." His smile is bright, his teeth perfectly aligned. I awkwardly smile back, sinking farther into Ezra's side.

"Yep, well now you do," Ezra says, slicing the air as he does. I can't help but look over at him. He's staring right back at me with a reassuring smile. He squeezes my shoulder and begins to lead me away from the tall man.

"That wasn't so bad. At least for our first announcement. Parents are next!" I say, sarcastically as he pulls us through the crowd.

"I actually want to make a little stop by Sophia if you don't mind." He still has me by the arm, gently winding us around people. I assume Sophia is the blonde girl we're trying to convince.

As we approach Sophia, I can see her slyly look over at us. Her hair is so close to white, it must be bleached. Her eyes are an icy blue and she is wearing a clear pink gloss that reminds me of a glob of icing. I can't help but stare. She's gorgeous. A modeling agency should pick her up immediately, my Lord. Her lashes flutter and flashes me a huge smile. She's in a chunky red sweater and black flared jeans. She looks as if she has no makeup on and her skin is just glowing from within.

"Hi! Ezra, who do we have here? You're absolutely breathtaking. My name is Sophia." She extends her right hand to me. I reach for it, feeling her silky smooth skin. I feel like I'm standing in a real-life angel's presence.

"You're so sweet!" I smile sweetly. "You are wow, like wow." I have no idea how else to describe it. I can totally see why Ezra is so desperate to have her.

"Sophia, this is my girlfriend Ahnalise." He smiles, motioning to me with a soft smile.

Her eyes go wide as if she's missed a whole chapter. Which she kind of did. She looks from me to him, her eyes lingering on Ezra before looking away. She smiles, this time her icy eyes colder as she looks at me. Good, she's supposed to be jealous.

"Ezra has told me so much about you! It's so good to finally meet you." I smile, this time with salt on the tip of my tongue.

"Good to meet you too..." She says, still awkwardly trying to figure Ezra's expression out. He is casually standing a few feet away from me with a blank expression on his face. He is not playing it cool at all. Sophia still doesn't look convinced.

"Silent Night" begins to play and a few parents and couples take each other's hands, leading them into a slow sway where they stand. It's wholesome in a way that makes a cold heart thaw.

"Ahna?" Ezra says quietly. He is standing in front of me now, his arm extended in as a gesture to take his hand. "Would you like to dance?" He asks. His eyes travel down my body, back up to my eyes, down to my lips, and then back up to my eyes. He's a little too good at this. I can't help but look at Sophia from the corner of my eye. She looks unbothered in a way that shows how hard she is trying to act indifferently.

"Yes, of course." I agree, taking his hand as he leads us onto the dance floor.

His hands find my waist, tucking his thumbs into the dips of my stomach. My arms slide over his shoulders and cross behind his neck. His chest is close to mine, leaning his head down to look at me. His eye contact is so strong and genuine. I would think his eyes would drift over to Sophia, but his eyes don't leave mine once. We sway to the slow version of Carrie Underwood's song, drifting into a world of bright colors and sparkling silvers and golds.

He leads me farther into the living room. Centering us so that the entire group can see our plan. His hands lift off of my waist, sliding his shoulders back so that my hands fall into his as he spins us around, facing the other direction. This way, I can now see Sophia. She has her eyes glued onto us, her eyes sparking fire throughout my body. All I want to do is look away. Before I can even think of it, Ezra pulls my face back to him with a soft brush of his fingers. Ezra feels so safe and warm, he is exactly what I need right now. I can't help but feel like I could stay in his arms for the entire night. I know he is trying to convince Sophia this way, but it also feels as if this is his way of cheering me up from earlier that night.

The song ends and he slowly places his hands off my waist and onto my wrists, guiding me into the kitchen walkway. Sophia gets up from where she's sitting, walking over with a slick smile on her face. I smile softly back, confused by the intensity.

Ezra notices Sophia too, nodding in her direction. A silent conversation is exchanged through their eyes. Something about it is suspicious as if Sophia is already making her mark on him. She walks up to us, ignoring eye contact with me. Her attitude is completely different from when I first met her. Two sided much?

"You know...since you guys are a couple, why don't you kiss?" She asks, batting her lashes, now turning to me with a smirk. I look over to Ezra, keeping my face calm while my heart is beating fast with panic. This was not a part of the deal. I look back at Sophia, looking for what she's trying to get at.

"The mistletoe. You know the Christmas tradition dangling above you?" She says slyly, twisting her pale hair onto her finger.

Ezra looks up, my eyes following. Shit.

Right above our heads, as Sophia said there was, dangles a sparkling mistletoe. Sophia's intensity worries me. Our plan didn't add up, but I was sure no one would question it as much as her. Maybe there was more Ezra wasn't telling me about their relationship? I probably should have found out more before accepting his offer. I look over at Ezra, his eyes already waiting for mine.

"Well, we are a couple, Ahna. Plus, it's a Christmas tradition." Ezra says softly. His eyes sparkle with something I can't quite understand. It isn't desire, but it isn't regret either.

Ezra's hand slowly cups my face, his thumb trailing my jaw. His other hand slips down my back, pulling me in closer to him. My breath catches, caught off guard by the intimacy. His lips draw closer to my face, lifting up and away towards my ear.

"Is this okay?" Ezra asks softly. I nod, a little too quickly with nervousness.

My hand is placed on the back of his neck, pulling him closer to my lips. His eyes meet mine for a split second before crashing his lips down onto mine. His lips are soft and gentle. It's like falling into a thousand feathers. There is nothing rough or passionate about this kiss. Yet, his gentleness gives me butterflies everywhere. I lean into him farther, he falls into me even more. His hand grasps my hair, holding me into him as he leans me down into a small dip. He breaks away, his breath heavy. Before leaning away from me completely, he places a small but soft kiss on my jaw.

Ezra lifts me back into a standing position. Those around the room have gone back to what they were doing, drinking and talking as if nothing had just happened. Sophia stares at me intently, making me rethink my entire night's decisions.

I look back at Ezra with a soft smile. He leans into me once more to whisper a few words. These words are enough to have me question everything ten times over.

"Come with me, after the party," Ezra whispers, before slipping back into the crowd and leaving me with Sophia.