Opposites Attract

Mistletoe Dare

Ollie did not want to be at this Solstice Eve party. Laura and Drew had begged him to come. He greeted people politely, even talking with his new friend Q for a short while, and then he retreated to a far corner of the room when he had enough. Crowds irritated him, even if he knew people there. He wondered why he was invited to this stupid party and he wondered if he would have been better off spending time with Frosty at home.
Leora walked up to him suddenly.
How did she find him? Did she go out of her way to look for him? Or did she happen to notice him?
"Hey," she smiled.
Ollie felt that odd stir in his heart again. She rarely smiled for anyone, even he noticed that. He could feel her glowing power and energy just beneath the surface of her soul...He liked how it felt.
"Hey," he managed, crossing his arms.
"I'm happy to see you at the party."
"Why?" He asked, puzzled.
"Oh, I don't know. I just...we work well together and it's nice to see you outside of work."
"Ok... thanks I guess."
There was an awkward silence between them.
"What do you usually do for the holidays?" She asked.
"Nothing much. To me it's just another day."
"Actually, same here," she admitted, "I just pretend like it's an extra weekend or something."
"Oh."
"Yeah I don't have any family anymore so...I mean...sorry that was probably too much information..."she nervously laughed.
"What do you mean?" He asked, curious.
She struggle to keep a smile, and it made Ollie's heart stir again...
"I grew up a orphan and...well...I did have one person but I let them down to say the very least..."
She grew silent, not able to continue.
"I know what it's like to lose your family," he managed, "My mom died from illness and my dad was murdered."
Leora looked at him with slightly widened eyes.
"I had no idea you and Laura had gone through that. I'm so sorry."
"Being sorry won't bring them back," he bitterly said, "But all we can do is move forward."
"Yeah..."she said.
He sighed.
"If I've soured your mood, you can go."
Leora's eyes flashed with irritation.
"What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I've soured your mood?"
"No. No that's not what I mean...you didn't...I just...I..."
Ollie silenced himself, his heart beating faster in his chest. He didn't know what was wrong with him.
"We were having a moment of connection...was that such a bad thing?"
"No. It wasn't."
Ollie blushed and looked away from her, crossing his arms.
"You don't have to get so flustered around me, Ollie. We're comrades right?"
"Who said anything about being flustered?" He retorted.
Leora smirked.
"Sure. I must have been mistaken..."
"Look what I brought!" Q said in a whimsical tone of voice, carrying some mistletoe, "Now you two have to kiss!"
Ollie's face went a brighter red and Leora's face flushed too.
"This is stupid. I'm leaving," Ollie started to storm off...
"What? You're too much a chicken to kiss a girl?" Q taunted him.
Ollie froze. If he ran away now, he would never hear the end of this. He turned back and walked up to Leora.
"Ollie! Don't listen to Q! If you don't want to kiss, you don't have to. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."
Ollie placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
As Leora blushed a bright red, she closed her eyes.
Ollie started sweating, this was really happening...
He moved closer to her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before pulling back.
"Aww yeah!" Q cheered.
"Shut up," Ollie snapped at Q, still red in the face.
Q was snickering.
"Thank you Ollie," Leora said, smiling, "That was the nicest Solstice present I have received in a long time."
Q gasped and covered his mouth while Ollie's eyes widened as he looked back at Leora
"You..you don't...have to..say that..." Ollie looked away.
"I mean it," she said.
Leora took his hands and squeezed them in hers. They both gazed at each other...
"Oh my! This is so adorable!" Laura squealed, standing next to Drew, "My baby brother is all grown up now."
"Nothing to see here," Ollie managed, letting go of Leora's hands, and he began to storm off, "I'm out of here."
Leora smiled as she watched Ollie, who was hot and flustered, run away.