~The Shy and The Stubborn~ (the santa clause)

Chapter 19: rumours

A/N: sorry fellas, this chapter is well overdue to say the very least. It's sort of been on and off my mind, because now I mostly just work and don't have the time or energy to write anymore. But I don't want to burn out, and writing is one of the only ways I know how to wind down.

So, merry christmas y'all.

And so, as soon as word got out that Bernard was finally taking a lady to the dance, after twenty long years, the rumours got around with elves discussing just who it was he was taking - though everyone had an idea who it might be, and their idea was right.

"Did you hear? The head elf is taking someone to the dance this year!"

"I heard it was his personal assistant...I didn't even know she existed before she was promoted."

"Do you think they're snogging behind closed doors??"

Naturally, rumours like this weren't quiet by any means in the factory, especially when valentines day was around the corner - elves lived for this kind of drama.

So, when Jaime on one off day heard Joey chatting with some of the other delivery boys about how he foresaw Bernard asking Justice to the dance, he felt his blood boil.

This wasn't happening to him, not now, not this year, when he had finally worked up the courage to maybe actually admit how he felt about Justice. He just didn't understand - what the hell did Bernard have that he didn't? Aside from superiority, but that wasn't the point. He had known Justice far longer, they had been best friends since they were both babies. He knew her secrets, her greatest fears, her habits...everything. There wasn't anything he didn't know about her, or so he thought.

But right now, these were just rumours, he had to know for certain.

So, when it was lunch time, with the chime of the lunch bells, Jaime left the delivery department and beelined for the writing department. He hadn't spoken to any of them since Max had chewed him out, but he didn't need to speak to any of them except for Max at that time.

He approached the dark corner that was the writing department, and placed three loud knocks on the door. There was a muffled "Just a sec!" from the other side of the door, followed by footsteps and then the door swinging open. When Max saw Jaime's face, her casual look became bitter, and she wouldn't be the first one to say anything out of choice.

"Max," Jaime addressed her, his voice stern. "I need to talk to you."

Max sighed - she didn't want to have this conversation, but she would. Reluctantly, she stood out of the writing department, closing the door quietly behind her as she leaned against it, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you want?" she deadpanned.
"Is it true?" he asked, and though he didn't say, Max had an idea of what he was talking about, though she wouldn't put words into his mouth.
"Is what true?" she asked, her tone unchanging.
"Is Bernard taking Justice to the dance?" he pressed, his tone becoming more and more demanding by the minute.
"What's it to you?" Max scoffed, averting her eyes from him.
"You know what it is to me," he insisted in somewhat of a snarl, his fingers clenching into fists as his patience became thinner. "Just tell me. Is he taking Justice to the dance?"

There was a moment of silence as Max hesitated. She didn't want to go out sharing her best friend's secrets everywhere, but was it really a secret if everyone was talking about it?

"Yeah, he is," she admitted, looking back at Jaime. "And she'll be the first girl he's been to the dance with in twenty years, that's gotta mean something."

There was a sting in Jaime's chest, as though a needle or a dagger had been driven into it. He couldn't believe it, he didn't want to believe it. His chance really was gone, all because he'd been too much of a coward to tell her how he felt.