No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 12

Lucy stood outside Henry's house, watching her breath mist in the cold winter air. The snow crunched beneath her boots as she shifted nervously, staring at the Christmas lights twinkling in the windows. She had not expected this—being invited to Christmas dinner, of all things. Especially after what had happened at the movies. The thought of it still made her stomach twist, but here she was, standing at Henry's doorstep, wondering what on earth to expect.

*What does this mean?* she thought to herself. *Why did he invite me?*

Before she could overthink it any more, the front door opened, and there stood Henry, bundled up in a sweater with a warm smile. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, Lucy forgot her nerves. He looked calm, comfortable—even happy to see her.

"Hey, you made it," Henry said, stepping aside to let her in. "Come on, it's freezing out there."

Lucy gave him a small smile and stepped into the warmth of the house. She could hear soft Christmas music playing in the background, the scent of pine and cinnamon filling the air. Henry's family was bustling around, setting the table and laughing together. It felt so cozy and inviting—much different from the formal, stuffy Christmases she was used to at home.

She followed Henry into the living room, where the Christmas tree glowed with lights and ornaments. There was a fire crackling in the fireplace, and a pile of presents already stacked underneath the tree. Lucy's heart raced, still unsure of how this night would go.

Dinner was... nice. Despite the occasional awkward glance between her and Henry, the meal was pleasant. His parents were friendly, his younger sister talkative, and the atmosphere was warm. Lucy found herself relaxing a bit, even though the weight of their recent past still lingered between her and Henry.

It wasn't until after dinner, when they gathered around the tree to open presents, that Lucy felt her nerves rise again. She hadn't expected to get anything from Henry's family—she was just a guest, after all—but when Henry handed her a small, neatly wrapped box, she blinked in surprise.

"Here," Henry said with a grin, his eyes glinting with something she couldn't quite read. "This one's for you."

Lucy stared down at the blue box in her hands, her heart skipping a beat. She carefully unwrapped it, pulling off the ribbon and peeling away the wrapping paper. Inside was a smaller, unassuming blue box, and when she opened it, there were several strange packets tucked inside. She frowned, pulling one out and turning it over in her hand.

"What is this?" she asked, genuinely confused. The packets were unfamiliar—definitely not something she recognized as a typical Christmas gift.

Henry leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so his family couldn't hear. "I'll tell you about it later," he said quietly, glancing toward his parents, who were busy with their own gifts. "Not here."

Lucy raised an eyebrow, even more curious now. What could this possibly be? She glanced at the packets again, but there was nothing on them to give her any clue.

"Okay," she whispered, slipping the packet back into the box and closing it carefully. She wasn't sure whether to be intrigued or worried about whatever Henry was planning to tell her, but she decided to trust him. After all, he wouldn't have given her something strange without a reason. Would he?

As the rest of the presents were opened and the evening wound down, Lucy's mind kept drifting back to the mysterious gift in her lap. She stole a glance at Henry, who gave her a reassuring smile, though she still couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was inside that box was going to change something between them.

But whether it was for better or worse, Lucy couldn't yet tell.

As the evening drew to a close, Lucy helped gather wrapping paper and clean up plates, all the while her thoughts focused on the conversation she knew they would have soon. She needed to know what Henry was hiding in that box—and why he hadn't wanted to talk about it in front of his family.

After everything that had happened between them, Lucy wasn't sure what this was leading to. But she knew one thing for sure: this Christmas had been anything but ordinary.