Colton One Shots

Winter Wonderland- Christmas Special

This year for the holidays I agreed to spend it with my boyfriend in his hometown of Buffalo, New York. I was used to the cold weather from where I grew up. Unlike most people I actually enjoyed being outside, especially as a kid. There was nothing better than making a snow fort and having a huge snowball fight with all the kids in the neighborhood. Sledding was a huge tradition for the family. We would go to this park where there was a huge hill. It was always packed with people but everyone made sure that everyone had a turn sledding down it. The hardest part was hauling the sleds back up the hill but the thrill of going fast was worth it. 

My mind often wandered whenever I was in the car. This particular time I was reflecting back on the holidays as a kid. They always weren't the best but my parents always attempted to make them memorable. It got harder when my parents divorced when I was in the fifth grade but they would make it work for me on Christmas and be in the same house. They wouldn't argue and they had smiles on their faces, even it they were fake they tried. For me.

As the car turned down a suburban street there were two boys building a snowman. They already had the base made and were currently rolling the middle section of the snowman. Both of the boys were bundled up with the works: hats, gloves, scarves, big puffy coats, snow pants, and boots. However long they would be playing outside they would be warm.

Colton cleared his throat. "We're here."

"Oh, sorry." I brushed my bangs from my face. "I was spacing out for a minute there."

He smiled. "More like five minutes actually but who's counting."

My cheeks heated up. "I was thinking about Christmas when I was a kid. The past was great." It got a little rough after the divorce and even worse when mom passed away. Dad stopped pretending and eventually married another woman who just wanted him because of his salary. I haven't spent a Christmas with him in over three years. The fact that I was going to spend the holidays with a big family was huge, and it was even better because it was with Colton's family.

"It's always been my favorite time of year and because it's yours I think tonight is going to go really well. You already know my family loves you, well from what they've heard about you on the phone anyways. They're super excited to meet you."

"Well, like that's not going to make me even more nervous than I already am..."

"Don't worry, I won't leave your side," he winked.

I leaned over the console and kissed him. It was short and sweet and boy did I want to make it longer and more intense but we were already late. "We should go inside."

"We could be a little more late if we wanted. Say it was crazy at the airport."

As tempting as that was I shook my head. "Come on, I know you miss them and I just want to walk through the front door and hopefully not embarrass myself."

He pulled off his gloves and placed his hands on my face. "Baby, listen to me. You are the one that I love and they love you knowing that you have my heart. When we walk in squeeze my hand as tight as you want to, okay?"

Nodding, I said, "Okay."

Colton brushed his lips against mine before he turned off the ignition to the car. I took a deep breath before getting out of the car and walking up the driveway. My hand was going to be glued next to Colton and if I couldn't have that then I would make sure he didn't leave my sight.

"I forgot the cookies in the backseat!"

We stopped and I grabbed the tasty treats from the car. Baking was my life, well my hobby. I was betting on my peppermint flavored sugar cookies to start this night off on a good note. "So how many people usually show up on Christmas Eve?"

"Usually my parents invite around thirty people."

"Thirty?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. That explained all the cars in the driveway and in the street. "I don't think there's that many cookies for everyone to have more than a few. I should've made more."

"It'll be fine." Colton set down the cookies on the porch. "Follow me, there's something I want to show you before we head inside."

He extended his hand and I took it and followed him to the backyard. Since it was covered in snow it was hard to tell what it would look like in the summer but I imagined that flowers would be everywhere and they would have a lot of barbeques. In the center of the yard was a pagoda- type structure with fairy lights twirled around the columns. Colton pulled me under it and told me to close my eyes. Snow was lightly falling on the ground and the flakes stuck to my eyelashes and melted in my hair. I heard the snow crunching beneath his boots. There was a lot of footsteps in the snow. When his steps started back in my direction my curiosity was peaking. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"One second..."

"Okay, it's been one second."

Colton chuckled. "Okay, then give me like thirty seconds."

"I'm going to count."

"Go right ahead."

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eig-"

"Open your eyes."

I blinked a few times to get the snow off my eyelashes but was in front of me was absolutely magical. I looked up at all the fairy lights that were lit up and was simply breathtaking. When my gaze was level I didn't see Colton until I looked down and saw him.

On one knee.

With a ring.

An engagement ring.

"I know it hasn't seen like a long time that we've been together as a couple but we've been friends before we started to date. During that time we we're friends I've learned a lot about you. I know that you love to bake and it all started when you got an Easy Bake Oven for your birthday. You love the smell of freshly cut grass. You sleep better during a thunderstorm, and your favorite perfume has hints of vanilla in it. Dirty Dancing is your favorite movie and your tv couple is Ross and Rachel. I also know that you have a huge fear of sharks and never want to face your fears alone. But you don't have to. I want to face all your fears with you and be the one who is next to you during a thunderstorm and compare how Ross and Rachel are way better than Monica and Chandler. Will you let me do all these things and marry me?"

With all the beautiful words he said there was only one that I could say that would make him the happiest man alive everyday of our lives. That word was, "Yes."