ACHEŁŁE

Chapter 27

ALEX'S P.O.V.

"IT'S THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY, FA-LA-LA-LA-LA, LA-LA-LA-LAAAA!!" Achelle screamed. It's Christmas Eve today. And as you see, she is totally obsessed with singing, baking cakes and cookies, decorating the house and the tree...everything you do on this day.

"Aleeex! Help me? Please?" She was now holding a box full of all kinds of accessories. I took the box from her arms and put it on the table behind me.

"How did you manage to bring that all by yourself?" It was a really heavy box.

"I helped myself with my Elemental powers." She said.

"Oh. That explaines it. What do we do now?"

"Now we need to bring our Christmas tree inside. And while you're doing that, I'm going to the kitchen to decorate the cookies." She smiled.

"Okay, love. Do I have to put it on the holder?"

"Did it." How?

"I'm that fast." I said it out loud?

"Aham. And hurry up, I don't want to be alone!" She pouted. I kissed her cheek and went outside. The tree was really set in it's holder and all I had to do us bring it in the living room. I lifted it effortlessly and brought it inside the cozy house.

I put it beside the fireplace and followed Ach into the kitchen.

She was standing by the counter, decorating the tasty looking treats. Her face held a frown and because of that, I knew that she was concentrating very hard. She wanted everything to be perfect.

"Sit down, you're making a shadow and I can't see." She softly demanded. I did as told and continued to watch her. I could do this for a lifetime, it never gets old.

"Do I have something in my hair?" She asked.

"No." I answered with a sly smile.

"Then why are you staring at me?" She still had her gaze on the cookies but she knew that I was watching her every move.

"Because you're beautiful." I blurted out. She chuckled on my answer.

"Whipped." She whispered.

"Your fault." I said.

"I love you." She stopped our bickering with my three favourite words she tells me all the time.

"I don't love you." I tried to sound a serious as possible. My words made her stop with her work and she looked up, eyes as big as tea saucers.

"W-what?" She stuttered. She is so scared of me betraying her again. Trust me, Achelle!

"I ADORE YOU." I smiled and she stood there for a few seconds until she realized what I said. A huge smile stretched across her cute face and she continued with her work.

"Having doubts?" I asked.

"Had them for a moment." She answered truthfully. I stood up from my stool and approached her from back. I wrapped my arms around her waist and put my chin on her shoulder. The tingles were erupting everywhere and it was such a good feeling.

"Believe me. I love you. Nothing can change that. No one can change that." I kissed her under her ear and she shivered. I love the effect I have on her.

"You're distracting me. I need to finish this. And thank God you're interested in me or elsewhere I would already be kicking your little ass." I laughed at her last sentence. She is too adorable.

She put the last cookie on the tray and went to wash her hands.

"You're already done?" I asked. The counter was full of cookies!

"Yes. Let's go in the living room and decorate the tree." She started walking away. Without me? Can't do, miss. I ran behind her, lifted her over my shoulder and started spinning around.

She was laughing and I couldn't enjoy this more.

...

"Where's the star?" She searched for the last thing we have to put on our Christmas tree.

"Got it!" She happily screamed and I chuckled. You just have to love her.

She started to climb on the ladder but I stopped her.

No, no, no.

"Alex, I have to put this on the top." She stated.

"I know. But I will not let you hurt yourself."

"Babe, I've been doing this all by myself for 12 years. I can do it." Uh, those wasted years of my life...

"Just let me help you. Please." I pleaded. She might have been doing that all by herself, but now I'm here.

"Alright. Don't fall." She pointed her finger towards me while climbing off the ladder and I pretended to bite it off. She screamed but it was out of amusement, I could tell it just by looking in her eyes.

"I'll be fine." I stood on the chair that was beside the fireplace and put the star on. Ach switched the lights on and it looked amazing.

"Oh, my God! It looks better than ever before!" My baby started jumping up and down while clapping her hands. I stood back on the ground and hugged her.

"It looks really pretty. Good job, curly ball." I kissed her cheek and she blushed. My Lord, she is way too cute.

"Thank you." She whispered. Her face turned from slightly pink to totally pale.

"What is it?" I turned her body towards me but she was holding her head down. I lifted her chin with my thumb and my point finger.

"My 12th Christmas without them." She muttered and then looked straight into my eyes. Her eyes were watery and in her necklace a heavy black fog appeared. She is sad, her heart full of sorrow. Her parents are on her mind.

"Baby...cupcake..." I didn't know what to say. I never went through something like that. "I'm sorry." And with that...I hugged her.

She was holding onto me like I am her anchor, her only source of life.

"You are."

Did she just...?

"Love you." She kissed my chest and the familiar tingles appeared on the spot where her lips landed. She then snuggled onto me and let out a relieved sigh.

"Love you the mostest." I kissed the top of her head and we stayed there, standing and admiring our work.

But, we were also thinking of the times when we weren't together, the times we missed - we were thinking of our past.

But now even more important...our present.