Authors Note: My friends and I did this Christmas secret santa thing were we had to write a story about one of us and when it was time for us to read them we guessed on Christmas. For the sake of my friends I changed some names around. Enjoy.
"The beautiful princess looked into the charming knights eyes. She leaned in and planted a kiss, a kiss of true love's first, on his lips, breaking the spell that turned her into a ferocious beast by night." Kaylee read. The kids from her church sat around her listening intently. No one even noticed the mysterious person in the back who snuck in. Someone who Kaylee hasn't seen since they went off to college.
"Always reading fairy tales, Kaylee." Branden teased. The kids surrounding Kaylee tilted their heads in confusion as to why Kaylee's cheeks were so red.
"Okay, that's it for today." Kaylee said. Kaylee helped the kids outside waiting with them for their parents. One little girl didn't have a jacket on so Kaylee took hers off and placed it on the young girls shoulders. Kaylee shivered as she waited with the young girl. As the her parents pulled up, Kaylee felt something drape around her shoulders. A jacket. A boy's jacket. Branden's jacket.
The little girl hugged Kaylee bye taking Kaylee's jacket with her. 'That's alright,' thought Kaylee, 'I'll see them on Sunday at church.'
Branden walked Kaylee to her car, a gift she got three years ago on her sixteenth birthday. Kaylee tried to hand Branden back his jacket but Baker insisted that she keep the jacket, at least until Sunday.
Kaylee drove home. Her parents were already in bed. Kaylee texted Veronica, Branden's back!
If Veronica didn't know Kaylee as well as she did then she would have mistaken this message as excitement. But Veronica, being one of Kaylee's best friends who was also really good at reading people, knew Kaylee was upset.
Veronica texted back, What's happened? Kaylee answered almost immediately, Nothing ... its just hurt a little to see him. Veronica called Kaylee and told Kaylee what she tells her every time Kaylee gets upset about him.
Kaylee fell asleep so after drift off to sleep, dreaming of peaceful sugar plum fairies and candy gum drops.
The following morning Kaylee woke up to her blaring alarm clock. Even though she was on Christmas break she had to wake up earlier than she'd like to. Her mother laid out her a breakfast for her. Both her parents were already gone. Kaylee quickly finished up her breakfast and rushed to the bathroom getting ready for the day. On days like these you could find Kaylee volunteering with Maddie and Sadie at the elderly home. Kaylee took their advice about helping out during the break. Afterwards, Kaylee would help with the children's play at the church, but today was her 'day off.' So she asked Natalia if she would have lunch with her at Jin's. Of course they met up and had a wonderful lunch. Kaylee didn't share the fact that Branden was in town. She was ready to face the facts. So she stayed away from that topic so she wouldn't have to lie. Kaylee hated lying.
Two days passed and Kaylee was successful in avoiding Branden, but on Sunday she wasn't so lucky. He was there with his sister, Bailey. The little girl Kaylee let borrow her jacket returned it. Kaylee didn't bring Branden's back. She had 'forgotten' it in her car. After church service Kaylee's mother signed Kaylee up for Monday Christmas Tree selling. Which was tomorrow.
Kaylee got up early the next day, ready to sale some trees. As she checked in she noticed a familiar head. Branden. She hid away from his sight. 'What am I doing?' She asked herself as she brushed a tree branch away from her face. 'I should be the one to hide. I didn't do anything wrong!' She confidently walked back to the table to grab her name tag just as Branden finished checking in.
Brenden smiled sweetly at Kaylee hoping to catch the adorable blush that covered her cheeks when he would smile at her. Nothing. She looked like she was deep in conversation with herself. Something he knew she did often.
As the day went on Branden tried to gain Kaylee's attention but she wouldn't have it. Just as Braden had given up hope, he remembered his jacket.
"Kaylee I really need my jacket back." He politely told her as he approached. Kaylee simply nodded and went to her car hoping he wouldn't follow. But of course he did. He reached for his jacket and their hands slight brushed each other sending tingles. They met eyes, and if anyone else would have seen it they would have thought they had found love at first sight. Kaylee retracted her hand and pushed her loose hair strand behind her ear. Just as she was about to walk away Branden reached for her arm and simply held it without any force.
"Kaylee, please just tell me ... what did I do?" He asked begging. The sadness clear in his eyes.
Kaylee swiftly pulled her arm back, "you know what you did," and as quick as she was she was gone.
Branden was in complete agony. What had he done to have made Kaylee so angry with him?
Kaylee was busying herself to avoid Braden. She went to Sadie, Maddie, Veronica, and Amy's apartment to spend some quality Christmas time with her friends. No one brought up the obvious subject and for that Kaylee was grateful.
One the last night Kaylee and Branden were working, selling the trees, Kaylee slipped hitting her head because of the slippery ice. Branden tried to catch other but there was no way he could have caught her. He wasn't quick enough. He took Kaylee to the hospital to get her head checked out. He held her hand and made sure she didn't fall asleep just in case she had a concussion.
It has been a three days since Kaylee has been out. Branden has prayed and asked for God to wake her up. He has tried everything. He talks to her, reads, even sings to her. She won't wake. As the clock ticks on the wall Braden grabs her hand choking on his own sobs, "I'm so sorry Kaylee for falling in love with you Kaylee. I knew that as soon as I met you in church that you were the one for me. And I knew that even though you'd eventually leave me I'd still take the chance of loving you." I kissed her hand, getting up, and leaving knowing he needed to give her parents a chance to see her.
"Kaylee I know we're young ... I mean you're going to graduate next year and I'm going off to college but I ... I love you."
"Branden - I ..."
Branden gets down on his knee and opens up a small box. Kaylee has tears in her eyes. If this is what she thinks it is she knows what she's gonna have to do.
"Kaylee I know how you feel about this kinda stuff so ..." He opens the box and inside is a small ring. A promise ring. "Will you promise me?"
Kaylee was shocked but in the heat of the moment she nodded. Branden placed the promise ring on her finger and kissed her hand. But of course we wouldn't have a problem if she just kept it. Obviously. Kaylee's mother told her that Branden was going to Africa for a missionary trip. Kaylee, before thinking, told her mom that he couldn't! They were gonna be happy together once Kaylee got out of school! But if he went away he could get seriously hurt ... or even ... Kaylee's mother made Kaylee return the ring and kept Kaylee away from Branden. And when Branden returned from his missionary trip he brought back a girl. For him it was nothing but a friendship but Kaylee saw it as a replacement. Rejected and saddened by the news Kaylee cut all ties with Branden. Leaving her disliking him.
Branden returned grabbing her hand, "Kaylee, if you wake up I'll gladly take your place! Please I love you! I still want to marry you!" As he shouted this this the clock struck 12:01 and it was Christmas.
Kaylee squeezed his hand, "ask me again."
Branden , with tears of joy, "will you marry me?"
Kaylee nodded and of course they married the following year in Christmas. Natalia was Kaylee's maid of honor. Veronica, Sadie, Amy, and Maddie as her bridesmaids witnessed her wonderful winter wedding.
