Falling → Stefan Salvatore [2]

Christmas Through Your Eyes

Chapter 49: Christmas Through Your Eyes

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Christmas time: A universally celebrated season in which people hang up lights and put up trees in their living rooms, celebrating the winter season, or their individual religious holidays. It has been known to be a time of cheer. A time in which people come together to celebrate, sing, drink hot chocolate, roast chestnuts on an open fire, etc... For others, however, it may just be quite the opposite.

Everyone had gathered around town square in celebration of Christmas-- smiles all over the faces of children practically draped in a Christmas tree, parents trailing behind them with every intention to keep a solid eye on them, hot chocolate spilling from the cups they held as they chased around the pavilion, teenagers smiling up at the tree the town had put together as they celebrated their last few Christmases of High School.

All except Amalia Schultz, who found herself sitting at a table in Mystic Grill, all on her own as she stared down at a coffee she had ordered, rather than the seasonal hot chocolate.

As a pair of forrest green caught onto her frame as she sat by her own, he couldn't help but approach her, finding it quite odd that she had chosen not to participate on the holiday festivities, "Amalia?"

Almost on cue, her eyes shot up, looking up at his much taller figure to see the confusion in his own eyes. "Stefan. Hey."

"Coffee?" He asked, looking down at the beverage that was inside of her cup, and noticing that it wasn't what he had gone in to gather for his girlfriend.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm not a huge hot chocolate fan." She nodded her head awkwardly, debating on whether or not she wanted him to be standing there seeing as she had planned on being alone that night in particular.

"Hm." He hummed, taking a breath for a second before continuing, "Neither am I."

"And here I thought I was the only one." She sent him a soft smile, allowing it to fade only seconds after.

"Apparently not." He confirmed before looking over at the empty seat in front of her, "Do you mind?"

"It's all yours." She nodded her head, motioning towards the seat as she watched him slide into the booth.

"I'm surprised." He commented, confusing her. As he watched the confusion cross her face, it didn't take him long to clarify. "You seem like the kind that would go all out... for Christmas."

"And yet, here I am." She agreed with him. She knew the clues he had picked up on were right. Well, they would have been.