Sleigh Bells

First Date

We only stayed outside for a little bit after that. We went inside, hung out on the couch for a little bit, then went to bed. Lucas pecked me on the cheek, said good night, then went to his room. I undressed and then slept like a baby, as always.

At ten o'clock the next morning, I was awoken by a knock at my door. I scrambled to put on shorts.

"Come in!" I called.

Lucas pushed the door open a crack, then smiled and shut the door behind him.

"Hey," he said, "Did I wake you."

"Yeah, but I was probably going to wake up soon," I said, shrugging.

"Good," he smiled.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" he said, still smiling.

"What's with all the- you know- smiling?" I peered curiously up at his face.

"What? I can't smile?" he threw his hands up.

"No, not this much. It's suspicious," I said, squinting at him.

"Fine," he said. "You got me."

"So... why are you smiling so much?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Because I'm finally going to take you on a proper date."

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Lucas and I walked out into the front yard, fingers laced together, both smiling like idiots now.

"What are we doing?" I playfully swatted his arm.

"It's a surprise!" he said. I shook my head and laughed, even though nothing was really funny. I was in one of those moods right now. Still, I hated surprises, and I just really, really wanted to know where we were going and what we were going. I thought I would die from the anticipation.

Then, I heard the weirdest combination of sounds: something slicking through the snow, like a sled, but on a bigger scale. Something that sounded like hoof-beats. Jingling bells. 

A giant sleigh pulled up over the hill. Pulled by reindeer.

"Lucas!" I cried.

"What?" his mouth quirked up in a barely concealed smile, "Why are you so excited?" He acted politely oblivious.

The sled pulled all the way up to the house, and I ran up to it and ran my hand along the smooth finished wood of the beautiful sleigh. A reindeer snorted and turned its head to me. I laughed and patted its huge head.

"Ho, ho, ho!" The sleigh driver called, "Climb on in, kids!"

Lucas jumped into the sleigh and offered me his hand. I took it and took one big step into it. The man pulled on the reins and the reindeer took off.

"Good first date idea, dear?" the man asked me, turning his head so he could be heard through the wind.

"Definitely," I said. The man smiled and nodded, satisfied. We turned down a road and went down the road that lead to town. I put my hand down and felt the little bits of snow that flew into the air. The frigid air stabbed at my nostrils when I inhaled, but I didn't care/ I was too happy right now.

I leaned back into the crook of Lucas's arm and he put his arms around me. I was immediately warm.

"Great first date, by the way," I said.

"You think?" he tilted his head in a gesture of curiosity that reminded me of a confused puppy. It was adorable.

"Yeah, I think so," I said, snuggling deeper to his warm chest.

I definitely think so.

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"How was it?" Riley asked me. She was waiting on my bed when I got home.

"Great," I sighed, pulling my boots off and flopping onto the bed next to her.

"What did you do?" she asked.

"He took me on a private sleigh ride. With a real sleigh, pulled by actual reindeer, not some gas-powered rip off," I said, sighing in contentment.

"That's so romantic!" she squealed. I felt my cheeks flush happily.

"I'm telling you, Riles," I said, "He's something special."

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"How was it?" Zay asked Lucas. Zay was waiting on his bed when he got home.

"Awesome," Lucas said, throwing himself on the floor.

"What did you take her to do?" Zay asked.

"Private sleigh ride. With a real sled. And reindeer. Not, like, gasoline-powered or anything. I knew she wouldn't like that," Lucas said.

"That's like, super romantic, dude," Zay said. Lucas smiled.

"I'm telling you, Zay," he said, "She's something special."