Saint Nick

15. December

"So let me get this straight; you're breaking up with your hot lover because the dick is too bomb?"

Hazel rolled her eyes as she listened to Camille snort preposterously into the phone. She always found a way to put it into terms that made it seem so... silly.

"It's more complicated than that, and you know it."

"Says who?" Camille sighed on the other end. "I think it's stupid. Absolutely stupid."

"Thank you for your opinion. It was your support I came for."

"Well, you're not getting it. Nick is a great guy, and breaking it off with him because he makes you feel too good isn't a valid reason. Can you seriously not hear how it sounds? Would you rather he had hurt your feelings and laid limply in bed?"

It certainly would've made things easier, Hazel thought.

She knew it wasn't a good enough reason to break something off with a person, but their one-night-stand which had turned into a seasonal sex marathon was feeling like it was about to change title again. Things were getting too comfortable between them, and that wasn't what Hazel had been looking for.

Nick was just too good for her, and her stupid traitorous heart didn't understand the fact that it wasn't going to be a permanent thing. Every time she told herself those words, she felt her heart break a little more.

If only he wasn't so damn perfect.

"So maybe I'm being stupid," Hazel said, just as she walked through the doors to the mall, around 6pm, close to closing time. "But it's my heart on the line, and I'm not interested in spending the new year crying about a man I liked too much and lost. Imagine if Jim had to go away right after you two started dating."

"I would've followed his tight ass to wherever it was going." Hazel rolled her eyes once again, but couldn't help but smile at her sister's words. "You're making a mistake, Hazel. Please don't do it."

"You just want me to keep him around because he calmed Michael down with a single look."

"Okay, so maybe I'm slightly biased, but I'm still serious! You're going to regret this."

As Hazel looked down the large hall towards Santa's village where she knew he would be, she let out a deep sigh, but resolutely kept walking. "Probably. But heartbreak was never part of our deal."

Ending the phone call and hanging up on her sister before she could try to and convince her of the opposite again, Hazel tucked her phone away and put it on silent. With a deep breath, she then walked steadfastly towards the village to find her Santa.

Nick was sitting exactly where he was supposed to be, fully dressed in his red suit, hat and beard. A small girl was getting her picture taken with him and her mother, while the dad snapped the photo. After some merry Christmases to go around, the line cleared up, just as one of the elves announced Santa would be back again tomorrow. They closed the little village off, leaving Hazel outside, waiting patiently.

Nick stood up and bid his coworkers goodbye with a smile and a firm handshake, helping to clean up the candy cane stands and the bowl with the free candy pieces. Just then, his head turned and caught Hazel outside the village pen.

"Hazel?" A smile lifted to his lips, just as his body shifted towards her. "What are you doing here? Is Camille and the kids with you?"