Must be Santa (COMPLETED)

8

We struggled through the crowds, each person was eager to chat. Finally, we reached the end of the lengthy hall and arrived at the small circle where my parents chatted. Their eyes averted from the small crowd as we stood patiently. My mother's gaze carefully fell onto Wynter's form. She was eager to inspect each part.

"Your...majesty" she curtsied respectfully, "Hello pleased to meet you." she smiled and stood to shake their hands. My father looked at me then at my mother. I knew he had no wish to be caught in the crossfires of my mother's tongue.

"Nick has never told us about... you" my mother hinted.

"Well as a huma—"

"Humble princess!" I interrupted her abruptly. She looked at me, confused at her falsified title. I only nodded for her to get the clue and continued. "As a princess, Wynter was always so busy...with her duties" I lied.

"Yes...yes...you do know the rules. A princess's duties never cease" she smiled awkwardly. I knew she was masking her anger when she tightened her grip around my arm. My parents beamed as they heard her title and looked at me with peace.

"Oh a princess? Wonderful!" my mother sighed with relief and instinctively went to hold my hands, "Nick has sworn off the human race but your brother Lewis has been telling us about your new fling"

"Oh? And what rumors were he spreading" she smiled suspiciously.

"That you might have been human or something silly" she dismissed the rumors and turned to hold her arms with glee.

"What's so wrong with humans?" She pouted impatiently but I held her hand signaling her to remain silent.

"Mother father not now, in front of Wynter." I sighed, desperate to calm them down before an argument ensued. Wynter looked to me with confusion but I nodded to assure her it would be fine.

My parents stepped to the main hall to start dinner while Wynter and I trailed a distance behind them. "Are you crazy!" she whispered into my ear.

"Wynter relax" I coaxed her to lower her voice.

"Nick do not tell me to relax! You told me you were going to introduce me as a human! Now they think I'm a princess! Great" she sighed, pulling away from me.

"Wynter the plan is still the same! What difference does it make"

"ALOT!" she scoffed, pushing her palm over her eyes.

"Look, I needed to say princess because... being Santa is the most important thing to me right now. I need this plan to be perfect...before it falls apart" I admitted. She stared at me with her beautiful eyes and glared. My palm found its way to her cheek, gently caressing it so that she would calm. She shifted nervously, not keen on my forward affection and nodded. "Fine but no more secrets or change of plans" she vowed.

"No more...I promise" I whispered gently and led her to the dining table.

——

Just as the band finished performing, I stood and banged my glass. "Attention! Everyone! I have an announcement." I yelled, trying to quiet the room. The loud murmurs of the crowd finally silenced and all eyes were on me.

"Wynter," I turned to face her. She pretended to act shock and smiled.

" ...Nicholas... WHAT! WHaT...is GOing On?" she exclaimed rather quickly. She was a horrible actress but I decided to disregard that.

"These past few months... have been blissful to say the least. Wynter, when I first saw you, I didn't know what to expect. I've been falling in love with you every day. The way you smile, the way you laugh. The way you light up a room when you walk in. You're like a fresh breeze of frosty air when it snows; every time I am with you, it's like...walking in a winter wonderland" some people in the crowds chuckled as they heard my play on words.