On Santa's Lap *Published*

Chapter Twelve

After my heart had a mini panic attack thinking it was some robber, the voice registered in my head. I looked up startled and raised an eyebrow.

Of course.

I'd rather take a robber right now, at least that way I could bash him up and let out my inner stress. 

"I'd help you, but I'm too comfortable over here," Nik said as he picked up the drink beside him taking a long sip from the straw, a curly straw, wriggling his eyebrows.

Perched against Rachel's door he was sitting on the ground with his legs stretched, legs so long they would brush my door if he wriggled his feet. Wait, where were his shoes?

I gathered what dignity I had left picking myself and my keys off the ground, "Look who came out of his hiding hole," I said as I walked towards the door. It was weird seeing him after the long absence, but at the same time somewhat nice to see his face.

I forgot how beautiful he was

Even in the dark corridor with the flashing light the landlord will never repair, his features were accented as I got closer.

"Nice to see you too, how was your day, mine was excellent thanks for asking,"

I rolled my eyes shoving the keys in the door hole giving it a good tug, and the door that could never open. Stupid door.

"For someone who says Jesus a lot, you sure hate his birthday," and it took me a solid thirty seconds to figure out what he was on about, right Christmas.

"Don't you have someone else to bother?" I asked looking over my shoulder as he got up from his spot, and yes, his shoes were off beside him.

"Is that the thanks I get for waiting for three hours for you?"

"No one said you had to wait," I said giving the door a tug. I was ten seconds away from cutting it open with a chain-saw, I just needed to find a damn chainsaw. He leaned against the door sipping on his drink, "Isn't Rachel home? You could have chilled with her, rather than looking creepy sitting in my corridor," 

"I knocked, here move, I'll open it,"

"I got it,"

Right it was Christmas, she was probably at her family's house, urgh the joys of family.

And then he was in front of me, too close, looking down and I winced when his fingers brushed against my forehead, one holding my chin tilted up, "What the hell did you do to get this?"

Wait, was he saying something? 

"Oh," I said stepping back to give us some space, "I fell,"

It felt so weird, to see him look like he actually cared, a weird expression. He 'tsk'ed with his tongue shaking his head, "Got to be more careful Chirp,"

"Here, move," He said taking the keys out of my hand and I gave up placing a hand on my hip trying to watch him wrestle the beast, except he did it more swiftly. With a light push my apartment was revealed and he blocked it as I was about to get in. "What?"

"What's this?" he asked grabbing the package under my arm, "Why didn't you open it?" 

"Because I don't celebrate Christmas and it's hardly fair to open gifts, hey, give it back, what are you doing?" I tried grabbing it off him as he shook the box and then threw it inside. "Good, let's go,"

"What? Where?"   

"Anything else you need to dispose inside that apartment of yours?"

"Yes, me! I'm tired go away," 

"Not likely," He said grabbing my wrist with one arm and then closing the door with the other and pulling me after him.