Underneath the Mistletoe
Sixteen-year-old Amy’s stomach was
in knots, flipping over and over in anticipation of the school’s Christmas
Disco that evening. All week, Scott, the object of her affections, had been throwing
hints that she would be his date for the night but with just hours to go, she
was disappointed to have not heard anything from him. Perhaps the phone had
been engaged when he had tried to call. She could throttle Sammy, her younger
sister, for hogging the phone all the time and ruining her love life. ‘Get off
the phone Sammy!’ she yelled as she threw a cuddly toy from her bed at the gossiping
teenager. But still no call came.
At seven, Sarah, her best
friend knocked for her and together, dressed in their best party frocks, they made
their way to school. It was only a short walk which Amy, wearing the highest
heels she could bear, was grateful for. Her dress was a striking bright blue
and her hair had been crimped, showing off the blonde streaks that Sun In had
created. Sarah was wearing a dark green crushed velvet dress and with her rich,
wavy chestnut hair and emerald green eyes, Amy was really quite envious at how effortlessly
beautiful she was.
‘Where
are you meeting Scott?’ Sarah asked as they walked.
‘I don’t
know, I haven’t heard from him.’ Amy replied sadly, the air was crisp and her
breath was blowing out wisps of cold air, as if she was smoking.
The
teacher’s greeted the girls at the door before they entered a hall transformed
into a festive party venue, filled with sparkly balloons and coloured ribbons,
Christmas music was playing and already a few girls had taken to the dance
floor.
Amy searched
the crowds, was Scott already there? A small group of boys were huddled in one
corner and it was there that she saw him, his blonde floppy hair covering one
eye, the other boys in awe of the coolest kid in school. He looked over and
winked at her, causing Amy to blush and excitement tingle through her body. He
still liked her then, so she was baffled when he didn’t automatically walk over
to join her. Must be playing it cool she thought, the night had only just
begun. Sarah dragged Amy onto the dance floor and for a few songs she managed to
forget about Scott and the games he was playing. With all the dancing they did,
the two girls had worked up an appetite and headed to the buffet table. Out the
corner of her eye she spied Scott on the other side of the room, in his hand a
sprig of mistletoe. Their eyes locked and he grinned at her, shaking the
mistletoe in her direction. He wanted to kiss her, the mistletoe the perfect excuse.
She had to go over to him.
‘Erm, Sarah,
I am going to give the buffet a miss for now.’ Sarah watched as her friend
walked away. She shook her head, guys like Scott always spelt trouble from her
experience. Too cocky for their own good. But she couldn’t say anything, Amy
was hopelessly love struck.
Scott
was waiting for Amy, he closed his eyes, holding the mistletoe above his head.
Amy was walking faster now, eager to get to him and feel his lips on hers. Almost
there, she watched in horror as Claire swooped in and pressed her lips against Scott’s
instead. To her disgust she noted that Scott didn’t open his eyes or even stop
to come up for air. The pair of them embraced long enough for Amy to feel the
tears slipping down her cheek. Scott placed his arm around Claire’s as he took
her to a dark corner, Amy’s public humiliation was complete.
With the party spirit well and
truly over, she wasn’t going to hang around any longer, kicking off her heels
she raced out of the door. Sarah ran after her distraught best friend, rejection
hurt and she was ready to console Amy and her broken heart.
***
Now forty, Amy opened the
envelope with intrigue, no one sent post these days, events were all handled on
Facebook.
‘You are invited to a school
reunion. Carswell High seeks your presence at The Christmas Ball of the Year! Connect
with long lost friends and party the night away. Relive your sweet sixteen!’
Amy shuddered as she read the leaflet.
She couldn’t think of anything worse. She had absolutely no intention of
reliving those days. She took a deep breath, the humiliation she had felt that night
had never left her but Scott and Claire were a distant memory and she was keen
to keep it that way. She tossed the letter into the bin and gave it no more
thought.
***
A week before Christmas her company
were enjoying their Christmas dinner and party at a local Country hotel. Having just
finished their rich, dense pudding with cream, they were invited to head into
the hall where the DJ was playing Christmas favourites.
The venue was hosting
parties for a few other companies that evening and so Amy found herself on the
dance floor with people she didn’t recognise. After a couple of glasses of wine,
she didn’t really care and happily danced the night away. At midnight the DJ’s tunes
had turned to slower, more romantic numbers and with no one to dance with, Amy decided
to head home. As she walked out of the door, a tall dark and handsome stranger prevented
her from leaving.
‘Amy?’ He spoke, surprised.
She blinked
a few times as she tried to place the guy who appeared to know her. She felt
his hand on the top of her arm but she didn’t resist.
‘Wow! You are looking great.’
She stared into his warm brown eyes
and then it suddenly dawned on her, it was Robert, Scott’s best friend!
She vaguely remembered him, he
had been tall and skinny back then with his dark hair brushed forward, rarely
smiled, moody looking. Now, standing before her with the most devilish smile, she
had to admit that there was a spark, an instant attraction that she had never
felt before, with anyone.
‘Thank you’ she responded, nervously
laughing as she did so.
Rob glanced upwards, in the
doorway someone had hung some mistletoe. His face was mischievous now… ‘I think I know what the answer is going to be but… a kiss underneath the mistletoe? It is Christmas after all…’
Scott
had been an asshole, they had long fallen out over how he had treated girls.
Amy’s first response, when she saw the mistletoe, was to take
flight once more. But she had to let the past live in the past.
A mix of emotions filled Amy as
she closed her eyes but most of all she wanted to know what she had missed out
on that fateful day. This wasn’t Scott but she didn’t want it to be. Rob closed
his eyes too, pulling her close. She took in his scent, a strong and heady aftershave that
made her legs wobble. Their lips locked, the party continued around them. As
their kiss became more passionate, she was surprised at how tender his touch
was and how soft his lips were. She couldn't quite believe how her heart was fizzing with delirium, overwhelmed, she was taken aback by her feelings for Rob.
For Rob, the kiss was everything he had
imagined it to be. Amy had never known the way he had felt about her, he had fancied her from the very first day he had met her. Now, he felt her rosebud lips on his and they were full and sweet tasting, drawing him in further. His arms held her tight
as they embraced, melting in new found desire for each other.
Conscious of where they were, Rob
reluctantly pulled away ‘I have been wanting to do this for almost 25 years,
Merry Christmas beautiful!’
Amy whispered back ‘My mother
always said magic happens underneath the mistletoe, now I know what she meant.’
Merry Christmas x
Loved this story? You may want to read the two novels I have written. Both are available to buy from Amazon.
A Tempting Trio -
Without A Hitch -
