Classes before the holidays were always unproductive. We all were way more focused on having no school and spending time running through the snow.

"Gather 'round!" Rosie singsonged. "We are hosting the first-ever Secret Santa event that Runswick has ever seen!"

There was a mixture of cheers and groans that erupted through our history classroom.

"This could be fun," Caesaria whispered from the desk next to me. She wiggled her eyebrows. "Who do you hope you get?"

I bumped her leg with mine, my gaze traveling around the room. Raydir was sitting on top of his desk—something we were never allowed to do at any other time of the year—talking with some of the other guys from our class. His blonde hair was tousled and his laughter echoed through the classroom.

"Ar." Caesaria snapped her fingers in front of my face. "You're staring at Raydir again."

I blushed and turned away. "No I'm not. And I don't know. I like the mystery behind secret Santa. Seems like a fun way to get to know people."

"Unless you get someone you don't want." She groaned. "I hope I get Fletcher. We've been talking a lot more lately and Izel seems to think he might like me."

"Fletcher's great," I commented. I bit my lip as my gaze traveled back to Raydir.

"But not as great as Raydir, right?" Cae teased. "Come on, we all know you like him."

"Except for him, so shush!" I swatted at her.

"Don't worry." She squeezed my arm. "I'm feeling optimistic this Christmas." She got up from her desk and went to talk with Rosie.

I shook my head and looked down at my hands. Everyone knew that Raydir and Emilia were the hot couple of our year, and even though Raydir was my best friend, at times I felt more jealous than happy for him. And it hurt that I could even be jealous.

"So, what do you think about this secret Santa thing?" Raydir asked.

I jumped at the sound of his voice then covered my surprise with a smile. "I love a good mystery."

"Me too." He ran a hand through his hair. "Um, listen Arwyn, if you're not doing anything after school—"

"Your turn!" Rosie passed the bowl to each of us in turn then winked before moving to the row of students behind us.

At that moment, Caesaria came back and shooed Raydir away. I gave him an apologetic look.

"Was that really neces—"

"Who'd you get?" she asked.

I sighed and unfurled the paper to reveal the name that I had retrieved: Raydir. I quickly folded it back up again.

"Who'd you get?" I asked her.

She showed me her paper. "We have to go shopping."

Once Rosie dismissed the class, Caesaria and I headed out to the shops. Runswick was all decorated with colorful lights and decorations. We strolled down the cobblestone paths and looked through the windows and walked through the stores, hoping to find the perfect gifts for Raydir and Fletcher. After hours of looking, we'd come up empty for my gift to Raydir. Cae, however, had found a gold compass which she got engraved for Fletcher.

"Don't worry," she reassured me, resting a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find a great gift for him."

"I know." I rubbed my hands up and down my arms to keep warm. And that's when I saw it. In the window of Raydir's favorite art shop.

How did I not think about that before?

I ran inside with Caesaria following at my heels. The kit of charcoals was the last one on the window display.

"Hello and welcome!" the clerk greeted us. "How can I help you?"

"I'd like that kit of charcoals please," I said.

"Oh." The clerk's gaze flashed to the window display. "Well, um, that's our display item which we usually don't sell and we're out of stock on the floor items."

My face fell. "Oh. Th-that's okay. We'll just, um, try something else. Thanks."

"No no no!" Caesaria cried out. She jabbed her finger at the clerk, who jumped back. "Listen here, missy. My best friend needs this kit for her secret Santa and the person she picked just happens to be the guy she likes—"

"Cae!"

"—therefore, I think maybe you should consider giving my friend here a break and letting her have the kit. After all, it is Christmas."

"Um." The clerk glanced nervously between us. "Okay, fine. Yes. You may have the kit."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much."

***

The next day at school, we sat around to give out our secret Santa gifts. My knees bounced nervously when Raydir opened mine.

His face lit up with a grin as he ran his fingers over the leather case. "Wow. This is amazing! Thank you so much."

I tried to hide my blush when I opened my gift next. I gasped and my eyes went wide. The Sagittarium 3000. I ran my fingers carefully over the wood of the bow. This was the most prestigious bow only sold in one shop in Runswick. And it was extremely expensive.

"It's perfect!" I gushed.

We all continued making small talk as we opened our gifts. Throughout the day, I caught Raydir stealing glances at me every now and again. Finally, we were alone. I sat on one of the swings in the courtyard, holding the bow in my hands. The cherry wood was beautifully carved. At the top, my initials had been etched into the wood.

"Mind if I join you?" Raydir asked.

I smiled. "Go ahead."

He sat down next to me, gripping the rope handles of the swing. "So, I have something for you."

"You do?" I turned to face him.

Raydir fumbled in his coat pocket and presented a sleek black box. "This is what I really wanted to give you for secret Santa. But it would kind of give away the 'secret' part."

I opened the box. "Ray, this is...you remembered!" From the box, I presented a locket on a gold chain. It was the same locket I'd seen in my favorite shop in Runswick. I'd been with Raydir the day I first saw it. Now I couldn't believe he'd remembered.

He nodded. "Look inside."

I opened the tiny clasp on the heart and smiled. "Oh, Ray." Inside was a picture of the two of us. A candid moment captured between two best friends. "It's wonderful. Thank you." Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned forward. Raydir cupped my face in his hands and his lips brushed lightly against mine.

"I was your secret Santa," I whispered against his mouth.

Ray grinned. "I kinda figured. And I was yours too. But I was hoping maybe I could be something more?"

"What about Emilia?" I asked.

He shook his head. "We're history. So, will you be my girlfriend?"

"Absolutely." I threw my arms around him and kissed him harder.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you two are pretty cozy," Caesaria said, joining us at the swings. "Christmas has a new lead couple."

I blushed. "I know I can't prove it, but I know you had something to do with this."

"Who, me?" Caesaria asked innocently. She wiggled her eyebrows at us. "Merry Christmas, lovebirds."

We laughed. "Merry Christmas."

As I gazed back up into Raydir's mesmerizing green eyes, I knew that this was going to be the best Christmas ever.