Merry Christmas everyone (belated😅)

Here are some gifts 🎁 and candies 🍬 🍭

I want to thank @Angelangela08 for making this beautiful cover in a very short span of time. Thank you!!! 

I have written this from phone so see if there is any unnecessary gaps..... Adjust plz 😅

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Avni's p.o.v

I walk towards Juhi 

She is standing near her school locker enjoying candy canes. I tap on her shoulder to bring her out of her candy world.

*whispers* she is obsessed with candies (hey, Juhi same pinch *me says😜*)

She stares at me for a moment. Then she bursts out laughing 

Juhi: what are you supposed to be ?

I can't help cringing as I muster a grin

Then I say my lines

"I am Jingle the singing Elf"

"And someone special wants to give you a song" . "It goes like this"

Several students behind her whip out their phones 

Ugh....

If I go viral again (vaise I *Avni* have beautiful voice ..... sorry I am a bit self obsessed he he😂) I am going to kill my best friend Riya.

Reluctantly I started singing 

"Christmas is that time of year                                                                                                                             When all your dreams come true.                                                                                                                          And Vidyut want you to know.....

At the mention of Vidyut's name, Juhi's smile fades

"He's got something special for you! Here you are.

I hold out a beautifully wrapped gift. Juhi takes it and throws it across the hallway. It hits a row of yellow lockers. 

The sound of shattering glass is unmistakable.

Juhi: you tell that jerk that he can keep his special gift to himself only.

She slams her locker and marches away.

I pick the gift and slip it back into my red sack. Ignoring the students who are staring at me .

My phone rings and I scowl but I accepted the call.

Avni: why are you face timing me? You are supposed to be sick.

Riya: I wanted to see how you are doing. You are looking adorable in that outfit.

Avni: I hate you!

Riya: stop that . No one likes a grumpy elf.

Avni: u just wait. I will take a revenge.

Riya: come on I needed you. I wasn't trying to be mean when I asked you to fill in for me.This fundraiser means a lot to the choir. It's not my fault if I got bronchitis.

A series of coughs explode from Riya. I grimace.

Avni: gross! I am sorry you feel crappy, but this sucks. So far, I am just being ignored completely. And 3 girls have missile launched their presents into walls, bins and me. Do I really have to do this all day long?

Riya: look on the bright side .... you get to skip physics. 

Avni: hmm....

Riya: okay I gotta go . I'm going to have some soup. And then binge watch Christmas movies. Love you!

Avni: love you too. 

I keep my phone inside my elf jacket pocket and pull out my list. A cold sweat breaks out under my scratchy costume.

Oh no 

Not my ex-boyfriend Arjun.

Just then, a hand lands on my shoulder . I jump

Neil: hey, Elfie. Got something for me in that sack?

Neil is Riya's cousin and that's the only reason he talks to me.

Because Neil is hot.

Captain of the basketball team. 

Senior class president.

Girls literally trip when they see him. It's true

Last  week a girl walked face first into a wall, just because Neil walked by.

And i'm ... well..... a plus-size introvert. With a passion of reading romance novels...

Who's currently wearing an elf costume. And making singing deliveries for a chorus fundraiser.

Author's p.o.v

Avni: hmm, let me look . Sorry your name's not on my list.

Neil: too bad. how's it going?

Avni: crappy

Neil: why?

Avni: it's Arjun

Neil's full lips thin at the mention of my ex.

Neil: is he messing with u again?

Avni: no. I have to sing a Jingle Gram for him. It's from one of his many team female admirers. It's bad enough that our breakup video went viral. Or, I should say... his-breaking-with-me video. Now I have to sing to him?

Neil know what happened 

Arjun got a friend of his to secretly film him breaking up with me. 

It was a hit online. Mostly by his friends, but even some strangers joined in.

Avni: with my luck, I'll be singing about his....

I read the line and gag.

Avni: silvery blue eyes? Very original.  (I look back at Neil) His friends will probably upload it and the caption will read... " Scorned Elf attempts to win back hot ex-boyfriend. "

Neil pauses and thinks , then he smiles at me.

Neil: give me your hat Avni 

Avni: what? Why?

Neil: just give it to me.

I pass him the elf hat . He adjusts it onto his head. And flashes a grin.

Neil: how do I look ?

I laugh.

Avni: better than me. That's for sure.

Neil cups my cheek . My wide eyes meet his.

Neil: I doubt that . I think that you're beautiful. A much more beautiful Santa's helper than I could ever be .

I feel my cheeks go hot 

Neil winks at me and heads toward the cafeteria, where Arjun is having lunch. I'm so thrown by Neil's touch , I almost forget... 

Avni: wait. Mistletoe! From his admirer. 

I hand him the bouquet...

Complete with a red bow tied around it.... and a paper with the lines from the Jingle Gram.

Neil walks to Arjun. He speaks in a commanding voice.

Neil: hello, I'm Jingle the singing Elf. I have a message from your admirer.

The cafeteria goes silent. People start whipping out their phones. In a loud off-key voice , Neil started singing.

Neil: your silvery eyes make me weak...                                                                                                               And your lips are tempting too.                                                                                                                            Bring this mistletoe to room 203. I will be waiting for you.

Then Neil speaks words of his own.... that were definitely NOT on the paper. 

Neil: although why anyone would want to kiss you....                                                                                 after what you did...                                                                                                                                                          is beyond me. 

Furious, Arjun grabs the mistletoe from Neil....  and stalks out of the cafeteria. Fortunately, he doesn't see me standing at the entrance. Neil soon joins me there. 

Avni: Thank you.

Neil: my pleasure. By the way, here's a message for you. 

He hands me a sheet of paper. Handwritten in pen, it says.... 

To Avni.

With love from Neil.

I look up when he clears his throat.... and starts singing the lines from the paper..... 

Badly.

Neil: "this is the season to be honest.... 

I've always thought you're the best.....

And I really hope....That you'll say yes! "

He trails off... looking hopeful and shy. 

He continues "to a date with me"

My heart races . I can't look away 

Neil moves in close. He's still wearing that stupid hat. 

His lips brush mine....

Neil: I know that last part didn't rhyme, but- 

Avni: that's okay. The answer is still yes.

Neil's face lights up. He pulls me into a hug.....

Spins me around and kisses me again.

And suddenly, I'm glad I got to be Santa's helper this year.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Again a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you!!! 

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Bye ☺

❤️Lots of love❤️