Rebirth: Love me Again

[ESTELLE]

You know those romantic holiday movies where the girl magically ends up with the guy she likes, complete with snowflakes falling in slow motion and twinkling lights in the background? Yeah, well, my Christmas wasn't exactly like that.

Instead, my Christmas involved running through half the city after Damien—the one guy who acted like I didn't exist half the time but also didn't seem to mind when I was around.

It was like a weird game where he ignored me just enough to be frustrating but never actually told me to leave. And since I have zero shame when it comes to getting what I want, I spent the entire day determined to stick to him like glue.

It started early in the morning when I spotted him near the town square. He had that signature brooding look—dark coat, hands in his pockets, and messy hair that somehow made him look annoyingly attractive instead of unkempt.

"Damien!" I called out, practically sprinting toward him through the light snowfall.

He turned slightly, just enough to acknowledge my existence before continuing his walk.

"Hey! Merry Christmas to you too!" I puffed, catching up to him. "Where are you headed?"

"Somewhere."

Somewhere? Really? That's all I got? "Oh, great! I love 'somewhere.' Mind if I tag along?"

He didn't answer, just kept walking, so I took that as a yes. See, Damien is the kind of guy who never outright tells you to leave but also doesn't exactly roll out the welcome mat. It's infuriating, but I've learned to work with it.

Or maybe it was because of me. He couldn't exactly be rude or act like a complete jerk because of who I was. So, instead, he settled for the next best option—ignoring me, but without being entirely cold or arrogant about it.

We walked in silence for a while—well, he walked in silence, and I chatted about everything from holiday traditions to how my neighbor's cat keeps trying to steal my cookies. He didn't say much, just the occasional grunt or nod, but hey, at least he wasn't running away.

At one point, I realized we were heading toward a small outdoor market. Perfect! I could already imagine us sipping hot cocoa together, maybe standing under some mistletoe. Romantic, right?

Wrong.

Damien walked straight past the hot cocoa stand without even a glance, heading for . . . I don't know, nothing, because there was literally nothing interesting that way.

"Hot cocoa?" I suggested, pointing toward the stand. "It's festive. It's warm. It's . . . cocoa."

"I don't drink cocoa."

Who doesn't drink cocoa? I mean, is that even legal during Christmas? Still, I wasn't about to give up. "Okay, no cocoa. How about some roasted chestnuts?"

"I'm not hungry."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he doing this on purpose, or was he really this oblivious to my holiday cheer? Either way, I wasn't going to let him ruin my Christmas spirit.

After another hour of trailing behind him like a determined Christmas elf, I learned two things: Damien is incredibly good at pretending I'm not there, and I'm incredibly good at not taking the hint. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire

But the real highlight of my day came later, when I overheard something interesting—or rather, eavesdropped, because let's be honest, I wasn't about to play fair at this point.

Damien had paused near a bench, talking to a familiar face—Kelsey, a childhood friend slash complicated relationship of his, who always seemed way too perfect for my liking. Tall, elegant, the kind of person who probably never tripped over her own feet like I did on a daily basis.

"Dinner tonight?" Kelsey was saying, flashing him a dazzling smile. "It'll be quiet, just us."

A private dinner? Oh, no. Not on my watch.

I waited until they'd agreed on a time and place before slipping away. If Damien thought he could have a peaceful, romantic dinner with Kelsey without me, he had another thing coming.

Fast forward to dinner time, and there I was, standing outside the little restaurant they'd picked—a cozy, intimate place with candles on every table and soft Christmas music playing inside. I took a deep breath, braced myself, and walked in like I owned the place.

"Estelle?" Damien looked surprised as I slid into the chair—right between him and Kelsey. Perfect positioning, if I do say so myself.

"Oh, hey!" I said, acting like this was a total coincidence. "What are the odds? I was just wandering around when I saw you two. Mind if I join?"

"Yes, we—" Kelsey started, but I cut her off with a bright smile.

"Thanks! You guys are the best." I grabbed a menu and pretended to be deeply interested in the appetizer section. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damien pinch the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Mission accomplished.

Dinner was . . . awkward, to say the least. Kelsey tried to carry on a conversation, but I kept interrupting with random stories and questions. I wasn't being rude, exactly—just enthusiastically involved.

"So, Kelsey," I said at one point, leaning forward with a grin. "How do you know Damien?"

"We've been friends for years," she said, her smile a little too tight.

"Wow, that's great!" I turned to Damien. "You've been friends for years? That's so great. I hope you can remain friends forever."

Damien shot me a look that could've frozen the entire restaurant, but I just kept smiling. He wasn't getting rid of me that easily.

By the time dessert rolled around, Damien looked like he was ready to strangle me with a strand of tinsel, and Kelsey looked like she wanted to bolt out. But hey, at least I was having fun.

When the check came, I leaned back in my seat, patting my stomach. "Wow, that was delicious. Thanks for inviting me, guys!"

"We didn't," Damien muttered, but I ignored him.

As we stepped outside, the snow was falling softly, and the air was crisp. Kelsey said a quick goodbye and left, probably relieved to escape my presence.

I turned to Damien, who was glaring at me. "What?" I said innocently. "It's Christmas. No one should be alone on Christmas."

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "You're impossible."

"I know," I said with a grin. "But you like me, right? Admit it—you prefer me over that friend of yours. She's too stiff. You're too stiff. What are the two of you planning to be in a relationship? Matching broomsticks?"

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned and started walking. And, like always, I followed—because no matter how many times Damien tried to ignore me, I wasn't giving up that easily.

After all, Christmas is about persistence, right? At least, that's what I was telling myself.