Song: Lucky Love by Michael Seyer

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I look into the mirror that hangs against the back of my door, staring at the girl who shows in the reflection.

I look into brown eyes, the same brown eyes that I used to hate.

When I was younger I used to dream of having bright blue or electric green eyes, I'd even thought about having red eyes like a vampire. Anything other than the dull, dirt color of brown.

After all, who wanted eyes the shade of melted poop?

But now, as I look into the mirror, I find myself loving my brown eyes. They seemed bigger and lighter, they were the color of roasted coffee on a Sunday morning. They were wild and free and I loved them.

My hair was curled, not like a poodle but in soft waves that fall across my shoulders. It wasn't staticky or sticking up in awkward directions, it seemed to know that tonight was special.

I peer into my face and turn, examining the makeup that Chandler had helped me put on. The makeup was light and natural, only consisting of tinted lip balm, eyeshadow and the slightest bit of mascara to bring out my nonexistent eyelashes.

I smile, lightly twirling to the side and looking down at my light blue, silk dress. The dress was something I had found at a small store, it was long and flowed in just the right places. It made me feel like I was wrapped in a cloud and should be soaring through the sky.

I quickly pick up a pair of simple heels from the floor and slip them on, taking a step back to look at my final look.

Holy Guacamole, I actually looked good, I think to myself.

I let out a small, soft laugh. I looked good.

I look at myself, my mind hardly being able to understand that it was me I was seeing in the mirror and not someone else.

You look good, Audrey. You look nice.

With one last look, I turn around and walk to my bed, picking up a small purse that Chandler had let me borrow before stuffing some gum, chapstick and vanilla perfume into it.

perfectly perfect perfection.

Looking over to cat, I smile. "I wish I could take you to the dance," I coo, rubbing the top of his head as he meows affectionately. I lean down and peck the side of his face. "Goodbye, Cat. I'll see you before the sun rises."

Before walking out my door, I grab my Bobby Vinton Cassette Tape and my Walkman.

As I walk down the hallway towards Chandlers room, I begin to smell the hairspray from behind her door.

Oh, dear.

Although it smelled like cotton candy, it still made my nose scrunch up in distaste.

Just as I'm about to knock on the white door, it swings open and there Chandler stands in a bright red dress and gold hoop earrings.

She lets out a low wolf whistle before looking me up and down. "You look absolutely stunning, Audrey."

I grin, nobody had ever told me I looked stunning before. It felt really nice. It made me feel happy inside, like a double rainbow and free ice-cream all at once.

"Why thank you, you look breathtakingly beautiful, might I add." I say in a sophisticated sounding voice.

"You're starting to sound like you came straight out of those black and white movies you always watch." Chandler says smiling.

I laugh. Although 'Star Wars' was my favorite movie series, Old movies with Audrey Hepburn, Rock Hudson, Doris Day and Cary Grant were my favorite things to watch.

Not only were they all amazing actors but Cary Grant was a complete and total hottie.

I could watch him all day. I think to myself.

Man, I really was starting to sound like a creep. I needed to stop falling in love with actors and fictional characters. Harrison Ford, Cary Grant, Augustus Waters and Mr. Darcy were setting the bar too high for any future boyfriends that might come along.

Not that any were on their way. I snort to myself.

"Do you like the earrings? Be honest." Chandler asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I look at her huge, loop earrings that hang from her ears. They reminded me of Sonic the hedgehogs golden infinity rings but I decided against telling her that.

"I like them but I thought you were going to wear your Pikachu earrings." I carefully say.

"As much as I love them, Mom came in and told me that these would look better." She huffs.

Although Margie was a great mother, often times she would get emotional if you didn't take her advice or opinion. Normally, Chandler and Margie would get into small arguments because they were too much alike, both of them were strong headed and stubborn, each wanting things to go their own way.

"You listened to her?" I ask, astonished.

"For now," she smirks, pulling out her gold purse and showing me the stuffed Pikachu earrings inside. I shake my head with a smile before taking her arm in mine, bridal style.

"Get ready, Mom's going to be taking lots of pictures." Chandler warns before shoving a piece of chocolate in her mouth.

"What happens to the pictures after they've been taken?" I ask while trying to climb down the stairs in heels without tripping and breaking my ankles.

High heels were even more dangerous than Thanos attaining the infinity stones.

"Some will be posted to FaceBook while most of them will be added to a scrapbook," Chandler answers with a grimace. "Mom and her Facebook are like best friends."

I nod my head, quickly fixing my hair, I had never been in a photo album before. When I was young, my family hardly, if ever, took pictures. My mom would always say it was a waste of time, something people did because they didn't have anything better to do.

I, however, always thought cinematography and photography were beautiful concepts. They captured moments that would otherwise be forgotten and portrayed feelings that could have been lost.

It captured a piece of someone's life that they would never be able to relive.

We walk down the stairs, arms interloped, both smiling as a camera brightly flashes in our faces.

"You both look so beautiful," Margie gushes, looking over at her husband Kenny. "Don't they look beautiful?"

Kenny nods, looking up from his paper with a smile. "They sure do."

I grin and get ready for another picture as Margie lifts the camera.

"ehh, they look alright." I hear Jacob say from the kitchen. I look over to him and shoot him a glare, watching as he stuffs ramen noodles into his mouth.

"I see you got out of your stained sweatpants," I say with a smile.

I would never say it aloud but Jacob looked good, he was dressed in a black tux and a bright red tie, slightly reminding me of a penguin.

"Thanks, mom helped me with the tie." He says with his mouth full.

I laugh, watching as Margie walks over to Jacob and tries to fix his ruffled hair.

"Mom, stop," he groans, trying to move away from her.

Jacob pouts as his mom licks her finger before trying to wipe a smudge away from his face. "My baby looks so handsome," she coos.

"Momma, please." He groans, pushing her hand away softly.

Chandler looks over to me and rolls her eyes.
"Hey SpongeBob, if you're done being coddled, are you ready to go? We're going to be late." Chandler asks Jacob, grabbing the keys off the counter and quickly giving her dad a peck on the cheek.

"I'm ready, Patrick Star." He drawls before glancing at me. "You ready Squidward?"

I nod my head, holding in a goofy smile at the nicknames.

Jacob had insisted upon no end that we had nicknames for each other. He was as persistent as a teenage girl and so finally Chandler gave in, telling him that he was SpongeBob.

I almost laugh at the memory, remembering the way Jacob had frowned.

I don't know how they had known Squidward was my favorite, I think maybe my Squidward stuffed plush that Tyler had won me gave it away. Or maybe it was the Squidward socks that I always wore to bed.

"Alright lets head out," Chandler says, pulling open the front door and walking outside.

"Have fun!" Kenny calls after us.

"We will!" Chandler yells back.

"Love you!" Margie yells out the screen door.

"Love you too, mom!" Jacob screams.

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The ride to the Dance was very...interesting. Jacob and Chandler quickly got into a debate whether Frozen 1 or Frozen 2 was better.

Even though I liked Frozen 1 way better than the second, I decided not to get in the middle of it.

"Chandler you are such a liar, everyone knows that Frozen 2 is way better!" Jacob retorts, pulling into the parking lot of the dance. "The animation and songs were so good."

"They were good but not better than the first!" Chandler mutters. "We can just agree to disagree."

"Fine, let's just get to the dance, all the mini cupcakes are going to be gone," Jacob grumbled before parking the minivan under a tree and quickly hopping out.

Chandler and I wait for him to open the door but after a couple of minutes of sitting in silence, we look out the window to see him already half way to the dance.

Chandler scoffs before opening the door herself and scooching across the seat, almost falling out in the process.

"What a turd," she huffs under her breath.

I slide out of the car and grin at the sight. There in front of us was a barn decorated with stringed lights and a giant Christmas tree in the center. People swarmed the inside, some dancing, some sitting and some just eating. Like Jacob.

It sort of reminded me of a hallmark movie.

I watch as Chandler marches off towards Jacob, most likely getting ready to whack him across the head with her heels.

I stand there, still taking in the beauty of the scene. The full moon was out and a chilling breeze rushes through my hair, causing me to shiver.

It was beautiful.

I walk inside the barn, immediately taking in the smell of cinnamon apples and other spices. My eyes glance over to the food table and suddenly my mouth begins to water.

Oh my word. They had Spicy Doritos.

Spicy Doritos were hard to come by these days, especially under the price of four dollars and the ones in front of me now, were absolutely free.

I feel excitement bubble inside me and I quickly grab two bags, looking around me before stuffing them in my bag.

It was kind of dumb that the food table was right by the entrance, away from everyone else. Who knows if someone would take advantage of the free food and steal all the Spicy Doritos.

I snicker to myself.

I was hilarious.

I grab one last bag for me to eat and smile a grinch-like grin. Tonight was coming along beautifully.

Just as I'm about to go farther down and check out the green frosted cupcakes, Chandler walks up to me with a toothy smile.

"Do I need to get you and the spicy Doritos a room?"

I snort. "Shut up,"

"I saw you smuggling food into that small purse," she laughs. "You're like Mary Poppins with that bag."

I smile. What? They have this Buffett for a reason.

"Jacob found Santa Clause, he wanted me to come and find you. He's acting like a five year old again," Chandler says before rolling her eyes. "he wants a picture."

"Right now?" I ask before looking back at the frosted green cupcakes I was going to go check out.

"Yeah, we better go now, Santa was already getting annoyed with him. He kept muttering things under his breath and sending short glares."

I groan, I guess I could come back later, hopefully they'd still have the lemonade with the strawberries in it.

I walk away from the food table regrettably and follow Chandler across the wood floors, passing colorful lights along the way.

Soon I could see a man in a bright red suit, his stomach inflated with a pillow and a fake white beard strung across his face. He wasn't the most 'put together' Santa I had seen but he did look jolly.

Psych.

This Santa was the most unhappy Santa I had seen in my life. He looked completely and utterly annoyed with Jacob who was practically hanging off his shoulder.

The man kept shrugging Jacob off of him, muttering words and trying to look around for either an escape or a machete.

Most likely the machete with the way Jacob kept following him around.

We finally make it up to Jacob and Santa, and I politely smile at them both. Santa Clause looks at me with wide blue eyes, his gaze traveling down my body before looking back up at my face with a weird look on his face.

Oh my word. I cringe. Some old man was checking me out.

Someone call 911, was it legal for Santa Clause to 'check someone out'?

I really hope not. I almost gag, immediately losing my appetite for Cupcakes, Strawberry lemonade and Spicy Doritos.

Well... almost losing my appetite.

"Guys look!" Jacob says with a huge boyish grin. "It's Santa Clause!"

"We can see that, Turd Nugget." Chandler rolls her eyes.

I look over to Santa and frown. Something about him seemed strangely familiar but before I can think too much about it, Jacob lightly grabs my wrist, pulling me to his side and draping an arm around my shoulder. "Let's get a picture,"

"Okay," I say, smiling at how happy Jacob looked. I reach up and poke the side of his cheek affectionately. "But then I want to go dance."

"Yeah okay," Jacob says with a toothy grin.

Santa suddenly interrupts with a loud bark of laughter. "Ho, ho, ho," he grunts, looking down at Jacobs arm that was still slung over my shoulder. I watch as he slides behind us and slaps Jacobs hand away before shimmying between us with a low grunt.

Looking up at him with narrowed eyes, I frown, taking in his facial features. I look at his crystal blue eyes and his bushy, brown eyebrows before finally noticing his pink ears.

No, it couldn't be. I think to myself with my mouth slightly open.

Santa looks down at me and catches me staring at him, and in the blink of an eye, quite literally actually, he sends me a wink.

Holy levitating lemurs. I curse to myself. Tyler was Santa Clause.

————————

I look over from my booth at 'Santa Clause', who was munching on a hotdog.

He hadn't even put ketchup on it, I scoff. What a lunatic.

I get up from my seat, almost tripping on air as I try to smoothly walk over to the imposter. I walk over and tap Tyler on the shoulder, watching as he turns to me with a bit of mustard in his beard.

Ugh. Look at him trying to be cute. I think, nearly rolling my eyes. What an attention seeker.

"Hello, Santa." I say lowly, putting emphasis on the 'Santa'. "How are the reindeer?"

"They're doing wonderful!" He chortles, setting down his hotdog before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a candy cane. "Here you go, young lady! Ho, ho ho!"

I grab the candy cane out of his hand before looking at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm on to you, and whatever you're planning, you can stop."

Suddenly Santa leans down to my height and with amusement flickering in his eyes, says three words.

"Make me, Sweetheart."

I would have been a bit intimidated if not for the mustard still on his beard. I reach up and tap the top of my lip.

Tyler doesn't seem to catch on so I pretend to wipe my face.

His eyes crinkle with confusion as he stares at me but suddenly, as if a lightbulb went off inside his head, Tyler's eyes widen as he quickly grabs a napkin and daps his face.

"Yeah-no..." I shake my head as he's wiping the wrong side of his face. "Right there, yeah." I say as Tyler finally finds the spot.

"Did I get it?"

I squint, looking at the white beard before nodding my head. "Yeah it's gone."

Tyler coughs, standing up straight and throwing the napkin away casually. "Where was I?"

"Make me, Sweetheart." I say, repeating what he had said only minutes before.

"Oh right," he coughs before leaning down to my height. "Make me, sweetheart."

"You look ridiculous." I mutter.

"And you look beautiful." He shoots back, catching me off guard. My cheeks burn as a blush covers my face.

"You're blushing," Tyler points out.

"What do you want?" I ask, quickly changing the subject.

"To dance," he reply's casually before gently taking my hand into his and pulling me closer to him.

"You're dressed as Santa," I dumbly blurt.

"So?"

"You have a pillow stuffed in your shirt,"

"Actually, it's a blanket." He smirks.

"It doesn't matter, I'm mad at you." I say while desperately trying to take my hand out of his before I did something stupid. Like forgive him.

"Let me dance with you, you can leave after and I won't bother you." He says with a smirk. I stop squirming at this and pause before looking up at him.

"Promise?"

"Pinky." He says looking into my eyes while putting his right pinky up.

I hesitantly put my pinky up and we wrap them around each other, locking it in place. Tyler goes to move away but I stop him, "You have to kiss your elbow."

"What?"

"It doesn't work unless you kiss your elbow," I say again, our pinkies still together.

Didn't he know anything about pinky promises?

Tyler looks at me strangely but doesn't question it, he quickly brings his elbow up to his lips and kisses it.

I roll my eyes. "You didn't have to make out with it." I grumpily reply before doing the same with my elbow.

"Alright, we good?" Tyler asks before taking my hand in his and pulling me to the dance floor.

"Whatever." I mumble, trying my best not to trip over my heels.

Tyler leads me through the crowd of people, his hand perfectly fitting around mine when suddenly we stop and I notice that we're in the middle of the dance floor, couples surrounding us as they slow dance.

The soft glow of mason jar lights illuminate the dance floor, while the sides of the barn are decorated with reefs and other festive decorations. I look up at the ceiling and smile when I see stringed Christmas lights strung against the barn's open ceiling.

There was a song playing, a slow song and all of the couples were smushed together and dancing. How mushy. I grumble. Of course, it had to be a slow song. Why couldn't they be playing the Macarena?

Tyler turns around and smiles through his beard, his perfect, pearly white teeth showing like a shark.

I let him pull me into his blanket stuffed gut and place my hands on his shoulders awkwardly.

Was I a pedophile for dancing with Santa?

I shrug before watching as Tyler places his hands around my waist. This was getting very touchy touchy, I think to myself as my heart jumps out of my chest.

Tyler's head leans in close to my ear, his fake beard tickling my face. I let out a small laugh and use one of my hands to push down his beard until it was hung around his neck.

"You think I should grow one out?" Tyler asks with an ear to ear smile.

I snort, "No, you would look so bad."

Tyler chuckles before leaning his forehead against mine, his minty breath fanning the top of my head. "I missed you." He breathes.

I move my hands from his shoulder and wrap them around his neck, lightly touching the ends of his hair.

One part of me wanted him closer so I could nuzzle my face into his chest, while the other part of me wanted to grab a plastic knife from the Buffett table and stab him in the back.

As I was trying to decide which one I wanted more, my face leans up, and my nose nuzzles against his, his eyelashes fanning my face.

Welp, I think to myself, my face has betrayed me.

"You hurt me," I mumble without thinking, my voice quiet and low.

"I know," he whispers. "I'm sorry."

I close my eyes and rock to the song, my body pressed against his perfectly. How could it feel so right after everything that went wrong?

Tyler's face travels down to my neck, his nose lightly grazing the skin below my ear. My hand almost immediately starts to sift through his hair, pulling him closer.

"I-I don't know how to feel or what to do," I say truthfully. "You always do this to me."

"Do what?" He whispers. His breath against my neck, causing butterflies to erupt inside my stomach.

"Make me feel like I might combust." I say. "My stomach always flutters and my mind turns to mush."

Tyler leans back and looks into my eyes. "I do that?"

"Yes."

Tyler looks at me and I look at his eyebrows.

"Shrimp, are you looking at my eyebrows again?"

"Um,"

Tyler's hand gently cups my chin before bringing my gaze back to his eyes.

My heart starts to skip a few beats. Gosh darn. Was I going to have a heart attack?

Please, Audrey, now is not the time for a cardiac arrest. I beg myself. That would be so humiliating if I died in his arms.

"Chris Pine."

Tyler's eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. "What about him?"

"I-I just needed something to say and that's what popped into my head." I say with a blush, hiding my face in his shoulder.

"Okay...Post Malone."

"Post Malone?"

"I felt excluded from the random saying of names, so I thought of Post Malone and decided to say it."

"Why Post Malone?" I ask.

"He's my celebrity Dad."

"Your celebrity Dad?" I ask confused.

"Yeah I took a quiz to see who my celebrity parents were." He says casually.

"Who was your mom?"

"Lana Del Rey."

I snort, "Really?"

"Yeah," he begins, pulling me closer into his arms. "I think they'd be a pretty rad couple, I mean they did, after all, have me as a child."

"I see your ego hasn't gotten any smaller," I say with a smirk.

There's a moment of silence before I feel Tyler pull back, looking into my eyes. "It can if you ask me to," Tyler answers back with a serious tone of voice.

My heart shatters at this and I feel my eyes begin to prickle with tears.

"I don't want you to change, Tyler. I just want you to be honest with me." I say before stepping away from him.

"Audrey," he begins but I cut him off just as the song ends.

"You said you'd leave me alone after I danced with you." I remind him as he goes to reach for my hand. I turn around and walk away, my mind a complete mess.

I send a small, 'I'm okay' smile to Chandler who sends me a worried look but I can't stop Jacob who gets up from his spot to come over to me.

"Hey, I saw you dancing with Santa Clause, you dirty little-" but he stops when he sees my face. "What's wrong?"

I look up to him and try to smile but I'm pretty sure I look like I pooped my pants because Jacob send me a horrified look.

"What's the matter? Did he do something to you?" He asks all of a sudden, a dark look, I had never seen, crossing his face.

"No," I say quickly. "I'm fine."

Jacob looks at me with concern. "You don't look fine."

"Can I ask you something?" I ask seriously.

"You just did," Jacob says with a smile.

"No, really." I say, glancing over to Tyler.

"Yeah, of course, what is it?"

"If you loved someone but they hurt you, would you forgive them?"

Jacob looks at me, before glancing down at my hands that were fidgeting.

"It depends," He says, his voice low. "If that person is sorry for what they did."

"And If they are?"

Jacob looks over to Tyler before running a hand through his hair. "Then I'd want an explanation on why they hurt me."

"And if the explanation is good?" I ask.

"Then I'd do what I felt was best for me. Love can change someone without them knowing, it can make people want to be better," Jacob says before continuing. "but sometimes, we have to do whats better for ourselves, even if it means letting go."

My eyes widen and I feel my heart sink. I knew what I had to do.

"You sound like a fortune cookie," I breathe. "You should be a professional at this type thing."

Jacob smiles before handing me a brownie.

"Here, these always help me."

"Do they have weed in it?"

Jacob looks like he's been splashed with a bucket full of freezing, hamster urine. "Of course not!" He exclaims with wide eyes. "I don't do that kind of stuff and how in the world do you know what weed is?"

I blandly look at Jacob. "I'm eighteen, Jacob, I know about drugs."

"Well, you shouldn't." Jacob says, flabbergasted. "Say no to drugs, Audrey."

I roll my eyes, taking the brownie and turning away.

I had one thing on my mind right now, I was on a mission. I was like Batman.

I walk up to Tyler, my hands slightly shaking. I ignore the nervous beat of my heart and I stop when I'm face to face with him.

"We need to talk."

——————

AN:

Who do y'all think is faster? Sonic the hedgehog or Flash? Comment and tell me what you think!

So far I'm kinda thinking Sonic but it's definitely a close call.

I hope you guys liked the chapter! I'm getting better at posting! Two updates in one day y'all! 🥳🥳

I should get a round of applause! XD

(Just kidding, it took like a month just to write them lmao.)

So how have y'all been doing? Anything interesting happen? Any cute guys dressing up as Santa and stealing you away into the night?

No?

Hmm that's weird... I thought that happened to everyone.
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Don't forget to Vote!
It really does mean the world when I get a notification that someone voted on my story!

Anyways, peace out my dudes! ✌🏻