I stormed into the abandoned supermarket to try and find the old lady I talked to on Christmas Eve. My feet slid against the tile, running through each aisle as I searched for her. Coming to the last aisle, I saw a petite woman on the floor, stacking a pile of inventory on the shelves.

"Excuse me. Do you know where I can find an old lady? She worked here Tuesday afternoon and was about this height and this size?" I mimed.

"Sorry mam, but all our employees are college age students. We have a collegial program at this store so anyone over the age of 30 isn't allowed to work here." She informs me through a heavy sigh as she lifted a bin of towels.

"But..she was here. Christmas Eve on Tuesday afternoon. She had your shirt on and uniform" I protested. I know what I had seen.

"Sorry mam. I can't help you" she shrugged and went to stock the rest of the shelves. I push on my black sunglasses and returned to my car near the end of the parking lot.

Maybe she was a Christmas angel?
Or an elf?

Either way, that old lady knew more than she was giving on.

I touched my lips as I remembered the warmth of his....
I didn't believe what I saw was a dream.
It felt all to real...

—-

I open my laptop and stared at the empty search bar, my fingertips hovering above the keys.

"Just..do it Wynter" I whispered to myself and typed in the forbidden question; the one I refused to see.

"Is Santa clause real?"

I smiled as I saw the millions pages and browsed the results.

"I saw him! It was in 09'! He's like big foot but he's real!"

"No he's not real! America is pushing their agenda on civilians"

"Loser"

"He protect he attacc"

Okay...that was no help. I frowned at the screen and decided to narrow my search results to something a little more specific.

"How to summon Santa clause" I whispered to myself as I saw the video. I squinted suspiciously and clicked the video so it could load.

"Hi I'm Shirley and today I'll be showing you the three ways to invoke the spirit of the holidays so you'll be sure to get a visit form the jolly old fat man.

1) gather your children and bake some cookies.

2) sing Christmas carols by the fire!

3) Dont throw out that Christmas tree yet! gather your list and place your cookies under the tree. Santa is sure to come!

I paused the video and looked to the cookies and milk chilling in the fridge. These tips weren't helpful but it did give me an idea.

Nobody ever set out milk and cookies on the 26th of December! Only the 24th before Santa came!

Maybe... I should try it?

I bake a fresh set and put milk and placed it under my tree and waited.

And waited.

Hours passed as I heard the kids and their family playing with the fresh fallen snow.

11:10 and still no sign?

Maybe it was a dream?

—-

I woke up from my nap and squinted to see the time.

1:30 AM.

Of course he wouldn't come. What was I thinking?
Just as I turned to leave, I heard a noise from my fireplace.

The same man from yesterday appeared out the fire and stood to observe the living room. He sighed and smirked a little as he paced across the room. His black hoodie covered his brown curls.

I stood in the shadows, concealing my figure as he inspected the pictures hanged across the wall.

"Wynter I know you're in here." He sighed and turned to search for the lights. I crouched to my knees and backed away behind the wall to observe him again.

He looked nothing like jolly man I saw plastered all over the internet and stores all my life. He was tall and toned, dressed in nice clothes with a clean shaven beard. A nice Rolex and silver bracelets adorned his wrists. He looked like he belonged on the cover of Balmain or the latest issue of Vougue.

"You couldn't let it go..could you?" he cursed beneath his breath. The rug I was standing on moved beneath my feet and pushed me to the ground.

"Ouch!" I cursed bruising my wrist.

"You can't hide from St Nick." he teases me, holding out his hand to help me up. I slap it away and push myself up.

"So you figured out how to get me back" he nodded, proud of my innovation.

"How did you know to come?" I asked, curiously filling my spirits.

"No one leaves out cookies on the 26th of December" he hinted. I blushed thanking YouTube for its expertise and stand to face him.

"Well....I figured you were similar to other magical entities. You put a tooth under your pillow the tooth fairy is supposed to come. I put cookies unde a tree and now? You're here?" I smiled pridefully.

"Smart girl" he complimented me and turned to observe my Christmas decorations.

"Are you... your really him? Are you really...."

"Say it." he tempted me.

"Santa" I whispered shyly.

"I prefer the name Nick" he frowned and turned to tough the ribbons on my tree.

I looked into his eyes, gently grabbing the stairwell for balance.

"I must be dreaming!" I whispered, trying to catch my breath.

"You aren't" he shrugged and bent to pick up a cookie from the plate. He bit into one and spit it out.

"These still taste like dog treats" he cursed throwing them back into the plate. I frowned, upset he wasn't appreciative of my hard labor.

——-
Nick

"Why aren't you fat?" she asked curiously. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the fire place.

"Because Im not?" I shrugged.

"But your supposed to have a belly because of all he cookies and milk?"

"Oh...I forgot your a human" I scoffed and chuckled at her folly.

"And your reindeer? And your hat? And you don't have a big sack?" she exclaimed.

I stepped over to where she stood and towered over her, thinking of the answers to her questions. "My reindeer are back home.
I only where the suit Christmas Eve; it's like a uniform so people recognize me. And in regards to my sack?"

"Yea? Is it magic? Is it as big as people say?"She nodded, hanging on my very word.

"Well...I don't want to brag but some would say it's bigger" I hinted. She furrowed her brows with disgust as she realized my vulgarity.

"Disgusting!" she frowned and pushed me away to separate from me. I chuckled and laid on the couch, taking in her attractive figure.

"So now what princess? I'm real!
Isn't this what you wanted?
Closure? Isn't that why you called?" I asked. She wrestled with her fingertips.

"Well...I wrote you a list"

"So" I shrugged.

"I didn't get my Christmas wish. You just left me your stupid note." she frowned, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"Shame you didn't listen to it" I teased and stood to lean against her counter.

"Aren't you supposed to grant people everything on their wish list or something like that?" she asked matter of factly. I craned my neck up to look into her eyes, slowly stepping over to invade her space. I trapped her against her wall and pulled my waist into my torso, holding her chin up to mine. She pouted, visibly upset that she was enjoying our closeness.

Wynter

"That depends Wynter? Have you been a good little girl?" he smiled handsomely, showing off his perfect smile.

  "Wouldn't you know the answer to that Santa"  I snapped, blushing to push him away to stand in front of my tree. No man had ever made me blush like him! I was the boss in every situation! Why was I acting like this?

"Nah! I don't creep on humans to see if they've been good or bad. I got people for that."

"People? You mean your elves?" I piped cheerfully.
He shoved his head into his face and smiled. "You humans are so brainwashed" he grumbled and turned to turn on my tv. He swirled his fingers and pulled up a video showing a highlight reel of me during the past year.

"My elves work for me. Each elf is assigned to each person that lives in the world. Your guy was Stamford. He compiled videos of you throughout the year"

"That's a bit invasive isn't it?" I frowned and sat next to him to watch my video.

"Yea its is" he smirked and snapped his hands to play the tape. It showed me at work leading my make up team, getting awards and trophies.

"You've been a busy girl" he looked over at me.

"I try" I smile pridefully, pleased at my accomplishments. He fast forwards the video until he stopped at picture of me in a restaurant. I just finished pouring red wine onto the head of a date.

"Hmm what's this?" He smirked and rewinds it to start from the beginning.

"No.. that does count!" I tried to stop him, jumping on his back to stop.

"SCREW YOU!" I yelled at my date and poured it over the man's face.

Nick frowned, shaking his head disapprovingly.

"He asked me what that mouth do on the first night. I'm not that type of girl" I shrugged, lifting myself from his back.

He smirked and continued on.

"And this?" he smiled, observing the video as I fired a girl, dumping her stuff into the yard.

"Well this girl..she's a rival and she's been sabotaging me"

"Wynter..your not building your case" he cuts me off, not waiting to hear my explanation. He sighed and fast forwarded my reel until he reached the end.

"Doesn't look to good" he bragged, standing and stretching to leave.

"Wait. Santa!"

"Nick" he corrected me.

"Please... I need my wish...I ...need closure."

He summoned my list and read over the contents.

"I'm not a miracle worker. What am I supposed to do with this?" he frowned.

Nick

She pouted and held my arms, looking away into the distance. She looked so cute as she pouted.

"Why did you leave cookies out the first time if you didn't believe?" I asked curiously.

"My thearapist...she said to do it. To get closure and celebrate Christmas. I never did it when I was young and she said it would be a tradition I could start. She told me to write the list of wishes...I knew you weren't real but....is it bad that I had a little bit of hope?"

"No...that's the only thing you humans seem to cherish. Hope." I admitted. She looked to me then into the cold snow in the window pane.

"Fine I'll..do it but you owe me."

"Santa does IOUs" she smirked.

"Nick does" I corrected her again. She nodded and leaned against the door watching me at a distance.
"Here. Take my hand." I hold it out.

She hesitated but grabbed it and followed me as I took her on a journey to the past.

AN:
How was the chapter? Y'all liking Nick so far?
What about Wynter?