I dedicate this chapter to @xharleenEYDx because it was her birthday yesterday, so this is my little gift for you 🎉😘 I hope you like it and I'm sending you all my love and good wishes! ❤

"What is this list?" Aden's voice pulls my head out of the box I'm currently rummaging through, and actually, it mostly feels like my heart is torn out of my chest.

In just one second, where my heart stops and my blood freezes, all my cheery mood and the warm Christmas spirit around collapse with my dreams of romance. If I've thought that seeing my precious romance plan in Theone's hand has been a nightmare, this is a horror movie. But luckily, my romance doesn't turn that way, at least, not for now.

I let out a breath of relief when I realize the paper in Aden's hand is a lavender color, and I get up to join him near his own pile of boxes, grabbing the paper with my hands still shaking. Though the cold fright is quickly replaced with warmth as I read the capital letters at the top.

"'My list of dreams I want to fulfill when I grow up'... I've written this when I was 12 or something like that." I smile, the glittery multicolor letters calling back the memory of the shiny pens I've loved so much and the time I've spent writing this list quietly in my treehouse.

"Can I look?" Aden asks, his fingers hanging above the delicate paper, which doesn't look like it's almost 15 years old, but in these boxes, a lot of objects and memories are kept intact.

"Sure." I surprise him, leaning closer so we can both look at the list; it's more practical...

"Travel and discover the world... the red pins?" He lifts an eyebrow, his eyes shining lightly under.

I haven't planned for Aden to find this list, yet maybe it's finally a sign of the universe being on my side, or from Santa Claus, because each line of this list is a part of me, and Aden looks very intrigued.

So I nod as he continues reading over my shoulder.

'Attend a masquerade ball and wear a princess dress', 'have my own house and of course decorate it', 'learn a new language', 'kiss Zac Efron'... Okay, let's not forget I've written this at 12, when I've been obsessed with High School Musical, but maybe this is still a little part of me too...

"They're nice dreams." He smiles, bobbing his head.

"Yeah, but I haven't fulfilled any..."

Well, except maybe the 'Find my true love' that I'm working on.

"Don't worry, I made lists when I was younger too, and I haven't fulfilled any either."

My heart flutters as he finds us another thing in common, yet it doesn't pull a smile to my lips, and Aden must notice it because he adds, "Our dreams and goals change with life and all, we change. It's normal... On my list, I think there was 'going to space' or something like that, and I don't think I'll ever go, but you never know!"

He manages to stretch a smile on my lips. He's so adorable, trying to cheer me up with his twinkling cinnamon eyes.

Yet when my gaze falls on the last line of the paper, all the flutters in my chest turn into a heavy weight: 'Work for a famous decoration magazine'. Have my dreams really changed?

The ringing of my phone doesn't let me time to dwell on it, although the cheery Christmas tune doesn't lighten my mood, especially when I see the ID caller.

"What again, Theone?"

I might not sound really friendly, but after his third call, I've kinda lost all my patience, trying to explain him that lightweight felt isn't the same as felt.

"There's no 'sea green' in the paint section."

Why have I thought that letting him do the shopping for the decoration would be a good idea? It isn't complicated; I've written him everything.

"Have you asked a sales assistant?" I sigh, trying to remain calm, and offering a grateful smile at Aden who goes back to searching in his pile of boxes.

"Wow! Really?! I haven't thought of it! Of course, I did, but they don't know what 'sea green' is." I can hear the roll of his wide eyes through the phone, and it brings back the same irking crawling under my skin, making me get up. "Who knows it?! The sea is blue, not green!"

It's my turn to roll my eyes, and I hope he hears it through my voice. "It's green with a hint of blue."

The silence meeting me on the other side lets me know it doesn't give him more clue. Why am I even surprised when he doesn't know what a dressing table is?! 

"Exactly the same color as your eyes," I add, my feet now passing around the room – well, the best I can between the boxes scattered everywhere around the attic – as he makes my legs restless.

"I don't have a mirror, and I would gladly ask the sales assistant if it was a chick, but the old bearded man has already looked at me weirdly when I asked for pink glitters."

This stops my feet as my tensions vanish in a hearty laugh. "I wish I'd seen this!"

"This is not funny," he replies with a flat tone, but I can tell he's fighting his own laugh, barely containing a chuckle under his breath. "So what should I take instead?"

"I don't know... Jade? Fern?"

"There's only three different greens."

"Then why are you even calling me?! It isn't complicated to choose!" I throw my hand up, forgetting for a second that he isn't in front of me, maybe because I'm easily picturing his casual stance in the paints section, leaning against a shelf while his free hand is running through his hair impatiently – unless he has his beanie, though by then, he's surely taken it off.

"Because I know you'll complain if I don't bring you exactly what you've imagined."

"Okay, what are the colors?" I sigh, not fighting as he might be just a little bit right.

"Forest green, lime, and... shamrock."

"Okay, then take shamrock, it's the most Christmas-like."

"See, I would have picked Forest green!" he exclaims through a clinking noise that I guess are the poor cans of paint, and I shake my head even though he can't see it, neither my amused smile. "And you? Have you found everything in the attic?"

I blink my eyes to the boxes around me. "Oh, um, yes, I think we'll get everything, maybe even more." That's one of the perks of having parents who keep every little object from your childhood like in a museum. Even if we've had to go through a lot of boxes, we'll save money and have unique objects to decorate this party.

"Great! Thank you for your help, see you later." He hangs up before I can add anything, leaving me blinking at my phone again.

Though the numbers displaying on the screen quickly bring me back to the time and place. "Um, I think we should go to the workshop because my dad doesn't like to wait. We can finish lat–" I stop in front of all the boxes closed and piled up, exactly like when we've entered the room, except for three boxes, a few rolls of papers and fabrics, and some paintbrushes laying near Aden. "You've already finished?!"

"Yes, I think I've got everything written on the list, but I'm not sure about the papers and fabrics, pink and mauve?" He grabs the two rolls on top of the boxes, exactly the colors I've wanted, and god knows there are a lot in pink and purple shades in this attic.

"Perfect! It's perfect!" You're perfect, but that I don't tell him; my eyes probably flashing with little hearts are already obvious I think. "Thank you."

"Oh no, thank you to you! This has taught me a lot. Maybe I was wrong about the commercial strategy with decorations and all..." He offers me a sparkling, knowing look that makes me melt inside.

"I told you! When I was little, we almost made all our decorations because we couldn't afford to buy them, since my dad had just started his business." I smile at the rolls of soft fabrics and papers that have been one of the first things that have sparked my love for decoration and Christmas. "We made a lot of things with wood, of course, and when people started to see our decorations outside, it attracted new clients to my dad's carpentry. Now, he even makes wooden sculptures for the town every Christmas. But I'll show you!" I grab his hand before remembering that we have to carry all our finds when Aden pulls on my hand. "Oh, right!" I laugh awkwardly.

"Let's go!" He grabs the heavier boxes, while I follow with the lighter, yet still bulky ones.

Luckily they don't contain anything fragile because I almost drop them when he adds with a wink, "I wouldn't want to make a bad impression on my father-in-law."

"I think he already likes you, even if he's a little protective of me." I shrug, trying to hide the bright red on my cheeks with the boxes in my arms, yet still searching for his eyes.

"So does it mean I'm playing well my role?" he whispers quietly as we start to go down the stairs, his presence behind me making it hard to not miss a step.

"Perfectly!" I pause in the middle of the stairs to risk a glance behind. "It looks like you were made for that role."

***

"Oh honey baby, I'm sorry I can't be here to help you bake the cookies this year!"

"It's okay, Mom, don't worry! I have Aden to help me. You have to go to work, I understand." I offer her a smile in front of her sorry puppy eyes.

"Eager to be left alone with your lover boy? Maybe it's a good thing that Eva is sick and I have to replace her..." She smirks knowingly while grabbing a few chocolate chips.

I don't reply, but I'm sure the heat warming my cheeks is giving it away as obviously as red Christmas lights. Yes, I'm happy to be left alone with Aden to bake, even if I love spending time with my mom. But I think this change of plan is the perfect occasion to get closer with Aden, especially if I use my mom's recipe. Maybe the universe is really turning on my side...

"But more seriously, thank you, honey, because I don't know how I would do without you, and I know it's a lot," my mom adds, coming back with her puppy eyes as she grabs her bag to get ready.

"It's nothing, don't worry! And it's for a great cause." I shrug, grabbing the largest bowl out of the cupboard, the one I can reach because I'll have to wait for someone taller to help me for the others. "I just hope we'll manage to make them almost as good as yours!"

"Aw, I'm sure you will! You just have to put a lot of my secret ingredient." She lightly pinches my warm cheek, and as if on cue, just at this moment, Aden enters the room. "I'll leave you two alone, good luck!" She blows me a kiss, offering a smile to Aden before exiting the kitchen.

"So this is my next Christmas lesson?" Aden asks, glancing with worried eyes around the kitchen and all the plates and ingredients I've already taken out.

"Yes, and it's two in one: Christmas cookies, and also giving to others because we're gonna sell them tomorrow at the Christmas market to collect money for the hospital where my mom works." I smile, putting my mom's precious recipe book on the counter.

"That sounds great, but I have to warn you." He dives his big warm eyes into mine, making me lean closer as the kitchen island is standing between us. "I'm really bad at cooking. I never cook."

"Come on! It can't be that bad!" I laugh lightly, bypassing the island to hand him a green apron, forest green – I shake my head, thinking about this morning. "I promise you're fine with me. Today, we are cooking." I grin as I watch him struggling to fasten the ties.

Of course, I help him because I'm really obliging, and the closeness of his strong body as I tie his apron is just a bonus, which I really savor.

"First, can you grab me the baking sheets in the cupboard here?" I point to the highest shelf of the cupboard that I can never reach without a stool. I guess that's another perk of having a 'boyfriend', and I will gladly get used to it.

"This, I think I can do it." He smiles, and I pull away to preheat the oven because Aden can easily distract me, and I have to focus on the cookies, or more exactly the flour and butter that will turn into cookies.

However, my fingers are frozen an inch away from the switch of the oven when a sound of metal clashing immediately followed by a loud 'ow!' makes me rush back to Aden.

The baking sheets are messily laying on the kitchen island, along with some heavy and large cake pans that my mom always piles up to 'save room', and I realize it's been a really bad idea to ask Aden to get them because he doesn't know this detail, and clearly, he hasn't seen them. Though he's still standing, so I let out a small breath of relief. At least, he isn't knocked out.

However, I can't see the warm color in his beautiful eyes because of how much he's squinting them, and when my gaze slides down to where he's looking, my vision gets blurry for a second.

"Are you okay?" I ask, while I'm gripping the counter and averting my gaze away from his swollen wrist, even if with my head spinning, I can't see much.

"What is happening?!" My mom barges in the kitchen, her jacket already on, yet looking ready to handle whatever disaster is occurring, and I'm thankful for this.

"Aden hurt his wrist, trying to grab the baking sheets." I point to his wrist, though my gaze stays on his face, where the frown of pain is already enough for me.

The blue forming on his swelling wrist I've glimpsed is still flashing in my dizzy head. Yes, I'm a wimp, and luckily, there has been no blood, or I would already be down on the floor.

My mom rushes to the fridge, grabbing an ice bag. "Let me see it." She approaches Aden, who removes his other hand holding his wrist. "Aww, that doesn't look really good..."

"Is it serious?" I ask before Aden can even say something other than a groan of pain.

"I don't know, I think it's better to have an X-ray. Can you move it?" She turns to Aden.

"Ow, no, it hurts too much."

I don't dare to look, but apparently, he hasn't moved his wrist of an inch.

"Okay, keep the ice on it. I think it's a sprain, so it's nothing too serious." 

I finally let out the breath I've been holding upon her words, and my head stops spinning so much. I trust her; she's an experimented nurse, and yes, I haven't inherited her self-control and composure in case of emergency, blood, or even sprains apparently.

"But I'll bring you to the hospital. It's on my way, anyways," she adds, grabbing her keys and offering us both a smile to reassure us. She's really talented!

"I'm sorry." Aden turns to me, finally offering me a glimpse of the cinnamon shades in his eyes. "I told you I was a disaster in the kitchen." He half-smiles through his pained expression, and this time, my head is spinning because of something much nicer.

"That's not your fault. You tried to help me... But we'll go to the hospital, and everything will be fine." I untie my apron, yet Aden stops me.

"No! I can go alone. You have to bake the cookies for the charity, I've already bothered you enough." He lets out a sigh, followed by a wince when he automatically tries to point to the mess of baking sheets on the kitchen island.

"You haven't, it's an accident..." I glance between his tender eyes, the recipe book, and my mom as my stomach is filling quickly, not with butterflies and chocolate like I've imagined though. It's knots that are piling up along with the number of cookies I'm supposed to bake, the hours of wait at the emergency department, and the images of my poor Aden suffering alone.

"You're sure?"

"Yes," he assures me with a smile, and I still can't comprehend how he can be so sweet even when he's suffering.

"Yeah, and I think it's better this way because we all know you don't like hospitals." My mom nods, and I gotta agree with her. Aden won't be alone, and my mom is the best nurse, so I have nothing to worry about.

"Okay, but I promise I'll save you cookies." I offer him a kiss on the cheek, because my mom is looking at us, of course. "Be careful, and give me news."

"You too, be careful, but I think you'll manage better without me!" Aden calls from near the door, and in just a few seconds, I'm left alone to stare at the recipe that says 'Christmas cookies, to always bake with loved ones'.

I don't even read the rest of the recipe; I know it by heart because I've made it every year since I'm little, and my chest is already turning into an empty hole with the loneliness surrounding me. It's the first time I'm gonna bake these cookies alone.

I put my hands to use, trying to busy my head above all, yet it seems impossible. My thoughts are now spinning, and there's no sound other than the oven purring to distract me. Even the jar of chocolate chips doesn't manage to cheer me up as my stomach is turning with the same defeatist thoughts.

I'm worried for Aden, of course, but I know he's in good hands, and there is something else haunting me: the resonating thought that no matter what I plan, there is always something going wrong. I almost never manage to fulfill one point on my list. It's like the universe is against me, but maybe it's just that it's impossible, that I can never make Aden fall for me, that I'm not good enough.

"Wow! What's that face?!"

I lift my head from my bag of flour, which I realize that I've poured way too much in the bowl, and I meet two wide green eyes staring at me as if I was an alien – well, someone mourning over a bag of flour may not be really usual, okay.

"Weren't you supposed to bake with your 'boyfriend'? It's what was written on the list, isn't it? Where is he?" Theone asks, glancing around as he puts down his bag and jacket on a stool.

From his appearance, he must just have come back home, as his ears and nose are still red from the cold. But I've been so lost in my depressing thoughts that I haven't heard him in the quiet and empty house.

"He's at the hospital."

"What?! You've already sent the poor guy to the hospital?!" He widens his eyes, while I narrow mine.

"No! He's sprained his wrist grabbing some baking sheets..." I mutter, struggling to put the surplus of flour back in its bag.

"How?!" His eyes are still as big when I glance up.

"I don't know..." I sigh, trying to visualize the scene in my head one more time, but I always come to the same conclusion. "I guess that just really bad luc– wait, how do you know it was on my list, snooper?" My eyebrows pull together to throw a deadly glare at Theone.

"I may have glimpsed it yesterday when I found it... But I didn't get the time to see more than the cookies baking and the Christmas market." He glances around innocently before focusing his devious green eyes on me. "You could let me read the rest?"

"Never." I give him a blank stare and turn back to my bag of flour.

I'm not totally crazy, and I don't need more disasters.

"If you show me the list, I'll help you make the cookies."

"Who said I need your help?" I lift my eyebrow at him.

"I don't know, maybe the mess of flour you've made on the counter." He imitates my expression and nods to the bag of flour and the scale that is almost unrecognizable under the layer of white powder.

I press my lips together, grabbing a sponge in the sink as he puts on the green apron Aden has left on the counter just minutes ago.

"You don't have anything else to do? I thought you were going to the lake to take pics?"

"Change of plan." He shrugs, easily knotting the ties in his back.

It's such a contrast with Aden on whom the apron has looked misfit, making him look adorable. But here, the apron looks like it's been made for Theone; maybe it's the dark green color that brings out the clear color of his eyes.

"There were people?" I ask casually as I wipe the white mess on the counter, also putting away the cake pans that are still there from Aden's stunt.

However, Theone's reaction is nothing but casual. "What?!" He snaps his head at me, his green eyes wide as if caught red-handed, and for once, it's exhilarating to see him taken aback. "How do you know?"

I can't help the smirk tickling my cheeks as I reply, "I saw your photo books. There's never people on the pics, only landscapes and objects."

"Who is the snooper now?" He squints his eyes at me, his dimple easily coming back. It's been too good to be true!

"Still you. You offered the book to my parents, and it was on the coffee table. It has nothing to do with what you did." I wring the sponge a little tighter than I would usually as I keep my gaze on him.

"Your list was on your table too."

"Yes, on my night table, hidden under my teddy bear. But don't try to change the subject. We were talking about your photos, or more exactly your non-photo of people." I offer him the same smirk he so often shows off.

"I just don't take pics of people." He shrugs, turning to squint his eyes at the recipe.

"Bullshit. My mom made you take pics just yesterday." I pull the recipe book away to make him look at me, yet he still carefully avoids my eyes.

Would you look at this? The great Theone Homer has some secrets too? There is no way I will let this go.

"You always talk about the people you meet from those places, how amazing they are, yet there are only pics of landscapes."

"Landscapes are amazing too." He smirks, though his left dimple doesn't show, so I know he's not so confident right now.

"I never said the contrary." And I must admit that his photos are really beautiful. I'll never tell him, but I often look at his books. They make me travel in a way, and sometimes, they help me find inspiration.

"Okay, I'll tell you... but only if you show me your list." Here, his left dimple is reappearing, and I haven't had the time to miss it.

"I'm not that curious." I go back to my scale, focusing on weighing the butter, at least trying, while I can feel his piercing eyes on me.

I don't need to look to guess his cocky smile, as if he knows the curiosity tickling under my skin, which only grows into an itching under his gaze.

But I don't need to know. It must be a stupid reason, maybe ridiculous, seeing the hint of embarrassment he's been trying to hide with his smug smirk.

"Sugar?" He pulls me out of my thoughts as I'm once again staring at the scale.

I swear this scale has a hypnotic power.

"Yes, I know, thanks. Can you grab me the eggs?" I let out a heavy sigh as I'm fighting my growing curiosity inside my head.

My gaze wanders to Theone's bag on the stool instead of weighing the sugar, and the glimpse of his camera case leaves my thoughts to roam even more. It must be important if he's given up a photo shoot just because of a few walkers, when the sun is providing a perfect and exceptional lighting behind the few clouds today.

"Okay, I'll show you the list if you tell me." 

Who is hungry now? 😋 The rest of the Christmas cooking will be in next chapter, along with maybe Theone's secret for not taking pics of people... What do you think it is?

And what do you think of their complicity so far? They're so cute 😍😊 But Aden is also so cute!! Spraining his wrist while cooking?! 😂 Poor Aden 🥺

Like always, vote ⭐ and comment if you like the story so far and if you're excited for more!!!

Christmas is getting closer, and your comments, votes, and feedback are making it more and more magical!! Thank you so much! I love you!!!! ❤🎄✨