♫ : santa doesn't know you like i do - sabrina carpenter

It had been two days since Jake kissed you. You decided that day that things would stay as they were. You'd keep quiet, pretend nothing had happened. It was the best way to keep your heart from breaking into a thousand pieces.

Yes, it's stupid - you practically fell in love with a person you've barely known for a week. But what can you possibly do? He's attractive, he's charming, he's funny. What else can you look for in a guy?

You and Jake now walked side by side down the festive streets - Jake suggested going out today, and maybe a distraction was what you needed. 

Some Christmas atmosphere, the bright lights, the merry decorations... it would be good for the both of you. After all, Christmas was only a few days away and you still hadn't finished decorating your café.

You shoved your hands deeper into your coat pockets, glancing at Jake. He had his hands in his pockets too, his face slightly flushed from the cold.

"So," Jake started, breaking the silence. "I heard there's a Christmas market set up a few blocks down. Wanna check it out?"

You nodded with a small smile. "Sure, that sounds nice."

And that was that. Simple. Comfortable. At least, that's what you kept telling yourself. You'd avoid the heavy stuff for now, the things you didn't understand about him. About his feelings, and most definitely about your own.

The market was busy, the air filled with the smell of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts. You walked together, occasionally stopping at a stall to admire handmade ornaments. Jake was mostly quiet, but every now and then, you'd catch him glancing at you.

As you passed a small stall selling Christmas wreaths, mistletoe caught your eye. A few children stood in front of the table, eagerly waving branches in front of passing couples.

"Excuse me!" a child called out with wide eyes as they looked between you and Jake. "Do you want to buy a mistletoe?"

You were about to shake your head when another child continued. "If you kiss under it, your love will last forever!" they announced with a wide grin, as if they were revealing the biggest secret.

Your cheeks heated instantly and you felt yourself stiffen next to Jake, your heart racing. What kind of coincidence was this? You avoided Jake's gaze as you didn't know how to respond.

Jake chuckled softly, his breath fogging in the air. "Is that so?" he asked the child.

The kid nodded eagerly. "Yep! It's magic."

For a second, you were sure that Jake would laugh it off and move on. But instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. "How much for a wreath?"

Your eyes widened as you watched the child happily take the money, handing Jake a small wreath of mistletoe. He looked at it with a faint smile. "Thanks, kid."

The child cheered happily, bouncing on their feet. "You're welcome! Don't forget to kiss!" they shouted after you both as you continued walking.

Jake glanced over at you, toying with the wreath. "What should I do with this, huh?"

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn't hide the nervous laugh. "Don't ask me. You bought it."

"Maybe I'll hang it over my door," Jake mused, his voice light and soft. "It's good luck, isn't it?"

You tried to ignore the way his words made your stomach twist, thinking back to the kiss. You couldn't let yourself dwell on it now. Not here. Not like this.

"Yeah," you muttered, trying to keep your tone steady, "Good luck."

The two of you wandered through the market for a while longer. Although you were in the middle of the festive atmosphere,you found yourself constantly distracted by Jake.

After a while, you both stopped at a small stall selling hot chocolate. The warmth from the cup seeped through your gloves as you stood next to Jake, your breath mixed with the steam.

For a moment, the two of you stood there, the world around you moving on without care.

You both finished your hot chocolate in silence, then started walking again. The market was winding down, the crowds growing smaller and smaller as it started to get dark outside. Jake carried the mistletoe in his hand, twirling it absentmindedly as you walked.

Just as you were about to suggest heading back, Jake stopped in front of a small, twinkling display of Christmas lights hung between two stalls.

He paused, staring at the lights, then looked down at the mistletoe in his hand. Your breath caught in your throat as he glanced at you.

"You think that kid was right?" he asked, holding up the mistletoe with a playful grin. "About it being magic?"

You forced a laugh, shaking your head. "I don't know. Maybe."

Jake's smile faded just a little, his gaze flicking between you and the mistletoe. For a second, you thought that maybe something was about to happen. But then he just shrugged, tucking the mistletoe into his pocket with a soft chuckle.

"Guess we'll find out," he said, turning back toward the street. You followed him, the ache in your chest returning as the distance between the two of you felt wider than ever.