Just a Christmas Kiss
Hi friends! Here is the first chapter to this new Christmas story. It will be fairly short! Hope you enjoy! for entertainment only! :P
Chapter 1
Daniel didn't think he would be feeling this way.
He knew it was bound to happen sooner than later that Betty would leave him for a better job. She was destined for greater things, and that 'greater' thing at the moment just so happened to be an editor position with his current 'girlfriend' Sofia.
He wasn't quite sure how to process Betty leaving him. He didn't realize how much she touched his life in the short time she's been working for him. Even more surprisingly, she had become someone he cherished in his life.
He sighed, he was really going to miss...working with her.
Oh hell, who was he kidding, he knew it was more than that. He was going to miss HER, miss her friendship! Her honesty, her light, her charming personality, her sweetness, her...smile.
He was really going to miss seeing that winning smile. Braces and all. She had that kind of smile that could light up a whole room, could find its way into your heart and make you inevitably smile back. Her smile was infectious.
It was beautiful.
To say he was going to feel his day was incomplete without seeing it would be an understatement. He had grown very fond of seeing it every morning. Seeing her every morning.
He knew it was unreasonable to be saddened, especially since she was still going to be in the same building.
He still wasn't happy about it!
He was sitting in his office like some kind of scrooge instead of enjoying the Christmas party that Amanda and Betty had worked so hard to put together.
He knew he should try and find Betty and enjoy the party, instead of sulking alone in his office.
He just couldn't seem to get the courage to see her at the moment. He was worried he'd say something stupid to mess everything up. He was known for screwing things up. Especially with people he cared about.
And he cared about Betty.
Betty was having a difficult time enjoying this party. Yes it was a success. It looked so magical and fun. She and Amanda made a not so terrible team when they set aside their differences and worked together.
She looked around seeing everyone having a good time. Why couldn't she let go and have a good time?
She sighed, she had felt off the whole evening.
Even Henry, her crush, tried flirting with her, but she merely shrugged him off, asking him if he'd seen Daniel instead.
She knew that was the real reason she couldn't seem to enjoy herself. He was all she could think about. She really didn't want to say goodbye. Perhaps that was why he was nowhere to be seen currently, because he couldn't say goodbye either.
Or so she hoped.
He could be making out with some model, she thought to herself. She'd seen his ex a while ago flirting shamelessly with Henry.
Despite everything, she knew she was going to miss Daniel.
This job with Sofia was a dream come true but for some reason leaving Daniel was much harder than she ever thought it would be. Especially in the short time they've worked together and the rather rocky start they got off to. They'd become fairly close since they spent so much time together at work.
They were… friends.
She bit her lip as she saw Marc and Amanda dancing, and even Christina seemed to be having a good time. She was currently having maybe a little too much fun with Santa. An image she never wanted to see, that was for sure.
She decided to stop wondering and text Daniel "Did you come to the Christmas Party?"
It was only after a few minutes she got a response "No, but you did a great job! Everything looks beautiful and Christmassy!"
She laughed, Christmassy? She knew he must be around here somewhere! She figured the obvious place to check would be his office. As she walked in she tried to fight back a smile as she saw him sitting there looking quite sad. "Daniel! What are you doing sitting here in the dark all alone?"
He smiled at her, causing her to feel butterflies at the purely happy smile he seemed to have at seeing her. "Betty! You found me!"
She laughed "Were you trying to hide? If you were, you're really not very good at hiding!"
He smirked, wondering why she seemed to cause his heart to skip at her laugh. "I guess not from you." Suddenly he frowned, realizing he would be losing the one person who knew him so well. He never had to say things sometimes. Somehow she always knew what he wanted and needed better than he did.
"What's wrong?" she said as she saw the sadness wash over him.
He sighed "nothing."
"Yeah right? Like I buy that!"
He sighed deeper "If I tell you, I'll just ruin everything!"
"It can't be that bad. You can trust me."
"I know! That's exactly why I-" he stopped, causing her to look at him in confusion "Why what?"
He slumped in his chair "I'm going to miss you" he said in a quiet voice.
She was surprised for a moment, her heart fluttering; she smiled "I'm going to miss you" she said in a soft tone.
He smiled looking up at her "Yah?"
She walked over and laughed "Yes! As infuriating as you are sometimes, I really love working with you."
He laughed "Likewise" he said with a teasing grin. "HEY!" she frowned.
He laughed again "just kidding, Betty! I love working with you."
She bit her lip as their eyes seemed to be held by some magnetic force, but she shook her head snapping herself back to reality. "Ehm, so...Christmassy?"
He looked at her in confusion "What?"
She smirked "That's what you wrote in your text. You said my party looks magical and Christmassy" she laughed.
He blushed, "Uh...yah! I don't know! It looks like Christmas! What am I supposed to say?"
She giggled, shrugging "I don't know, actually."
He rolled his eyes "You're not even my assistant anymore and you're still trying to correct my grammar!"
She smirked "very funny! I was just messing with you. You're kinda cute when you act like a five year old!"
He looked at her in surprise "You think I'm cute?"
She blushed "I didn't mean it like that! I just meant, it's funny...uh"
He smirked "So, are you saying I'm NOT cute?"
She rolled her eyes "Shut up, Daniel! Speaking of assistants, I um...think I found a replacement for me."
He sighed "No one can replace you Betty!"
She bit her lip, trying not to get so emotional. He was giving her butterflies. "Well, I think Amanda should be your assistant. I know that she will take care of you"
He smiled, finding it sweet that Betty wanted to take care of him, even when she wasn't here. "I agree with you. Amanda knows me pretty well, and I can rely on her to keep me in check. Just like you always do"
She nodded with a sad smile. "Ehm, so...I guess, it really is goodbye."
He nodded, feeling the air was getting sucked out of him. Seeing the sad look in her eyes didn't help. She smiled "You know, this doesn't mean we can't still be friends?" she suggested, feeling her heart race.
He smiled "Yah! I would really like that! I can't imagine my life without you-uh I mean, without your judgy butterfly looks!"
She looked at him strangely, with a smirk "What?"
He laughed "You know that judgy look you give me when I do something stupid."
She chuckled "I see."
He laughed "So, I uh...I have a present for you"
She looked at him in surprise "You do?"
He nodded with a smile as he opened his desk drawer and pulled out two presents. He walked around his desk and led her to the chaise "have a seat"
She nodded and sat down as he handed her one of the gifts "Here, open this one first"
She smiled as she looked at the small gift, with the red and green wrapping paper. She tore it open and smiled brightly seeing the Christmas tree earrings. "Cute!"
He laughed "they made me think of you."
She smiled looking to him "thank you, Daniel" she felt her throat catch. He glanced at her, the smile on his face giving her butterflies again. "Um...I didn't get you anything, though." she had been so wrapped up with planning the party, she didn't have time to get anyone gifts.
He shrugged "It's ok, Betty" he handed her the other gift "You deserve it" he felt a lump in his throat. She held the other end of the light blue box in her hand; as she opened it she picked out a silver card holder. She opened it and saw her business cards for MYW as an editor.
She looked at him "I don't know what to say, but thank you. For everything" she felt her resolve fading especially seeing his eyes. "I'm very proud of you, Betty." his voice cracked just as much as her's did. Why was this so hard?
Daniel got up; she got up and stood in front of him trying to fight back tears. "I know you're destined for bigger things than this." he said.
She pulled him to her for a hug, feeling sad that this may be their last hug. As Daniel hugged her back, he wished he could hold on to her somehow. Her hugs were special. He was definitely going to miss getting them.
She took a breath, causing him to smile. "I guess I should go."
He nodded silently, as he followed her to the door. As she started to leave she stopped "Wait, so the other gifts weren't from you?"
He looked at her in confusion "What other gifts?"
She shrugged "nothing… Merry Christmas, Daniel" she felt her heart twist.
"Merry Christmas...Betty" he said as he stared at her in front of him, really wishing she didn't have to go. He glanced up catching a sliver of something shining. He smiled slightly, seeing the mistletoe hanging above his door. He gestured with his eyes for Betty to look up.
She looked up in wonder, but then her eyes grew wide "Oh gosh, I told Amanda to not put those everywhere!" she stated, but was surprised when Daniel pulled her to him, his arm around her waist. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him in shock, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Um...what are you doing?" she said, feeling breathless.
"I want to kiss you" he said in a low voice, his heart rate speeding up having her so close to him.
Betty stared at him, those hypnotizing eyes of his taking her breath away, his voice giving her butterflies. "Maybe we shouldn't." she felt she couldn't speak, her voice was barely audible. He placed his hand to her cheek, and smiled "It's just a Christmas kiss."
AN: Hope you enjoy! I'll have the next chapter up soon! =)