Despite the heavy snowfall that covered most of the town, the streets of Ravenswood still bustled with people celebrating Christmas Day with their families. The colorful lights that adorn the storefronts, glistened against the night sky. Caleb Rivers sat in the back corner of the local coffee shop, as far away from the cheeriness as he could get. The Christmas music that was playing over the speakers was beginning to sound like nails on a chalkboard. Caleb wished he could just go back to his apartment and not emerge until the new year had begun. He always hated this time of year. Growing up in foster care, most of his Christmases were spent with families that either didn't care to celebrate or ones with kids of their own that obviously spent more on. When Caleb had arrived in Rosewood, he expected Christmas with Janet to be just the same. That was until he met Hanna. The beginning of November had been one of the best times of his life. But soon after, Hanna had found out about his betrayal and their relationship had crumpled. Which meant another lonely Christmas for Caleb. By the time Hanna had decided to trust him again, the new year had already began.
This year, Caleb plans for a better holiday has failed him once more. He was now living in Ravenswood. What had only started as a weekend stay to help Miranda, had turned into mission to find out the truth surrounding his ancestors and this town. It also meant saying goodbye to Hanna. It was the only way Caleb knew to keep her safe. He had already broke his promise to keep Miranda safe, he couldn't bare if anything happened to Hanna too. And ending his relationship with Hanna, insured she would keep her distance from him.
The bell on the shop door rang as his friends Luke, Remy, and Olivia entered from the cold outside. They were the reason he was sitting on this couch and not hidden away in his room.
"We were wondering if you were going actually to show up or not." Luke said.
Caleb sat forward, his arms resting on his knees. "Well you asked me to come and here I am. Did you find out anything more about the curse?"
Remy and Olivia exchanged looks before Remy spoke. "Caleb, we didn't invite you out to talk about the curse. We are worried about you."
"You've been obsessed with this curse since you got here. Remy's parents throw a Christmas party every year after dinner, why don't you come and join us. It will get your mind off of things." Olivia added.
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not exactly in a festive mood." Caleb replied.
"What about your dad? Why aren't you spending today with him?" Olivia asked.
Caleb sighed. "Because I told him I had other plans." He didn't get why his friends couldn't understand that he wanted to be alone. There was only one person that he wanted to be with today. But after the way him and Hanna had ended things, there was no chance of that happening.
"Why would you tell him that? He's your dad. You shouldn't be spending today alone." Olivia said.
Caleb abruptly stood up from his seat, "Look guys, I appreciate your concern but I didn't stay in this town to deck the halls and go caroling door to door. I just want to solve the damn curse that I am stuck in so that I can go home and try to salvage what is left of my relationship." Caleb yanked his coat off the arm of the chair and threw it on as he stormed out of the coffee shop. Outside the door, the bitter chill of the wind stung his face. Normally he would have regretted not driving his jeep into town but tonight he was glad to be walking. It gave him a chance to clear his head. He didn't even mind that the temperature was below freezing. He was just relieved the heavy snowfall had finally let up. Caleb stepped off the curb, making his way down the street to the Collin's manor.
"Caleb, wait up." Luke yelled, running towards him. "I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean for it to feel like we were interrogating you. It just seems like you have been pushing us all away lately. I get that you want to figure out what is going on, but you can't do this alone. It's dangerous."
"That is how I do things, Luke, alone. That's how it been my whole life." Caleb shouted.
"Is that why you have been avoiding Miranda too? We talked to her this morning. It was her idea to have you come to the coffee shop. She figured you would just slam the door on our faces or not even answered the door if we had came over." Luke said.
Caleb rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Things between me and Miranda are complicated. She's told me that she has feelings for me and I just don't feel the same about her. I am not looking to start a new relationship. And besides, even if I was, she's not exactly available."
"Can you please just consider coming to the party with us then? I promise you will have a great time." Luke pleaded.
"Maybe some other time. I have to go." Caleb patted his friend on the shoulder as he walked past him down the sidewalk. He only made it a few block when he abandoned his journey to sit on a bus bench, watching the travelers hurry to make the last bus home. Just a few weeks prior, he had arrived in this town in the same fashion. His goal at the time was to help Hanna and her friends hack into -A's computer. If only he had insisted to Hanna that he return with her. Things might have been so different. Hanna would have convinced her mom to let him stay in the guest room so that he would be there first thing in the morning to open presents with them. Then they would have most likely joined up with the girls, along with Toby, Ezra and Paige to exchange gifts of their own. Right now they would be finishing their evening curled up in a blanket on her couch, drinking hot cocoa, and watching It's a Wonderful Life. Hanna had told him once that it was a family tradition to watch it every Christmas night. It was the one thing that kept the holidays bright after her father left. And now for the second year in a row, he had left her to carry on the tradition alone.
Caleb buried his face in his hand as he tried to shake the thought of Hanna. He constantly needed to remind himself that letting her move on with her life, away from him, was the safest thing for her. No matter how much it hurt him.
"Sir. Sir?" Caleb looked up to see a stocky gentleman in a dark blazer giving him an agitated glare. Behind him a bus was parked along the curb. "Do you have a ticket to this bus or not? These benches aren't for loiterers. If you are homeless, there is a shelter up the street."
Caleb scoffed as he stood up to the man "I am not homeless. I just wanted to rest for a moment."
"Hell of a place to rest. Good luck with your hypothermia." The driver rudely stated before turning back towards the bus.
Caleb hesitated for a moment, then called out to the man. "Wait. Where is this bus headed?"
The guy sighed heavily as he pulled out his clipboard and flipped through the pages. "It looks like Harrisburg, Philadelphia, then Rosewood."
Rosewood. Maybe it was a sign from the universe that Caleb was meant to get on that bus. But when had the universe ever been that kind to him, he thought. No. He couldn't go back, back to Hanna. Not when he basically ripped her heart out when they had last spoke.
"So are you buying a ticket or not?", the driver spoke.
Caleb let his shoulders drop in defeat. "No, I am staying here."
The gentleman grumbled incoherently as he climbed onto the bus. Caleb yanked his hood over his head and shoved his hands in his pocket. He should have just ignore his friends and stayed inside all day. There wasn't a Christmas miracle in sight that could save this day for him. Caleb kicked the frozen snow pile in frustration as the bus pulled away from the street. When the view of across the street became visible, his eyes caught sight of a blonde figure. The wool hat and scarf covered most of her face but Caleb had no doubt it was her. He watched her pulled her phone from her pocket as she begin typing away on it. Caleb could see her brow was furrowed when she looked up from her phone, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes darted from left to right until they focused to the center. To his surprise, her face lit up with a smile when she spotted him.
Who knew? Maybe Caleb did believe in Christmas miracles after all.