From that moment on, either one or the other always had something to do at
any given time. Even with some creative planning, it was Christmas before
they could get away.
Stephanie still had to sneak around to avoid any of her friends or band asking her to do anything. She felt rather silly sneaking around her own palace, but what must be done must be done, she reasoned. She was to meet Daniel at the bottom of the grand staircase at six o'clock. According to his last note, (they had resorted to passing notes to communicate) he had a surprise.
Again bundled up so that she could hardly move, Stephanie stood shivering at the bottom of the staircase. Daniel ran up exactly at six. "So sorry I'm late, had to take care of a few last-minute things."
"Th-th-that's okay. I'm j-j-just about to fr-r-r-reeze. N-n-n-no biggie."
"Sorry. One last thing. I need to blindfold you."
Stephanie glared at hi for a minute. "Fine. J-j-j-just so you get me out of this infernal c-c-c-cold."
Daniel laughed and tied a scarf around her eyes. "Now give me your hand."
Stephanie, still grumbling, obediently held out her hand.
Daniel led down the avenue and out into the snow-covered woods. After a few minutes of walking, they came to a large dead tree, seven or eight feet in diameter.
"Are we almost there?" asked Stephanie.
"Almost," replied Daniel. They walked around the tree and he pulled her through an opening into the hollowed-out middle. A fire was lit in a small fireplace, and the floor was covered with several rugs and pillows. A low table against one wall had two mugs and a large steaming pot of hot chocolate.
"I feel.warmth," commented Stephanie. "Can I open my eyes yet?"
Daniel took a deep breath. "Yeah, you can."
He undid the blindfold, and Stephanie gasped. "How did you find this place?" She exclaimed.
"I just happened upon it one day. Everyone helped hollow it out and design it for you."
Stephanie threw her arms around his neck. "It's a wonderful Christmas present."
Daniel beamed at her. "Hot chocolate?" he asked.
"Sure."
A few minutes later, Stephanie sighed happily. "I think that this has been arguably the best Christmas ever.
Daniel dropped his arm over her shoulders. "Oh really?" he asked.
Stephanie sighed again. "Yup."
"Do you remember a month ago when you asked me why I came after you?" he asked.
Stephanie nodded and looked up at him.
"I came after you because-" he took a deep breath and leaned closer to her. "-I love you."
A smile broke out on Stephanie's face. "I love you too," she whispered.
Daniel closed the distance between them, and he kissed her.
* * *
*Sigh* I love this story. Perhaps because I wrote it, but perhaps also because I was the leading lady. And before you ask, yes all the characters in my story are real, just the situation isn't. *Happy sigh*
I hope you enjoyed my story.
Please humor me and review it!
Merry Christmas! (or Happy Holidays, depending on your views)
Rhiannon Blume Freeman
Stephanie still had to sneak around to avoid any of her friends or band asking her to do anything. She felt rather silly sneaking around her own palace, but what must be done must be done, she reasoned. She was to meet Daniel at the bottom of the grand staircase at six o'clock. According to his last note, (they had resorted to passing notes to communicate) he had a surprise.
Again bundled up so that she could hardly move, Stephanie stood shivering at the bottom of the staircase. Daniel ran up exactly at six. "So sorry I'm late, had to take care of a few last-minute things."
"Th-th-that's okay. I'm j-j-just about to fr-r-r-reeze. N-n-n-no biggie."
"Sorry. One last thing. I need to blindfold you."
Stephanie glared at hi for a minute. "Fine. J-j-j-just so you get me out of this infernal c-c-c-cold."
Daniel laughed and tied a scarf around her eyes. "Now give me your hand."
Stephanie, still grumbling, obediently held out her hand.
Daniel led down the avenue and out into the snow-covered woods. After a few minutes of walking, they came to a large dead tree, seven or eight feet in diameter.
"Are we almost there?" asked Stephanie.
"Almost," replied Daniel. They walked around the tree and he pulled her through an opening into the hollowed-out middle. A fire was lit in a small fireplace, and the floor was covered with several rugs and pillows. A low table against one wall had two mugs and a large steaming pot of hot chocolate.
"I feel.warmth," commented Stephanie. "Can I open my eyes yet?"
Daniel took a deep breath. "Yeah, you can."
He undid the blindfold, and Stephanie gasped. "How did you find this place?" She exclaimed.
"I just happened upon it one day. Everyone helped hollow it out and design it for you."
Stephanie threw her arms around his neck. "It's a wonderful Christmas present."
Daniel beamed at her. "Hot chocolate?" he asked.
"Sure."
A few minutes later, Stephanie sighed happily. "I think that this has been arguably the best Christmas ever.
Daniel dropped his arm over her shoulders. "Oh really?" he asked.
Stephanie sighed again. "Yup."
"Do you remember a month ago when you asked me why I came after you?" he asked.
Stephanie nodded and looked up at him.
"I came after you because-" he took a deep breath and leaned closer to her. "-I love you."
A smile broke out on Stephanie's face. "I love you too," she whispered.
Daniel closed the distance between them, and he kissed her.
* * *
*Sigh* I love this story. Perhaps because I wrote it, but perhaps also because I was the leading lady. And before you ask, yes all the characters in my story are real, just the situation isn't. *Happy sigh*
I hope you enjoyed my story.
Please humor me and review it!
Merry Christmas! (or Happy Holidays, depending on your views)
Rhiannon Blume Freeman