#anyway it was really cute even if it was just a shameless plug for CS+ switch | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

searchingwardrobes · 2 years

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Hello, my Tumblr friends! I wanted to share this little story mainly so you would all know I’m not dead. Yes, I am also working on my Captain Swan WIPs, no worries. I also have some other stuff up my sleeves, especially for Christmas. I feel my muse slowly awakening, hallelujah!

In the meantime, I thought I’d share this story that I just put up on my website. I wrote this back in either September or October. I even remember where I was: at the Starbucks in Barnes & Noble. It was honestly a magical moment where I just really loved all my words, if you know what I mean. The characters, the setting, the humor, I just adored Hannah and Beau even more after writing this. Beau, especially. He’s just this awkward teddy bear of a person who I just want to hug. Constantly. Unlike the Barrett brothers, he’s not smooth with his words. I thought that would be really difficult to write, but it’s been surprisingly . . . sweet. And adorable. Especially after years of writing a lot of Killian, it’s been fun to create a different sort of romantic lead.

Anyhoo, I think this is a cute story even if you aren’t familiar with my cast of characters in fictional Lightport (loosely adapted from a really, really old CS fanfic of mine that no longer exists. Besides, it has now taken on a life of it’s own). So, I’m going to tag randomly. Sorry. If you wanted to be tagged, and I missed you, apologies. I also will not apologize for the shameless plug to buy books one and two of The Front Row Series HERE.

Years Ago . . .

The next time one of the youth leaders decides to “mix things up” for the Christmas Eve service, Hannah is not signing up. However, she did sign up for this year, and it’s too late. She’s standing here in front of everyone dressed as a giant candy cane.

Behind her, on the risers, are the rest of the youth group forming a living Christmas tree. Most are dressed in all green as the tree, but Hannah had to be her usual enthusiastic self when it came to Christmas and volunteered to be an ornament. She didn’t know, in her defense, what type of ornament she would be. Neither was she told that she would be wearing a white bodysuit and white tights covered in red tape for stripes. It would be cute.

If she were five.

Instead, she’s seventeen, and though she may be small-chested, a white body-suit is the last thing a developed teenage girl should be wearing. She feels naked, even though the sleeveless bodysuit has a modest neckline.

Nevertheless, she tilts her chin bravely and says her lines:

“Many years ago, legend says, a priest asked the village candy maker to create something to quiet the children during Christmas Mass. The candy maker made peppermint candy, but instead of making a stick, he curved the top like a shepherd’s crook . . .”

Hannah continued with the tale, explaining how the white symbolizes purity and the red symbolizes Christ’s blood. When Micah had read her lines, he’d rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“This is probably a load of crap.”

“You have no Christmas spirit, Micah Barrett,” she had teased back. Though how could he? With a dead girlfriend, a stint in juvie, and a leg that would probably never be the same again, he’d lost all his spirit, Christmas or otherwise.

She made the mistake of catching Micah’s eye in the congregation. At nineteen, he was too old for the youth group, though she doubted he would have participated anyway. He was barely containing his laughter at her costume, so she lifted her gaze to the balcony instead.

Once her speech was over, she sang her solo, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” It was her first solo; the only consolation for her terrible role. Not that it was her favorite Christmas Carol, but it wasn’t awful, either. Much better than “We Three Kings” which had been butchered by three middle schoolers. Whoever thought that was a good idea? Oh right, the same woman who put her in a giant onesie.

Her solo finished, Hannah turned and made her way back to the risers. Her thick red hair was soaked with sweat beneath the bright red beanie on her head. You know, since her costume wasn't embarrassing enough. She took her place next to “holly” and “ivy.” Behind her, playing part of the tree, was Beau. He leaned forward, and she could feel his warmth spread across her back.

“The song was beautiful,” he told her.

She shivered at his words, though they were far from romantic. Yet, for Beau Rockport, they were pretty significant. Four whole words. And he said “beautiful.” From his lips, that met, “your voice is like the sound of angels descending from on high.”

Hannah pressed her lips together so she wouldn’t grin like a fool in front of the entire church. The entire Christmas tree - ie the youth group - began to sing “Joy to the World.” Beau’s off-key voice struggled to blend with the other basses.

It shouldn’t have been cute, but it was.

A spotlight shone on the stage, and Hannah’s sister came out, looking ethereal in a white, sparkly dress. Though she was nineteen, and no longer in the youth group, the choir director didn’t think anyone else but Kate could sing “Oh, Holy Night.” Kate’s strawberry blonde hair had been hot rolled so the ends curled under. Her curves were beautiful yet tasteful in her long, beautiful gown. A halo nestled atop her head, and feathered wings were strapped to her back.

She was the angel on top of the tree, naturally.

Of course she was.

As Kate sang, Hannah felt the jealousy she had struggled with her entire life rise to the surface. She knew she shouldn’t feel this way, but seriously? She had to come out in a striped bodysuit, and her sister was a beautiful angel? They probably figured Hannah was the only girl flat-chested enough to pull it off. Not to mention that “Oh, Holy Night” was a million times more impressive than “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”

Kate finished her song to thunderous applause, then gracefully took her place at the very top of the risers. The entire choir sang “Silent Night” along with the congregation, signaling the end of the Christmas Eve service.

Thank God because Hannah couldn’t wait to get out of the embarrassing candy cane suit.

**************************************************************

Beau and Hannah had been in this weird place between friendship and “something else” for over a year now, and to be honest, Hannah was tired of waiting for Beau to make a move. They went out together often, but it was always unclear whether or not they were dates. There were times Beau slung his arm around her shoulder, or held her a bit longer than necessary when he enveloped her in a hug, and they even held hands sometimes, but Hannah was still completely confused over what it all meant. Was she still just a friend? Like a sister? She needed to know!

If Beau didn’t do something soon, she may do something crazy, like grab him and kiss him herself. Maybe that could be her Christmas present to him. She almost chuckled aloud at the thought.

Instead, she shoved the thought back as she struggled to keep hold of her plate of food in the Barrett’s crowded living room for their annual Christmas party. She hadn’t found Beau yet, though she’d been looking.

“Hey.”

And there he was. Hannah whirled around at the sound of his voice, and his nervous smile made her heart flip over.

“Hey,” she replied. “You did great, by the way, singing tonight.”

Beau turned bright red and grimaced. “I’m good at playing the guitar, but singing? I sounded awful!”

Hannah suddenly had a glorious picture in her mind of Beau playing the guitar to accompany her singing. It made her sway a bit as she smiled up at him dazedly.

“I think you’re just fine.” She gasped at what she’d just said. “I mean, your singing. It was just fine.”

Now Hannah blushed as Beau grinned at her knowingly. His gaze took her in head to toe, appreciation lighting his gaze.

“That dress is pretty.”

Four words. And “pretty.” He was on a roll tonight.

“Thank you,” she said, running her hands down the front of the red lace skirt, “much better than a candy cane bodysuit, right?”

“You didn’t look that bad.”

His face was as red as her dress now. Was he checking her out in that skintight suit? Her heart raced at the thought. Though she imagined she looked as flat as an actual candy cane. Then again, maybe Beau saw something she didn’t? She could only dream . . .

Beau said something that she couldn’t hear. She leaned closer. “What?”

He repeated himself, but she shook her head again in confusion.

“WHAT?”

“I SAID IS IT HOT IN HERE?”

The room seemed to quiet the minute Beau shouted his words for the third time. The two of them ducked their heads as they heard a few people chuckle. However, the room settled back down quickly, paying them no further attention.

“Um, a little,” she told him.

He shuffled his feet back and forth. “Could we step outside?”

She nodded, her pulse pounding. Was this it? The moment he was going to officially ask if she’d be his girlfriend? Was he going to kiss her? Hannah admonished herself not to get ahead of things as he led her through the french doors by the Christmas tree and out onto the Barrett’s patio.

“I . . . um . . . I’ve been working on a Christmas gift for you,” he told her the minute they were alone, “but I can’t give it to you in front of everyone.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

Beau cleared his throat and shuffled his feet again. “Micah has been helping me with it.”

It was evidently some sort of signal, because Micah stepped out from the shadows of the backyard with a guitar case in hand. He winked at Beau as he gave it to him, then headed for the french doors.

“Have fun,” he teased with a wink.

Beau shook his head and rolled his eyes as he opened the case and then settled the guitar strap over his shoulder. He cleared his throat again and gave her a nervous smile.

“This is your favorite Christmas Carol, so I learned it.”

Hannah gasped as Beau started to strum the guitar. As his voice began the words, it was slightly off key, but as he continued, he gained confidence. She could never honestly say he had a great singing voice like Micah did, but he had clearly worked hard on the song, and it showed.

“Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”

He actually sang all four verses, and by the end, Hannah had dropped onto a patio chair in awe, her hands to her open mouth. He strummed the last chord, then gave her a shrug and a hesitant smile. Hannah’s hands fell away from her mouth, and when he saw her grin, his own smile widened. She stood and approached him slowly, and when she reached him, she lifted the guitar strap over his head, and set aside his guitar in its case. Then she faced him once more, both hands to his chest.

“That,” she told him sincerely, “is the best present anyone has ever given me.”

“Really?”

She nodded, suddenly caught unawares by the intensity in his gaze. His eyes darted to her lips, and her heart beat wildly in her chest.

“Hannah,” he said thickly.

“Yes?” she murmured.

“Can I call you my girlfriend?”

She smiled at him teasingly. “On one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You have to kiss me right now.”

His golden brown eyes danced with mirth as he cupped her face in his hands and tipped her lips up to his. They touched just as flakes of snow began to fall to the ground. The kiss deepened as flakes caught in their eyelashes and clumped in their hair. Beau drew her closer against him, and she no longer felt the cold.

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#my writing #original writing #front row series #hannah and beau #christmas story #candy cane kisses #shameless self promotion

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