ELEVEN

                                    

                                          
11|CHRISTMAS
Her hand dropped from his arm as they stepped inside the warm town hall, the sounds of voices greeting them. Amaryllis looked around the hall, eyes immediately landing on her group of friends. She turned to look at Gilbert, smiling a small farewell before wandering over to her friends.
"Good morning, girls." She greeted, dusting the snow from her hair.
"Why were you with Gilbert?" Ruby asked, a hint of jealousy in her voice as she demanded an answer.
"We walked here together." Amaryllis smiled, placing her right hand over her left, hiding the ring still hidden under her gloves hand.
"Come along, girls." Mrs. Lynde called out, beckoning for the girls to continue with their tasks for the play.
"I promised Gilbert I would help him." She tried to ignore the teary-eyed look Ruby gave her, ignoring their mumbles of her betrayal. Amaryllis stopped beside him, gentle hand tapping his arm to gain his attention.
"Need any help?" She grinned, moving to sit down on a crate beside him. Her curious brown eyes watching him set up the sandbags and ropes for the back drops.
"Actually, yes." He smirked back, watching as the grin fell from her face.
"Oh, uh."
"I was joking." Gilbert chuckled, straightening his back and towering over her. "You just keep sitting there looking pretty."
"Pretty?" She questioned, blushing a deep red at the compliment. She could feel her cheeks burning all the way to the tips of her ears.
"Oh, uh, yeah." Gilbert stuttered, his cheeks growing hot. "You are beautiful."
"Merci." She mumbled quickly, hiding her face behind her hand, eyes unable to meet his. Their moment was suddenly disturbed by a crash and scream of pain, both running towards the source of noise. Cole lay on the floor holding his wrist, the limb bent in the wrong direction. "Oh mon Dieu!"
"Cole, are you alright?" Gilbert asked carefully, kneeling down beside Cole. "Stay still. Don't move."
"Is he alright?" Mrs. Lynde asked, running off the stage as fast as she could.
"His wrist is definitely broken." He concluded. "I don't know what else."
"It was an accident!" Billy defended himself, watching the crying boy on the floor with fear. His expression screamed innocent but his eyes silently hid his guilt. "I swear!"
"We need to get him to a doctor." Amaryllis stated, lowering herself down beside Gilbert and stroking the hair out of Coles face. "You are going to be just fine, I promise."
___

Amaryllis shot up in bed, excitedly remembering what day it was. She threw her legs over the side of the mattress, feet sinking into her slippers as she ran to the door. Throwing open the creaky oak door, her fist pounded against Gilbert's bedroom door, leaving him know time to answer before bursting into the room. She rushed forwards, settling down on the blanket by his feet. She barely took in his startled expression, her own excitement blinding her.
"Merry Christmas!" Amaryllis flung her arms open widely.
"Marie? Are you alright?" He asked with a groggy morning voice, slowly pulling his body up to lean against the headboard.
"Perfectly perfect!" She giggled, grinning widely to him. She threw her body down on his bed, spread out across the end as he pulled his knees up to give her room. "Because it is Christmas."