|WATTYS 2021 Shortlisted| ❝Teach me.❞ ❝Teach you what?❞ ❝Teach me how to be a bad boy.❞
Elias Rodriguez has a crush on a certain cheerleader (since forever), but she has a thing for bad boys, not chemistry nerds. Lucky for him, the cheerleader's bes...
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Chapter fifty | A Large Distance
The market square was a dazzling sight to witness at this time of the year. My eyes jumped from one shop to another, scanning the various displays and discounts.
As my mouth opened to exhale, the air condensed to form a smooth cloud, disappearing as quickly as it came.
"So, what are you looking for?" Eli tugged my hand, bringing me to a halt.
I moved my eyes away from a certain display and met his icy eyes.
With small flecks of snow stuck in his hair, his nose turned to a pale shade of red similar to the muffler he was wearing.
"I am looking for some gifts for Navya and Connor. So, I need your help because I don't know what they like."
Eli hummed for a moment, a thoughtful look filling his face.
"Navya doesn't really care much about it, but you can get her some gift card or a candle. She likes to have those weird scents. For Connor, anything that is remotely silly makes him happy."
A brief chuckle escaped me at his descriptions of gifts.
We didn't talk much for the next hour as we browsed through the shops.
The air was light, with Christmas enthusiasm filling every corner. My hands were numb with the icy air as I had forgotten to wear my gloves, making me shiver.
Eli noticed my subtle gesture and tugged me towards a small cafe.
"Let's get you some hot chocolate," he said, taking both my hands into his.
I gave him a grateful smile as the warmth of his gloves surrounded my fingers.
As we entered the cafe, an inaudible hum of Christmas music filled the air. Christmas decorations and lights blinked at me from all the sides as a bright artificial Christmas tree sat in a corner.
We made our way towards the counter as the divine fragrance of coffee, and chocolate assaulted my nose. There were hints of peppermint and pine in the air, adding to the charm of the quaint setting.
"Can we get two cups of hot chocolate, please?" Eli didn't leave my hand even when he was reciting the order. The only time his touch moved away was when he had to get his card out. Even after my protests, he didn't let me pay for the drinks.
Soon, with our drinks in our hands, we made our way to the vacant tables.
The warm ceramic cup felt good under my icy fingers as the sweet scent of chocolate filled my nose.
I had to resist the urge to moan as the sweet flavor exploded on my tongue. This was better than the one I made at home.
"So, how did your talk with Connor go?" I asked, trying to fill the silence.
