A Christmas wish

Chapter 1

The cold air hit me like a slap as I parked in front of Elena’s house. My hands clutched the steering wheel, knuckles white, and I stared at the warm glow spilling from the living room windows. It was strange — this house had always been my safe place, the one spot in the city where I felt like I could breathe, but today I felt trapped before even stepping inside. As if my whole word was beginning to clash down on me.

I leaned back in my seat, letting out a shaky breath. I wasn’t afraid of Elena, not exactly. I was afraid of myself. Afraid of the words I might have to say. Afraid of admitting that, once again, I wanted to run away but my gut stopped me.

I stepped out of the car, the winter air slicing through my coat, and forced my feet forward. One step. Two steps. The door loomed in front of me, wreaths and holiday decorations making it look cheerful, almost mocking my hesitation.

“Liam!”

Her voice rang before I could knock, and the door swung open. There she was, leaning slightly against the frame, one hand resting on her round, pregnant belly, the other waving me inside. Elena. Her smile was bright, teasing, and somehow made the air inside warmer than the cold outside.

“Hey,” I muttered, trying to sound casual.

“You made it! Come in,” she said, stepping aside. “Maya’s at school, Charles went to pick her up, so it’s just us for a while.”

I nodded and stepped in, the warmth of the house immediately embracing me. The faint smell of baking drifted from the kitchen, mixed with the soft hum of the heater. The quiet was comforting, almost intoxicating. I shifted from one foot to the other, unsure where to start.

Elena moved behind me, closing the door with a soft click. She leaned against the counter, one hand on her belly, her expression suddenly serious. “Liam… what’s going on?”

I froze, staring at the floor. Typical Elena always protective and just like that The words I’d been rehearsing for weeks felt heavy in my throat. I couldn’t just say them outright. Not here, not now. Not with Elena watching me like she could see straight through every wall I’d built like she always does throughout high school and college.

“I… I’ve been thinking,” I began slowly, voice low, “maybe… maybe I should leave.”

Her eyes widened, then narrowed, and suddenly she threw her hands up like she wanted to shake some sense into me. “Leave? Are you serious? Liam, what are you thinking?”

I flinched slightly. “I… I just—”

“Don’t! Don’t even try to justify it to me!” she interrupted, stepping closer, hand still on her belly. “You think walking away will solve anything? You think going back home will erase all the pain? Liam, listen to me — your parents didn’t define you, the bullies didn’t define you, and you damn well aren’t going to let yourself be defined by heartbreak!”

I swallowed hard, feeling my chest tighten. Her voice wasn’t just anger; it was fierce and protective, like she was ready to fight for me even if I wasn’t ready to fight for myself.

“I just… I don’t know if I belong here anymore,” I mumbled, barely audible. “Maybe… maybe leaving is better.”

Elena threw her hands into the air again, pacing a few steps, gesturing wildly. “Better? Better for who? Better for the ghosts you’re trying to outrun? Liam, you survived everything — your parents, the teasing, the endless nights of feeling like no one would ever see you for who you are — and now you’re just… leaving? What of me, Charles,Maya and the baby? ” Her voice wavered between frustration and something softer, almost pleading.

I sank onto the edge of the couch, burying my hands in my coat sleeves. “I don’t know what else to do,” I admitted.

Her tone softened, but the intensity didn’t fade. She knelt slightly to be closer to me, resting her hand on my shoulder. “Liam… you can’t just run from life. You’re smart, thoughtful, stronger than you think. And you’re not alone — not now, not ever. You have me. You have people who care. And you’re about to throw all that away because it’s… hard?”

I shook my head slowly. “It’s not that simple.”

“Nothing worth living is simple!” she exclaimed, pointing at me, a fierce glint in her eyes. “You’ve spent your whole life thinking people didn’t see you, thinking you had to hide, and now you’re just going to walk away again? No. Not on my watch.”

I swallowed, feeling a mixture of guilt, relief, and something I couldn’t name pressing in my chest. She wasn’t just scolding me. She was trying to protect me from myself, from making a decision I might regret.

Elena sighed, a little exasperated now, but there was a softness to her expression as she straightened up. “Fine,” she said, a teasing note creeping into her voice. “Since you’re so stubborn, I’ll just have to use this one month — the one month you’re still here — to change your mind. Deal?”

I looked at her, at her belly, at the empty house, at the cold winter outside… and slowly, I nodded. “Deal,” I muttered.

She grinned, triumphant, and tapped my shoulder. “Good. Because I’m not letting you give up on yourself. Not now. Not ever.”

I leaned back into the couch, letting the tension in my chest ease slightly. Maybe this one month wouldn’t be unbearable. Maybe… it could even be the start of something new.