The next day, I woke up with a giddy feeling bubbling in my stomach. Christmas morning! I dashed down the stairs, determined to be the first one to the living room and the glorious pile of presents beneath the tree. However, I met an unexpected roadblock-my little brother, Ethan, who stood at the bottom of the stairs with a mischievous grin.

"Not so fast, Evelyn!" he shouted, puffing out his chest in mock bravado.

"Move aside, Ethan! I'm getting to those gifts first!" I protested, trying to shove past him.

Just then, Alex appeared at the top of the stairs, surveying the scene with an amused expression. "What's going on here?"

"Help me, Alex!" Ethan pleaded dramatically. "If you help me win, I'll consider you the best guy Evelyn has ever brought home!"

Alex grinned, clearly entertained by the situation. In one swift motion, he grabbed my waist and lifted me up effortlessly, causing me to squeal and let go of my brother's arm. I could only kick my feet in protest, but it was no use.

"See you later, loser!" Ethan exclaimed triumphantly as Alex placed me down in front of the Christmas tree.

I pouted, crossing my arms as I watched my brother bounce over to the tree, clearly relishing his victory.

"What's with the face?" Alex teased, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "You look like you just lost your favorite toy."

I tried to maintain my pout, but it was impossible not to smile at his playful attitude. "I was so close! I had it in the bag until you decided to be a traitor."

"Hey, I'm just helping a kid out. You're still my favorite," he said, winking at me as he walked over to join Ethan and my parents.

Mom and Dad were already there, handing out gifts. The moment I arrived, they handed me a beautifully wrapped box adorned with a shiny red bow. I grinned, my excitement bubbling over as I tore into the paper.

"Open mine next!" Ethan shouted, practically bouncing on his toes.

As I pulled out my gift, I noticed Alex standing awkwardly to the side. My mom approached him with a warm smile. "And here's something for you, Alex!"

Alex looked surprised, almost taken aback, and he quickly thanked her. "I really appreciate it, but I didn't bring anything for you guys," he admitted, looking a bit embarrassed.

Mom waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. You've made our family a bit bigger this Christmas. That's more than enough."

After we exchanged gifts and enjoyed a delicious lunch that my mom had prepared, it was time for Alex and me to head back to the university. The car ride was filled with light chatter, and I felt a warmth in my chest just being next to him.

When we arrived at the university around brunch time, the common room was buzzing with life. I could smell hot chocolate and see the guys lounging around, playing trivia and laughing at each other.

"Hey, look who decided to show up!" one of the guys called out as Alex made his presence known.

I followed closely behind, still feeling a bit giddy from the morning's events. As soon as I stepped into the room, all eyes turned to us, and I could sense the air shift. They exchanged curious glances, sensing something was off.

"So, where were you two last night?" Dan asked with a sly grin. "Did you have a romantic rendezvous?"

"Or maybe you were out solving a mystery?" Max chimed in, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah, what kind of secret adventure did you two go on?" Thomas added, crossing his arms and smirking.

Alex and I exchanged a quick glance, and I could see the amusement flickering in his eyes. We both decided to play along, not confirming or denying anything.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Come on! You just disappeared and skipped dinner. You've got to give us something!" James said

"Okay, okay!" I laughed, throwing my hands up in mock surrender. "We were actually out saving the world. Nothing too big."

"Yeah, just your average superhero stuff," Alex added, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

As the banter continued, I glanced at Alex, who was laughing along with them. In that moment, I realized just how much he had come to mean to me. Despite the teasing and playful accusations, I felt a sense of comfort and connection between us that I hadn't felt before.

Chapter: The Uninvited Guest

As the laughter faded, the guys leaned in closer, clearly eager for more details about our mysterious night.

"Alright, let's get back to the matter at hand," Dan said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "What were you two really up to last night? Was it just cozy fireside chats, or were you plotting to steal Christmas?"

I rolled my eyes, glancing at Alex. "What do you think, Alex? Should we give them something to gossip about?"

"Definitely," he said, matching my playful tone. "Maybe we should tell them we discovered a secret lair for superheroes."

"Oh, please!" Max interjected, feigning disbelief. "Superheroes? More like two dorks under a blanket fort!"

"Hey!" I protested, but I couldn't help laughing. "We are not dorks!"

"Speak for yourself," James shot back, grinning. "I mean, if you're willing to trade secrets for hot cocoa, I think the dork title fits."

"Fine, I'll take the title of dork if it means I get free hot cocoa," I said with a mock sigh. "But I still want to know what you think we did, Mr. Detective."

"I bet you two were off exchanging heartfelt confessions," Dan suggested dramatically. "Alex probably spilled all his deepest secrets to you."

"Oh, please," Alex scoffed, shaking his head. "I wouldn't trust anyone with my deepest secrets. Especially not in this room."

The guys erupted in laughter, clearly enjoying the banter. "Yeah, because who would want to share their secrets with such a 'sophisticated' crowd?" Max said, rolling his eyes.

"Right? You guys would probably turn it into a running joke for weeks," I added, snickering.

The guys were still buzzing with theories about what Alex and I had been up to the night before when Rose suddenly strutted into the common room, her presence immediately shifting the energy.

"There you are, Alex! I was looking everywhere for you!" she exclaimed, glancing between the two of us with a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Hey, Rose! What's up?" Alex replied, a bit too casually.

"You went missing last night, and I was starting to think something happened," she said, settling into the seat beside him, too close for my comfort.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Alex cut in smoothly. "I was at home for Christmas, actually. My sister can vouch for me."

"Charlotte?" Rose echoed, her skepticism still visible. "You mean your sister?"

"Yep, she was there the whole time," Alex said, his tone relaxed. "You can ask her. She'll confirm it."

"Seriously?" Rose looked like she was weighing her options. "And you, Evelyn? Where were you?"

I hesitated for a moment but then decided to stick with my cover. "I wasn't feeling well last night, actually. Just had a headache and decided to take it easy."

Rose's eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to read my expression. "Really? So you just skipped dinner?"

I said, shrugging. "Just wanted to stay cozy at the dorm."

"Hmm," she said, crossing her arms. "It's all sounding a bit... suspicious."

"Rose," Alex said, trying to diffuse the situation, "seriously, ask Charlotte. She'll tell you I was there the whole time."

"Fine," she huffed, pulling out her phone. "Let's see what she says."

I watched anxiously as she dialed Charlotte, my heart racing a little. Would this work? A few moments later, Rose had Charlotte on the line.

"Hey, Charlotte! Quick question-was Alex with you last night?"

"Of course he was," Charlotte replied, sounding slightly exasperated. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"Okay, thanks!" Rose said, hanging up. She looked at me and then back at Alex, her expression softening. "Alright, I guess I believe you guys. I was just being silly, thinking you two were up to something."

I couldn't help but notice the change in her demeanor, the way her shoulders relaxed. "I'm just glad you guys were okay," she finally said, brushing off her earlier concern. "I thought I might have to come rescue you."

"Rescue us?" Alex teased, smirking. "What, did you think we were in a hostage situation?"

"Maybe!" Rose shot back with a laugh, trying to reclaim her playful attitude.

The guys all chuckled, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

"Okay, so we're all good here?" Dan asked, looking back and forth between Rose and Alex.

"Yeah, all good," Rose replied, her smile returning. "Just glad to know you weren't off doing something ridiculous without me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Alex said, leaning back in his chair, clearly happy to have averted any drama.

As Rose chatted more with the guys, I felt a strange sense of relief and satisfaction. Maybe we had pulled it off.

Rose's earlier concern seemed forgotten as the guys dove back into their trivia game, laughter echoing around the room. I exchanged a glance with Alex, who shot me a knowing smile, and I couldn't help but smile back to reassure him I was ok.