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Lily revved up the brand new truck she had recently finished paying loans for, just the last month in November. It was a beautiful black stallion, with a squeaky shine and the new-car smell Lily loved. Not even yesterday, she had put at least 3 sugar cookies and cinnamon-scented tags at the rearview mirror, creating a delicious concoction of holiday and new-car cheer.
She loved Christmas. Which was funny, because she thought she’d be bitter about the holiday after having her art scholarship revoked on that day last year.
She’d been drinking a tall mug of hot cocoa, only to have its contents splashed on the white fleece carpet she’d bought for her dorm room. Her hands trembled as her eyes skimmed over the email detailing her ejection from the program in favor of more privileged students.
In hindsight, it wasn’t a bad thing at all. She hated the people at her college, her roommate drove her out every night with her incessant 2 AM gossip and the art professors gave damn-all about her work.
Lily packed up her bags, tearful but determined to show them she didn’t need their money and moved in with her best friend from high school, Stephen.
Stephen wasn’t an art student, but he certainly had the personality and patience of one. He hadn’t even seemed surprised when she showed up at his flat at the crack of dawn, dehydrated and badly in need of a bright red power drink. He took her bags, handed her a giant two liter energy drink, and said “Merry Christmas. What took you so long?”
They broke a deal that she could stay as long as she never attempted to use the kitchen without his supervision. Stephen was a great cook. His amazing food got her through months of job applications and the long, anxious hours that came afterward.
The day she moved out, he made her a giant thermal of her favorite soup and she couldn’t help but tear up. He was such a good friend. Helping her with housing, encouraging her to get her truck, and look for her own place...people like him came once in a lifetime. She wanted to give him something amazing for Christmas this year.
Unfortunately, he had called her a few hours ago and informed her he was traveling to see their other highschool friend. Said friend was in his fifth year as an astrophysicist.
“Gray sure is an overachiever,” she said through grit teeth.
Stephen laughed over the phone. “I’ll tell him you said hi.”
That was that. She hadn’t had the vigilance to make any other friends, so unless she wanted to spend Christmas with her over-enthusiastic parents, she’d be spending the holidays alone.
Thinking of her parents reminded her of a tradition they had, where her dad would take her to a Christmas tree farm and let her pick the best-looking tree of the bunch. She hadn’t continued the tradition entering college, out of respect for not leaving evergreen sheddings in the dorm room.
But she was living solo now! And hey, guess who has a brand new truck for just the thing, she thought, pleased with herself. She really ought to give the truck a name.
Maybe Sally. Or Maeson!
Maeson.
She pulled her truck, Maeson, away from the driveway and began to drive to the closest Christmas tree farm she’d been able to locate online. She’d pick the mother of all trees, one that’d put the Rockefeller tree to shame.
The radio played a modern Christmas song and she found herself humming along, in a good mood for once and excited to get to her destination. After picking up the tree, she’d go to the store and raid their popcorn aisle. They only sold the chocolate peppermint popcorn during Christmas time and it was in her best interest to stock up.
She steered into the parking lot of the farm, already filling up with others looking for the perfect tree. However, Lily was more than up to the task. It only took a few minutes for her to find the perfect tree. Tall and wide, but small enough to fit the corner of her living room perfectly. Visualizing decorating it with ornaments and prop presents, she knew it was the one.
“Hey!”
Was that someone yelling at her? She turned around and saw a man pointing at her and walking in long, brisk strides. Upon closer inspection, it was a guy close to her age, roughly her height, maybe half an inch shorter. Lily was pretty tall. Or maybe he was just short. He had watery blue eyes and auburn hair stuffed under his black beanie.
She shifted in her boots. “Were you talking to me?”
He nodded, his expression severe. “Yeah. You can’t have that tree. It’s mine.”
“Excuse me?” It seemed quite obvious to Lily that she had seen the tree first, was the one standing in front of it, and it was therefore not “his” in any sense of the word.
“Just find some other tree and let me have this one,” he continued, in that type of annoying, calm voice that didn’t expect a fight.
Lily crossed her arms. “No, I don’t think so. Why don’t you find another tree?”
The guy’s eyebrows stitched up. “Listen lady--”
Lily chuckled. “Lady? We’re the same age.”
He frowned and quickly examined her outfit. She’d worn an ugly Christmas sweater and jeans, but it was probably the prep-school uggs that gave her away. He nodded and extended his hand. “So what’s your name then, lady?”
“Lily,” she replied, shaking his hand and quickly extracting her fingers. His hand was ungloved and colder than a block of ice. “Yours?”
“Jimmy Bae.” He tucked his hands back inside the pockets of his windbreaker and peered at her like she was a rare specimen of fowl. Likewise, preening her hair self-consciously, she turned back to the tree they had been arguing over.
“I came all the way here, so I’d appreciate it if you let me buy this tree, Jimmy Bae.”
He hummed agreeably and Lily felt her lips form into a faint smile.
“I don’t care though.”
Ah, so he’d be doing this the hard way. She sighed and shot him an irritated look, which only intensified when he crossed his arms in conceited detail.
“How’s this? If you can give me 5 reasons why you should get the tree and I shouldn’t, I’ll pay for it on your behalf,” he offered. Lily squinted. Generous, but Jimmy Bae didn’t seem the type to give away Christmas trees. He obviously thought she wouldn’t be able to do it.
She began tapping her chin with her index, theatrically cocking her head to the side. She took a large step forward and grinned when he flinched in surprise. Taking several steps forward, she circled him in slow measured footfalls, trapping him in an invisible interrogation room.
“I’ve been shopping for trees since I was 5. You?”
Jimmy shrugged. “Since I was 12.”
Lily nodded deliberately, scoring one in her box. “Right, so I’m the seasoned expert. One point for me. I can name more than 30 species of Christmas tree and you can name...”
Jimmy paused before rattling off the common and scientific names of 33 species of Christmas tree. “Picea pungens, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Abies procera, Pinus sylvestris--” He didn’t skip a single beat and Lily begrudgingly accepted that was a point in his favor.
“What a freak,” she muttered.
He stuck up his finger, shaking it at her. “Not freak. Botanical science major.” She stared at his finger for a moment before snickering. Was she supposed to take him more seriously after hearing that? What was his motivation?
“So that’s one point for each of us,” Jimmy said, ignoring her ridicule. “I’m obviously going to win if we go any further, so this question is worth five points.”
“Okay...” She didn’t appreciate his pride, but she did want to hurry up the process so she could claim the tree and take it home.
“Guess my favorite--”
“Reindeer? Comet.”
Jimmy stuttered. “I-I didn’t even--”
“Didn’t need to,” Lily interrupted. “Guys like you always stan Comet.”
He snorted. “I don’t stan reindeer.”
“Mmhm.”
“And you’re not even right!”
“Am I not? Are you not Comet-biased?”
He pursed his lips and massaged the space between his brows before sighing. “Okay, fine.”
Lily permitted herself a little congratulatory dance, shimmying her shoulders where Jimmy could see. He rolled his eyes and the tease behind his half-hearted smile didn’t elude her. “That’s what I thought.”
She flexed her arms in front of her. “Don’t feel too bad Jimmy, I’ll make sure the tree is nice and cozy at my place.”
“It’d look better at mine.”
“Hey now, don’t be a sore loser.” He grinned and Lily had to make a concentrated effort not to stare at how much friendlier he looked. He was kinda cute, in a very rough out-doorsy way. He probably tanned great.
“You’re annoying, you know that?”
Her eyebrows lifted, her earlier thought about him being cute instantly redacted. “I’m annoying? You stomped up to me and demanded I give up the perfect tree.”
“I left to go get the guy who cuts down trees,” he argued. “I was here an hour ago searching for the best tree, so yeah, I couldn’t just let you have it.”
“Finders keepers, Jimmy,” she said, shaking her head. She stepped up to the tree and hugged it around the best she could, the soft fir brushing against her face. “Gwennie is coming with me.”
He scoffed. “Gwennie? You named the tree already?”
She reddened. “Yes, I did. Is there a problem?”
“What’s your car named?”
“M-maeson.” There was an awkward silence between the two, and Lily realized passersby were staring at her as she hugged a random Christmas tree in a parking lot. She peeled away from the tree and threw her hair over her shoulder, suddenly embarrassed. Jimmy looked like he was holding in a laugh, which she found both irritating and endearing.
“You’re one of those people who label every drawer in their house like a kindergarten teacher, huh,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Is that what you do?”
“No, I’m an art major. Well, was .”
“College’s too hard?”
“College’s too greedy,” she huffed.
“Can’t argue with that,” Jimmy nodded.
“What do you even do with a botany degree?”
“When I graduate, the Lorax comes down and grants me the authority to speak for the trees,” he replied seriously, ignoring the disbelief on her face. Walking over to the Christmas tree, he also wrapped his arms around in and leaned in like he was listening to it speak. “Yeah, yeah. Seymour here says that he wants to come home with me.”
It was Lily’s turn to scoff. “This tree is not a Seymour.”
“Seymour says he disagrees.”
“Hate to break it to you, but Gwennie is mine now. So let go of the tree.”
“Nah, I think I’ll stay here a while.”
There was another bout of silence between them, a lot less awkward but a little more strained. Her amber eyes came to level with his blue ones, and neither of them was willing to break it off until Lily finally clapped her hands together after a moment. “Since it looks like we’re going to be here a while, I’m going to grab us some coffee. Any preferences?”
“Black.”
“Liar.”
He squinted. “How are you so sure all the time?”
She shrugged. “Black is gross, that’s just common sense. How’s a frappuccino?”
“Fine, I guess.”
Lily’s lips quirked to the left. “Be right back then.”
But she couldn’t resist turning around, a smug smile on her face. “Just so you know, you look really stupid hugging that tree.”
He wrinkled his nose. “You did it first, lady.”
“Lily. My name is Lily!” She stormed off, hands bunched inside her coat, leaving so quickly she missed when Jimmy looked down and grinned as he muttered under his breath and tried to stop the flush from reaching his face.
“Okay. Lily.”
~!~
When she came back, Jimmy was sitting next to the tree, though close enough for her to get the message she wouldn’t be leaving the lot with the tree without a fight. Lily didn’t like fighting anyone that wasn’t her insurance agent, so she wordlessly sat down next to him and handed him a small styrofoam cup.
“Sorry, the lot’s kitchen isn’t exactly Starbucks. Best I could do was two sugars and some dry creamer.”
He shrugged and sipped from it slowly. “Better than nothing.”
“There a particular reason why you want this one and not the literally hundreds of other trees you could choose from?”
“Same reasons as you. Perfect height, fits my cabin.”
She nearly spit out her coffee, and Jimmy gave her an arched look. “Sorry, I thought I heard you say you live in a cabin.”
“I do.”
“Like...seriously? You make fires and chop wood and skin your moose?”
“I can do all that, but my cabin has electricity and a fridge, so I’m good on that, thanks.”
“Ah.” Well, Jimmy dressed like a typical highschool student but Lily supposed he didn’t have a stick figure for a body. That wasn’t a bad thing. “You live by yourself?”
“Why, wanna come over?”
“You know, it’s okay to tell me you’re a homeless college kid who just dropped out to fulfill his passion for plants,” Lily said flatly, ignoring his invitation. She aggressively drank her coffee, gulping it all down as he looked at her with an acutely pissed off look.
“I’m not homeless. I’m living there temporarily to research this area’s ecosystem.”
“I believe you.”
She did, but she intentionally said it sarcastically, grinning at the infuriated expression on his face. Jimmy Bae must’ve been so used to being the one who made the jokes and got the last laughs. Things like that didn’t get away from her.
She watched him finish the rest of the coffee before standing up and outstretching her hand to help him up. He clicked his tongue, annoyed, but accepted her hand up. Reminded about how uncomfortably cold his hand was, she quickly attempted to retract her hand from his. However, Jimmy held on, his fingers having a deadlock on hers. She could feel the chill from his hands seep into her skin like he was a cold-blooded reptile.
She clenched her teeth, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”
“Let’s fight, Lily.”
“Sorry, didn’t realize we’d been hugging and kissing for the last thirty minutes.”
“I mean a physical fight. For the tree.”
Lily gaped at him. “I mean, if you insist.” Her other hand shot out to grab his forearm before twisting around and yanking him forward to violently flip him over her shoulder. She threw him onto the concrete and he landed so hard the breath was knocked out of him. She held him down by his neck, just below his jugular. “But you should know I don’t like fighting.”
He grinned and Lily briefly wondered if he was a masochist. Not hot.
“I bet you’ve been waiting your whole life to do that.”
She pressed down harder on his neck. “Tis the season, dumbass. Wanna die?”
He exhaled with great trouble before his one free arm suddenly took hold of her ponytail and yanked her head backward. She hissed as pain jolted through her scalp and accidentally let go of Jimmy. He quickly took the opportunity and pushed her away, getting back on his feet and backing away a distance. Lily slowly stood up, undoing her ponytail, wary of it being used against her again. Jimmy was standing hunched as if he were a predator and his eyes had an animalistic streak to them, as if he were enjoying this. Seeing this, Lily’s face crumpled and tears started to form in her periphery.
“Hey, that was really scary.”
Jimmy's expression froze and he slowly unfurled into a more natural standing position. “You’re scared?”
She nodded reluctantly and tried to brush away any tears that might spill over. He stiffly walked towards her, arms slightly outstretched as if he intended to hug her. “Hey, uh...don’t cry. I didn’t actually mean to hur--”
She snapped back her hairband and it collided with Jimmy’s left eye. He cursed, an infuriated grin on his face. “Ha. I see you.”
Lily shrugged, an equally wild smile on her face, and tears evaporated. “Ready to give up Gwennie?”
“It’s a tree. And his name is Seymour.”
“Don’t act like this was my idea. You started it.”
“Well.” Jimmy took a step forward, right into her personal carbon zone. “I better finish what I start then.” She squinted, unsure of what he was about to do. Then his hands were suddenly caught in her hair again and he was yanking her whole head forward towards his knee.
Panicked, her arms whipped out and grabbed around his neck in a headlock. Jimmy wheezed for breath, his features twisted in pain. “Why are you so strong?”
“Why are you fighting a girl?”
“I don’t discriminate!”
“We love to see it! Now let go!”
They collided and rebounded, onlookers keeping clear of them and wondering how a festive holiday tradition had turned into a brawl for the two.
After a few minutes, Jimmy rolled his neck, visibly tired and surprised at the fact. They were both running out of steam and Lily didn’t think she had the energy to toss him anymore. They were thinking it was time to wrap it up.
“You know what, I don’t usually punch girls.”
“Yeah, me neither, but I’m willing to make an exception,” she shot back, readying a punch. Jimmy swung back his arm, doing the same. A voice in the back of head was questioning why she was fighting this guy she’d met just an hour ago. She did not care this much about one tree. She bet she could find three more just like it in the same lot. But it was because Jimmy Bae had picked the same tree and he got on her nerves. So obviously, she had to spite him.
They cross-punched each other in the face. At least, they tried to. Lily was disoriented from the fighting they’d done before, and Jimmy was pretty sure he’d black out if Lily flipped him over her shoulder one more time.
As a consequence, they both missed completely.
Jimmy overshot and Lily underswung. He stumbled into her and they both hit the ground, their vision swimming and coming in and out. Lily felt an odd weight on top of her body and realized to her horror that Jimmy had fallen on top of her. Jimmy realized the same thing at the exact same time, and they both sprung up as if someone had set them on fire.
She held up her arms, ready in case Jimmy tried to pull something again. He did the same, but neither moved from their positions. They just heaved heavily in and out, their breaths coming out in large smokes of ice and vapor. At that moment, the large bell of the farm’s watchtower began clanging and snow started to fall down in light wisps. Lily looked up for a moment, caught in a haze, before her eyes resettled on Jimmy, who had also been distracted by the snow. He returned her gaze to hers and in an unspoken agreement, they both relaxed and walked towards each other.
“Sorry,” Lily muttered, brushing off the shoulder of his jacket.
“Sorry,” he replied, doing the same for her. Her hair was a mess, so she didn’t argue when he leaned a bit closer and brushed a strand away from her face. It felt kind of nice, but he didn’t need to know that.
A stray shopper bumped into him, pushing him forward, where his nose briefly made contact with Lily’s. They cringed and took giant steps backward in opposite directions.
Lily sighed, brows furrowed. “Mind your personal space, headass.”
“It was an accident , headass.” Jimmy once again shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at the pavement, avoiding Lily’s gaze. “Look...”
She held up her hand before he could continue. “No. No, you can have the tree.”
Jimmy grunted in frustration. “I’m insisting, Lily.”
“No reason to do that,” she said. “I don’t want the tree anymore so I’m letting you have it.”
“Why are you arguing with me again? I’m trying to be nice.”
“Aw yeah, you’re doing a great job buddy.”
His face contorted in half-disgust, half-confusion. “Screw you.”
“You wish you could.”
“Hey, hey, hey!”
They abruptly stopped, Lily halfway choking Jimmy by his collar and Jimmy with a fistful of her hair. A man in a plaid sweater, thick brown snow boots, and an unamused expression stormed towards them. “What do you think you’re doing! This is public property, not a fight ring! There are children here! And more to the point, it’s Christmas; buy a tree or I’ll kick you both out for trespassing!”
“B-but--” they stuttered together.
The man pointed at the tree behind them, the tree they had started the whole debacle. Another man in a similar plaid sweater was leaning against a tall axe, waiting for his cue. “I sent my lumberjack over here to cut the tree. Let him do his job, pay for the tree, and get out of here. Both of you!”
They let go of each other, both in despair.
“Sir, you can’t cut down that tree yet!” Jimmy said.
“We haven’t decided who it belongs to,” Lily added, running her fingers through her hair to catch the snags Jimmy created.
The owner’s jaw slackened and the both of them flinched, sensing they’d made a mistake. They wordlessly shuffled aside, letting the lumberjack do his thing and cut down the tree.
Lily tapped her foot against the asphalt, restless. “Hey, so who’s gonna take it?”
“I already told you you could have it,” Jimmy grumbled.
“Fine.” She held back a snort when Jimmy tensed.
“You’re not going to fight me?”
She shook her head. “We’ve done enough of that for one day.”
They said nothing further, but Lily could swear Jimmy seemed disappointed. He checked the time on his phone and sighed. “I’m out of here.”
Lily’s stomach jumped. He couldn’t just leave after all that! She’d never see him again and she needed his number so she could contact him when the hospital bills arrived.
She nabbed him by the shoulder of his jacket, preventing him from going. He glanced at her before grinning. “I thought you didn’t want to fight anymore.”
Lily blinked, baffled. “We need each other’s numbers. So I can pay for your hospital bills and you can pay for mine.” And it might have been nice to have Jimmy’s contact information. In case they ever wanted to hang out. Or fight over a Christmas tree again.
Whatever.
Jimmy raised an eyebrow like he didn’t believe her, but he handed his phone to her and they swapped numbers. Lily’s fingers slowed as she inspected his phone. He had one of those “dad” phone cases that were built to endure hurricanes, tornadoes, and accidental drops into toilets.
“Your phone is so girly,” Jimmy commented, turning the phone in his hand and examining the glittery magenta gems embedded in her case.
Lily blushed and snatched it back. She thrust his phone back into his fumbling hands. “Don’t be rude.”
“I wasn’t making fun of it,” Jimmy said, scratching his head. “I think it’s kind of cute.” He smiled at her and it was so genuine Lily could only huff and cross her arms, staving away thoughts of Jimmy being attractive when he smiled.
The lumberjack finished cutting down the tree and they watched Gwennie fall down in a great plume of pine. Jimmy followed Lily, who directed the worker to her truck. She brought out her wallet to pay for it before Jimmy pushed her hand away and deposited a stack of green bills into the lumberjack’s hands. The lumberjack took off while Lily was still sputtering.
“I could’ve paid for the tree!”
Jimmy shrugged. “I told you you could have it. Merry Christmas.” He pointed to her truck. “This is Maeson, right?” She nodded, suspicious, until he patted the hood of the car, admiring the shiny black finish. “Maeson, I’m Jimmy.” He paused, taking a moment to laugh at himself. “I am talking to your car, Lily.”
She nodded, warmth filling her chest all of a sudden. “Go on.”
He made a funny face. “Well, Maeson, your owner seems to hate me and I can’t say the feeling’s not mutual. But she is pretty kickass. And pretty in general.”
Lily’s face cracked into a smile. “Maeson’s not weak to flattery.”
Jimmy shrugged again and Lily rolled her eyes, thumping Jimmy on the shoulder before climbing into the truck and starting the ignition. "I'll see you later, mountain man."
He stared at her through the window, looking like she’d cut him off before he could say something. She waited for the confused expression on his face to transform into audible words, but after a moment, it became awkward so she flipped on the headlights and shifted the gear into reverse.
“Lily!”
That’s what she thought. She scrolled down the rear window and poked her head out. “What?”
He sniffed. “Won’t you need help bringing the tree into your house?”
“No. I’m stronger than I look.”
She giggled when Jimmy squirmed at that statement. “But since you’re asking, I guess I could use some help. Wanna come along?”
“Alright. But you gotta drive me home. Cabin in the mountains, remember?”
“I can do that,” she said brightly. “Hop in.”
And that was how Jimmy ended up at the grocery store with Lily, helping her pick out popcorn. She selected a giant bucket with 4 types, only for Jimmy to lift it from her arms and tell her to buy a different type.
She scowled. “What’s wrong with you? I like the one I chose!”
“If you like expired snacks and food poisoning, be my guest,” he snarked, with that damn smug smile again. “I’m just watching out for you.”
She held back a retort, realizing he was right and she had picked a bucket of expired popcorn.
“...cookies?” she finally said, after poring over her choices.
“And hot chocolate,” Jimmy added, utterly serious.
Lily gave him an odd but amused look, and the frown on Jimmy’s face wobbled into a smile.
“Fine. And hot cocoa.”
~!~
She and Jimmy were finished unloading the Christmas tree, which was now nicely situated next to Lily’s fireplace. They stood outside at her door and Jimmy held a disposable cup of steaming hot cocoa Lily had made for him. Lily had one in hand as well, mostly so she’d have an excuse to be out there with him.
“Thanks for helping me out.”
“Had to make sure Seymour got here in one piece,” he joked.
Lily grinned. “Ha. I knew you had an ulterior motive.” She nudged him by the side. “If you ever wanna hang out or something...”
He chuckled. “Or...something?”
“Yeah, that something else being letting you walk back to your cabin by foot.”
“Nah, you’re too nice for that,” he said softly, sipping from the cup.
Lily could not wait to tell Stephen what she’d just heard. “Nice? I beat you up in a tree lot.”
Jimmy clicked his tongue. “Technically, we beat each other up.”
“Yet here we are having cocoa.”
“Funny.”
“Hilarious .”
Jimmy wrinkled his nose. “This was not how I imagined this day turning out.”
Lily tensed, not sure how he meant it. “In a good way, right?”
He laughed roughly. “I got a back sprain and a dislocated thumb. Of course in a good way, dumbass.”
She stared down at her cup, face turning red. “Oh. G-good.”
“No hard feelings.”
“Yeah, me neither.”
Jimmy knocked a knuckle against her head affectionately and they enjoyed the rest of their cocoa in the freezing weather.