Chapter 2 What's your problem

Autostrasse, Airport, Hansville, Germany

On the drive back to the airport, Dahlia sprawled across the back seat, sketching while Tod and Jason bickered up front.

"Dahlia, what do you think?" Tod called over his shoulder.

"About what?" she mumbled, not looking up.

"Girl, hand me that iPad. Let me see," Tod demanded, reaching back.

She sighed and passed it to him. "What the hell?" scrolling. "These are amazing. Why are you wasting time at that stupid intern job? You're ridiculously talented. Jason, look at this."

"Tod, the road's slick, and I'm driving. Can you not?" Jason snapped.

"Fine," Tod grumbled, tossing the iPad back to Dahlia. "Keep messing with these but mark my words..."

A song blared from the radio, cutting him off. "I love this song!" Tod shouted, belting out the lyrics like his life depended on it. Dahlia and Jason couldn't help but laugh. Loving Tod was unavoidable, he was a walking tornado of energy, impossible to resist.

The flight was ten hours long.

They made it home just in time for quick showers before collapsing into bed.

Chicago, US,

A week before thanksgiving...

The building stretched ten floors, and the elevators were always crammed. Dahlia slipped on her headphones and stepped inside. By the time most people had cleared out, she was just few floors from her stop.

The man in the corner kept glancing at her foot tapping to the beat and her long braid swaying slightly. The doors slid open again, and Henry stepped in.

She didn't even look his way. He yanked her headphones off.

"What's your problem?" he asked, his tone clipped.

"Don't touch me or my stuff," she snapped, holding up a hand. "This is the line. Cross it, and you'll regret it."

"You're insane. What did I even do? Where were you anyway?

"Oh, I'll tell you. Before the accident, I stopped by your office.

You and your little Barbie secretary were having a nice chat about me. 'Dumb girl'? 'Keep her for the holidays? Ring any bells?"

Dahlia watched his face pale. "Now leave me the hell alone." She jammed her headphones back on, cranking the volume loud enough to drown him out. Didn't notice the other man still watching them.

When she reached her floor, she stepped out. Henry stayed behind.

Dahlia walked to her desk, pulled off her headphones, and logged into her computer.

An email popped up about the holiday auction, a week date with the top bachelor, blah blah blah, in the Swiss Alps cabin they had to write a letter of what will they'll love to do for Christmas.

Okay, that's easy one word-nothing.

Conference room

The boss called everyone into the conference room, and they all stared at him like he was about to drop some earth-shattering news.

"I'm a little disappointed," he said, pacing. "We need something fast to market these... uh," he paused, squinting at the pants displayed on the screen, "whatever-the-hell these are that Janelle designed."

The room erupted into giggles.

"Alright, get to work, and we'll regroup at two."

As they filed out, Jane and Flora started whispering behind Dahlia's back.

"Are you living on a farm or something?" Jane laughed, eyeing Dahlia's oversized sweater.

Dahlia ignored them, plopping down at her desk. She glanced at the designer outfit on her screen. Who in their right mind would buy that? Definitely, she couldn't even afford it.

"Dahlia," Lance appeared out of nowhere, leaning over her desk. "Did you write that letter yet? Just checking in with everyone. Get it done today, okay?"

"Lance, don't you have someone else to annoy?" she replied, not looking up from her computer.

"Do it," he hissed, way too close to her ear.

"Personal space, Lance. Don't be a creep. Fine, look, I'm doing it now."

Christmas lets me become a child again, sipping cocoa with melting marshmallows while snow blankets the world outside. I want to build lopsided snowmen and collapse into snow angels, then warm my frozen fingertips beside a crackling fire. I want to breathe in the smell of pine, ran in the white vast until I can't breathe. I want to lay in the snow, and watch the snowflakes fall on my face, softly. Laugh.

This is my Christmas,

Dahlia

Then she hit send.

Jane laughed. You are a boring intern.

Dahlia ignored her.

Hey, Flora, she just wants snow for Christmas, Jane laughed. Then she walked away.

She was used to bullies, didn't grow up like normal children, she was fostered by a kind couple who did their best, and yeah, it was fine.

Dahlia had to grow up fast, no fairy tales there, searched for her parents.

Since she was fifteen, no memory of her childhood, with zero luck.

Now, it was just Tod and Jason, the duo who basically adopted her like a stray dog they couldn't resist.

They loved her, unconditionally and honestly, she couldn't imagine her life without them. Who the hell was Dahlia Fin? she wondered, leaning back in her chair.