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You've signed up for a Secret Santa this year, be it in a hobby group, school, work, or just in your circle of friends. You've received a name and a small index card's worth of information about their likes and dislikes, so it's time to go shopping for them! Or, maybe you're receiving your own present? Was this a good idea or just extra holiday stress?
Louis wasn't a guy you noticed starting out. He was more the guy you failed to notice until you went looking for him or someone pointed him out. He was a wall flower, a green reed that clung to walls and grew tall and didn't bloom. Perhaps a creeping vine was a better description for him then? In either case, a holiday party at the end of the term wasn't a surprise, but what did come as a minor shock was the fact that someone had remembered Louis long enough to send him a personal invite. Not expected. Not anything one might have put much stock into. He certainly didn't. He was sort of apathetic to it all, almost choosing not to go. But they had picked names for a secret santa- and he was now expected to attend. A cunning trap in many ways he guessed. But overall just a chore. Another waste of his money and time.
At a minor loss in how he cared to handle or deal with it, Louis opted to call up a few people he knew, asking what to do. The list was fairly simple. Chocolates, ugly sweaters, no mint, allergic to nuts, (he was a little annoyed since so many things came with warnings on nuts couldn't they at least be a little more specific?). They liked red and gree and oh also gold! Trees and cute plants. But nothing holiday of course. Nothing festive. They wanted a year round gift. Whatever. Practicality is what they were going to get. They also liked movies, (not even saying what kind), and books, (also failing to state what kind. Thier person was really bad about talking about themselves Louis mused). A low groan, the man looked at his clock then at the card with the personal information, his phone call to a friend ended. They all gave the same advice really.
Get the chump a card to a coffee chain, call it good and then ******** the right out. That seemed to be the game plan the more and more Louis though about it. He had a few days until the party- but like all things time moved on with or without Louis's consent. Evcentually the day of the party arrived and in full swing, he was forced to confront his chosen person. Card and well, gift card presented, the remark made him want to snap her neck.
"Oh you... shouldn't have."
"No really, they have the worst coffee, and a gift card is just so- thanks I mean. I guess?" Blown off. He went back to his usual spot by the wall. No one noticed him leave. vines had a way of being there or not. You didn't notice them.
No one thought anything when the woman vanished and didn't return, it was getting late. Yet standing back at the wall, Louis smile a bit brighter, eyes a bit shiny. He'd never done it so close to people before, never run the risk.
It was worth it.
