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35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IC9zL6YZJ
Anthony's cell phone rang. He kicked the door, and rage bubbled within him. "Not again."
The phone kept ringing.
He grabbed a gingerbread man from the lime-colored kitchen and walked into the tiny bedroom. Paintings of dragons covered the walls. He sat on the green comforter that covered the single bed, and his eyes narrowed.
The phone kept ringing over and over again.
"You should block her," Oceania yelled from the living room.
"Mother keeps calling from a new number." Anthony bit the gingerbread man's head off before he answered the frantic ringing. He finished the cookie to drown out the sounds of his mother's screaming.
"Why didn't you show up? She was all dolled up and jilted at her own wedding. Why would my son humiliate my friend like that?"
"Because I never met her, and I'm already married!"
"You couldn't have married Oceania. Why would a princess marry you?" Mother screeched over the phone.
The phone shook in his hand. His dark hair covered his tired eyes. "No, Mother, I don't care if you're embarrassed. I didn't show up at my wedding because I married my best friend last week. You told me no woman would want to marry a guy as ugly as me, but a real princess did."
"You were supposed to marry the woman I chose for you, and how could you not invite me? I'm your mother. Your stepmother was invited, but not me. I'll never forgive you for that," she said over the phone.
He stepped around the tiny room and rested his hand on the green dresser. "My stepmother isn't a terrible human being, and she wouldn't have arranged a marriage with her drunk poker buddy. She took me to the movies every time you didn't show up for your visitations."
"I showed up once a month, which was more than you deserved. By law, I own you until you're married. My other kids are attractive, and I blame your father. Your nose is enormous, and you need braces."
A gasp left his lips. "Your chosen bride married someone else at the wedding. She picked a guy at random."
"If I find this marriage is fake, I'll sue you, and you'll marry my next pick. And I know this is fake because Bertha was a better match, but she rejected you, and Princess Oceania only pitied you. My assistant, Winston, informed me that you are staying in her guest bedroom. How pathetic. Winston and I had a good laugh, and I'm sending him over to test your marriage. He's had a thing for her in the past."
"Bertha gave me the idea to ask Oceania because my ex hates you more than I do. Goodbye, Mother." Anthony hung up his phone.
His mother claimed that she sold his hand in an arranged marriage for three expired gift certificates because she hated her son, or rather, Anthony's father, but that was the lie. Women offered her cold, hard cash for a paper marriage.
Still, by the new law, she could arrange a marriage for him because he wasn't married by the age of 26, and sons became the property of their mothers.
It is why Anthony married his best friend over Christmas break—to avoid a marriage to a woman who reminded him of his mother.
Oceania wasn't a childhood sweetheart, but his best friend since he was six. The friend who'd eat ice cream with him whenever each of them had a breakup.
She was his best friend and was always there for him.
He took a deep breath. Everyone needed to believe Oceania's love was real.
His survival depended on it. One-sided love was always painful. His heart beat rapidly.
Oceania waited for him.
Anthony wasn't tall, but his friend didn't reach five feet with heels, and he towered over her.
She briefly touched his chest, and his heart beat rapidly within.
"Are you ready for the party?" She yanked her red and black hair into a bun.
He shook his head no and walked out with her, and dared not say the words, 'I love you.'
Christmas Party:
Anthony's former girlfriend, Bertha, placed platters of sandwiches and cheese balls with crackers on her black coffee table.
Her Christmas fairy lights twinkled, covering her modern furniture with a warm glow.
Bertha ran to the kitchen and returned with a basket full of gingerbread men and women. "My only purpose is to keep Winston away from Oceania. Since she married, Winston has become unhinged. He had a crush on her, and his promotion hangs in the balance because Anthony's mom is bleeding money."
November-Sky ate two pieces of gingerbread. "He's been adding little love tokens. I think he thinks magical love items are real. Why did you invite Winston?"
"I didn't have a choice. Maybe they're because..." she paused. "Wow, I am seeing you in a new light." She straightened his glasses and touched his ginger hair. "Hey, November-Sky, you're a cute nerd. Is it true that women win money after kissing you?"
"Well, you'll have to kiss me to find out," November-Sky said.
"Don't tempt me." She touched his freckled fingers.
Winston walked over, smiled, and pinned a mistletoe near the empty love seat. "I decorated a special spot with mistletoe, but it's enchanted."
"How is it enchanted?" November-Sky stammered.
Winston grinned. "It makes people in love flirt and confess their feelings."
"That must be why I have been flirting with Bertha all day. I have a little crush on her." November-Sky took a deep breath. "Okay, maybe a big crush."
Bertha kissed his cheek and clutched his hand. "Perhaps you're not the only one catching feelings. It's not just because you come over and fix my computer whenever I need it. You're genuinely a good guy."
Winston patted November-Sky's back. "You both owe me. I'm planning to plant a kiss on Oceania and save her from a fake marriage, and you two better help."
"You're a jerk," Bertha said. "Oceania and Anthony just got married."
"It is a tradition." Winston winked at them. "His mother paid me to see if this is a real marriage, and I realize I like Oceania."
"It's enchanted, and there is a marriage rule," November-Sky stated. "Singles can't Bogart a kiss from someone else's spouse; you're a creeper."
Winston raised his muscular arm and placed a book on the table. "We were all at their wedding. They kissed on the cheek. She went on a blind date with November-Sky three weeks before her wedding."
"It wasn't a date; I was fixing her computer, and not in a flirty way." November-Sky stared at Bertha's lips and sighed.
She signed back and kissed him when her guests' backs were turned. "I have been crushing on you for a month."
Winston grinned. "Fifty bucks that Anthony and the princess's marriage won't last the party." He pulled out cash. "Another fifty, and Oceania kisses me. We'll end up a couple by the evening's out."
"That is disgusting." November-Sky stuck out his tongue. "Isn't your magical guidebook called Don't Abuse Magic, you Jerk?"
"Can it, lotto lips!" Winston stared up at his mistletoe.
"Triple it!" Bertha shouted.
November-Sky grinned. He went to the table and ate cheese spread on toast.
Oceania and Anthony arrived.
Oceania sat down on the couch.
November-Sky blocked Winston's path, so he couldn't lunge toward Oceania's face.
Bertha shoved Anthony from behind. "Oopsie."
Anthony fell onto the couch, almost landing on Oceania.
"You did that on purpose." Anthony stared at Bertha.
November-Sky pointed at Anthony. "Mistletoe! Anthony, you and Oceania have to kiss on the lips. It is a rule."
"Only if Oceania is okay with it." Anthony trembled.
Oceania turned, and Winston glared at them.
Her fingers brushed against Anthony's. She looked at Anthony to see how nervous he looked. "One little magical kiss."
Anthony looked at Oceania and placed his lips softly against hers. They pulled back and stared at each other for a moment. Their lips met again.
"It's enchanted," Bertha said.
"Oh, I'm great at enchanted objects," Winston said dryly. "Too bad full-on love spells don't work."
Bertha reached over his head and pulled the mistletoe down. "Anthony, I want to make sure no one else tries to kiss you or Oceania."
"I bet the kiss wasn't very good." Winston folded his arms.
"Well, they kissed more than once." November-Sky broke into laughter.
Bertha outstretched her hand to Winston. "Pay up!" She broke into laughter. "November-Sky's magical kisses work."
Winston handed her the money. "Bertha, you are such an awful woman. You planned that."
"Winston, you bet on Anthony not getting a kiss for me. He's my husband. That is so awful." Oceania turned to Anthony. "Just for that, Anthony and I are kissing again." She kissed him again.
Anthony gasped and kissed her once more.
"Anthony, if you're a good boy, I'll kiss you again when we get home, but I might be in love with you, and I don't know why I said that out loud." Oceania grinned at Anthony and walked to the table. "I think I'm going to grab some food."
Bertha moved closer, so only Winston could hear it. "From the moment Anthony's ex-mom went crazy, I had plans for Oceania and Anthony to end up together, and it doesn't involve you." She pushed him away. "If you mess it up, you will end up in a trash compactor. I don't care how much you want to impress your boss."
"I understand," Winston whispered. "But Anthony is only pretending to be attracted to her. That is not fair." He looked down. "I'm not really in love with her, but it annoys me that I have to tell my boss I failed. No, it's my own ego."
"I'm in love with Oceania," Anthony yelled out. "I don't know why I said that, but I'm in love with my best friend."
Bertha handed the money to Anthony and added it to it. "Winston was kidding. Our joke bets are about us chipping in for a wedding present. The enchantment is his gift to us all." She handed Anthony the money and waved at November-Sky.
"That is kind of you both," Anthony said.
Oceania snuggled against Anthony's arm. "I jumped at the chance to marry you because I love you, and I don't want you hurt by your mother's picks."
Winston tried to perform more magic from the book he owned. He transformed himself into a dragon man with massive muscles.
Oceania didn't notice.
Winston's shoulders slumped. "It looks like I'm out of a job."
"No, you could start a matchmaking business." Bertha grabbed a gingerbread woman.
"Would people pay for that?" Winston asked.
Bertha spoke between bites. "Yes, if you want to monetize your abilities, I can help."
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