Echoes of the First Cut

The sunlight filtering through my window wasn’t gentle. It cut straight across my face, waking me with a sharp reminder of just how sore my body was. I groaned, shifting under the covers as every muscle in my legs protested. Yesterday’s game had pushed me harder than I’d been in months, and the chase through the woods after hadn’t done me any favors either.

I stared at the ceiling for a moment, letting the events replay in my mind. The goal. Dez’s fury. Belle’s smile. The memory of her face inches from mine stirred something in my chest that I couldn’t quite pin down.

Get up, Wise, I told myself. You’ve got plans today.

Plans I hadn’t wanted to agree to, if I was being honest. The festival wasn’t exactly my idea of fun, but Belle had been so excited, and Luca hadn’t given me much choice. I sighed, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and rubbing my face. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I grabbed it to find a message from Belle.

Belle: Good morning! Don’t forget—the festival is today! Luca’s probably still asleep, so don’t be late!

Her cheery tone practically jumped off the screen, and I found myself smiling despite myself. I groaned, forcing my stiff body to move as I shuffled toward the bathroom. My reflection in the mirror looked as tired as I felt, but I splashed some cold water on my face and brushed my teeth, determined to get through the day.

By the time I’d gotten dressed and headed to the kitchen, the house was silent, save for the faint hum of the heater. My mom stood by the counter, scrolling on her phone and sipping coffee. She barely glanced up when I walked in.

“You’re up early,” she said, her tone neutral. She didn’t ask why. She never really did.

“Heading out,” I said, grabbing a granola bar from the counter.

Her response was a vague hum, and I left it at that, slinging my scarf around my neck as I headed to the garage. The cold hit me the moment I opened the door, and I paused to take it in—the snow falling softly, blanketing the driveway, the crisp air sharp against my skin.

I grabbed my bike, wheeling it out before hopping on and pedaling down the street. My breath came out in visible clouds of vapor as I pushed through the cold, the crunch of tires against the snow the only sound on the quiet road. For once, I felt… okay. The soreness in my legs was still there, but it was bearable. The thought of seeing Belle again—even if she’d probably tease me about my lack of Christmas cheer—was enough to push me forward.

Belle’s house came into view, the familiar reindeer decorations twinkling on the lawn. I slowed as I approached, just in time to see her burst out of the front door, her hair catching the light as it flowed behind her. She was wearing a deep red coat that hugged her frame, a white scarf wrapped loosely around her neck, and a matching knit hat that framed her face perfectly.

For a moment, I forgot to breathe. Then, the sound of yelling snapped me back.

“You’re pathetic, you know that?” Bella’s voice rang out from the doorway, her tone dripping with venom. “It’s no wonder only your two loser friends can stand you. Why don’t you just stay out there and disappear?”

Belle froze for a moment, her back stiffening before she turned and grabbed her bike. Her head was down as she wheeled it toward me, her voice quiet when she muttered, “Morning, Wise.”

Her voice was steady, but I didn’t miss the way her hands gripped the handlebars a little too tightly. My chest tightened, anger bubbling in the pit of my stomach as I glanced toward the door. Bella had already disappeared back inside, but her words hung in the air like a dark cloud.

Belle kept walking, and I followed silently for a few moments, wheeling my bike beside hers. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words felt heavy on my tongue. Come on, Wise. Do something.

Finally, I stopped, reaching out to grab her shoulder. “Hey.”

She turned, startled, and I took a deep breath before stepping closer. My hand moved before I could think, cupping her face gently. Her skin was cold against my palm, her eyes wide and searching as they met mine.

“Belle,” I said quietly, my voice firmer than I expected. “If I’m the only one who sees how beautiful you are, then… isn’t that enough?”

Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t speak. My heart pounded in my chest, my thoughts rushing forward. “People like Bella—they tear others down because they’re scared. They’re hiding from something in themselves. That’s on her, not you.”

For a moment, she just stared at me, and I realized too late what I’d done. My face burned as I jerked my hand away. “I-I didn’t mean to—I was just trying to—”

“Wise.” Her voice was soft, cutting through my panicked stammering. Before I could say anything else, she stepped forward and hugged me tightly.

My bike clattered to the ground, but I barely noticed. My brain short-circuited as I felt her arms around me, her head resting lightly against my chest.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, her voice genuine. “Really.”

Before I could even process what was happening, she pulled back, her cheeks pink. Then, to my utter disbelief, she leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek.

“Now hurry up,” she said, picking up my bike for me. “We’ve gotta meet Luca.”

She hopped on her bike and started pedaling down the street, her voice carrying back to me. “Come on, slowpoke!”

I stood there for a moment, stunned. My cheek still felt warm where her lips had been, and my thoughts were spiraling in about fifty different directions.

“Wise!” Her voice jolted me out of my daze, and I scrambled to grab my bike, and pedaled after her.

We reached Luca a few minutes later, finding him leaning against the side of a lamppost with his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. His bike was propped nearby, the usual cocky grin plastered on his face.

“Finally,” he said, giving me a once-over. “What took you so long? Belle already leaving you in the dust?”

“Shut up,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze.

Belle laughed, her voice light. “Wise had a rough start this morning. But don’t worry, he’s here now.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Luca said, smirking. “You ready to go, or what?”

We shared a bit more small talk as we set off, the snow crunching beneath our tires. The festival wasn’t far, and Belle filled the ride with chatter about everything we’d see. Luca chimed in with sarcastic comments, while I mostly stayed quiet, letting their voices carry me forward.

For once, the cold didn’t feel so bad.

The festival was like something out of a postcard, a picture-perfect Christmas scene brought to life. Strings of lights crisscrossed above the cobblestone streets, casting everything in a warm, golden glow. Stalls lined both sides of the path, each one decorated to the brim. Some had garlands and little wooden reindeer, while others went all out with glittering tinsel and spinning ornaments.

The air smelled like roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate, and the sugary sweetness of funnel cakes. It wasn’t exactly my scene—too much noise, too much energy—but even I had to admit it was impressive. Everywhere I looked, people bustled around, carrying steaming cups or bags filled with trinkets and gifts. Kids ran by with sticky fingers, clutching candy canes and stuffed animals. Vendors called out from their booths, advertising everything from hand-knit scarves to carved toys.

I glanced at Belle, who had been vibrating with excitement since we arrived. Her eyes were practically sparkling as she took everything in, and it was almost impossible not to get caught up in her energy. She grinned at Luca and me, then spun around to face the stalls.

“This is amazing!” she said, her voice bubbling with joy. “I’ll catch up with you guys later!”

Before I could even respond, she darted off toward a stall selling handmade jewelry, her scarf trailing behind her like a ribbon. Luca and I exchanged a look, his eyebrows raised, and I just shrugged.

“Guess it’s just us,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

We started walking, drifting from booth to booth as the festive chaos unfolded around us. Luca seemed to enjoy himself, picking up random knick-knacks and commenting on their ridiculous prices. One booth had mechanical carousels that spun to tinny renditions of Christmas carols, and another displayed jars of golden honey stacked in neat rows.

Eventually, we ended up at a stall filled with snow globes. The glass shimmered under the lights, each one holding a tiny winter wonderland. I picked one up and gave it a shake, watching the snow swirl around a miniature village. A frozen pond and a little church sat in the center, and tiny skaters circled endlessly in the snowstorm.

“These are always kind of cool,” Luca said, picking one up and squinting at it. Then he nudged me in the ribs, his voice dropping into something conspiratorial. “So, uh… what happened?”

I blinked at him. “What are you talking about?”

“Belle,” he said, his smirk widening. “She’s been all bubbly and extra today. What’d you do?”

I frowned, trying to play dumb. “She’s always like that.”

“Right.” Luca pointed at my face, specifically at my cheek. “So what’s that, then? Don’t tell me you’ve started wearing lipstick.”

My stomach dropped, and my hand flew to my cheek, where a faint smudge still lingered. Damn it. I should’ve checked earlier.

“Nothing happened,” I said quickly, already knowing how unconvincing I sounded.

“Sure, buddy,” Luca said, clearly enjoying this way too much. “Spill it.”

I sighed, knowing there was no getting out of this. “Fine. She kissed me. On the cheek. It wasn’t a big deal.”

Luca’s eyes widened for a second before he broke into a grin. “No way. Seriously? Damn, Harrington, what’d you say to pull that off?”

“I just said something to cheer her up,” I muttered. “That’s it. Nothing special.”

“Cheering her up is one thing, but getting a kiss for it? That’s next-level smooth,” he said, punching me lightly in the arm. “You’re full of surprises, you know that?”

I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Whatever you say, Romeo,” Luca teased, shaking his head. He set the snow globe he’d been holding back on the table, but I lingered for a moment, picking out three globes: one with the village I’d admired earlier, another with a snowman, and a third with a sleigh gliding over a frozen lake.

“What’s with the sudden holiday spirit?” Luca asked, watching me. “Thought you weren’t into Christmas.”

“They’re not for me,” I said, tucking the globes under my arm. “One’s for Belle.”

“Of course it is,” he said, grinning. “I knew it.”

Before I could respond, Belle popped up between us, her voice cheerful and far too close. “What’s up?”

Luca jumped, clutching his chest. “Jesus, Belle! Give a guy some warning.”

I flinched too, but before I could say anything, Belle’s eyes landed on the snow globe in my hand. Her face lit up, her smile practically glowing. “Oh, that’s so cute! Look at the little village. It’s perfect.”

“It’s yours,” I said, handing it to her without thinking.

Her eyes widened, and then she smiled—really smiled, the kind that made my chest feel tight. “Thank you, Wise. I love it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Luca said, waving us off. “Can we move on before you two start exchanging vows or something?”

Belle ignored him, still turning the snow globe over in her hands as we walked. She talked about how much she loved little trinkets like this, her voice soft and full of excitement, and for a while, things felt… easy.

Then we came across a stall that didn’t match the rest of the festival. It wasn’t bright or cheerful or decked out in decorations. Instead, it was shrouded in black drapes, barely standing against the cold wind. There was only one thing on the table: a dusty, worn book with a leather cover.

Belle tilted her head, stepping closer. “What’s this?”

“It’s probably a book of curses or something,” Luca said, grinning. “You know, summon a demon, end the world—all that fun stuff.”

Belle laughed softly, picking it up and turning it over in her hands. The cover was embossed with strange symbols that didn’t make any sense, and the pages inside were filled with handwriting that looped in odd, unnatural ways.

“It’s kind of creepy,” she said, her voice tinged with curiosity.

Before I could add anything, a voice spoke from behind us. “It’s yours.”

I turned sharply, my stomach twisting. A figure stood in the shadows of the stall, their face partially obscured. They looked like they could’ve been our age, but something about them felt… off. Their pale skin almost seemed to glow under the faint light, and their dark eyes gleamed with an unsettling intensity.

“Free of charge,” they said, their voice smooth and quiet. “Take it.”

Belle hesitated, looking between the book and the figure. “Really? You’re just giving it away?”

The figure nodded, their lips curling into a faint smile. “Consider it a gift.”

I frowned, my instincts screaming that something wasn’t right. “What’s the catch?” I asked, stepping forward.

But before I could press for answers, the figure stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. Just… gone.

Belle shrugged, tucking the book under her arm. “Free book,” she said, her voice light as she started walking away with Luca.

I lingered for a moment, staring at the stall. The wind picked up, tugging at the drapes until the entire structure collapsed inward like it had never been there at all. A chill ran down my spine, and I gripped the snow globe in my pocket a little tighter. Something about this felt wrong.

“Wise!” Belle’s voice called from ahead, breaking me out of my thoughts. I shook my head and jogged to catch up, but the uneasy feeling stayed with me.

The trio rode their bikes to the park just as the afternoon sunlight began to dim, painting the sky with streaks of orange and purple. The biting cold stung my cheeks, and I let out a sigh as I swung my leg off my bike, chaining it to the rack. Belle and Luca were already flipping through the book, Belle perched on the edge of the bench while Luca leaned over her shoulder, both of them engrossed.

I fumbled with my lock, my fingers stiff from the cold. By the time I finished and walked over, Belle was already reading aloud, her voice full of excitement.

“‘The Twelve Trials of Christmas,’” she said, her eyes wide with curiosity as she looked up at me. “This is so cool, Wise. Listen to this!” She tapped the page with her gloved finger.

“What’s it even about?” I asked, my curiosity piqued despite myself.

Belle grinned, holding up the book like it was a treasure map. “It’s a ritual. It says here that ‘to awaken the Christmas spirit, one must endure the twelve trials that reflect the soul of the season.’”

“‘Soul of the season’?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow. “What does that even mean?”

“Let me explain!” Belle said, practically bouncing. She flipped back a page and began to read again. “‘The Twelve Trials of Christmas’ are tests that represent the verses of the song—y’know, the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas.’ Each trial is tied to one of the gifts in the song.”

“That’s… oddly specific,” I said, leaning over her shoulder to glance at the page.

“Right?” she said, grinning. “So, like, the first trial is ‘A Partridge in a Pear Tree.’ The book says it’s about understanding sacrifice. Then there’s ‘Two Turtle Doves,’ which is about trust, and ‘Three French Hens,’ which has something to do with endurance. It goes on and on, each one linked to some kind of challenge.”

I blinked at her, trying to process what she’d just said. “And you’re… excited about this?”

“Of course!” she said, closing the book and hugging it to her chest. “It sounds like fun.”

“Fun? It sounds like an excuse to do some weird Christmas-themed boot camp.” I started laughing, unable to help myself. “Belle, you really think this is a good idea?”

Her lips formed a pout, and before I could react, she smacked me lightly with the book. “Stop laughing, Wise! You’re ruining the vibe.”

I held up my hands, still chuckling. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. But seriously, do you guys actually want to go through with this?”

“Yeah,” Belle said without hesitation, her eyes sparkling.

Luca, who had been silent until now, nodded. “Why not? It sounds interesting. Better than sitting around doing nothing.”

I groaned. “Great. Outvoted again.” I looked at them, already knowing what was coming. “Where do you guys wanna do this?”

They exchanged a glance, and I knew instantly what they were thinking. Belle’s grin widened, and Luca gave me a pointed look.

“No,” I said, shaking my head.

“Come on, Wise,” Belle said, grabbing my arm. “You know it has to be your house.”

I sighed, defeated. “Fine. But if this thing goes sideways, I’m blaming both of you.”

Belle squealed in excitement and threw her arms around both of us, pulling us into a hug. Luca rolled his eyes but didn’t pull away. As she let go, I couldn’t help but think back to the strange guy at the tent. Something about him still didn’t sit right with me, but I pushed the thought aside as we hopped back on our bikes and headed to my house.

When we arrived, the house was dark, the driveway empty.

“Your mom’s not home?” Belle asked as we climbed off our bikes.

“She’s never home,” I said, more relieved than annoyed. The last thing I needed was her asking questions about what we were up to.

Luca smirked. “Good. That means if we summon a ghost or something, you’re the only one who has to deal with it.”

“Real comforting, thanks,” I muttered as we headed inside.

Belle looked around as we walked upstairs. “This is the first time I’ve been to your room, y’know.”

I glanced back at her. “Is that why you wanted to do it here?”

“Maybe,” she said, her tone teasing.

Luca snorted. “Or maybe she just doesn’t want her own house to be haunted.”

When we reached my room, I pushed the door open and let them in. It was clean, if a bit plain. Posters of football players lined the walls, and my desk was cluttered with notebooks and a textbook that had been left open to a random page. My bed was neatly made, the blanket tucked in tight.

“Wow,” Belle said, looking around. “It’s actually tidy. I was expecting… I don’t know, more of a mess.”

“Didn’t know you were a neat freak, Harrington,” Luca added, grinning.

“Can we just get this over with?” I said, shaking my head.

We started setting up, using a couple of candles Belle had brought in her bag. Luca turned off the lights, and the glow of the candles cast long, flickering shadows across the walls. Belle opened the book, flipping to the ritual page as she explained what we needed to do. Most of it involved reciting lines from the book while focusing on the intent to “awaken the spirit of Christmas.”

When we were finally ready, Belle positioned herself in the middle of the room with the book in hand. Luca and I sat on opposite sides of her, the faint light making everything feel a little eerie. She began to read, her voice clear but slightly hesitant as she stumbled over some of the strange phrases.

“‘In the glow of the season’s light,’” she read, “‘we call upon the trials to test our hearts and bind our fates. May the gifts of Christmas be revealed, and may the spirit awaken.’”

We sat in silence as she finished, the air in the room feeling heavier somehow. Nothing happened at first, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my lips.

“See?” I said, smirking. “Told you. It’s just a bunch of—”

A faint creak cut me off, the sound coming from the corner of the room. We all froze, our eyes snapping toward the noise. The candles flickered, their flames bending unnaturally before steadying again.

“Did you feel that?” Belle asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, swallowing hard. The room was silent, but the air felt charged, like something was watching us. None of us moved for what felt like an eternity.

“Okay,” Luca said finally, breaking the silence. “That was… weird.”

Belle closed the book slowly, her hands trembling just a little. “Maybe we should stop for now.”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “Good idea.”

We blew out the candles, and the eerie tension in the room seemed to fade. Belle and Luca packed up their things, thanking me again for the snow globes as they headed out. I watched them leave, their laughter fading as they biked down the street.

When I walked back into my room, I froze. Hanging from the strap of my bag was a small Santa Claus keychain. I frowned, picking it up and turning it over in my hands. I didn’t remember owning anything like this. Had Belle slipped it there? It seemed like something she’d do, but the thought left me with an odd feeling I couldn’t shake.

I placed it on my desk and stared at it for a moment before climbing into bed. As I closed my eyes, the image of the collapsed tent and the strange guy’s grin flashed in my mind, making my stomach twist. Something wasn’t right.