#Chapter 18 A Not So Silent Night

I found myself caught off guard as I looked up into the unexpected face of Nicholas perched in the tree. This was the cruel and aloof Nicholas, who always wore a stern face and exuded an air of coldness. And had a surprising fondness for apples? The two full baskets at his feet showed he’d been picking them for some time. Was he asked to do so, or did he actually enjoy it? The stark contrast between his usual demeanor and this apparent affinity for this simple fruit amused me, and I felt a newfound sense of ease in his presence. I realized that I was no longer as scared of Nicholas as I once had been. As Nicholas gracefully descended from the tree, leaping like a lion and landing without a sound. I plucked a large, round apple from my own fruit basket and offered it to him. “Break time?” I asked him, smiling. Though he had many of his own to choose from, I hoped this offering would put him in a good mood. I saw a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, a tiny spark that hinted a