Mistletoe Rules

It was the day before Christmas eve; surprisingly, one of the most traveled on days of the year. For some reason, this fact surprised Hailey. She thought the day before Christmas Eve should be spent with people you love, not stuck in an airport thanks to a stupid blizzard. But that was exactly where Hailey was, stuck in an airport, without her family, trying to get home in time for Christmas Eve.

But, there was a blizzard, and she was stuck in JFK airport with a book she read five times and an iPod that was going to die in a few hours. Hailey sighed. She loved Christmas, but not the traveling or the fear of getting stuck somewhere. She loved the Christmas cookies and Christmas music and the holiday cheer. Shaking her head, Hailey popped an ear bud in and turned her iPod on, not caring if she wasn’t going to have any battery later that night, but instead wishing she had a plate of her mom’s homemade Christmas cookies.

After listening to a few songs, Hailey became bored. She wasn’t one for sitting around, waiting for something to happen. She believed you made your own luck, and to do so you had to get out and do things. Shaking her head, Hailey thought bitterly, if I hadn’t had to be constantly doing something, I’d be home with my family right now. She got up and decided to take a walk around the airport. She shoved her bags under her cold plastic seat and shoved her hands in her hoodie pocket. She walked in the direction of the area where all the “restaurants” and whatnot were located. Picking up her phone, Hailey dialed her mom’s number to tell her she would be staying at the JFK airport overnight.

On the other side of the airport, Jack Barakat was standing behind a desk with his best friends, trying to get on a plane to go home. “We need to get on a plane and go home,” Alex told the girl behind the desk.

She sighed. “I’m sorry, but no planes are going out or coming in. You’ll just have to wait like the rest of the people around here."

Alex let out a frustrated groan and took a seat in the waiting area. His friends and band mates followed suite. “I guess we’ll just have to go get a hotel or something for the night,” Jack suggested. “I mean, it could be worse.”

Alex narrowed his eyes at his best friend and asked, “How?” his voice flat and not amused.

Jack shrugged. “It’s only the twenty third, meaning we’ll be home for Christmas Eve and Christmas day . That's what we're all hoping for anyways, right?"

Alex shrugged and Matt started messing with his iPhone, trying to get a hotel reservation for that night. Matt looked at the guys after a few minutes and said, “All the cheap hotels are booked up completely. The only thing that isn’t is kind of steep, but we don’t have much of a choice.”

The guys shrugged. “We’re here for the rest of the night, so let’s think about it,” Alex suggested and the guys agreed.

Jack shrugged. “I’m fucking starving; I’m going to go grab something to eat. Anyone want to come with?” Alex nodded and got up, following his best friend.

Hailey walked into the fast food joint, walking up to the counter and placing an order. She had no idea what she was going to do that night. She had called her mom to tell her the situation and she was currently on the phone with her. “I guess all the cheap hotels are booked,” she told her mom.

“Then go for one of the more expensive ones, Hales. You don’t have much of a choice.”

Hailey shrugged, even though her mother couldn’t see it. “I know, I just…” she trailed off, not having much of an excuse. “I don’t know. I’m going to get something to eat and I’ll call you back.” She hung up with her mom, popped her phone in her pocket, and grabbed her order, taking a seat at a table behind two (slightly attractive) boys. One of them was currently staring at her. He had dark brown hair and a face that if his hair were slicked back the right way, he would closely resemble Aladdin. She smiled a friendly smile because it was almost Christmas and then she went back to eating.

Jack smiled at the girl. She was cute, but she had this air to her that made her seem lonely. It made Jack’s heart go out to her. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Alex, who was confused. Jack got up and walked over to the girl’s table, taking a seat across from her. “Hey there,” he said, surprising her.

Hailey jumped slightly. “Uhm, hi,” she stuttered, not sure what to make of the current situation.

Jack leaned back in the booth and said, “Stuck here too, huh?”

Hailey nodded glumly. “Unfortunately, yes.” It wasn’t until Hailey really looked up and into the guy’s dark brown eyes that she realized who he was. Really? She thought to herself, with a shake of her head. She leaned back in her chair and smirked. “Jack Barakat,” she said quietly, wondering if he remembered her at all.

Jack wasn’t surprised when the blonde across from him said his name, although he probably should have been. She was probably a fan. “At your service,” he said proudly.

She nodded, popping another fry in her mouth. She smirked and took a drink, and then said, “You don’t know who I am, I’m sure.”

A look of confusion passed through Jack’s eyes. He shook his head. “Should I?”

Hailey shrugged. “Probably, but then again you never did get my name.”

Jack started to panic. A one night stand? Some crazy fan he didn’t treat very well? Someone he used to know? All of these thoughts passed through his brain as he tried to think of who this girl was.

Hailey chuckled, finishing up her dinner. “Relax, Barakat. We aren’t long lost friends, and I’m not some one night stand that you left.” She smirked when a blush crept up Jack’s neck. “I’m just… another face in the crowd.”

“So, you’re a fan?” he asked, trying to figure out who the mystery girl was.

She shook her head, but then shrugged. “Well, I mean I guess, but that’s not why I know you.” Just then, Alex walked up to the table.

“Jack, who’s this?” he asked, taking a seat next to his friend and smiling at the girl. Hailey smiled back.

Jack shrugged. “Hell if I know; she won’t tell me.”

Alex chuckled. “Well, I’m Alex.”

Hailey nodded. “Hailey,” she told him, making Jack angry.

“Hey! You told him who you are! Why not me?”

Hailey laughed and shrugged. She stood up with her tray and smiled at the boys. “Nice seeing you again, Mr. Barakat, and nice meeting you Alex. Have a nice Christmas,” she told the boys, and then left.

Jack refused to take that as her final goodbye. He wanted to know who this girl was and he wanted to know now. “Hey, wait up!” he called after her retreating figure. He got up and ran to catch up with her.

She didn’t stop, but she slowed down. She glanced over at Jack and smiled. He was getting frustrated, so she decided to put him out of his misery. “I’m Hailey Barnum. I went to your high school and was in your home room for all of two weeks before I transferred to an all girl’s school an hour or so away.”

Jack smiled. He got what he wanted, like he knew he would. “I’m Jack Barakat, and I don’t remember you at all,” he said sheepishly, feeling slightly bad about this information.

Hailey shrugged. She knew he wouldn’t; why should he? It’s not like they said more than one hello in the halls. “I knew you wouldn’t; we barely even said one word to each other, and then I left.”

“How come?” Jack asked, following Hailey back to her seat in the airport.

Hailey shrugged. “No offense, but I hated Dulaney even though I was only there for two weeks. It wasn’t hard enough for me, so I went to an all girl’s school that was a little more challenging.”

Jack nodded. Then he smirked and said, “So that’s why I didn’t know you. You were a smartie.”

Hailey smiled and shrugged. “I suppose.” She pulled out her cell phone and said, “Hold on a minute,” to which Jack nodded. Hailey called her mom to talk more about the hotel situation. “Hey mom.”

“Hi sweetie; you’re father and I want you staying in a hotel. It’s too dangerous not too. Okay?”

Hailey sighed and shrugged. “Believe me mom, I want to stay in a hotel, but the only one available is expensive,” she stressed, trying to make her mom understand.

“I don’t care,” her mother told her firmly. “You’re staying in a hotel even if it’s a million dollars, and that’s that. I wired some money into your bank account, so you’re all set. I’ll see you tomorrow, Hales.”

Hailey let out a frustrated sigh and hung up with her mother. She turned to Jack, who had taken a seat next to her and was currently screwing around with his iPhone. He looked up at her when she was quiet and smirked. “The Price is Right,” he said, explaining what he was doing on his phone. “It’s so damn addicting.”

Hailey chuckled and collapsed next to the lanky guitarist. “I need to go book a hotel room before there aren’t any left and my mom murders me for not getting a room.”

Jack smiled. This was working out all too perfectly. “We’re getting a room too; why don’t you get one with us?”

Hailey raised her eyebrow in question and smirked. “Yeah, because I want to get a room with a bunch of guys I don’t know; that sounds like so much fun!” she exclaimed with fake enthusiasm.

Jack laughed. “You know me! And plus, you said so yourself, you have to get a room, so might as well have some fun while you’re at it right?”

Hailey shook her head. This was insane, and yet, she couldn’t say no, didn’t want to say no to the Aladdin twin sitting next to her. She smiled. “I’ve never done something so crazy and spontaneous in my life.”

“So that’s a yes?” Jack asked hopefully.

Hailey nodded and the two gathered her things, heading in the direction where the rest of Jack’s friends were waiting.

***

Hailey had met the guys, who welcomed her with open arms. No one remembered her, and maybe this should have upset Hailey but it didn’t. It made her feel at ease because she didn’t have to live up to any expectations. She just had to make good first impressions. After saying hello and meeting the guys, they all moved out to find the hotel Matt had booked two rooms in for all of them.

Hailey walked with Jack while he fired questions at her. “Why were you in the JFK airport?”

“Because I was flying home to Baltimore, where my parents still live, from New York City, where I go to college.”

Jack nodded. “Did we ever talk in school?”

Hailey shook her head. She felt like she was filling him in on information he should know; she felt like he was suffering from amnesia and she was the lucky one to fill in all the missing blanks.

“Why?”

Hailey shrugged. “I don’t know; you were intimidating, to be quite honest. When I saw you in the halls with your friends, I turned the other direction, because to be honest, you guys weren’t exactly the cream of the crop and I didn’t want to mess with you. I was new, and didn’t want to become the spectacle of the week.”

Jack nodded, but he felt bad that she felt this way. He felt even worse that he didn’t remember her at all.

Hailey laughed at his expression, which was a combination of confusion and trying to remember her. She shook her head and said, “You know, it’s okay if you don’t remember me. It’s not like you have a reason to.”

Jack shrugged. “Doesn’t change the fact that I feel bad I don’t remember you,” he smiled in her direction.

Hailey just shrugged as if she were giving up. They were quiet as they followed the group of boys in front of them to a cab to take to the hotel. Jack, Alex, and Hailey climbed into one cab, and the others found their own. After a silent ten minute drive, they arrived at the semi-ritzy hotel. The trio climbed out and followed the rest of the group into the hotel. Hailey paused at the entryway and almost panicked. What was she doing? She didn’t know these guys, and they didn’t know her. With the luck she was having, they would probably rape her.
Jack noticed the panicked expression and chuckled. “Everything alright?”

Hailey gulped and nodded, ignoring the panic she was feeling. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just a little hesitant to get a room with a bunch of guys I don’t know,” she admitted.

Jack smiled. This girl was so cute; she was blushing now, and it made her porcelain skin look beautiful. “It’s cool; you’ll have a bed to yourself and everything.”

Hailey smiled and shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “Okay,” she said with a small smile.

Jack slung his arm over her shoulder and the pair walked into the hotel lobby where Matt was checking them in. When he finished, he tossed a key to Hailey figuring she’d be the most responsible, and kept a key for himself. “We have two rooms,” Matt said. “Hailey, Jack, and whoever else wants to be in the room can go to room 262, and the rest of you will be with me in room 263 right next door.” The guys nodded and Hailey and Jack started walking towards their room.

Matt was in front of Hailey, so she said, “Thanks for letting me get a room with you guys.”

Matt smiled and nodded, and they reached their rooms. Before everyone went into their respective room, Jack turned to everyone with a wicked grin on his face and said, “Let’s fucking party!”

***

The door in between the two rooms was open, and the guys were coming and going as they pleased. Jack “room hopped” as he put it, going from room to room, grabbing various bottles of alcohol, but never drinking more than a sip from each.

Hailey was sitting on the bed, on top of the covers, with her laptop out. She was bored. The guys were entertaining, but she was home sick for the traditions her family pulled out at this time of the year. She was browsing the internet, looking for something near their hotel that she could do. She didn’t find much. Jack plopped down next to her and peered at her computer, wondering what she was up to. “Whatcha’ doin’?”

She shrugged. “Looking for something to help my nostalgic mood,” she mumbled. Finally, Hailey’s face lit up at her findings. She looked up at Jack and smiled. “In the mood to take a walk?”

***

Thirty minutes later, Jack and Hailey were battling their way through the snow covered sidewalks, trying to find Sweet Dreams, a bakery that specialized in homemade Christmas cookies this time of year. Jack didn’t really understand why Hailey wanted Christmas cookies so bad, but he caved and decided to bear the bad weather with her. Besides, the fact that the way she lit up at her finding of this place made Jack smile, too.

When the pair walked into the virtually deserted bakery, Hailey stopped. She looked around, wondering if it was even open. Finally, an old lady came moseying out from the back with a smile on her face. “Welcome to Sweet Dreams, where your dreams are turned sweet!”

Hailey chuckled and walked over to the counter, pulling Jack along behind her.

“Hi,” she said shyly to the old lady.

“Hello dear; how can I help you?”

Hailey smiled at the lady and said, “Well, I’m stuck here overnight and I was feeling in the nostalgic mood for my mom’s homemade Christmas cookies. It seems I’m in the right place.”

The lady, whose nametag read Betty, smiled. “You sure did, honey. I have just the thing for you two.” Then she turned around and disappeared into the back room. Minutes later, she reappeared with a tray of cookies. She winked at Hailey and said, “It’s the ‘For two’ basket.”

Hailey plastered a confused look on her face, until Jack started laughing lightly. He snaked his arm around Hailey’s waist and pulled her closer.

“Guess we aren’t fooling her, babe,” he said fondly.

Betty smiled warmly at the two, handing over the basket of cookies. “Not much slips by old Betty’s eyes,” she smiled. “Here, on the house,” she told them in regards to the cookies.

Hailey felt guilty for taking the cookies, but Jack didn’t. “Thank you!” he exclaimed, dragging Hailey out the door. “Merry Christmas!” he called back to Betty, who smiled and waved goodbye.

Betty grinned fondly. “Aw, young love.”

While Hailey and Jack walked, Hailey smacked his chest. “We practically stole from her!” she scolded Jack, who just laughed.

“We did not! She offered them to us!”

Hailey rolled her eyes. “Yeah, based on a lie!”

Jack shrugged. He peeked into the basket of cookies and grinned. “These are going to be the best cookies ever.”

Hailey laughed and stole the box from him. She peeked inside and the smell of fresh sugar cookies, gingerbread, and various other scents wafted out to her nose. She groaned. “You’re right; best thing ever stolen, ever.”

Jack laughed and pulled Hailey close again. She froze up slightly, but relaxed quickly. Having Jack’s arm around her shoulders felt like the most natural thing in the world. Scary, she thought to herself.

Instead of going back to the hotel, the two walked into Panera Bread and each ordered coffee. They took a seat in a booth and opened up the cookies, Jack sitting right next to Hailey so they wouldn’t have trouble sharing. Or so he said.

Hailey bit the head off of a gingerbread man and giggled like a little girl. She smiled and swallowed the cookie then turned to Jack and said, “Best cookies ever. I’m debating robbing Betty’s shop.”

Jack laughed and took a bite of a sugar cookie shaped like a snowman. He groaned. “Agreed. Better yet, let’s steal Betty herself and make her make cookies for us for the rest of our lives.”

Hailey giggled and finished her cookie. She didn’t know why, but she felt like someone was watching her.

Sure enough, Jack, out of the corner of his eye, was watching her intently. He didn’t know why he was so… fascinated with this girl, he just was. Hailey turned to look at him and blushed when she caught him staring.

Jack laughed. “You’re adorable when you blush.”

Hailey rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”

Jack shrugged, ate another cookie, and then closed the box. “What? It’s true,” he smiled at her.

Hailey ignored him, but on the inside she felt like she was going to combust from the blush she was trying to hold in. Jack’s flirty comments were driving her crazy and she didn’t even know why.

When the pair finished, they boxed the rest of their cookies and left. On the way out the door, a bell chimed, causing Jack to look up. While he did, he caught sight of some mistletoe hanging from the doorway. He smirked and grabbed Hailey’s arm, stopping her in her tracks. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, stopping her from asking what he was doing.

Shocked, Hailey placed her hand on her cheek where Jack’s lips had been second before. “What was that?” she asked firmly.

Jack pointed to the mistletoe. “It’s the rule!” he exclaimed, almost as if he were defending himself.

Hailey grinned, too, causing relief to wash through Jack’s body. He was worried she was going to be majorly pissed for the little stunt he pulled. She wasn’t though. If she was being honest, she liked it. The two continued on their way out the door and down the sidewalk towards their hotel. They were walking close to each other and their hands kept occasionally brushing. From Hailey’s point of view, it was accidental, but to Jack, he was definitely touching her on purpose. Finally, gaining the courage to do something, Jack grabbed Hailey’s hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. Hailey grinned at him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. The rest of the way back to the hotel, they walked like this.

It seemed as if fate were on Jack’s side tonight, because walking through the lobby doors, a piece of mistletoe was hanging up. Jack grinned when he caught site of it, and this time, kissed Hailey softly on the lips. When he tried to pull away, she wrapped her arms around his neck. They stayed like that for a good couple minutes, until they heard the lobbyist clearing his throat. Hailey pulled back and giggled, a blush rising up her neck. “What are we doing?” she asked, still blushing.

Jack smiled and shrugged. “It’s the rule?”

Hailey shrugged. She’d take it.

***

The next day, Jack bought a different ticket from the guys; one that matched Hailey’s. They rode home to Baltimore on the plane together. They weren’t together, really, but they were definitely… something. Hailey didn’t care to define it right now and make things complicated, and neither did Jack. They were fine with kissing, quite honestly. If Hailey was being honest, she wanted more, but time would tell. And if Jack was being honest, he wanted more too, he just didn’t know how well he’d do in the boyfriend department.

But, it was Christmas time. And both were being optimistic. Who knew what would happen once they got back home and back to reality? But neither really cared at that point. They were just happy and having fun.