A light dusting of snow had begun to fall outside the school windows, creating a serene backdrop to the bustling cafeteria inside. The air was filled with the aroma of cinnamon rolls and the chatter of students eager to share their weekend plans. At a table in the corner, Pearlia sat with her friends, sipping her coffee and scrolling through her phone. Her eyes lit up at the sight of a new message from her best friend, Alayna.

"You guys have to come over tonight!" Alayna had texted, her excitement palpable through the screen. "I've got a surprise for all of you!"

Pearlia looked up from her phone, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "What could she have planned?" she wondered aloud.

Maverick leaned over from the neighboring table, his strong arms folded across the chair back. "It's the 6th of December, isn't it?" he said, his voice low. "Maybe she's finally embracing the Christmas spirit."

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "Alayna? That'd be like convincing a cat to take a bath." He took a sip of his juice, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "But, hey, I'm in for whatever she's cooked up."

Cora looked up from her book, her hair falling into her face as she peered over the top of it. "I don't know, guys. She's been pretty adamant about not doing anything Christmas-y." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But I'm curious, too."

Sander grinned, his grey eyes glinting. "Maybe she's finally realized how much fun it is." His arm snaked around the back of Cora's chair, his fingers playing with the strands of her hair. "I'll be there," he said, "as long as I don't have to sit through any sappy holiday movies."

Cora rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She swatted his hand away, her cheeks flushing slightly. "You're terrible."

Sander's grin widened. "But you love it, Darling." he said, leaning in closer. Cora felt her heart flutter in response, but she quickly regained her composure, turning back to her plate. "We're going to change Alayna's mind about Christmas," she said firmly.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

Pearlia looked thoughtful for a moment before her eyes lit up. "We could throw a surprise Christmas party! Decorate her house while she's out and fill it with all her favorite things!"

"But she doesn't even believe in Christmas," Sander pointed out, his arm still resting on the back of Cora's chair.

Viktor, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, finally spoke up, his voice a low rumble that drew everyone's attention. "I've got an idea," he said, leaning back in his chair. His hazel eyes danced with excitement. "What if we don't throw a party at Alayna's place? Instead, we take her somewhere she's never been before, somewhere that'll make her feel the magic of Christmas."

Zander cleared his throat, his expression serious. "Guys, I think we're getting ahead of ourselves." His words hung in the air like a fog, momentarily halting their festive brainstorming. "Alayna's parents never really got into the whole Christmas thing. For her, it's just another day."

Lucas leaned forward, his eyes searching Zander's. "But that's just it. Maybe she needs to see the joy it brings to others. Like how we do."

Maverick nodded slowly. "It's worth a shot. But we've got to be subtle."

Sander leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. "Subtle? Us?" He smirked. "You're asking a lot."

Cora nudged him with her elbow, her cheeks still flushed. "Sander, be serious."

"What? I am!" He grinned, his grey eyes sparkling with mischief. "Remember the time we built that giant snowman and shaped it to look like a dragon?"

Cora's eyes lit up at the memory. "Yes! That was amazing. You're so good with snow sculptures."

"Thanks," Sander said with a shrug, his grin growing wider. "But let's not forget who painted the scales on the dragon."

Cora rolled her eyes, her cheeks growing even redder. "Yeah, sure, but you were the artist behind the whole thing."

Sander's smirk turned into a full-blown grin. "Well, you know what they say, behind every great artist is a great... artist-supporter." He winked at her, and she couldn't help but laugh.

But Pearlia's expression grew thoughtful as she broke the playful banter. "Guys, we can't just throw a party or take her somewhere without understanding why she's like this. Maybe there's something deeper we need to address."

Her words brought a hush to the group. They had all known Alayna for years, but none had ever really dug into her family's lack of Christmas spirit. It was just something they had accepted, a peculiarity that had become part of her charm. But now, with the weight of Pearlia's words, they realized there might be more to it.

Maverick leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the winter scene painted on the cafeteria's window. "Maybe she's just never had a good Christmas," he said softly. "We should try to change that."

"But how do we do that without pushing her?" Cora added, her blue eyes reflecting a mix of concern and curiosity. "We don't want to make her feel uncomfortable."

Pearlia took a sip of her coffee, her eyes lighting up with a new idea. "What if we start with the little things? Like, I don't know, making her favorite hot chocolate and watching a Christmas movie together?" She looked around the table, her gaze settling on each of her friends. "We can build up to the big surprises gradually. Maybe it'll help her warm up to the idea of Christmas."

Maverick nodded, stroking his chin. "That's a good start. Maybe we can do something small each day leading up to the 25th. Something that doesn't feel forced."

"Isn't that called an advent ca—" Sander began, only to be interrupted by a swift elbow from Cora. "Ow, okay, okay. I get it. We're keeping it chill." He rubbed his side dramatically, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"But seriously, guys," Sander said, his tone turning genuine. "Alayna's pretty stubborn when she doesn't want to do something. If we're gonna change her mind, we gotta be smart about it. We can't just throw Christmas in her face and expect her to love it."

"I agree," Cora chimed in, her voice gentle. "We should start small, maybe get her to see the joy in the simple things. Like the way the snow sparkles when it first falls or how good it feels to be with friends during the holidays."

Zander leaned back in his chair, his hazel eyes scanning the group as he contemplated their suggestions. His mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of Alayna's aversion to Christmas. "You know, guys," he began, his voice thoughtful, "we're all forgetting something here."

"And what's that?" Viktor raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.

"Her parents, Alayna's parents," Zander replied, his voice steady. "They're the root of this whole problem. If we can get through to them, maybe they'll see the joy they're missing out on and start celebrating with her."

Pearlia nodded slowly, her blue eyes lighting up with understanding. "That's a good point, Zander. If Alayna sees her parents enjoying the holiday, it could change everything for her."

"Wait, hold on," Cora spoke up, her fingers drumming against the laminate tabletop. "We can't just ignore the fact that Alayna's parents might not be open to changing their ways. What if they're even more stubborn than she is?"

Her question hung in the air like mistletoe, and the group fell into contemplative silence. Each of them knew the weight of family traditions and the difficulty of altering them.

Sander leaned back in his chair, his eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "Don't worry, Cora," he assured her, his voice smooth as melted chocolate. "I've got some tricks up my sleeve." He winked, his fingers tracing the outline of an invisible hat. "I know how to handle the Allisons. We just need to show them that Christmas isn't all about the commercial stuff. It's about love, joy, and... well, maybe a few well-placed snowballs."

"Snowballs, seriously?" Lucas rolled his eyes, though the corner of his lips quirked up in amusement. "Alright, Sander, what's your little trick?"

"It's not just snowballs, Lukey," Sander chuckled, using his nickname for Lucas. "It's the element of surprise. We'll start small like I said, show them the joy in the simple things. Maybe get them to come ice skating with us tomorrow night?" He glanced at Pearlia for her input, her being the expert on the ice.

"Ice skating could be fun," Pearlia mused, tapping her finger against her lip. "It's a neutral activity, and I can teach them if they've never done it before." She flashed a hopeful smile, her eyes lighting up at the thought of sharing her passion.

Sander nodded eagerly. "Exactly! And it's something we can all enjoy together. Plus, who doesn't love a little bit of festive fun on the ice?" He leaned in, whispering to Cora, "I'll make sure to keep an eye on you, okay?" His words were like a warm blanket, wrapping her in comfort and assurance.

Her cheeks flushed slightly at his concern, and she nodded. "Alright, I'll hold you to that," she said with a soft smile. Cora had always been a bit of a fish out of water when it came to sports, but with Sander by her side, she felt a bit more at ease.

They turned their attention back to the group, where Zander was now speaking up, his voice a gentle rumble. "I'm in," he said, his hazel eyes shifting from one friend to another. "But we've got to be careful not to push Alayna too hard. Her folks set her in their ways."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "He's right. We don't want to ruin the surprise or make her feel uncomfortable." He glanced over where Alayna was approaching, who was scrolling through her phone, oblivious to their scheme. "Oh, here she comes. Let's not let on just yet."

The group fell silent as Alayna sat down, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked up, noticing their sudden seriousness. "What's up, guys?"

Pearlia took the lead, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We were just talking about going ice skating tomorrow night. It's supposed to be a beautiful, clear night. Would you like to come?"

Alayna's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Ice skating?" she echoed, her voice laced with skepticism. "Why would I want to do that?"

"Because it's fun, Alayna," Lucas said, his tone earnest. "And we want to do some of our favorite things with you. Plus, it'll be a great way for us to spend time together."

Cora added, "You don't have to love Christmas to enjoy a night out with friends, right?"

Alayna pursed her lips, contemplating the offer. Her friends' enthusiasm was infectious, and she found it hard to resist their inviting smiles. "Okay," she conceded, "but don't expect me to be full of holiday cheer."

Pearlia's smile grew wider. "That's all we're asking for."

Sander looked at his watch. "Alright, we've got to get to our next class." He reached out and grabbed Cora's hand, pulling her gently to her feet. She stumbled a bit, but his firm grip kept her upright. "Come on, slow poke."

"Says the soccer pla-" Cora's retort was cut short as Sander playfully tugged her hand, a mischievous glint in his eye as they all began to disperse. She allowed herself to be pulled up, the warmth of his hand a stark contrast to the cool air in the hallway. She couldn't help the blush that crept up her cheeks as she stumbled slightly, her heart skipping a beat. She had always felt safe with Sander, like she could tell him anything, even if she hadn't mustered the courage to tell him about her feelings yet.

As they approached the classroom door, Sander leaned in and whispered, "Remember, Cora, this is just for fun. If Alayna doesn't want to do something, we'll just go with the flow." His gentle reminder washed away any lingering anxiety she had about the plan. He had a way of making everything seem so simple, so attainable. She nodded, taking a deep breath.

Sander's hand was still wrapped around hers, his thumb making small, comforting circles on the back of her hand. Cora felt a warmth spread through her, chasing away the cold that had been lingering since their conversation about her fears. They stepped into the classroom, and she couldn't help but feel a little thrill like a secret shared between them.

A/N

It took me a couple hours to write this. Thankfully I didn't get caught on my docs at school, so I'm ok. But yeah, so this is the first chapter! What did you guys think?

Question of the chapter: Why do you guys think Alayna and her parents don't celebrate Christmas? Not even Summer knows this, so good luck. Hint, it involves a Christmas past.

Love y'all! Happy Holidays!