I woke up and instantly realized that it was Christmas Day. I was shocked that I hadn't felt Cameron climbing all over me to get my attention for opening presents. Then again, last night probably tired him out too.

    I threw my head back on my pillow and stared up at the ceiling above me. I rubbed my eyes and then turned to my right to see that there was someone in my bed.

    "What the-" I muttered as I trampled off the bed, making myself fall out of the bed involuntarily.

     "Holy shit, are you okay?" The person next to me shot up, looking down at me on the floor.

"It was like a foot in the air, I'm fine." I swiftly snuck back under the covers. My eyebrows suddenly drew in confusion as I remembered that there was someone next to me, "Who are you?" I squinted.

"It's Mikayla," She replied with a tone of sass in her voice as she answered me," how could you forget?"

"Yeah, last time I was in this bed, you were not." I retorted as I shifted my position again.

"The hell? Aris, I'm your girlfriend and I practically live here now, might I add." She huffed, " I have been sleeping in this bed since I arrived here."

My eyes bulged as I heard her say that. 

Why the hell would she sleep in my bed? 

I have a guest room downstairs that is meant for guests. Maybe that's on me since I did not necessarily elaborate on the topic.

"You realize I'm not going to fall for that, Mikayla. We are not a couple and you know it. You are here for one reason only. Can you get out of my fucking bed?" I scowled as I faced my back towards her.

"No!" She shouted as she sat up in my bed, her velvety nightgown shimmering in the sun's light which was beaming through the window.

"Okay, I would appreciate if you didn't shout for the whole neighborhood to hear." I scolded, "Look, whatever, you can stay here for now, but you will be sleeping in the guest room from now on.  You are not sleeping in my bed when I leave to go back to college on Sunday." I whispered, my tone biting, "it's just weird."

"Whatever." 

~

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" A young voice squealed in my ear as I felt hard pressure was on my ribs.

Almost instantaneously I realized that the voice was Cameron's. I knew he would be coming into my bedroom soon, and I was correct.

"What?" I sighed, my voice sounding groggy since I had been awakened for the second time.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" He screamed again as he shook Mikayla, scaring her out of her wits.

"Oh good God!" She squealed as she backed up all the way to the headboard while she took multiple heavy breaths. Her chest heaving up and down as she did so, her hands grasping her pillow.

Her frightened voice must have scared Cameron a bit because he backed away himself.

"What's wrong?" Cameron asked cautiously as he hugged Mikayla.

"Oh, Cameron!" She sighed in realization as she slapped her head," I didn't know who you were at first!" She laughed as she pulled him in for a hug.

"Hmm that sounds a bit familiar doesn't it." 

Mikayla quickly scowled in my direction before turning her attention back to Cam.

I scooted closer to Cameron who was now laying in between Mikayla and I. I tackled him for a hug while he giggled his heart out.

"Merry Christmas, buddy." I exclaimed as I gave him one last huge hug,"how about we go open some presents!"

"Yeah!" Cameron screamed as he pumped his little fists in the air before he slowly slid off the side of the bed.

I laughed as I sat up, watching as Cameron skipped happily to his bedroom. I turned to Mikayla who was rubbing her small hazel eyes.

"Do you want to get Rose or help Cameron with his clothes?  All he is wearing is his jeans, a snowman shirt and his favorite hat." 

"I can wake up Rose." She answered as she slowly removed the covers from her body, stepping on to the carpet.

"Alright, I got Cam covered then." I answered as I grabbed my red robe and followed Mikayla down the hallway.

I looked around in Cameron's Thomas the Train themed room, not seeing him anywhere. I glanced down at his bed to see a small lump under the covers. I smiled and I tagged along with him in his game.

"Oh no, where did Cameron go?" I asked worriedly as I looked under his stack of clothes and his stuffed animals.

A small giggle erupted from under the covers and I decided I would surprise him by sneaking up on him under there. I stealthily tip-toed over to the bed and lifted the covers, revealing his messy blonde hair.

"Oh no, Daddy found me!" He giggled as I began to tickle him under his armpits.

"Come on! We have to hurry and open your presents before Rose and Mommy get downstairs!" I motioned for him to come over by me so I could put on his snowman shirt and his jeans.

He lifted his arms up so I could slide the shirt on him then we did a similar strategy with his jeans.

"We need my hat, remember?" He added as he gave me a sad look, his eyebrows drawn in sadness as realized he didn't have his hat on at the moment.

"Of course I remember," I replied as I reached to the hook where his hat was and handed it to him.

"Thank you." He thanked as he pulled me in for a hug, my arms wrapping around his small body as his hands barely reached the middle of my back.

"You're welcome." I responded as I ruffled his hair before letting him hold my hand as we strolled downstairs.

"Wait! We need to wait for Mommy and Rose before we open presents, right?" Cameron added as he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Yes, we can wait right here." I replied as I bent down to sit down on the stairs. Cameron followed my action as he sat down adjacently to me.

Cameron kept a straight posture, as if he was in school or something, his hands were tucked in his pants pocket. I never realized how much of a little man he was turning into.

     After combing his hair so it was spiked in areas, he looked absolutely adorable.

"Okay!" Mikayla proclaimed as she marched down the stirs by us, holding Rose in her arms.

Cameron jumped up to look at Rose, who's agile blue eyes were looking everywhere.

"Hi Rosey, Merry Christmas!" He exclaimed as he bent over to give her a small kiss on her cheek.

Mikayla laughed and responded for Rose," thank you!" She answered in a high-pitched voice as she waved Rose's small hand around, making Cameron laugh.

"Daddy!" Cameron squealed as he tugged at the hem of my shirt," presents?" He asked as he gave me his classic puppy eyes look again.

"Yes, go ahead." I motioned as Mikayla and I watched him race down to the vibrant tree in the living room. "All of the green ones are for you."

"Yay!" 

After Cameron had established whose present is whose, we had Rose open her gifts first since she was the youngest.

"Okay, Rose let's see what you got. Mommy is going to help you open your presents, okay?" She asked as she cocked her head over to see Rose's reaction. She didn't respond, but her big blue eyes stared up at her innocently.

       "Are those princess pajamas?" Cameron asked as he pointed to the item in Mikayla's free hand.

     "Yes." Mikayla replied as she flipped the pajamas around so he could see them  better.

      Cameron made a disgusted face," blah, I don't like princesses." He scowled as he turned away immediately.

   Mikayla sighed, "Well it's a good thing they aren't for you, huh?"

     Cameron's expression changed after she stated that," uh huh!" He squealed as he ripped open the box with Spider-Man wrapping paper," It's the Paw Patrol truck with Rocky and Chase! Daddy! Daddy! Look at it!" He exclaimed as he pointed to the box and the two dogs that came with it.

     "Wow, that's cool! You need to thank Santa!" I responded as I watched his eyes scan the toy in complete amazement.

     "Thank you Santa!" He shouted, looking up at the ceiling as if Santa was in the sky at the moment.

       Mikayla and I laughed in unison as we watched Cameron continue to open his presents.

      ~

"Cam, do you want a Santa pancake?" I asked as I showed him an example of the pancake that looked identical to Santa.

"Sure." He responded as he sat in his high chair patiently, swinging his feet back and forth as he waited.

Mikayla was currently feeding Rose some smashed avocados while I made pancakes for the three of us. When I was a sophomore in high school, I participated in this pancake making contest as a joke. Basically, the contest was where you had to create a pancake that had a character or symbol on it from a Disney movie of your choice. Since I absolutely love the movie 101 Dalmatians, I chose to make a Dalmatian shaped pancake. I ended up winning second prize, following a guy who created an awesome pancake that looked like a dwarf from the move Snow White. It was stupid, but I started to make fun pancakes after that.

I finished Cameron's pancake and I slipped it on his plate. He peered over the counter so he could see the pancake, a smile spread across his face as he did so. Then, his small hands grasped the plate as he snuck back to his seat.

"It's Santa!" Cameron laughed as he lifted the pancake, syrup beginning to drip off of it.

"Yeah!" I responded as I watched him take a bite of the pancake.

When Rose was finished with her avocados, she watched Cameron eat his pancake with all the scrutiny in the world.

It was quite hilarious because whenever Cameron showed Rose his pancake, she would lean in and attempt to take a bite out of it. When Cameron moved it away from her and took a bite, she would begin to laugh.

"I take it you like the pancake?"

"You make the best pancakes." Cameron stated as he continued to eat his breakfast.

"I know." I replied solemnly as I turned to Mikayla who was making her own pancake on the stove.

"Are we gonna do anything today?" Cameron asked after he pushed his plate inwards and slipped out of his highchair.

"Maybe. Anything can happen!"

~

AN// Did you guys like this chapter? What do you guys think about Cameron not liking princesses? (haha) Do you guys see Aris as a guy who does pancake art? personally, I don't but it was one of his hidden talents. If you didn't notice, he does not like to express his pancake making skills.

Up top is a video of the making of Santa pancake art. Aren't those videos so cool? I always watch those kinds of videos on Instagram. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and the next chapter should be up some time this week.

Thanks for reading this book and can we get to 1k views by the end of March?

If you guys enjoyed the chapter please vote if you think it deserves it! Also, please recommend the book and tell others about it:)

Love you guys!

~SDS