Song: Silver Bells - Lady Antebellum

The next day, I spend the entire morning scrubbing the house. It hasn't been cleaned since my father was around, and that is evident by the numerous dust bunnies that fall out of the most peculiar places. I vacuum every nook and scrub every cranny. Cupboards and countertops get rags to them until they sparkle, and the pillows on the couches get fluffed until they resemble marshmallows. Many coughing fits later, the house has never looked better.

   In addition to cleaning, I also cook. It isn't anything extravagant; it's just one of my dad's spaghetti recipes that I found in a cabinet while rearranging the fine china. My inner desire to please my guest takes me over, so I follow the instructions to a T. I make some cheese bread to go with it, though that is made from my imagination and I'll probably end up throwing it away. However, it makes the table look full.

   At noon, I find myself pacing back and forth around the kitchen. My heart skips beats with excitement as I wait on Evelyn to arrive. After five minutes of these repetitive actions, I'm finally about to give up and assume she isn't coming. Before I can even finish that thought, however, the doorbell rings.

   I speed over to the door and skid to a halt, my socks nearly making me slip. I hastily fix my hair and inhale deeply. Once my racing heart calms down, I open the door.

   Evelyn stands in front of me, her cheeks a rosy red from the winter air. She doesn't have much on to protect her from the freezing temperatures outside; she just wears a beige trench coat. She gives me a white smile as her blue gaze meets mine.

   "Hi," she says quietly.

   "Hey," I reply with a tiny smirk. I have to play it cool- showing too much emotion is going to make me look like an imbecile. There's only one chance for me to fix everything between us, and I don't want to ruin it.

   I quickly step out of the way. "Come in," I invite.

   "Thank you." Evelyn slips inside. As I shut the door behind her, she removes her coat and seems unphased by the chilly air. When she places her coat on a coat hanger, I recognize a familiar charm dangling from her neck.

   "You're wearing the snowflake necklace," I point out.

   Evelyn gives me a weird look and laughs lightly. "Well, yes. That's normally what you do with jewelry," she responds as she removes her snowy boots.

   "Right," I fluster, feeling my face grow a bit hot. I better not start a trend of saying stupid things.

   I recover from my stumble and head for the kitchen. "I made some food," I announce, self-conscious of the way I talk. Does she think I'm weird for speaking the way I do? Or am I just overthinking things now?

   Evelyn follows me down the hallway. As she arrives in the kitchen, she raises her eyebrows in surprise at the food spread out on the dining table. "Wow," she comments, impressed. "You can cook?"

   I scratch the back of my head. "Uh, not exactly," I confess as I sit down at the table. "It was my first time."

   "So you're telling me that it might be tainted?" Evelyn asks as she takes a seat across from me. She does not offer smile to show she's joking, but I've known her long enough to become aware of her attempts at humor.

   "Possibly," I reply with an undisguised smirk. "I'll let you try it first. If you survive, then I'll dig in."

   Evelyn's lips curl into a tiny smile as she scoops some of the noodles onto her plate. It's strange to see her amused. She is always so stiff and polite, only doing what she has to in order to be nice. Her smile is a pleasant change of pace.

   After Evelyn takes her first bite, she gives me a nod of approval. She swallows with a shocked expression on her face. "This is exquisite," she remarks. "Far superior to the spaghetti my maid cooks at home."

   Sharing her surprise, I blink and tilt my head. "Seriously? I mean- er, thanks!" I respond coolly as I begin to make my own plate, though my chest burns with pride at her compliment.

   Personal conversations become a side dish to the meal. Evelyn tells me about how embarrassing her grandparents were last night. She also shares stories with me about how her cousins pulled pranks on her. Sparing no details, she informs me about this morning as well. Her cousin startled her into falling off her bed, and she nearly tumbled down the stairs as her uncle playfully smacked her on the back. Maple syrup got tangled in her hair due to a mistake from her grandmother and the chunk had to be cut out. It was underneath her hair, however, so it wasn't too noticeable.

   I listen intently, loving the expressions she makes as she describes the events. I find myself smiling more than I have in a long, long time.

   Suddenly, Evelyn stops talking abruptly. "I'm sorry," she says. "Does it bother you when I talk about my family? Because I know that yours isn't..." She trails off as if she doesn't want to finish her sentence.

   Taken aback, I shake my head. I haven't thought about my own family all holiday. Between my friends last night and making the house sparkle for Evelyn today, I haven't had time to grieve. "I'm chill," I promise.

   Evelyn isn't convinced, though, so she changes the subject. "How does it feel to confront huge mutants like you did the other night? They're double your size." She puts her chin in her hand as if she expects a dramatic story.

   "It feels great!" I answer proudly and puff out my chest. "Kicking those idiots where the sun don't shine is the best feeling in the entire universe. Their size doesn't bug me one bit, because I make up for it in pure skill."

   Unimpressed, Evelyn narrows her eyes slightly as she studies me. "Why do you do it? You must have a motive," she questions further.

   Now that is unexpected. I've never really considered it before. "I think I do it on instinct?" I answer, though it sounds more like a guess. "I grew up with a protective nature of my sister, and I guess that kinda got transferred to the rest of the city when she passed. It's gotta go somewhere, ya know?"

   Evelyn tilts her head. "And why did it transfer?"

   I think about my response carefully. Her sudden curiosity is making me feel like I'm taking a test. "Well, I sorta had this dream of becoming a famous vigilante a few years back," I inform her with a faint blush. "But after a while, I realized it was more than that. I just wanted to help people and beat the snot out of bad guys in the process. That's why I want to defeat those evil mutants so much, because it keeps the city safe."

   Evelyn nods, her eyes flickering with emotion. Then she blinks and she's back to normal.

   To prevent an awkward pause from lurking around us, I change the subject. "Sorry about the lack of Christmas decor," I chuckle awkwardly. "I didn't exactly have enough time to set any up."

   Evelyn smiles a little. "It's quite alright. Though it is a bit lonely in here," she adds, glancing around the room.

   The doorbell rings, interrupting any response I might make. Confused, I stand up and head to the door. As I open it, I spot April and Lucy standing before me with joyful expressions on their faces. They were both bundled up and wearing Christmas hats. Even their cheeks are pink with Christmas cheer.

   "Hey, Case!" April greets me with a smile, her blue eyes shining. Lucy barely stands to her shoulder beside her, grinning.

   "What are you doing here?" I ask, befuddled.

   "We didn't want you spending Christmas alone," Lucy explains in her soft voice. "Here, merry Christmas!" she exclaims as she tries to slip a spare Christmas hat onto my head. She isn't tall enough to reach my head, so I bend down to make it easier. The tip of the hat falls in front of my vision and I must flick it away to see.

   "We brought cookies," April announces as she waves the container of goods in my face. It's full of snowmen and holly-shaped sweets.

   Suddenly, the red-head's gaze shifts to something over my shoulder. Turning my head, I see Evelyn come up behind me.

   "Who's this?" April asks curiously, though the look in her eyes tells me that she knows otherwise.

   My insides immediately clench together in discomfort. I see every possible embarrassing outcome that could happen from April knowing Evelyn. Unfortunately, I have to introduce them to each other. Besides, April is my best friend. She was going to meet Evelyn sooner or later.

   "Uh, this is Evelyn," I inform the two newcomers. "She's my anatomy tutor."

   "Oh, so you're the famous Evelyn," April comments with a smirk. "Casey never shuts up about you."

   Instantly, my chest burns with fear. My face feels like it's on fire. I can't believe she just said that!

   "Oh really?" Evelyn glances at me, a hint of laughter on her face. "I hope you've been saying pleasant things."

   "Uh..." I can't say yes, because it would technically be a lie. All I've ever done is complain about her.

   I am saved from a reply by April as she steps inside. "I'm April, by the way," she greets Evelyn. Then she gestures to her blonde companion. "This is Lucy."

   "Hi," The short girl says with her usual kind smile.

   "Lovely to meet you," Evelyn dips her head politely. That's when I remember she doesn't take too kindly to strangers. They're going to have to break her wall of stiffness like I had to. It's good to know that some things never change.

   Lucy seems to get passed that wall in no time. She and Evelyn click in almost an hour as we return to the dining table. They seem to bond over nature, which eventually trails off into environmental importance. They briefly rant about the lack of compassion for zoo animals, and then they launch into a conversation about certain hairsprays are destroying the ozone layer.

   Though she seemed eager to get to know Evelyn at first, April shuts down. She is a bit wary about Evelyn, but I can't pinpoint why. She acts like an outcast as Lucy, Evelyn and I all continue with conversations. April says just enough to remind us that she is still there, then she falls silent again. It isn't like her at all

   We spend most of the time playing board games and eating cookies. I find Clue, Pictureka, Connect Four, and several other games that were shoved in my sister's old closet. Clue is the most popular, and we keep returning to it over the other games. Competitive tensions in the room are high throughout the afternoon. Even Evelyn does her fair share of trash-talk, which is not something you'd expect from someone so intelligent. Then again, Clue requires good deduction skills, so she must feel right at home.

   It gets dark quickly. By then, we are pretty tuckered out. I begin to experience unstoppable yawns and my eyes keep drooping. Cleaning all morning has taken its toll on me, and brain games aren't a big help to recovery.

   "I think it's about time for me to leave," Evelyn announces. She is having trouble staying awake as well. "My parents will be wondering what I've gotten up to."

   Lucy nods in agreement. "My mom is going to get me for staying this long," she giggles as she rises to her feet. "Thanks for having us, Casey," she adds with a kind glance at me.

   I shrug. "Thanks for coming," I say to all three of them. Hanging around friends made spending time with Evelyn a lot less awkward. I don't want to be all mushy, though, so I can't betray my gratefulness.

   As the three girls retrieve their stuff and head for the door, I follow them out. The air is more than chilly; it nearly freezes me to the bone. Snowflakes have stopped falling, but the snow covering the ground is pure ice. It's going to be a dangerous trip home for them.

   "Bye, Casey!" Lucy calls as she walks down the sidewalk. April follows the short girl, shouting her own farewells into the still atmosphere.

   "See ya!" I wave. Fully conscious of Evelyn struggling to get her coat on, I help her once the others fade from my view.

   "Thanks," she says as she finally gets her coat situated with my assistance.

   I smile a little as she looks up at me. "Thanks for, uh, not letting me be alone on Christmas," I mumble bashfully. "And again, I'm sorry for being a-"

   "Stop." Evelyn's lips curve into a grin. Suddenly, her eyes light up and her hand dives into one of her coat pockets. She retrieves a small green present from inside and holds it out to me. "I got you something," she explains. "To, you know, repay you for last night."

   I take the box from her and open it up. Nestled inside is a set of brand-new hockey pucks, black and untarnished by any rough play. Speechless, I look up at Evelyn with my eyebrows raised.

   Evelyn's cheeks turn slightly pink, though I can't be sure if it is from embarrassment or the cold. "I figured that you lose those things all the time while fighting mutants, so I thought I'd get you some more."

   I smile widely, my cheeks hurting from how happy I am. "These are wicked! Thanks!"

   We fall into a strange silence, purely made of eye contact. I can't stop myself from gazing into her eyes. It's like her blue eyes are magnets, tugging mine into a relentless hold. Suddenly, the space between us begins to close. My face slowly inches its way to hers, until our lips are just two inches apart...

   Evelyn and I both jerk back as something sounds beside us. Lucy is rushing back up the porch stairs, panting heavily. "I forgot my scarf!" She pauses, her gray eyes flooded with sudden remorse. "Sorry, did I interrupt something?"

   I glance at Evelyn, wondering her thoughts on the matter. The blonde shakes her head.

   "No, you didn't," I add, though I feel a bit disappointed by Evelyn's quick denial. I thought we were actually having a moment. I guess I'm mistaken.

   I turn and run back into the house. I snatch a red scarf off the living room sofa and return it to Lucy. She retrieves it and thanks me, looking guiltier than ever.

   "I'm really sorry," she apologizes as she races back down the stairs. "Sorry!" She calls again, before the shadows engulf her.

   Once the night falls back to its quiet self, I focus my attention back into Evelyn. "So, uh... The mood is gone now, isn't it?" I ask, knowing I can't sound any less classy.

   Evelyn, however, smiles at my remark. "Not necessarily," she murmurs. Without warning, she leans forward and kisses my cheek. Then she heads down the sidewalk saying, "I'll see you in the morning for a study session."

   My heart pounds against my rib cage. I gather my thoughts just long enough to call, "Sounds good!" Then I slip back into my house. As I shut the door, I lean against it sink to the floor, touching the spot Evelyn kissed.

   I feel so strange about the whole thing. Once minute, we were stiff and awkward. The next, I was trying to kiss her. What is wrong with me?

   April must have put something in those cookies that she fed us. Yeah, that' it. I should throw those things away before they cause more problems.

   But first, maybe I'll have just one more...