To Mask or Not To Mask (A Henry Danger Fanfic) [COMPLETED]

Blog Entry Number Thirty-Seven

(One week later)

I watched as Bethany Taylor and Iris Young hung up the last construction paper snowflake. Ashley Yamasaki ripped off a number on the holiday countdown. Now it was fourteen days until Christmas. I smiled and strolled over to my locker, which had a neon green snowflake hanging over it. I opened my locker. Someone covered my eyes from behind.

"Guess who?" they sang. It was Henry.

"Well, you sound cute, talented, and super funny, so... Luke Hemmings from the band 'Five Seconds of Summer'?" I teased. He uncovered them, and I turned around. "Well, close enough."

Henry laughed and quickly kissed me. Then he dug into his backpack and pulled out a box. "Merry Christmas, Candie." He handed it to me.

"Well, one: it's not Christmas yet, as you can clearly see on the countdown, and two: you shouldn't have," I said.

"But I wanted to." He grinned nervously. I smiled and dug in my purse. My gift for him was a pair of plaid headphones. I gave it to him. "Thanks! Now open yours!"

I smiled. "Alright." I took the lid off of the box. It contained a silver charm bracelet with a charm that had a mistletoe charm, a microphone charm, and a heart-shaped one that read, "To Someone Special". I blushed. "Thank you, Henry. It's beautiful." I clasped it on my wrist. "Now open yours."

He unwrapped the box. "Sweet! Plaid headphones!" He put it in his backpack, kissed me on the cheek, and hugged me. "You're the best, Candie."

"So are you." I rested my chin on his shoulder, and closed my eyes. Someone cleared their throat. I opened my eyes.

"Am I interrupting something?" Charlotte asked. I let go, and so did Henry.

"Kinda," he mumbled. I chuckled, and dug through my purse again.

"Merry Christmas, Charlotte," I said, giving her a box. It was a collection of pins that had somewhat offensively sassy Tumblr quotes on them, such as, "I am surrounded by idiots", and "Hahahahahahaha, no". I made them myself.

"Oh my gosh, they're awesome!" She pinned one that said, "Shut Up and Buy Me Pizza" on her t-shirt. Henry handed her another box. It was a t-shirt that read, "Not A Morning Person" and then in tiny print, "Unless You Give Me Starbucks". "This explains me!" she laughed. "What did you get each other?"

"She gave me plaid headphones," Henry replied. I showed her my wrist.

"Wow! A mistletoe charm, too, huh? Smooooth." Charlotte adjusted the pin. "You two are goals," she sighed. "Why can't I have a relationship like yours?"

***

Henry and I walked home together after rehearsals. Usually, Charlotte would walk with us, but she got a ride home. He put his arm around me. "Do you wanna go somewhere this weekend?" he asked. "Like, on a date?"

I rested my head on his shoulder. "Sure. Where?"

"Ladies' Choice," he sang. I laughed.

"There's an Asian festival in Chinatown," I announced. "We should go there."

"Asian festival?" he asked.

"Yeah. Some people who come from Asia set up booths there and then they show off their cultures. My mom used to help out sometimes. And my aunts and uncles come. I haven't seen them since I last went."

"When was the last time you went?"

"The year my mom died." I felt my voice crack, and a tear slid from my eye.

"Um... should I have not asked?" He turned to look at me and took his arm off.

"No, it's fine. But either way, we should go. There's good food." I held his hand and smiled at him.

"Okay then." He seemed a bit sad, but then perked up. He led me to the grass next to the sidewalk. "Raise your hand. The one with the charm bracelet."

I looked at him quizzedly. "Okay..." I did as he told. "Now what?"

He wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine. I was a little surprised, but I hugged him back. I smiled when he pulled away.

"Mistletoe," he whispered, smirking.

***

"Dad, where are you going?" I asked, strolling into the kitchen. He adjusted his tie.

"A dinner at Sotavoche with Natalie," he answered. "What about you?"

"I'm going to the Asian festival with Henry," I responded. I fiddled with the pink and white polka dotted bow that I tied to my braid. I slid the charm bracelet up and down my wrist.

"Oh, okay then. Well, have fun." He kissed me on the cheek. "If you see Aunt Kaylynn, Uncle Victor, Hayden, and Iyana, tell them that I said hi." He walked out of the door. He was referring to my mother's sister, her husband, and my two twin cousins, who were my age. I sat down, drawing a random picture and heard the doorbell ring.

"Hey!" Henry greeted. "You ready? My mom's gonna drop us off at Chinatown."

"Okay." I touched my ears to make sure my bow earrings were still there.

He looked me up and down, from the polka dotted ribbon I used to tie my braid, my int green button down tank top, pink denim shorts, to my white sandals. "You know, you look really pretty."

I felt all the heat rush to my cheeks. "You look nice as well." I smiled, feeling bashful. I took his arm, and I followed him to his mom's car.

*A/N: Hi! Sorry it's kind of short! I was planning that it would be longer, but I figured that 2,027 words is too much. However, the next chapter will be posted REALLY soon, and you'll learn a few traits about Candie's culture, and...

wait for it...

Henry gets jealous. ;)*