Sadly Engaged

Chapter 12.5: Christmas

(Emily's point of View)

I dusted my hands off looking around at the fruits of my labor, Christmas lights hung on every nook and cranny. Nathaniel had decided that after the incident at central park that we needed to have a Christmas Party on Christmas day, since I had wanted to avoid my parents at all costs.

We invited all of the dream team but the majority of them were off in other cities busy with their jobs. Sierra had been the first one to arrive super early so that she could help me set everything up, after all Nate had disappeared early in the morning.

"You ready to tackle the Christmas tree Sierra Mist?" I looked over to her with a bright on my face, hers echoing mine as we both headed towards the tree.

"Did someone Christmas Tree?" We both looked over just in time to see Caleb jumping on top of us with Nick following behind him with several gifts being balanced on his arms. His face was had crumbs and maple syrup around his mouth, prompting him to place a large kiss on each of us.

"Caleb! Your hear!" I yelled happily trying to avoid the rest of the crumbs on his face, "And you got those pancakes!" I recalled remembering how Nick had bribed him to get up early with pancakes, the man always loved his cooking.

"I sure did, I never forget a promise with food in the deal." He quickly moved to help Nick before all the boxes fell to the floor. Like a dancer he floated over the earth placing all the presents underneath the tree before we could blink.

"Look at that fancy footwork Ni." Sierra laughed with Nick as I tried to copy his footwork, only to trip over my own feet. Caleb quickly steady me with a smirk, and I could already hear what he was about to say.

"Nice Try Emma Bear, but we both know your dancing skills suck." I swatted my hand at him, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I'm not that bad." I attempted to defend myself but all of them glanced at me with my way with their eyebrows raised.

I left their stares going after the box of ornaments for the tree, holding them up for them all to see, "Are we going to decorate the tree, or talking about my dancing skills?"

"Why not both Fenice." I shook my head slightly glancing back to see my brother and Nate balancing a large amount of food containers, Nick went to help them while the rest of us began to set up the tree.

'The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.' The melody drifted through the house as the music played, everyone joining in as they worked.

'Since we have no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.' Sierra jumped onto Nick's back running around throwing tinsel onto the ground making a silver sparkly mess. Caleb turned towards me with red tinsel in his hand and a sparkle in his eyes. He wiggled his eyebrows at me swiftly grabbing me and throwing me over his shoulder.

"CALEB!" I squealed while playfully punching his back lightly, as he chased the other duo sending the red tinsel flying to the ground around us to.

"I'll save you Sis!" Michael let out a playful roar as he began to chase Caleb who sped up panting as he ran. I glanced around in my crazy world with a smile seeing Nate watch all of us with a smirk as he popped a grape into his mouth, he gave me a small wave before my vision was cut off.

"Bro Biscuit!"

"Sista!"

Eventually we all got tried and collapsed onto the couches with a smug looking Nate standing over us with all of his energy. He threw a wink my way while looking around at his fully decorated and messy home.

"Now since you guys are tired I guess that means I get to choose the music." Nate mocked us quickly moving towards the phone that had been playing 'let it snow.' I sprang up towards him using the last bit of energy to chase and tackle him to the ground.

His arms wrapped around my waist as we fell to the ground, his eyebrows wiggled slightly while watching my face. We had both told everyone that we were dating, in case my parents questioned any of them. Every time I was this close to his face I could feel the air leaving my body, creating a new kind of atmosphere around us.

"This works to." Nate smirked as I looked into his blue orbs that drew me in.

"Shut up." I muttered bringing my lips down to his not needing the smirk on his lips but instead needing them on mine.

"And you told me you were never gonna fall for him." Nick muttered which prompted me to flip him off while I continued to kiss Nate.

Eventually we clambered off of each other facing all of the grins of my friends, and the glare of my brother. We joined the rest of the group around the tree on the couches, Sierra and Michael both went to kitchen chatting over a bowl queso and chips. Caleb went into organizing all the gifts into a fort in front of their prospective recipient.

I watched my brother and my best friend closely focusing on their facial expressions, the way my brother's eyes went to Sierra's lips. The way that Sierra jumped after brushing his hand going after the same chip. I wanted to get involved because I had always seen sparks between the two, but they would tell me when they were ready.

"Alright Present time everyone!" Nick yelled to the two watching Caleb carefully to make sure he didn't shred his open before everyone was there.

"Alright who goes first?" Caleb quickly jumped into unwrapping his first present from Nick answering the question before anyone else could. Several presents later and he had begun to spin around the house with happiness, everyone had given him a gift card to a different restaurant.

Sierra went next: we all had pooled together our money to buy her a new guitar since her mother burned the last one. She loves to sing and aspires to be a singer, although she's too scared to pursue it because of her mother.

Nick had always been really difficult to give gifts to until he found a new hobby: reading Murder Mystery Novels. He enjoyed the complexity of the stories and was obsessed with trying to use his wit to figure out the murderer. We each bought him a new book to read from a series he had been crazy about for the past couple months.

Most of us just gave Michael money, however, Nate and I decided to try to give him a Christmas sweater. He ended up chucking it at me in a fit of both laughter and rage, Nate just held me as we both laughed together.

Everyone had different ideas on what to give Nate, all of them a bit unsure on what this new man would want. Nick gave him tennis rackets, Caleb gave him a Fruit Cake, Sierra gave him a fake lottery ticket and a scarf, Michael gave him money and a coupon for ladies man.

Nate asked if we could give each other's gifts separately to which I begrudgingly agreed. Sierra gave me a new blue leather jacket. Caleb gave me a picture of all of us in college at graduation. Michael ended up giving me a Christmas sweater so I chucked it at him much like he did with me. Nick gave me a gift card for my favorite Chinese restaurant.

"I hope y'all will excuse us for a moment." Nate led me away from the group to his room. He brought out a small box from underneath his bed. I placed the interestingly shaped gift I got him on the bed beside me.

Slowly I opened the lid to reveal a beautiful pendant of a Phoenix. I smiled at him and leapt into her arms, I placed a kiss on his cheek before hugging him with all my might.

"I love it thank you." Slowly we parted enough for him to unwrap my gift.

"Alcohol? Really?" He smiled at me goofily making my own smile grow larger.

"Yes."