Love Aint Always Pretty

Christmas

- a holiday that is celebrated on December 25 in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ or the period of time that comes before and after this holiday

62

The entire breakfast was quiet and awkward. Nick was sitting down right next to me as we sit down right across mom and Cameron while dad was on Nick's left and Ingrid was on my right. We were all eating very silently. Dad didn't say anything about what he saw last night and what Nick told him. As for Cameron, he didn't say anything about what he saw a while ago too. Everything was so weird on the table but then I liked how they didn't bother to talk about it. I liked it that neither of them wanted to start so I ignored the way that they're trying to act now.

Dad didn't even talk to me about last night so I guess he is insanely mad at Nick and also at me. I mean, he caught his eighteen year old daughter frolicking a twenty-four year old man inside his own kitchen in the middle of the night. But then dad told me he would talk to me today but he's not even opening the topic about it so I just played along with acting as if nothing happened.

When we were done eating, all of us started grabbing our stuff that we need for today. I grabbed the new set of bikini that Tracy gave to me before she left for her Christmas break with Clyde. When all of us were ready, I told dad that I was riding with Nick and then Ingrid volunteered to join with us. Nick was kind enough to let her join us. She sits at the backseat alone while Nick and I were in front. Nick gazed at her over the rear view mirror as he drives close by Cameron's car right before us.

"Nick?" Ingrid calls out.

"Yes Ingrid?" Nick answers.

"My dad doesn't like you." Ingrid blurted.

I turned around to face her and gave her an eye as my brows were creasing. "Ingrid."

"What? Let me finish Annie." She says.

Nick holds my hand. "Let her speak."

I sigh.

"As I was saying Nick, my dad doesn't like you. Cameron doesn't like you for Savannah too. And mom doesn't trust you but she didn't really say she doesn't like you for Annie but I think you're good for my sister so you have my vote. One out of..." she trails as she counts on her finger.

"One out of four." She says.

"Two out of five. I'm included Ingrid." I snapped.

"Oh right. At least you have two Nick."

I smiled and Nick did too.

"I think you're a great person Nick. My parents are really really really hard to please." Ingrid adds.

I faced her. "Thanks Ingrid."

She smiles at me. "I like you more than Channing. I don't like him for Annie. He's--"

"Okay that's enough Ingrid." I joked as I cut her off.

Nick was just laughing om his seat while he kissed my knuckles.

After thirty minutes or so, we finally entered the tall gates of our rest house while Mr. Cal opens it for us. Our car parks on the gravel lot covered by white thick and fluffy snow, right beside Cameron's. Ingrid was the first one to get off the car since she's always so excited when we come here. Nick opened the door for me as he tries to grab the bag from my hand while my parents were looking at us.

"Welcome back home Mr. & Mrs. Canterbury." Mr. Cal, our butler in this house, greeted us.

"Cal, get our bags at the trunk and place it inside the rooms." Mom says.

"Yes Mrs. Canterbury." Mr. Cal answered.

"I'll put my own bag inside my room Mr. Cal, don't worry about it." I say with a smile while he stares at Nick.

"Separate rooms." Dad warns me.

"I know dad. Don't worry." I say.

I grabbed Nick's hand as we walk towards the front door and I lead him inside the house. "Annie! Nickie! Wait for me!" Ingrid calls out.

"Nickie?" Nick asked.

laughed. "Minaj." I mouthed to Nick and

rhymes with Annie. Now don't say you don't like it when I call you Nickie cos I'll take back my vote."

"Okay boss."

us with her backpack hanging behind her. The three of us headed up to the stairs as we walk Ingrid first to her room. Everything was all pink and she told us we can already leave so we left her and headed to Nick's room. I chose the one across mine. Both of us headed inside as

rad house baby."

him. "My room is just right across this room

He laughs. "Easy access."

I stand in between his legs. His hand placed at the bottom of my

sorry about how my folks and Cameron is treating you." I

his head. "Don't worry. They have the right to be like

am safe. I'm safe

nods. "Of course you are

open. I hurriedly turned around, only

you wanna build a snowman?" Ingrid

backyard where there was a pack of beautiful thick snows on the grass. Everything was covered with wonderful snow. It always feels like this place

know how to build a

competition. Wait, where's

left it inside. It's okay." Ingrid

off his gloves and placed it over Ingrid's hands. I was just looking at them and I didn't know Nick was good with kids. If only his baby

good." Nick

you?" Ingrid

make a snowman together since you have my mittens, versus Annie?" Nick moves

"What? I can't make a

Ingrid teases and Nick laughs as they

bring it on!" I said

snow people, as what Ingrid would call them and she said they lived in a snow village, as what she also called it. We made bunch of little snowmen too and then the snowman ice sculpting suddenly turned into a snowball fight. You can never stop the urge to throw a snowball once you have one in your hand. Nick started it and they were throwing lots at me. I was alone at first, it was like fighting for my survival but then later on we battled with Ingrid. It was fun. I loved how we were just being playful and I even

the kitchen while Ingrid was with Cameron, watching tv at the

of us entered the kitchen to grab

you want

she

mom?" I

tried my hardest and I followed the instructions well but it's

gazed at Nick. "Nick can

"What?" Nick blurted.

his arm and pushed him towards my mom. "He's amazing at the

doubt. "Trust

looks at me saying get me out of

to mom. "Yes Mrs. Canterbury. Have you

There must be something wrong with that

not the yeast that's the problem Mrs. Canterbury.

"60 degrees."

we found our problem

at her cos even I myself didn't know about it too. We watch Nick do his own thing as he placed it back inside

I didn't know that." Mom

Nick smiled.

help me here Nick? I think I need you around."

love to

smiled. "I can help in chopping.

now helping unlike before. We need to make dinner fast, you know how your father hates it when dinner starts

of us can definitely do it.

•••••

7:00PM

foods that mostly Nick and mom made a while ago. All of us were already sitting down on our chair until we started eating. There was two kinds of pasta, creme brûlée, chicken

white sauce