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.

I mouthed to Nick

Now don't say you don't like it when I call you Nickie cos I'll

"Okay boss."

and she told us we can already leave so we left her and headed to

rad house baby."

room is just right across this

He laughs. "Easy access."

then pulls me close to him as I stand in between his legs. His

my folks and Cameron is

right to be like

I'm

course you

slams open. I hurriedly turned around, only to

build a snowman?" Ingrid sings like

headed out of the room. We stumbled our way downstairs and headed to the 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 was a winter wonderland and now I'm even happier

to

Let's have a little competition. Wait, where's

inside.

his gloves and placed it over Ingrid's hands. I was just looking at them and I didn't know Nick was

You're good."

about you?"

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

I

as they

it on!"

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

Ingrid was with Cameron, watching tv

say to Nick while both of us entered the

Anything you

looking pissed at what she made. Nick stood right behind me while mom looks our

wrong mom?" I

hardest and I followed the instructions well but it's no use." Mom says with

gazed at Nick. "Nick can

"What?" Nick blurted.

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

me with doubt. "Trust me mom.

get me out of

to mom. "Yes Mrs. Canterbury. Have you

be

yeast that's the problem Mrs. Canterbury. What

"60 degrees."

"I think we found our problem then. Yeast grows best around the temperature of

at me with amazement in her eyes and I just smiled at her cos even I myself didn't know about it too.

I didn't know that."

Nick smiled.

here Nick? I think I need you

to help."

chopping. Nick taught me how to

make dinner fast, you know how your father hates it when dinner

nods. "Yes Mrs. Canterbury. We do. The three of us can definitely do

•••••

7:00PM

our chair until we started eating. There was two kinds

chicken with white sauce