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// Chapter Ten: Mistletoe Wisteria 
// Story: Love Degree 
// by AngelDCS 
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The room was filled with light and cheer. Everybody seemed to be in a carefree, pleasant mood.

"I wonder if it was okay for me to tag along with you," the gorgeous charcoal haired girl said, taking a sip of the warm coffee in her hands.

"Of course, Octy! You always spend the holidays alone and I didn't want to leave you feeling bad," I said with a laugh. "The place sure is crowded; Tick has such a large family. I'm a bit envious."

Octavia smiles. "That make two of us. Also... What happened with Flash? I saw him with the girl that studied in Crystal Prep."

I shrug. "Who knows?"

"Didn't he swear to never-"

"Girls?"

We both turn around and see Tick. He was wearing a long sleeved, green turtle neck shirt and black pants; his ginger hair slightly styled in the 'I just woke up but I’m fabulous' look. Octy's face flushed instantly.

"Hey!" I said, giving him a hug. "Merry Christmas!"

"Are you two enjoying the party? I apologize if it is too loud, my family tends to be like that." He says, blushing.

"N-Not a-t all." Octavia waves her right hand. "I-It’s q-uite a ch-arming at-mos-sph-ere." She then looks away. "I-I'm going to get some air. S-See you later," And runs away.

Tick raised an eyebrow as he watched the girl flee from sight. "What's wrong with her? Did I say something wrong?" He says, titling his head to the left.

I laugh. "Nah. She is just a bit shy around men." Well, not really, but I'm not the one to tattle-tale on her. "Either way I think I should..."

I was about to leave, but...

"Eh?"

I felt a hand grab my arm.

"Could you come with me? I want to show you something." Tick said, looking away.

I blink twice. What is he going to show me? I shrug my shoulders, agreeing to follow anyway. "Oh, sure! Lead the way."

As soon as I said that, he dragged me towards the back door of the house. He opened the door, letting the chilly air seep into the house.

"Can you close your eyes?"

"Why?" I asked. Now, I was starting to get suspicious. I don't trust people when they tell me that. Last time I did, Vinyl and Flash threw a cake at my face. And to make it worse, I was right in front of my crush when they did!

"Trust me. No funny business. It’s just that I want to show you somewhere special and this might help bring the emotion of secrecy."

With his too serious voice it was hard to not laugh. In some way, his attempts to be more expressive were kind of cute. "Okay, okay. I'll do it. " I respond, closing my eyes.

He stood in that place for at least some minutes. I chuckle.

"Can you take this seriously? You're not helping me in any way." If I'm not mistaken, he was pouting.

"Okay, fine." I breathe deeply and stay silent, trying not to laugh. "Let's go before I laugh and regret this."

He sighs loudly. After some minutes he takes my hand and drags me outside.





After ten minutes he stops. If I didn't have my eyes closed I would be appearing confused.

"You can open them now."

I open my eyes. We were in front of a frozen lake. Some trees were decorated with small snowflakes and frozen ice. A swing was hanging from a tree. The light of the sun made everything look like it was glowing, and the ice looked like sparkling lights.

"Wow... It’s so beautiful…" I said, marveled by the view.

Tick nodded. "Yeah. I like to come here when it’s winter just to see this view. It’s quiet and relaxing, and it helps for when I want to get away from my noisy family. I.." He then fidgets his hands. "Wanted to show it to you b-because… I..."

I quickly went to play with the snow, trying to make a snowman. "Golden bells, golden bells. I'll like some chocolate to melt~." I sang while making the snowman.

He looked rather disappointed and... Sad? "Really?"

I go to him. "Come on! It’s Christmas! We should enjoy it and play a bit!"

He looked rather down, even if he is emotion-less.

I pat his head. "After you enjoy some fun in the snow you can tell me what you wanted to tell me." I put my scarf in his hands. "Also, I need help with my snowman." I then resumed building the snowman.

Tick sighs. "I can't say no, can I?"

Then he joins in helping my snowman become a snowman.





"We did it!"

After a snowball fight and chasing some puppies who stole the scarf and hat for about an hour, the snowman was done.

"I told you that we should have made him smaller." He says, crossing his arms.

"But a snowman has to be big! If he isn't then he can't be called a snowman!" I pout.

"Are you three years old?"

I look at him angry and then laugh. He smiles... Wait, he is smiling?!

"You…" I point my finger at him.

"What?" He looks clueless.

"You smile." I say, pointing at his lips.

"Oh yes. People smile when they are happy." He tilts his head to the left. "You didn't know?"

I look mad. "I know! It’s that..." I smile, feeling my cheeks grow warm. "It’s the first time I see you with a real expression. You look handsome. You should smile more."

A blush red as an apple appears at his whole face. "T-thanks? A-Anyhow..." He then stands up. "We should head back. They must be thinking we are doing things that are questionable."

I blink twice. "Like what?"

He glances over at me and walks away muttering 'Nope, Nope, I'm not explaining it'.

"Hey wait!" I get up and chase after him.





I follow him to the backdoor of the kitchen.

"Hey, can you stop?" He stops, I was panting. He sure is fast.

"You sure know how to ruin the mo-" He stops in mid-sentence. "Oh hell no."

I look at him. "What?" I look up and see a mistletoe, along with a group of people watching us like we were some P.P.V show. "Uh… Tick?"

A guy who has dark blue hair shouts, "You can do it, cus!!!"

Then a pink strawberry hair girl says, "Show her what you’re made of!"

I look puzzled. "Tick, you don't have to do this if you don't want to." I was uncomfortable. This was like one of those cliché chick-lit movies.

He whispers, "Who said I didn't want to?"

Before I could say anything or push him away he kisses me. His lips were warm, sweet but...

I didn't feel anything.

No heart beating faster than light. No joy filling my veins. Heck, I didn't even felt lust.

It was just like kissing a doll.

After some moments he pulls away. I look at him. Clueless, confused, angry?

I can't tell…

I look at the crowd and spot a charcoal, elegant haired woman.

"O-Octavia..." I look at her, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

She stays frozen, looking at me. She mutters something on her lips, then smiles the most heart clenching smile. One that could make your heart feel like dying.

"I guess I lost again." She waves. "Thanks for having me. I had a lot of fun…" then goes away running.

"What is wrong with Octavia? " He asks, confused.

I pull away from his grasp. "Life sure is unfair." Then I went outside, looking for Octavia.

I'm such an idiot...

Once outside, I began my search for her. I knew I had to fix things, to tell her I didn't want to do that. That I was sorry.

Is it me, or did this happened before?

I remember.

Every time Octavia liked a guy, he fell for me. Even when I told them I didn't liked them. The cycle repeating itself until I fell for Doc.

Funny, right? I like a guy, he falls for Octavia or Vinyl. Octavia likes a guy, he falls for me.

Is this some sort of cruel joke toward us?

I sigh as I keep looking for her. The snow soon begins to fall harder.

I went everywhere, looking for her.

"I guess she went home," I say, feeling the cold in my bones. "I better leave her alone and explain tomorrow. Let her breathe before I make things worse." Then I turn around.

The fog was thick. Even so, I knew where I was going...





I got home and changed, putting on some short shorts and a strap shirt.

I'm not crazy. It’s that the heater in my home lets me and... I don't like to wear long pants at home and I can't be in my underwear since Flash and Vinyl (or both at the same time) like to arrive like this their own house, and…

I don't want to hear more sexual jokes or to be harassed by them. You make that mistake once in a lifetime.

I sit down on the couch, leaving a tray of the cookies Tick's mother put in my purse (I'm surprised she could fit a two dozen cookies in a small messenger purse) on the nightstand. Then I lie down, feeling like trash.





"The only way my sled can move is with the magic of the people who believe in Santa Clause…"

Half an hour through the movie Yelf and I was lying on my back. My hair-pins are on the floor along with my hair tie, my golden hair hanging lose on my face and sides.

Then I hear a knock.

I get up. "Flaaash! It’s too late for God's sake!" I then went toward the door.

I open the door, shocked at what I see.

"D-Doc?"

He smells like wine and vodka. "D-ditzy?"

I sigh. Great. Just my luck. "Come on in." He gets in and I close the door, locking it since it was late. I don't have to worry; Doc isn't the type of guy to attack a girl.

I sit down on the couch. "The bathroom is upstairs. Or if you want, I can help you out since you seem to be pretty much messed up-"

I feel a weight on top of me. A Doc with a hungry look was looking at me. He was on top of me.

"O-Or not?"