I feel weird for setting this during Christmas when it's summer for me. Aha I just like Christmas, okay? I made it extra long for all the support I'm getting on this story.
• • •
It was the day before Christmas break. Bright, shining lights were hung around neighboring houses and atop street lamps. You could see the glow of the bright Christmas trees in each house. Every inch of my neighborhood was covered with snow, lights, and sparkle.

But sadly, I couldn't see the Christmas decorations all the way from the school building. Our whole Geometry class was dying to get out. To be dismissed for Christmas break.

And sadly (again), we still had thirty minutes until school was over.

At the start of class, Caesar and I worked together to get through ten Geometry problems. By this time, we were finished and said to do whatever. So we did. We drew on the whiteboard. We drew on our hands. We talked about doing a secret Santa. And after, we had nothing more to do.

"Caesar?"

"Yes, Ariel?"

"Why are you staring at me while I'm on my iPod?"

"I have nothing else to do."

"It's creepy."

"So, I think Jade, Carrie, Bruce, Jack, me, and you are the only ones doing the secret Santa."

"What about Carrie's boyfriend?"

"Oh, they broke up."

"Already? Why?"

"Um, not so sure. Carrie gets mad every time someone asks."

"Uh, alright."

• • •

I hadn't noticed when the bell rang. Apparently, everyone was counting down, according to Caesar. I jammed my iPod in my hoodie pocket and swung my bag over my shoulder.

When we left the classroom, the hallways were crowded with people trying to get theirselves out and into the white snow. People screamed Christmas songs obnoxiously loud and bags were hit in faces.

I grabbed Caesar's hand and pushed through the crowd. When the crowd calmed down a little and there were a little less people, I could see the doors to the outside. As I pushed through the crowd some more, someone's elbow jams me in the face real hard.

I let go of Caesar's hand and lift it to my face. I try to see where I am and direct my self to an empty space. I find myself inside a bathroom somehow. I sit down onto the cool floor in defeat of standing.

"Fuck," I say as I see blood on my hands. "Great fucking way to start off Christmas break."

"Ariel, what happened to you?" Caesar questions as he gushers himself inside the bathroom.

"I don't know. Someone decided their elbow needed to meet my fucking face," I say as I wince in pain.

"Geez, that looks pretty bad."

"Really?"

"Look in the mirror."

I look up for a mirror and find one across from me. I can see myself sitting on the floor with a bloody nose that's partially purple and a right eye that's a little red and puffy.

"Gross."

"Do you need me to get the nurse?"

"No, I'm fine," I say as I weakly lift myself off the ground and make my way to the sink.

I lift the handle of the sink until cold water rushes out of the faucet. I cup my hands and put them under the water and start washing my face. When I'm done, I grab some paper towels and dry my face and grab an extra for my bloody nose.

I look up at myself in the mirror and see that everything's fine. My eye stings a little and my nose is dripping with a little blood but I'm fine.

That's when I notice a row of urinals behind me in the mirror.

I sigh and return to where Caesar waits for me. I grab my bag off the floor and walk out the bathroom. "Let's go."