Author's note: Hi guys, sorry for not updating early. I've been busy, struggled with writer's block, and I've been helping a friend, jAiLeYiSlOvE, with emotional support. The guy harassing her is the worst guy ever. Not even the guys are that bad. For more info, check her out and please check out my very first report book that I wrote. Now enjoy because I have two chapters to release. If the next chapter isn't posted today, then by weekend's end it will be posted. Also this will make sense later but Milly has more than one tattoo because it just seems like her.

—----------------------------Elliot's perspective-------------------------------

Help, I really love Milly but I can't because of my dad! It was all because of my aunt who is in deep sleep. She's not dead but she's not active. To wake her up, we need twin Innaturalis but the only ones that we know are the Elrods. I sigh as I look out the window and look out to the sky and focus on the wisps of clouds.

Three months have passed and now I'm like Jake once was. Alone and lonely. I've heard from Carmi that people didn't like Jake back then because of a recording. I've lost all my friends because of a stupid mistake. I thought Jake would understand but I guess not. Oh well, I'll think back to the day I met Carmi.

—-----------------------Back at Rosemeadow High----------------------------

Sophomore Elliot sighed as he had tried to practice what he was going to say to the plants. Nothing seemed good enough to tell anyone. On top of that, Elliot was so insecure and nervous that it was almost impossible to save the gardening club.

"I'm doing it for you guys. Some encouragement would be nice, you know?" Elliot told the plants.

Then he heard something. Confused, Elliot peeked through the door and saw a girl with two ponytail braids. The tips had not too light icy blue color on it. Her muddy brown eyes were fueled with passion and a bit of sadness. He opened the door and observed her on the side.

"Are you going to be ok?" the guy with strawberry blonde hair, Jake, asked.

"I will, at least you know I will. I just need some time to myself," the girl said with a small smile.

And so Jake went off and she was alone. She then took out a dark blue acoustic guitar that was outlined with black. The girl was feeling the strings and everything about the guitar. Then she started singing, not using the guitar whatsoever.

https://youtu.be/CWlfU_4RV1M

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After talking to her on that fateful day, I had become friends with her. I wish I could talk to her but I can't. Her friends would probably bite my head off.

"Elli c'mon, we need to get to that Zoey Raven Christmas Special concert!" Athora whines.

"Why do you hate her but not her talent?" I sigh.

"Because I can't help it if she's such a good singer. Also, I need you to get her autograph for me please!"

I sigh and put on a beanie that covers my hair. To make it less noticeable, I take off my glasses and put contacts on. I honestly don't see myself anymore when looking in the mirror. All I see is a failure that couldn't help anyone even when he tries.

—---------------------------Sean's perspective---------------------------------

"You look good, Sean," Carmi giggles.

"Ugh, this is not a good look for me."

Carmi had chosen a red and black plaid shirt, white baggy jeans, and the darkest shade of green (the color looked black from afar) sneakers as my outfit. It was for the Christmas party that Drew and Carmi were hosting. Carmi thought I'd need a new look since it was a party.

"Sean, you look good. You need to wear more than just a hoodie. Because librarians aren't a big deal to people, they don't judge whether you wear hoodies or some weirdo T-Shirt as long as it's school appropriate," Carmi said, frowning a bit.

"I suppose," I say while blushing.

And so we walked back home with a bag filled with my new outfit and Carmi hugging my arm. She is seriously the sweetest girl ever and I'm so lucky to have her. And man do I have a good present for her.

"Dad, I don't want to do this!" I heard a familiar voice call out.

I stop, making Carmi look up and around. We then notice Elliot on a call and he looks like he's about to break.

"They're my friends and I can't do this anymore!"

There was a silence that filled the alleyway with sadness and mystery. Elliot's eyes lit up in pain. He shakily took the phone from his ear and hung up. "Even though my dad practically disowned me, I don't think I'm right for Milly."

https://youtu.be/J58sEvsK6zA

He shook his head and went off with sadness. Me and Carmi watched with sadness. We called Milly and told her everything and she said that we would still at most take down AI. "It still feels right to take them down even though Elliot is kinda free now. For now we should focus on the Christmas party," Milly stated before hanging up.

When we came back, we joined Jake and Drew in decorating my house. Drew had a Santa hat on his head, which I noticed while putting up the streamers.

"Dude, you feel like being Santa Claus this year?" I joke.

"This idiot decided to give a trick question and if I didn't answer it correctly then I'd wear this stupid hat," Drew said with blush on his cheeks, "I answered correctly and Jake tricked me by claiming that it was Opposite Day."

Carmi laughed and Drew gave a glare at her. "Great job Jakey Boy! Now I've got to appoint you as Santa along with your special Mrs. Claus."

Jake turned red and exclaimed, "What?! You tricked me!"

"Yup, none of the guys wanted to do it. I couldn't pressure Seanie boy, Zander threatened to kill me in my bed if I forced him too, Henry and Liam couldn't even make it to the party, and I knew you would definitely disapprove. So what I did was trick you into winning the bet we made so that I could hook you and Hailey up to be Santa and Mrs. Claus."

Jake facepalmed himself and cursed. Drew sighed, put the Santa hat on him with a smug smirk, and said, "Gullible as always Peachy Claus."

"I thought we decided not to call me that years ago," Jake said, his face now more pink than ever.

"Wait what now?" Carmi asked with her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Well it started in 9th grade on Christmas Eve when you hung out with Zoey and Lia," Drew started.

—------------------------December 24, 2018-----------------------------------

9th grade version of Jake and the Homies was sitting at the fireplace. Drew was on his Nintendo Switch while Henry and Liam were exchanging secrets about GachaCraft on their phones. "What a lovely day looking at our screens and not having any eye contact whatsoever," Henry said sarcastically.

"Well, what do you have planned, Lettuce Brain?" Drew asked, looking up from his game with a bored stare.

"Let's see who can be the better Santa."

"That would obviously be me."

"Then prove it, bro. You always say that but never actually show it," Liam said, raising his right eyebrow.

"Fine, but don't go crying to your moms that you lost," Drew says, switching off the console and looking Liam in the eyes.

"Hey, I thought you said that you would not spill that!"

"Sorry, slipped from my mouth."

"Alright, now let's start with Liam," Jake said, breaking up the tension between the two friends.

Liam didn't bother with the costume that Henry had got and instead jumped around saying, "Ho ho ho! For all the boys on this list, hot moms will be coming into your life!"

He checked the imaginary list and said, "Hmmm, the only boy on this list is Liam Godric Priestly. So hot moms for him tomorrow!"

"That is the most terrifying thing I have ever seen," Henry said with his back turned.

"That is the stupidest thing ever! Liam, will you ever grow up?" Drew said, facepalming himself and then grabbing the bridge of his nose.

"What? It is the best Santa you have ever seen," Liam said, frowning at his friends' disapproval.

"Well Henry will go next," Jake said, laughing half nervously and half because of what Liam did.

Henry went up and then he said, "Lia, I have waited to tell you this but I am now Santa Claus. I will give you any present you want, and you can take all the time in the world to think about what you want. Will you date me also?"

"That's just as bad as mine," Liam said, laughing.

"Alright losers, it's my turn now," Drew said, sighing and blushing at the same time.

And so he went up and said, "The handsomest and richest man wishes you a merry christmas. If you're interested in a date then I'd be the perfect boy. Moreover, I'll give you whatever present you want."

"Damn, bro's just desperate," Henry just said, looking at him with curiosity.

"Alright, now it's my turn," Jake said. He had planned to sing one of his songs to his friends, which would expose his secret of singing. After all, Drew and the Homies were accepting of him.

https://youtu.be/9cofbAGvoyg

Afterwards he said, "This is coming from the one and only Jake Sterling. Don't wear out the name."

The three boys had stared at him with disbelief. "Don't tell me the music freaks brainwashed you?!" Drew said with sarcasm.

"No, I actually learned the song to sing to Daisy. I thought she would like the confession song. But I wanted your advice on what to do," Jake said, putting his hands up to neck level.

"Who's this Daisy chick y'all are talking about?" Henry asked.

"This idiot's crush. He simps so hard but she can't see it," Drew says with a smirk.

"Then I say ditch the song. Instead bring daisies and say something smart. Girls love smart boys," Liam suggested, resting his chin in between his thumb and forefinger.

"Yeah, good thing you checked with me before embarrassing yourself in front of her," Drew said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Y-yeah," Jake said, smiling weakly. He knew now that he would lose his friends if he announced that he actually had a passion to sing.

"Now I declare Jake the winner."

"Who said you could choose, Drew? After all, my impression was the best," both boys complained.

"Well, I get to because I am richer than both your parents combined. So now that we have Jake as the winner, we need a name for him."

"Ooh! Jakey Claus!"

"Not good enough, Henry."

"Simp Claus!"

"The worst idea ever, Liam."

"Then you come up with a name," Liam huffed.

"How about Peachy Claus?" Jake asked.

Milo had come in and burst into laughter, which startled everyone. "P-Peachy Claus?! Is she your girlfriend?!"

"NO! Ugh Milo, you're not supposed to be here!"

"Mom said to come back even if it meant dragging you by the ear."

"I'll come, Milo! Damn that woman never forgets a single moment of when I'm 5 years old!" Jake said with his face pink. His friends were all laughing at what Milo had said.

"Hey dude, you're cool to hang out with us. Whenever we hang out at the mall, you can come along with Jake," Drew said, wiping off tears that were being made because of how hard he was laughing.

"Cool! I get to hang out with gangster people!" Milo said, jumping up and down.

"I've got to go now then," Jake said, his face still pink.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And that's how Jakey Boy here gets his nickname Peachy Claus," Drew said, chuckling.

"I hate you, Drew," Jake said, huffing and turning pink as we all laugh.

Daisy suddenly came in and Drew called out to her by saying, "Babe, what's up?"

"Hi Drewy bear, I decided that I want to adopt a child."

Drew blinked before saying, "Sorry?"

"I want to adopt a child."

"Darling, why though? We can have a child of our own."

"I can't help it because I keep thinking about it. You know how I was adopted by my moms right? So I can't help but think that there are other children out there who need parents."

Drew pulled Daisy in and kissed her on her forehead and said, "Then we can do it. I promise you that we will adopt a child."

"Wait, you're adopted?" Milly said, busting in with the rest of the club.

"Yeah, my moms had wanted to adopt a child. When they found me, then they took me in as their own child," Daisy said, still hugging Drew.

And so everyone was now here and we started the party. I knew though that Carmi had Elliot on her mind. She wanted to help Milly real bad but I don't know whether she'll shatter or rise up like a phoenix.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Athora, you there?"

"Huh, oh yeah sorry El. I'll put that there," I said, putting the ornament near the top.

—-------------------------Back at the concert---------------------------------

"El, at least you are free from listening to Dad. I still need to because I've gone in too deep," Athora said, looking at him with fierce determination.

"But, I always wanted Dad to be happy with Mom so I thought maybe I could help," Elliot said, fiddling with his light chocolate brown winter coat.

"But they aren't. I've tried my best but they broke up. Their love wasn't meant to be. Anyways now I'm seen as a bad guy and always will be. Don't want that happening to you though. You still have a life."

https://youtu.be/WL-YcJZENrc

"Hey Coral, you look really pretty," a guy with chocolate brown eyes said with a grin.

"I will shove my fist down your thro-"

Athora stopped and recognized the boy. She straightened up and said, "Briar Simpleton, the cockiest guy I've ever met."

"Athora, I haven't forgotten how we are friends. I'll be around so see ya," Briar simply said before disappearing in the crowd.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was still thinking about that guy I met at the concert. Briar Simpleton, the guy I started to develop feelings for but had broken me and I avoided him on purpose. After getting over Sean, I had swore that I'd never fall in love ever. Why is life so complicated?

(Elliot is singing as Caleb Hearn and sings about Milly)

https://youtu.be/43BpHUPhfRU

 I sigh and just hang up the ornaments. As usual, Elliot gives me the star to put on the tree. I put it up and admire the beauty of it. Elliot leaves to go home while I shed a tear from my left eye.