Dedicated to @AyishaFida

"So can any of you tell me what is the chemical formula sucrose?" Mrs. Daniels asked.

The whole classed stayed quiet as Mrs. Daniels waited for someone to volunteer.

Just as she was about to pick someone the principal's voice comes through the intercoms stating, "Can all junior and senior kids come down to the auditorium."

Everyone lets out a sigh of relief as Mrs. Daniels orders us to line up before we head towards the auditorium. I find Nikki, Jakob, Andrew and Amelia sitting in the middle row and I head towards them.

"Hey Carter." Jakob states as I take a seat between Amelia and Nikki.

"Hey Jake." I respond. "Wait what is this assembly for?"

"It's the Christmas concert the band and chorus put together." Nikki answers. "But anywho that isn't important right now, remember that guy I talked to you about in my calculus class that I like?"

"Yes what about him?" I ask.

"He is confusing me." Nikki whines.

"How?" Amelia questions.

"So yesterday in the morning he complimented me, does that mean he likes me or something, and today I find him making out with one of the cheerleaders." Nikki explains. "And then before I walked into the auditorium he was like 'Nikki I need to talk to you'. Like what does he want to talk about? What do I do?"

"I don't know, I don't know, and I don't know." I respond.

"You are no help Ash." Nikki states.

"I know, thank you." I reply.

"Well for starters-" before Amelia can finish her sentence the principal's voice catches our attention.

"Can everyone please settle down, today we have a group of extraordinary and talented students who have worked hard to make this concert perfect so I am going to ask you guys to be respectful and be quiet." The principle states.

Once everyone is quiet the concert starts.

"We will talk about this later." Amelia states before sitting back in her seat.

The chorus kids get into position and start singing their first song which was Marry Did You Know.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

Mary did you know, Mary did you know, Mary did you know

I look around the auditorium and find the Benson siblings and their little groups of friends sitting about three rows in front of us. My eyes spot Ryder and Sandra sitting together, and I see Ryder smiling at something she said as she placed her hand on his leg. And he said he didn't like, yeah right. I roll my eyes before settling my attention back on the stage where the chorus was now performing Jingle Bell Rock.

***

The bell rang signaling it was time to leave school and that Winter Break has begun. Everyone yelled before running out of the classrooms and making their way home as quickly as possible to enjoy their holidays. As I am getting my stuff from my locker I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn around and find Emily a girl from my History class who barley ever talks to me since she is a cheerleader.

"Um hey, what can I do for you?" I ask as I zip up my jacket.

"I wanted to know if it was true that Ryder is staying at your house while his mom is at her business trip?" Emily questions.

"Business trip?" I ask with a confused expression on my face.

"Yeah, that's what Helen said." Emily responds.

Why would Catherine lie to Helen one of her suppose besties?

"Uh yeah they are staying at my house for a bit." I respond.

"Oh cool, if you can would you give this to Ryder for me, tell him it's my number." She states as she hands me a piece of paper and heads off.

Curiosity takes the best of me and I open the card which was a huge mistake. Let's just say it was very explicit. I place the card in my jacket pocket before heading towards the parking lot.

"There she is." I hear Ryder state as I near his car.

"Finally, she took her sweet time getting here." Catherine replies as I roll my eyes.

"Be quiet okay, I don't feel like arguing with you too before Christmas." I reply as I get into the grey BMW i8.

My mom wanted us home as quickly as possible so I had to go home with Satan's kids. I lean my head against the car window as I look outside. Snow covered most of the front yards and roofs. About ten minutes later we are parked outside my house. The fact that my mom's car wasn't parked outside told us that we got here before she did. I pull out my keys and enter the house. As we are hanging up our coats we hear something fall.

"What was that?" Catherine asks.

"I don't know, your mom's car wasn't parked outside so she isn't here yet." Ryder states.

"And my dad is still at work so that can only mean-"

"There is a burglar inside the house. Oh my god we need to call 911." Catherine states.

"Stay here I will go check what it is." I state as I make my way towards the kitchen.

And like always the pair doesn't listen to me and follow right behind me. I place my index finger on my lips and make a ssh sound. We spot someone behind the fridge door although we can't tell who it is since their back is to us.

Before we can stop her Catherine jumps on the person's back and yells "Burglar!"

The guy falls on the ground before Catherine starts choking him. I get a quick glance at the guys face and immediately go to take Catherine off him.

"Catherine get off him, he's my brother!" I yell as Ryder and I pull Catherine off my brother.

Blake starts to cough before stating, "Best welcoming ever, first I arrive and no one is home, then I get attacked by some lunatic while I am trying to look for something to eat."

Catherine bites her bottom lip before stating, "Sorry I thought it was a burglar."

Wow that's the first time I have heard her say sorry to someone.

I help my brother up before hugging him and yelling, "Blake!"

"Hey Pookie Bear!" He responds as he picks me and spins me around.

"Don't call me that." I whine.

"Why not you used to like it when you were little." Blake responds.

"Yeah problem is I am not little anymore." I reply.

"You sure." Blake asks making fun of my height.

My face forms a frown and he lets out a chuckle before stating, "I am just playing around with you. So who are these two and where is everyone?"

"These are the children of one of mom's besties." I respond as I take out my phone causing a piece of paper drop out of my pocket but I didn't notice. "Mom went to go pick up Harper and Chris and dad's still at wo-"

"What is this?" Ryder asks as he picks up the note I dropped.

"That is a sext message from one of your admirers." I respond as I throw my jacket onto one of the chair.

"Sext message?" Ryder asks with a confused look before reading the note.

His eyes widen and his mouth drops before he throws the note out.

"Kids now days." He murmurs.

"So how has college been?" I ask Blake as we take a seat on the couch.

"It's been okay." He responds as he scratches his neck.

I knew something was wrong but decided to not say or ask anything. I wanted this Christmas to be perfect, even though the Benson siblings will spend it with us this year.

"Welp let's start preparing our annual Christmas cookies before mom arrives and eats them before we even finish them." I state as we stand up from the couch.

"I heard that!" My mom voice yells as she and my siblings walk through the door with my dad right behind them.

"Heey moom." I state with a cheeky smile.

"Blake oh my god my baby. I am so sorry I wanted to your welcome home to be special." My mom states as she hugs Blake.

By the look on Blake's face mom was squeezing the life out of him instead of hugging him.

"Oh it was special alright, definitely didn't get strangled to death." Blake states as he turns to look at Catherine.

Catherine's cheeks turn red before she turns away with a shy smile.

Oh god please no, no, no!

Please don't tell me Catherine likes my brother, please no!

"Ash can you and Blake start making the cookies I am starving." Chris asks causing me to smile.

"Sure as soon as mom lets go of him." I respond.

"M-Mom I-I can't breathe." Blake states and my mom loosens her grip. "Yup she ain't letting go anytime soon, you go ahead and start without me."

I let out a small laugh before heading into the kitchen which was full of food. Lasagna, empanadas, turkey, cake, and much more food filled up the kitchen counters. I find and empty spot before getting the ingredients for the cookies.

As I am mixing the eggs, and vanilla someone poked my sides and states, "BOO"

I turn around and slap the person's shoulder with a towel.

"Don't do that Ryder." I state as he laughed.

"So you can cook. Huh miss sassy pants is actually useful for something."

My mouth drops before I throw a bit of flour on him.

"Hey that was my new shirt." He states as he tries to take of the flour.

I laugh at him before continuing to mix the eggs and vanilla. I suddenly feel something cold run down my head and down to my cheeks. I wipe some of it and find out its egg yolk.

"Ryder!" I yell out before pouring the mix for the cookies on him.

"And there go the cookies." I hear Blake state from the kitchen door way.

"My hair, my precious, precious hair." Ryder states as he wipes of the mixing from his face.

"Well that's what you get. Now you know not to mess with a girls hair." I respond.

"Well your hair was already horrible so I think he actually did you some help." Catherine states.

That's it I have had it with these too!

I launch for Catherine and just as we were about to pull each other's hair two pair of arms stop us. I turn around and realize Ryder had stopped me while Catherine was stopped by Blake.

"All three of you enough you are acting like little kids!" Blake states. "And you to, you ruined my cookies." He whined.

I raise and eyebrow and respond, "And we are the ones acting like little kids."

I could see Catherine and Ryder to hold back their laughter when I said that.

"You two go take a bath I will do the cookies, Catherine would you help me?" Blake states.

"Yeah sure." She responds a little too cheerful than needed.

"I call first!" Ryder states before sprinting towards the stairs.

"Ryder!" I yell before chasing after him.

The door shut in my face before I can go into the bathroom. Stupid bastard!

"A-whole! I hope you slip on the tub and break your leg!" I yell hard enough so he could hear me.

"Okay thank you." He yells back.

I could feel steam coming out of my ears as my skin started to boil. I guess I will have to use the bathroom in the hall. I grab my towel before heading towards the bathroom right down the hall. Stupid Ryder and his long legs that make him run faster than me!

Catherine's POV:

The minute his blue eyed made contact with my dark brown ones I was captivated. He was gorgeous no more than that. But I couldn't like him, for one he was older than me and two he was Ashley's brother. I can't like my enemies brother! But there was something about him that made me attracted to him. After Mrs. Carter let's go of Blake we head into the kitchen. Ryder had gone off to God knows where while I was texting Sandra. We hear Ashley yell out my brothers name. We find Ashley covered in egg yolk and Ryder covered in cookie mix.

"And there go the cookies." Blake states from the door way.

"My hair, my precious, precious hair." Ryder states as he wipes of the mixing from his face.

"Well that's what you get. Now you know not to mess with a girls hair." Ashley respond.

"Well your hair was already horrible so I think he actually did you some help." I state.

I didn't really mean to say that but I had to. I didn't want Ashley thinking that we were bestie after what happened the day we went Christmas shopping because we weren't.

I watch her frown before launching at me as I did the same. I feel a pair of strong arms hold me back though and turn around to find Blake there.

"All three of you enough you are acting like little kids!" Blake states. "And you to, you ruined my cookies." He whined.

Ashley raised an eyebrow and responded, "And we are the ones acting like little kids."

I tried my hardest not to laugh at what she just said.

"You two go take a bath I will do the cookies, Catherine would you help me?" Blake states.

"Yeah sure." I respond.

I liked the way my name sounded when he said it.

"I call first!" Ryder states before sprinting towards the stairs.

"Ryder!" Ashley yells before chasing after him.

"Well know that those two are gone let's get started." Blake states as he takes out the ingredients.

I tie my hair into a messy pony tail before helping him mix some of the stuff.

While I am mixing the cookie mix I ask, "So what college do you go to?"

"I attend Princeton University, this actually my first year." He responds.

So that makes him two years older than me!

"I am guessing you attend the same high school as Ash." He states.

"Yeah." I reply.

"Ash has told me about you Catherine." Blake responds.

"She has?" I ask.

She probably told him already how I am a total bitch to her, but I mean he already knows that from what I said to Ash earlier. And for some reason it made me be embarrassed.

"Yeah, she saids you are a good student and that if you'd stopped thinking a little less of what others think you would be someone in this world." Blake states as he places the cookies in the oven before turning to look at me.

"Oh." I state surprised to hear that.

"You must have your reasons for acting the way you do but I agree with Ash, and maybe I don't you as well as your brother does or your friends or even Ash, but I can tell when someone has potential and something that makes them stand out in the crowd. And you, you have that so don't let others take that away from you." Blake states.

Why was he telling me this, he hardly even knows me?

I smile at him before replying, "Thank you."

"Well I better get ready for the party." Blake states.

"Yeah I should too." I respond before heading towards my room.

I let out a sigh before walking to my bathroom.

Ashley's POV:

I put some lotion one before grabbing my burgundy dress. I slide it on and zip up the zipper. I brush my hair and start doing a simple yet cute hairstyle. I apply some light make up before looking at myself at the mirror. I looked decent. I slide my heels on before walking down stairs. I checked my watch and it marked six thirty. Damn time goes by quick.

"Oh hey Aashleey." Ryder states and his mouth hangs open.

"Do I look that bed?" I ask.

"No, no, not at all. Y-You look amazing." Ryder replied causing a strange feeling in my stomach.

I smile at my feet as my cheeks start to burn up.

"Thank you." I respond.

The bell rings and Catherine goes to open the door.

"Hey bestie!" Sandra's voice states.

She appears in the bedroom short after followed by Catherine and Jessica. Sandra really looked like a slut with the dress she had on.

"Ryder baby." Sandra states as she wraps her arms around Ryder's neck and kisses him.

I roll my eyes before walking to Jessica, my brothers girlfriend.

"Hey Jessica glad you could make it." I state as I hug her.

"I am glad too, I brought this for your parents." She responds as she hands me a bottle of wine.

"Thank you, you should have."

"Couldn't show up empty handed." She replies. "So where is Blake."

"He should be do-"

"Jessica hey." Blake cuts my sentence as he enters the living room.

He pecks Jessica's lips before she states, "Hey, I missed you."

I spot Catherine look at them before turning away. The doorbell rings and Catherine goes and get it. I take a seat at one of the couches.

"Hey Ashley long time no see." I hear a familiar voice states causing me to smile.

"Matt." I state as I look up to meet with his light blue eyes.

•~•~•
Hello my lovelies!!!! I hope all of you are having a amazing day, if not I hope it gets better. For those of you who celebrate Christmas, well Merry Christmas!!! For those of you who don't, Happy Holidays!!! I was going to post this tomorrow but I realized I was going to be pretty busy so I decided to post this and maybe another chapter today. Anywho Blake and Catherine, a new romance going on? Also I decided to right in Catherine's POV because why not.

This chapter is dedicated to @AyishaFida for commenting, voting, and reading this book, thank you so much for the support I really appreciate. Also thank you guys who are reading this book because you got it to 1k views which I think is pretty amazing, so thank you!!! I really, really, really hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don't forget to vote, comment, and share.

QOD: Who do you think Matt is? Will he cause any drama to start?

Thank you so much for reading, happy holidays my lovelies, I hope each and everyone of you has an amazing day. Bye xoxo

(Jessica's Dress)

(Sandra's dress)

(Catherine's dress)

(Ashley's dress)

(Ashley's outfit at the beginning of the chapter)