HAPPY UNSPECIFIED HOLIDAYS!

"Ggguuuyyyssss!" Cole exclaimed, walking into the living room.

Aiden, Adeline, Cate, Garret, and I were sprawled out on the couches, being lazy, when something terrible happened. And naturally- it began with Cole.

"Guess what tomorrow is!" He squealed.

We all continued doing what we were doing, not paying him much attention.

"Monday," Aiden muttered, flipping through a sports magazine.

"Nope!" Cole grinned. "It's Christmas!"

We all gave a half-hearted, "Yay."

We had already planned, decorated, cooked, and prepared for tomorrow, so everyone just wanted a well-deserved break.

"Which means Santa is coming!" He finished.

This made me look up. No. He was almost nineteen, he couldn't still... wait. He actually might.

I shared a nervous glance with Aiden.

"What did you say again?" Aiden spoke aloud, still staring at me.

"Santa's coming!"

"That's what I thought." Aiden got up quickly and grabbed his phone.

After a few seconds of typing, everyone's phone besides Cole's buzzed.

I pulled it out of my pocket to see that he sent us all a text.

My room. Now.

I sighed, but got up.

A few minutes later

"Guys, we have a problem on our hands," Aiden spoke, walking across the room with his hands folded behind his back.

"You're telling me!" Cate complained, sitting next to me on the bed. "Your socks don't even MATCH."

He paused in his pacing to glare at her, and then started up again.

"Cole still believes in Santa Claus, and as his best friend, it's my job to protect his youthful innocence," He finished.

Garret raised his hand. "Actually, I'm also his best-"

"And that's why we have to make a plan," Aiden cut in. "Commencing tonight. I call it, 'Operation Christmas'."

"Creative title," I commented.

"Thanks," He shot me a wink, and continued explaining his plan. "So here's what we are going to do..."

2:30pm

"Hey Cole!" I smiled cheerily at Cole at the kitchen counter. "Better make those cookies for SANTA, huh?"

Shoot, I was bad at acting.

"I don't know," He sighed, his face falling.

I frowned, a bit confused. "What's wrong?"

Cole looked up at me with his big eyes and said, "I think Santa might be fake."

I gasped as loudly as possible. "What? Puffftt, NO! That's crazy! What makes you think that?"

"I've never actually seen him," Cole confessed, playing with an apple.

As he rolled it about the counter, I thought up a response.

"Doesn't he only come when you're sleeping anyway?" I hedged.

"I guess," He spoke sadly. "Maybe I'm just too old for this stuff."

"Don't say that," I protested. "You are never too old."

"Maybe," He said.

Well, I've proven to be bad at this. Better let the fiancé step in.

"Adeline!" I called. "Want to help us make cookies?"

She thundered down the stairs and ran into the kitchen.

"Actually, we bought some at the store," She said, popping her head in.

"Ohhhhh..." I trailed off.

Then I made a mad dash for the stairs and ran away.

5:30 pm

"Hey, Cole!" I grinned, walking into his room.

He looked up at me wearily from his bed, like he knew I was plotting something.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh nothing," I said. "It's just that I realized we have no reindeer food, and I bet they get really hungry too."

"If they are real," He mumbled.

"Of course they are!" I scolded. "Now off your bed, I'm sure we can find some ingredients around here somewhere."

I was wrong, they had no glitter, or pine cones, or even bird food, so while Cole was searching, I snuck out of his room and hid in the living room.

7:45 pm

"Hey, Cole!" I sang to him when he entered the living room.

"What now?!" He complained, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Nothing, actually," I sighed. "Maybe you were right. Maybe Santa isn't real."

"Or is he!" A loud voice echoed throughout the room.

But no one else was here.

Cole and I looked at each other in confusion.

"Did you hear that?" He asked.

"Yes. Yes I did."

We got up and searched around, and only a moment later, a huge lump fell down the chimney and into the living room.

They were completely back, covered with soot and dust, and carried a huge sack.

"AHHHHH!" I cried in terror. "ITS A ROBBER!"

"WHATS IN THAT SACK?!" Cole screamed, climbing upon the couch and pointing. "MURDEROUS INTENTIONS?!"

I quickly grabbed the telephone book and swung it at their head.

It collided with them and they groaned.

"OUT! GET OUT!" I shouted, slamming the book at him again. "FIND SOME OTHER HOUSE TO BURGLE!"

"Ow, ow stop it's me!" The person cried out, and I paused. Aiden? "It's Santa," He corrected, making his voice lower.

Cole looked at him, then at me, and then burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I demanded, placing the book on the ground and planting my hands on my hips.

"I already know Santa isn't real!" He exclaimed, wiping tears from his eyes. "I just wanted to see you guys try and convince me!"

I frowned, and then scowled. My face began to turn red with anger. "You. Knew. It. The. Whole. Time??"

"Sorry," He apologized with a grin.

I brushed off my anger and simply rolled my eyes. "Well, I guess I'm more relieved than anything."

"I'm not THAT childish, I know that only the Easter bunny is real," He laughed.

Aiden and I exchanged a look.

Oh boy.