Chapter 16: War, Tears and Secret Santa

Chapter 16: War, Tears and Secret Santa

After Rashida and Kip broke up, Miss Allberry's class became tense and uncomfortable. Blue no longer enjoyed it, because the two of them weren't even mean to each other. They were just sad to each other, which made Blue sad. This made Improv her only fun class, but to her horror, Mr. Paddington (as he'd started insisting they call him for “official business”) reminded everyone finals were fast approaching. This Blue could deal with. The realization that she wasn't taking any classes with Hammy the subsequent semester made Blue downright depressed. So she spent the first week of December feeling sad. Then it occurred to her that winter break was coming up, and that meant going home where she had very few friends.

Life sucked.

The second week of December she just stared at the wall in her room and thought about how it was cold outside. Malik, as the good boyfriend he was, tried his best to get her to stop, but she didn't really care that much. Eventually, after considerable amounts of sad mumbling about weather and classes and winter break, Malik was pretty depressed as well, especially after he convinced her to move her sadness party to his room. It didn't help that Kip spent most of his time sighing and ostensibly thinking about whether Rashida was worth changing his religion over. Teddy was off who knew where, in some sort of Honeymoon stage with Pablo, so this left Blue, Malik, and Kip to mope in Malik and Kip's room nearly constantly.

“And tomorrow...I bet it'll be cold tomorrow too...San Francisco was never this cold...It was...It was never this cold,” Blue mumbled, glaring outside from her place on the floor.

“The Midwest is always this cold,” Malik mumbled, “it's colder than this, actually...Horrible...”

“My home planet doesn't have atmosphere,” Kip stated, and Malik and Blue managed to laugh.

“Oh, Kip...Why did Rashida give you up?” Malik asked, then realized he shouldn't have.

“BECAUSE I SUCK!” Kip declared, before burying his head in his pillow. Blue and Malik glanced at each other, but neither moved to comfort him.

“I suck more,” Malik mumbled.

“I suck the most!” Blue declared, as if it were a competition that she needed to win.

“No, you don't, you're awesome. I suck, because...I'm so goddamned nice. I should...I should go out there and kick something,” Malik replied, and then kicked at the air as if he was practicing for his clear future of puppy kicking.

“I like how nice you are,” Blue replied, and Kip groaned from his place on his bed.

“SHUT UPPPPP,” he whined loudly. “You two are my sadness complainy time buddies, not my flirt with each other and don't include me buddies! So either keep complaining or leave my room of complaining!”

Blue and Malik were silent for while, and Kip groaned again. “Just get out of here,” he dismissed, “and bring me hot chocolate when you return.”

“OK,” Blue agreed, standing up with a slow pace and dragging her feet as she left. Malik sighed deeply as he stood and mumbled something about marshmallows, which Kip refused with a look of terror. Once Malik and Blue were outside, they realized they had nowhere to go and weren't entirely sure why they left in the first place.

“Do you want to...Walk outside? Might as well...Nothing better to do...,” Malik mumbled, and Blue shrugged.

“I'll get my coat,” Blue's coat was nowhere near thick enough for the weather, so Malik went back into his room and offered her Kip's coat (“Why would I need it? I HAVE NO LIFE”) which was far too large for her. Once she was dressed properly for the weather with a hat and gloves (also Kip's, and also incredibly oversized) Malik made sure he was prepared for the weather as well. Blue looked, frankly, adorable in oversized clothing, but Malik contained his admiration.

Looking outside caused him to grin despite how upset he'd been previously, “Snow!”

Blue blinked at the snow, already a few inches deep, and grinned too, “LET'S PLAY!” She bolted outside at a speed Malik couldn't keep up with, and by the time he was outside, she was nowhere in sight. A snowball (or some attempt at a snowball that fell apart midair) hit his back, and distinctly non-Blue giggling commenced. No one was in sight, which worried Malik only slightly.

“If you want your girl returned to you,” a deep voice Malik knew was Teddy's despite how far from his regular voice it was, “you will agree to form a team of special agents to compete in a competition known as a 'Snowball Fight.' Should you refuse this request, the girl will come to an early end in the...Well, we can't really bury her at this point. The ground is frozen...We'll store her dead body in the freezer until Spring and bury it then...Yeah...Well...You got the threat! Make the team!”

Malik waited for a moment, then decided he might as well play along, “Can I have confirmation Blue is with you?”

Teddy (with a coat so large he resembled Blue in Kip's coat) emerged from behind a bush then, pulling a delighted looking Blue with him. “Hi Malik! ...I'm a hostage!” Blue declared, and Teddy sighed and shook his head.

Malik looked at Teddy, laughed, and turned back around. Teddy shouted something about not asking Alec for help because that would be cheap, so Malik headed straight for Blue's room. Alec agreed to help at the prospect of humiliating Teddy, but proceeded to insist they wouldn't need any other team members. Malik wasn't so sure, so he asked around. Kip, as he expected, mumbled something about Rashida being there or not, and then claimed to be a “conscientious objector” either way. Rashida turned down the offer, citing hair concerns and a lack of the proper winter gear for playing in the snow. Austin questioned his sanity and explained to him that snow was cold. Gerda laughed at Malik's proposal, said something about pacifists, and lent him Hakan. The Native American boy was especially excited about rescuing Blue, since, “Gerda never gets kidnapped or anything. It's like she doesn't want to give X the chance to rescue her.” Kendall wasn't in she and Teddy's room, which really didn't disappoint Malik too greatly. Pablo would be a waste to ask, though he sent out texts to a couple others, including Estela and his Improv partner, hoping he'd make more than a three person team.

When they walked back outside, Alec explaining some sort of master plan Malik didn't listen to, they were met with an ambush. Hakan shrieked and started windmilling handfuls of snow in every direction, declaring, “X's Blizzard Attack!” as he did. Alec and Malik took the time to find cover, and Alec revealed how quick his mind worked.

“There are four of them,” he said, and then listed, “Theodore Albrecht, Pablo Martinez, Estela Hernandez, and Kendall Driessen. The latter does not pose a threat. The other three have individual strengths we must be aware of. The goal is to rescue Blue Berkowitz?”

Malik nodded, “I'm not actually sure of the point...”

“Hakan stop for a minute! We need to talk to each other!” Teddy shouted at Hakan, who ceased snow flinging for a moment to eye Teddy suspiciously.

“Malik Green, reveal yourself! We must speak of the terms of this battle,” Teddy commanded, and Alec shoved Malik into the open, where he slowly approached his opponent.

“State your terms,” Malik said in a very serious voice.

Teddy responded in an equally serious voice, “It's like capture the flag. Blue is the flag...Except we don't have a flag...HEY! PUT HIM BACK WHERE YOU FOUND HIM POTTS!”

Alec shook his head, holding Pablo sufficiently hostage, causing the Asian teen to whimper then shout, “Teddy, I can't get away! Go on without me!”

“You're way stronger than him, just—,” Teddy didn't quite get to instructions before Alec hit Pablo somewhere in the neck. Fury filled Teddy's eyes as Pablo slumped to the ground and crumpled into an unconscious heap, “This was for FUN, Potts. And you're paying for his doctor bill to make sure he's OK...And you're responsible for cleaning him up if he peed himself.”

“Wait that was horrible!” Malik scolded, and Alec shrugged.

“He tried to escape,” that much was sort of true, “I have certain reflexes that I can't control when threatened.”

Pablo stirred for a moment then, made some attempt at standing, waved his hand around, and declared, “I'm fffffine! D-don't worry! Play the...game.” After this, he lay his face in the snow, and Malik took pity on him and leaned him against a tree.

“You see?” Alec said. Teddy sighed, then held up his hands in a “T” shape, signifying a time out. The blond, wearing what Malik recognized as one of his father's old coats, bounded over to Pablo and knelt down next to him.

“Are you really OK?” he asked, and Pablo nodded.

“Peachy,” he said, and then scowled, “well, a little dizzy. I think I'll just sit here. Seriously baby, you were so excited about this. It'll still be fun.”

Teddy sighed, nodded, and gave Pablo a small peck to the side of the mouth before retreating back to his side of the yard they were situated in. “Fine,” Teddy said with a glare, “we'll play your dirty tricks way. So it's basically capture the flag with people instead of flags. We're going to have to carry Pablo, though, and trust me he's not all that light. For me, anyway...though Estela has some pretty nice muscles, she might be able to...ANYWAY back to the point! So I'm going to go ahead and advise Blue she should not come with you willingly. Fair trade off. If you get hit by a snowball you get a thirty second penalty where you can't move. After that you have to return to your own base.”

“Fine,” Alec agreed. Hakan was kneeling next to Pablo, asking him in a moment of strange composure whether he would like anything while he sat on the ground. Alec kicked his leg sharply, and Malik could only hope Hakan didn't mutiny and jump ship to Teddy's side due to Alec's behavior. His hopes were dashed immediately.

“X doesn't like you!” Hakan declared, whirling a fistful of snow at Alec and making a run for Teddy's side. That meant it was, Malik noted, two versus four, which seemed entirely unfair. Luckily reinforcements in the form of Jennifer, his improv partner, showed up just as Kendall declared herself tired and left Teddy's side. Three to three was odds Malik was comfortable with.

Suddenly, and before Alec finished explaining to Malik and Jennifer his plans, Hakan and Estela came swooping into their camp where Pablo was lying. The three on the opposite team (“Operation: Liberation (of Pablo) and Capture (of Blue)”) were hit with snowballs and stayed still as per the rules. The game would have ended quickly if Estela and Hakan hadn't struggled greatly with lifting Pablo. It wasn't that he was too heavy, no, Hakan was just too excited about it to hold Pablo steady.

“X has dreamed of this day since X was young. X didn't think X would be rescuing a male, X always pictured a damsel, but this day is a proud one indeed for X!” Hakan declared, as Estela chastised him and told him to focus.

“Hold him steady, we only have thirty seconds,” she said, in that tone of hers that said she didn't take anything too seriously. Hakan got overexcited still, and in the excitement tried to run, before telling Estela he was going to. Her grip on Pablo was efficiently ended, and the young man hit the snow covered ground with a groan.

Snowballs hit the two of them in the next moment, and Hakan cursed as Malik and Alec carried Pablo back to the tree their home base was built around. The fight was epic in every sense. By the end of it, both sides agreed to a peace armistice, and signed it in the snow. Blue returned to Malik, Pablo returned to Teddy, and all was right in the land. Teddy took Pablo to the school's doctor just to be sure he was OK (though as the day wore on he steadily became more mobilized and made a run for it a couple times by the end) and told Alec he'd lost one of the favors Teddy owed him for hurting his boyfriend. Alec scoffed at him but didn't protest, before returning to his dorm room.

While Teddy and Pablo were at the doctor's, Blue, Hakan, Malik, and Jennifer drank hot chocolate with Kip as they recounted the battle to him. He sincerely doubted it was, as they claimed, as intense as a real military battle, but the distraction seemed to cheer him up. Once Teddy and Pablo returned, Pablo with a clean bill of health and plans to extort Alec since he didn't rat him out (which, Teddy warned him, was a bad idea), Teddy suggested they have a Secret Santa gift exchange among their group of friends. He claimed he'd already asked around, and though Kip nodded along, the others looked confused. When Jennifer spoke up Teddy seemed surprised, as if he'd forgotten the girl from outside his immediate group of friends was there. On a whim he decided she should play too, and then ran off to gather everyone who was going to participate.

Once everyone was gathered Blue finally understood what a Secret Santa was (“like Hannukah presents?”), and she got to drawing a slip of paper from Kip's old fishbowl. According to Kip, the fish had been living happily in a coffee cup next to his bed for some time, and Malik expressed relief that Kip didn't have something else that was moving in his coffee cup at night. The drawing went as such:

Blue: Hakan (“Heehee,” she declared, with what she thought was a sneaky glance in his direction.)

Malik: Kip (“Works for me, but it might be a little easy to guess, all things considered...”)

Teddy: Kakahi (“I...probably should have remembered who I asked to participate, huh?”)

Kip: Blue (“Hm. I...I bet this'll be fun.”)

Pablo: Gerda (“...Uh...”)

Rashida: Pablo (“I may use my phone-a-friend for this.”)

Gerda: Rashida (“What is the gift limit, again? So I may...Plan.”)

Kakahi: Estela (“...I rigged it,” followed by a grin and a delighted skip away from the fishbowl, and protests that she didn't actually rig it from Teddy.)

Jennifer: Malik (“Thank God!”)

Estela: Teddy (Silence accompanied by a shrug and then an appreciative mumble to Teddy for organizing the group.)

Hakan: Jennifer (“X doesn't, um...X doesn't plan on giving away what X drew! ...But X may need help.”)

They would exchange gifts in the last week of classes, which also happened to be finals. Time flew by and soon Blue was sitting in her last Improv class, bursting into tears. Her tears sparked tears from Teddy, and his made Hammy cover his face and turn around to compose himself. When he was facing the class again he sighed and gave them an improvised speech, because it was kind of his specialty.

“Friends, students, emergency house cleaning units,” he began, winking at Blue, Malik, Teddy, and Estela, “we gather here not to mourn the end of something, but to celebrate its happening! Regret not what was lost, but cherish what was once had and what was learned from it. You are young, you have so much left to do, don't let you lives end here. You will go on from this day and be strong. You will achieve all your dreams and ride a unicorn throughout the skies for the rest of your days.” Blue perked up and asserted that the unicorn was named Uni before Hammy went on. “As your teacher, I have watched you grow and blossom into brilliant young men and women who sit before me today. It is with great honor that I tell you I have seen the future, and every one of you ends up somewhere over the rainbow, where dreams that you dare to dream really do come true, where troubles melt like lemon drops away above the chimney tops, where bluebirds fly. Someday, you will all be,” he took a dramatic pause, and everyone in the class was smiling, “somewhere over the rainbow...On unicorns.”

Applause erupted throughout the small group, with catcalls and “ow-ows!” thrown in by a student Blue knew affectionately as “that straight guy with the man crush on the teacher named MCS for Man Crush Student.” Hammy bowed and clutched his hands to his heart, and before long everyone was laughing.

MCS (the same who had been nearly banished when Hammy spoke of his “engaygement”) asked if he'd been watching The Wizard of Oz, and Hammy told him he'd watched it for his very first time a week previous. Chaos engulfed the group for a time as many scolded Hammy for never having seen it before and threatened to “revoke” his gay card. This spawned him asking Teddy if being gay had requirements, causing Teddy to shrug.

“Yeah, basically,” he said in his best “gay lisp” imitation.

Hammy rolled his eyes and grinned, “You all ready for the final exam then?” As his sentence finished the room fell silent.

“Final exam?” MCS asked. “What chu talkin bout HP?”

“Yeah, I told you about it a couple weeks ago,” Hammy said with a completely straight face. “It's cumulative. You haven't been studying? I offered you all study guides but you turned them down, remember?”

MCS frowned and looked around the room, but realized at that moment everyone but him seemed to be in on the joke. “Ha ha,” he said sarcastically, before glancing at his desktop in shame.

“No, like I said, we won't be having a final exam, but don't tell the other teachers. Some of them are all pissy about making tests and grading tests and really if it's so much work why not just let the students off the hook? But I digress. Since this is our last class period together and most of you aren't taking another class with me next semester—whether you secretly despise me or just didn't have time I may never know—I thought I would give you all something in the holiday spirit and as a 'Don't forget your coolest teacher' gift.” Blue grinned and kicked her legs in happiness as Hammy pulled a backpack up from under his teacher desk. “Each gift is individualized,” he explained, “but I made them myself so they're kind of, well...You'll see.” From his backpack he produced a plastic bag, the contents of which he dumped on his desk.

As soon as he held up the first gift Blue and Teddy exclaimed in simultaneous delight, “Shrinky Dinks!”

“A highlight of my childhood,” Jennifer mumbled, and for the first time Blue thought she might be sort of cool and not a man stealer at all like Blue figured she was. Since she and Malik were improv partners and all. It didn't matter, really, that Jennifer had a boyfriend already and they were disgustingly cute to be around, Blue was pretty sure. Until the Shrinky Dink thing, when she decided to reevaluate Jennifer, or Jenny as she apparently went by.

One by one Hammy called up the students and handed them their surprisingly well drawn Shrinky Dinks (“Reg is a graphic designer.” MCS : “Gay.”) and everyone appreciated them. Blue's was a unicorn who looked just like Uni, and after she interrogated Hammy to make sure he hadn't been reading her mind with his gay powers (she was sure those were a real thing) she squealed in delight and planned to take her little Uni everywhere. With each person's Shrinky Dink there was a note, and Blue read hers while the rest of the class received their Shrinky Dinks.

Dear Blue Berkowitz,

You know your initials are BB? I just now noticed that. Seriously though, Blue, you're a funny little weirdo in the very best way possible. Never change too much...I mean, you might have to change a little, I think that's normal, but...Keep on being you. You're a pretty cool kid. I drew this Uni character of yours because Teddy told me you have a poster of her in your room and seem to daydream about her a lot. I hope you appreciate it. Merry Chanukah Hanukkah Hanukah Han…however you spell the holiday you celebrate!

Sincerely,

Hamilton Paddington (Soon Harris ahh!)

P.S. Don't forget to RSVP to my wedding. It's important that you do that if you're planning on coming. (Which I would like. Reg is going to have tons of guests and I’m going to have like two)

Malik got a picture of Vaporeon and laughed.

Dear Malik Green,

Your personality gives me hope that not every good looking dude with nice abs other than Reg is a douchebag. I’m sorry I just called you good looking…That was inappropriate of me…Let me start over. You’re an awesome dude. Loosen up a little sometimes, though. I know once Blue showed up you started acting a little sillier, but trust me being stupid and silly is awesome. Never forget you’re awesome. Yayyy! I’m so cool, acting like I’m so much older than you and know everything. Seriously though, stay golden, Malik Green. So I drew you a Vaporeon because of that argument we had where you insisted Vaporeon was the best Pokemon in Pokemon Stadium. I still disagree (My Jolteon would shock your Vaporeon dead), but I hope you like it. You should come to my wedding, Reg thinks you’re cool (so do I). Merry holiday you celebrate! (I’m not really sure if/what you celebrate, Teddy tried to explain and I got confused.)

Sincerely,

Hamilton soon to be Harris

P.S. I quoted a book in there. Did you notice that?

Teddy was the last to receive his Shrinky Dink, and seemed surprised that Hammy gave him one at all, considering he admittedly helped Hammy come up with ideas for the other students in the class. What Teddy received was a mustache necklace.

Dear Theodore Albrecht,

That’s seriously your name? Haven’t looked at the roster in a while, sometimes I forget nicknames aren’t real names. So, Teddy, getting to know you this semester has been a privilege. I feel like you really are my little brother sometimes, but also like you’re my teacher or mentor or something. I know I’m the older one here, but you and that genius brain of yours definitely know far too much. But that’s part of what makes you you, so don’t change it! I give the same advice to everyone on these things, you know? In many respects you’re my third best friend (after Reg and Today, of course) and I consider you to be pretty darn cool. This mustache is so you can look like your uncle. The principal is your uncle, right? I hope so…You two don’t have much in common, but I always like to pretend to have creepy mustaches. Also, be careful because one side of it will get black on your face if you rub it around. Merry Christmas! (Even if you don’t support the reasons for celebrating it.)

With love (but in a platonic non-creepy way),

Hamilton come-up-with-a-new-nickname-for-me-please Paddington (but Harris soon)

P.S. RSVP to my wedding officially! Verbal confirmation isn't enough or something, I don't know...

Everyone in the class passed around their gifts so the others could see them and thanked Hammy, and everyone laughed when MCS protested his gift, “This is you! You drew yourself and gave it to me?”

Hammy nodded, “Did you read the note?”

MCS read the noted aloud, “’Dear Matthew Charles Sylvester,’” Blue guessed that was what MCS actually stood for, “’Your name is just three first names put together. Seriously? What’s up with that? You should go by Matty C. I think that sounds like a rapper, and it makes sense since you’re such a fan of rapping during class. You’re probably the kid I have the least in common with in this room, but I’ve grown to appreciate your insecure masculinity. We all know you have a crush on me, so stop pretending you don’t. I drew you a picture of me so you will always treasure those days during your senior year when you took improv with the best damn teacher on the planet and developed a man crush on him.’” MCS didn’t finish reading the letter but instead protested, “I don’t have a man crush on you.”

“Yes you do,” the rest of the class replied. Silence fell over them afterward, until someone finally mumbled, “That was creepy.” MCS quieted for a while after that, and held his little “HP” (as he called their teacher) Shrinky Dink, staring at it.

By the end of the class MCS was crying and finally admitted to his man crush. The class had one final group hug, and Hammy explained that they were just being overly dramatic and he would surely see them all after break. MCS was taking whatever class it was that he taught in the spring semester, but he still ended the class sobbing into Hammy’s shoulder.

Finals week came in a flash, and the first gift Blue received for Secret Santa was a single sock. She laughed as she stared at the note, which read, “Other sock to come tomorrow. How incredibly poor I am is your hint today.” Teddy got a rainbow flag pin, and immediately attached it to his clothing. His clue said, “I’m no good at clues. You’re going to figure it out anyway, aren’t you Teddy?” Malik received a slinky and a clue that said, “We have a class together.”

“Your Secret Santa took the clues seriously,” Teddy informed Malik, who raised his eyebrow at his friend.

“And I suppose you know who it is,” he replied, and Teddy nodded.

“Of course, I know everything after all,” he stated, with a cheeky grin.

“Enlighten me,” Malik replied, as Blue put her one sock on and smiled in excitement for the other sock to complete the pair on the following day.

“That would ruin the fun,” Teddy insisted. During finals week they had different schedules and only had to go to class for tests, so the group watched movies that morning and waited for Pablo to join them after he finished his one test of the day. Blue, Malik and Teddy all happened to be test free.

On Tuesday, Blue received a matching sock and a clue that said, “Blue, do you know my name? Sometimes I wonder.” Teddy got chocolates and his clue said, “You know who I am. Enjoy the chocolates.” Malik got play doe and a clue that said, “My eyes are brown.” This day Malik and Blue both had tests to take, along with Pablo, and Teddy decided to spend the day hanging out with Kip.

“And so, dear Space Invader, that is why Resident Evil 4 is the best horror first person shooter ever,” Teddy concluded, and was greeted by a warm smile, to his surprise. Of all the roommates he and Malik had had since freshman year (a total of 5, since one of their roommates had switched at semester sophomore year) Kip was Teddy’s favorite. He never imagined this fondness might actually be returned.

“Thanks for all the crap you do for me, even stuff I don’t notice,” Kip stated blatantly, and Teddy grinned. “I would have failed my classes without you.”

“I hardly do anything for you, but I’m happy you appreciate it,” he responded, settling in to play two-player Resident Evil 5.

Pablo showed up and tag teamed Kip out eventually, and Teddy’s favorite roommate of Malik’s left to take a final of his own. Pablo died in the game and Teddy yelled at the TV in frustration so much Pablo decided it was time to stop, and carefully removed the Xbox controller from Teddy’s grip. Once Teddy’s video game rage was quelled, he stared Pablo down with shining blue eyes, and the Asian grinned. Teddy didn't grin back, and challenged Pablo to a different game instead. Later Malik and Blue joined in and they played Kinect games between study times.

On Wednesday, Blue received barrettes for her hair, and a clue that said, “My name is(n’t) Inigo Montoya, but I did introduce myself that way.” Blue tried to remember her introductions with the members of their Secret Santa group as she secured her hair back with her bow barrettes. Teddy received jewels meant to help with bedazzling, and a clue saying, “Pablo told me you needed more of these.” Malik got a candy bar, and his clue said, “My hair is brown.” For most of Wednesday they studied and lazed about, only leaving Malik and Kip’s room to sleep, eat, and go to tests. Blue made Teddy go shopping for presents for people and then help wrap them. After he “went too far” with his bedazzler he was taken off the assignment and sent to think about what he did.

On Thursday Blue got candy canes and a clue that said, “I ran out of gift ideas. You can make these things into spears if you eat them right. Have fun.” Teddy got a keychain with the classic actor masks on it with a clue, “I don’t think you have a car, but…I hope you like this anyway.” Malik got a magnet with a picture of a cheetah on it. “I am shorter than you. (Also sorry this gift is so random).”

This also happened to be the day they had their “final” in Miss Allberry’s class. Miss Allberry didn’t have the impromptu speech prowess of Hammy, so she read off a sheet of paper, “My dear collection of various students, I have you all in the same class next semester and then some, but I will miss you over the break. You’re all cuties and I’m glad you took my class, even you, Ginger. Let us commence the test!” Miss Allberry handed out a paper test, which was more of a joke than a test. The questions included such thinkers as, “If you’re acting, what are you doing?” and “If I have four apples and you have two, how many apples do I have?” The second question was tougher, since four wasn’t an option, so the class assumed the answer must be “Six, I’m the teacher all apples belong to the teacher!”

At the end of the class she read the roster of additional students for the following semester, saying she'd scoped them out personally, “Estela Hernandez AKA Hispanesbian,” Blue, Malik and Teddy all smiled at each other, “Hakan Harjo AKA Big Chief Extreme,” Gerda smiled and nodded her approval, “Pablo Martinez AKA Mindfreak Asiamexican,” Teddy grinned and gave the teacher a thumbs up, “Evan Connelly and Ewan Connelly AKA The Twingers,” Austin groaned and mumbled that those were her brothers, “someone by the name of Kakahi Verda...I only met her once. Her nickname is Green, because she has green bangs and front of her hair and stuff.”

“That's going to confuse me,” Malik mumbled, as Kip blinked and checked his ears.

“What's her nickname going to be?” he asked Teddy, who laughed.

“Forget it. It's the same word as Malik's last name,” he explained, and Kip frowned but nodded in understanding.

“Kakahihi is coming to our school?” Blue gasped in a delayed manner as Miss Allberry's words sunk in.

“I wonder what department she's in,” Malik mumbled, and Blue nodded to agree with the pondering. Miss Allberry cut off any further discussion.

“I wasn't done!” she protested, then looked back at her sheet of paper and read the final names, “Jennifer Caffrey AKA Jennay and Kendrick Driessen AKA...Uh...I only met him once. He looks like a normal white boy...but sort of like Justin Bieber...So...Justice Beaver it is! Kendrick Driessen AKA Justice Beaver.” After that she dismissed the class with gifts of cookies (she claimed to have cooked them at first, but eventually admitted to only decorating them, not cooking them; Hammy cooked them) and they went on their way for more tests.

On Friday, Blue got a scarf, “I bought this while it was on sale. Blue, have you figured it out yet? I'm not an alien.” Teddy also got a scarf, “You like scarves, right?” Malik received a card game called “Quao” and stared at it, “I go by a nickname.” They met up with their Secret Santa group to guess names after they all finished with their finals, and Teddy started off the guessing.

“Estela,” he stated, and then asked, “if people guess wrong can I guess for them before their Secret Santa reveals him or herself?” The group agreed, and Blue guessed next.

“It's...It's...Kakahihi!” she shouted, and Kakahi laughed at her.

“No, Blue. Kip had you,” Teddy corrected, “and his clues were pretty obvious...” Blue shrugged it off and continued making spears out of the candy canes she'd received.

Malik guessed next, “Jenny?” Jenny nodded, and Malik thanked her for the gifts. After his thank you, Blue and Teddy both piped in that they'd meant to say thank you but forgot and thanked their respective Secret Santas. They went down the line guessing until everyone knew who their Secret Santa was, and then proceeded to play a Christmas themed game of Mafia. Somehow, as always seemed to happen, Gerda and Teddy were in the mafia and the mafia won. They watched movies and most of them feel asleep in the lounge, tangled up with their significant others and each other, not even thinking about the fact that they'd only have one more day together before break.

So there is actually one more chapter before the end of the semester. Also, would you be interested in a bonus chapter about Hammy/Reg/Today's Christmas? I was considering writing one.