"Where were you all day?" My mother asks when I step in.

"I was with Rebecca." I say telling part of the truth.

"Not with Jake?" She says.

"I met him but he had to go." I say,"Don't worry I didn't do anything and I am standing in front of you and it's before nine thirty."

"We have to go to a Christmas dinner tomorrow."

I face palm myself realising I forgot about Christmas completely. I had forgotten to buy any presents.

Okay tomorrow morning I absolutely have to go and buy the presents.

What do I have give my mom? A thank you mug for being the best mother?

How ironic yet fittingly appropriate.

"It's with the Hendersons and the Evans." She says and I wince slightly.Being in New York had at least prevented me from handling Alec and Jake at one go.

Wait what do I get Alec? For the past few years every Christmas I always gifted him a watch. He somehow always managed to break his watch before Christmas and it had been like a tradition for me to a buy a new one.

"Clara are you listening to me?" She snaps and I break out of my thoughts.

"What?" I say.

"I need you to help me cook tomorrow because I am making a pie for tomorrow." she says.

"What about Michella?" I ask.

"She makes the chocolate sauce." My mother says somewhat proud.

Even I can make a chocolate sauce. Just dump a bunch of Nutella into a bowl and voila.

Homemade Chocolate sauce.

I simply nod dejectedly. She has never seen me cook and the minute she does I know she will personally kick me out so I am not worried.

I almost collapse on my bed from more or less exhaustion. It wasn't like I had even done anything exhausting but today had been a long day and I needed sleep but of course as luck would have it my sister had decided to grace me with her presence tonight.

"Not sleeping over at Alec's today?" I say drily and Michella gives me a slightly surprised look and I can't really blame her. After all in the morning I had almost thrown up after she had announced it and now I was more or less making fun of it.

I guess it was because I had other things on my mind. Bigger things.

That's new. Bigger things than Alec.

I take a long shower enjoying the hot water and come out feeling extremely fresh. Michella has gone back to her usual state of ignorance that I am used to.

I don't mind though. This is the relationship my sister and I had. This was what I was used to.

I settle into my bed trying to get comfortable as I try to sleep. I think about whatever Rebecca said to me today. She was right, about most of it.

I am falling for Jake Henderson.

Who saw that coming?

In camp Jake was a different person. I was a different person too in a way. What Jake did in camp was four years ago. I didn't hold grudges very often and for some reason when Jake had read my diary out loud it hadn't really effected me as much as the kiss had. Especially when I had found out it was part of some stupid bet he had constructed.

I mentally groan. Today had been an extremely confusing day. From Michella's revelation to Alec's apology to Jake's simple kiss that held so many questions. And the story that I had told. It seemed like someone else's story not mine.

I don't know when but I eventually fall asleep thinking about the days event and the next thing I know is that it's eight in the morning.

I wake up groggily and stand yawning. It's snowing outside just as if to symbolise that today is Christmas.

I am fascinated with the snow as I have never really seen it before as it never snowed back home. I open the window and a blast of chilly air enters the room making me shiver as I step into the small balcony.

I am simply wearing a camisole and a pair of loose pyjama pants. It's cold but I am too mystified look away. I must be looking like a little kid as I reach out for the snowflakes but before I can catch it I am yanked back.

"Clara what do you think you are doing?" My mom asks seizing my outfit up.

"Looking at snow falling down." I state wriggling myself out of her grip.

"You will catch a cold in that." She says,"And you have to go get dressed now because I need you in the kitchen."

"I am a mess in the kitchen." I state hoping my moms almost OCD nature would stop her from dragging me in to help her.

"That's okay, you will work today." She says,"Your sister is already on the chocolate sauce."

I roll my eyes as I drag myself to the bathroom to take a shower and change. Through out I kept on thinking how could I possible screw up enough to get out of there. The answer was simple, I just had to be myself and I was for sure to screw up.

I take my own sweet time and I only come out by the time it's ten. I make my way lazily to the kitchen which usually looked like it had never been used abuzz with activity was now a mess.

Michella is already all over the place with chocolate and nuts laid down in front of her.

"Oh great Clara, you are here." My mom says appetizing in front of me wearing an apron. I am kind of shocked at seeing her like that. She almost looked ordinary with her messy bun and dirty apron. I could almost mistake her as an ordinary mother baking for her children.

She stuffs some eggs in my hand as she goes back to kneading her dough.

"Crack the eggs and separate the whites will you?" She asks me and I give her a blank stare.

What is she talking about?

------------------

It's been an hour and no matter how badly I screwed up my mother simply put on the most tight lipped smile and told me to clean it up and get back to work.

I thought after I had cracked three eggs on the floor I was a sure goner but when that didn't work I knew setting the microwave into preheat on the wrong temperature was surely to piss her off.

But no. My mom had suddenly become the reincarnation of patience and told me to go and cut all the nuts into tiny pieces for the pie.

Michella had already finished her chocolate sauce and had given me a smirk on her way out. My mom had As much as I hated to say this her chocolate sauce smelled heavenly.

So there I was chopping up almonds trying to figure out a way out of this kitchen. I already had several close calls with almost cutting my fingers with the huge knife in my hands and I knew sooner or later I would either stab someone or myself trying to get out of here.

The bell rings and I'm about to go to and open the door but my mom beats me to it.

I sigh as I go back to cutting the stupid almonds. This is bloody ridiculous. I need to get out of here fast but my mom watched me like a hawk.

I raise my head up to see who had arrived. The kitchen has a clear view of the front door which currently shows my mom talking to Jake.

Wait Jake?

He is giving her something and smiling and I know he has his polite face on. I can't quite make out what my mom is saying or doing. I am so engrossed in trying eavesdrop in their conversation that I bring the knife down hard on my finger.

I cry out in pain and step back which results me slipping on the remnants of the egg and falling down and hitting my head on the hard floor.

I really should be given some kind of award.

I am dazed for sometime but when my vision clears I see Jake leaning above me his green eyes darkening with worry.

He doesn't ask if I'm okay or anything because it's almost crystal clear that I'm a bit out of it. I'm almost afraid to see my hand which is probably one finger less.

"Clara?" He says softly as he slowly puts his hand on my back and gets me to a siting position.

I lift my good hand up to the sore spot at the back of my head and wince slightly.

"Ow." I say and he gives me a small smile and the worry in his eyes clears off.

"You know you are going to kill yourself one day if you don't improve your balance." He says.

"That's true." I say and suddenly he frowns he then takes one look at my hand and his eyes darken again.

"Crap did you cut yourself?" He asks quickly helping me up.

"Yeah I was cutting the almonds..." I fade off as I realise that the floor is covered in blood and I start feeling sick.

I could tolerate blood as long as it wasn't mine. I had gotten plenty of bruises but the minute I started to bleed I felt faint and pukish.

He shoves my hand underneath the water and I feel the sting if the ice cold water.

"Clara you have got to be more careful." Jake sighs.

"What happened?" My mom asks looking at me as Jake closes the tap and wraps my hand in the towel.

The very sight of my blood is making my head spin and throb but Jake balances me by putting his right arm around me while clutching the towel around my left hand.

"She cut her finger pretty badly." Jake states his voice calm."She needs stitches."

Jake's tone is polite but firm and final. It clear that there would be no arguments.

My moms glances at me and then at Jake.

"It's just a small cut." I say trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my hand.

"It is not small." Jake says and my mom sighs.

"Clara I thought you were more careful." My mom says in a manner that's almost scolding.

I involuntarily glance at the blood on the floor and start feeling pukish. Jake notices my evident change in color and slowly nudges me.

"Do you have a first aid kit anywhere." Jake asks my mother,"I'll just wrap her finger temporarily till I get to the hospital."

My mom has a clear look of disapproval on her face but she doesn't argue. She simply nods and opens the cabinet and takes a box and hands it to Jake and walks away from the room. I'm surprised that she is actually leaving him alone with me.

"I cannot believe that you were let anywhere near a sharp object." He says sighing.

"True." I say smiling as my headache is slowly dulling down and I don't feel like painting the floor with the contents of my stomach anymore.

Now that's a happy thought.

He wraps his hand around my waist and easily lifts me up on the counter I'm pretty sure I have flour all over my butt right now but come on after everything I think this must have been the least embarassing thing to have happened to me.

I fix my gaze at him not even faltering for one second. He is working intently on my finger and although it stings a bit I don't say anything.

Despite being on the counter I'm still shorter than Jake. But this time the height difference is barely two inches.

Its not like I'm short or anything, I have a pretty respectable height at 5'7 but Jake is taller than me by a good six inches if not more.

I stare at him kind amazed for some reason. He is standing in between my legs with his head down. His hair is dark black that so clearly contrasts against his slightly tanned skin.

He looks up and for the first time I see his eyes in directly front of mine. While his hair was one solid color his eyes were anything but. They were deep green wity golden and black flakes in them. No matter how many times I saw his eyes I would never get used to them.

Great I have finally completed my transformation into a stalkerish fangirl.

"It's done." He says softly and steps back.

I jump off the counter more carefuly knowing that with my luck I would manage to do something stupid.

I look at my hand which has stopped feeling like someone decided to take up tap dancing wearing stilletoes on my finger.It's neatly wrapped in white gauze.

"Wow thanks Doctor Henderson." I say.

Oh my god did I just say that? Do I usually sound this moronic or its just today.

Since when did I start caring what came out of mouth in front of Jake?

Umm when I realised that I kinda sorta liked him and said things that were absolutely stupid?

But it was Jake.

"Me being anything other than the next Henderson is a blasphemy." He says jokingly but it has the slightest bit of bitterness.

My mom enters in with a clear look of pure distaste and plastered over it. She must have eavesdropped on our conversation.

Jakes face quickly hardens and any trace of concern or worry is replaced by the eerie calmness of his face that looks daunting yet polite.

Only Jake can pull off both.

"I'll take her to the hospital now." He says formally but has not even the slightest emotion that betrayed what he was thinking. Usually most people start to stammer at this point. I still remember when my mom caught Alec and Michella making out just how scared Alec looked and now seeing Jake looking as cool as a cucumber in front of her is a huge tick on the likability scale.

My mom nods curtly,"Clara I want you to be back before six because the dinner starts at seven."

I nod and grab Jake's hand desperate to get out of the room. See it did take me nearly cutting my finger off with a knife to get out of that.

I let out a breath of relief as I slam the door shut behind me and Jake raises an eyebrow. He is back to his normal self without the calm mask on his face.

"So your mom does not like me." He says and I snort.

If only he knew.

"Don't say that like its a bad thing."I say,"I mean that's actually a huge plus point."

"So basically you don't like your mom?" He says sarcastically feigning shock.

I roll my eyes,"We passed that bridge a long time ago, trust me. I mean it would not have been so shocking for you if you had seen the way I almost literally called her a bitch on her face and walked out on her."

He stares at me.

"What?"

"You can't seriously have thought that I had by choice worn a canary yellow dress that made me look like a baby duck without feathers."I state and he shakes his head.

"I don't think about what you do anymore because you always manage to prove me wrong so I just like sitting and enjoying the suprise." Jake says grinning slightly,"But that surprise kind of hurt my eye."

I nudged him and he feigned mock hurt and clutched his arm dramatically causing me to roll my eyes and laugh.

"So onwards to the hospital." I say flatly, as we reach downstairs"A fiting Christmas celebration for me."

"Do you really think if you needed stitches I wouldn't rush to get you to the hospital now?" He asks looking slightly offended.

"I-I guess." I stammer out, confused,"So I don't need stitches?"

"Nope." He says walking ahead towards a huge sleek black car.

"Wait." I say running ahead ro catch him and almost trip in the process but an old lady with a walking stick helps me regain my balance.

I glare at Jake who is busy laughing. Okay fine it is pretty embarassing when an old lady with a walking stick is the one who helps you regain your balance.

"Laugh all you want Henderson." I grumble walking past him and opening the car door.

"Uh Clara?" He says looking like he is going to laugh again.

"Its not thay funny okay Henderson." I say again siting into the car.

"Uh Clara?" He says laughing.

"Oh just cut it out and come and sit." I say and his face turns red while laughing.

"That is the wrong car." He says and my eyes widen as I look in front at the driver who is giving me an are you insane look.

I get out of the car while profusely apologizing to the driver while Jake laughed his ass off.

"You're an ass." I say glaring at him.

He straightens up and pulls my cheeks like I'm a little kid,"And you are the most embarassingly cute person I know."

I swat his hand away turning slightly red.

"Now that you are free of kitchen duty where do you want to go?"He says and I raise my eyebrows,"What about the hospital?"

"You are fine, I made sure." He says,"Besides I had come to bail you out from your day in the kitchen. I knew you would do something stupid. Unfortunately I couldn't stop it."

Well the reason I cut my hand was because I was too distracted staring at you.

"How did you know that I have kitchen duty?" I ask curious.

"Uh Rebecca told me." He says suddenly looking nervous.

"Oh you talk to Rebecca? I never knew." I say and almost face palm myself for being so untactful and nosy.

"That's our ride." He says pointing clearly diverting the topic.

"You are kidding."

I gasp out my heart already beating in my chest. This has to be a dream.

"No I'm not." he says looking at the motorbike neatly parked in front of us,"I promise I won't let you fall down."

"Its not a matter of you letting me fall its a matter of tempting fate." I say,"Seriously hasn't this mornings event given you a clue?"

"It's a motorbike Clara not a death setence." He deadpans.

"Are you sure about that?" I say my voice rising into a shrill pitch,"Because it's-"

"Clara calm down."He says holding my shoulders.

I take a deep breath in,"Okay just don't go too fast and be prepared to be strangled by my hold on you, Okay?"

"Well thats not going to be a problem." He says and I raise my eyebrows as if daring him to say something stupid.

"And why is that?" I ask.

"That's because you will be the one who is riding it. Im just the passenger."

_____________________________________________________

"Remind me again how you convinced me to do this." I say trying my best not to freak out.

That wasn't working out for me.

"With my witt and charm of course." He replies in my ear,"And loosen up on the handles your knuckles are turning white."

"Do you really want me to loosen up right now?"I say gritting my teeth as the traffic light turns green and I press the accelator a little to hard followed by the break that almost throws me off. This was a terrible idea I knew it.

"I can't do this Jake." I say slowly moving the bike ahead staying at the corner of the road.

"You can and don't you ever get sick of doubting yourself and over thinking everything?" He says tightening his grip around my waist,"I sometimes think that I have more faith in you than you have in yourself."

"It's not about faith but more about what history has taught me." I say jerking to a hault as I almost run over a pedastrian.

"I trust you Clara and I think that you can do this." He says,"And besides I dont risk this pretty face for anyone."

"I can't Jake."I say sighing stopping the bike at a corner.

"Yes you can Clara." He says,"I know exactly what you can do and I know that you are the same girl who has tresspassed to the top of the empire state building and got arrested and you are the same person who stood on top of it with their arms free."

I look at him through my dusty helmet and even though that I can see Jake's brilliant green eyes sparkling with genuinity.

"Fine I can do this."I say to myself and press the accelator hard but this time I dont press the brake and the bike shoots ahead narrowly missing an old lady who gives a death glare.

"Sorry!" I yell out at the lady behind me.

"Watch out." Jake yells as a car narrowly misses us and I swerve right almost falling off but at the last minute I regain my balance.

"Crap!" I say clutching on to the handles for dear life as I keep on swerving left to right trying to avoid cars. I speed down the busy lane with Jake yelling at the back and me already planning my funeral in my head.

Then suddenly as if it was a miracle the road cleared.