Chapter 2

Christmas vacation came and everyone is saying their goodbyes to those who will be going out of town, or out of the country. Some are planning what to do and where to meet during the boring cold season. The others are exchanging gifts while Carlo and Isabella sit quietly on their chairs next to each other. Isabella is reading a novel that she bought from a book sale entitled "Immortal – first love never dies." Suddenly, Carlo started caressing her long black hair. For Carlo, Isabella is the prettiest girl in school, especially when she is reading a book, her brown eyes are so focused she barely blinks.

"Why?" she asked.

"Do you believe in that?"

"What?"

"First love never dies."

"No, my first two boyfriends didn't even last for more than two months."

"Maybe you just didn't love them."

"Maybe?" she answered and started to read again.

"I will miss you."

"Huh?! Well, that's so sweet of you, Carlo," she replied, closing her book to look at Carlo. She realized he will not let her concentrate on what she's reading. "It's only two weeks, are you going anywhere?"

"No, just at home, maybe cut the grass and water the garden, plant some roses or maybe draw your pretty face," he said as he touched her soft cheeks.

"Can I visit you?" he asked.

"During the Christmas vacation? It's only for two weeks."

"I know but I will miss you."

"Silly! My mother might think that you are my suitor or my boyfriend. You know how strict she is."

"Haha. Okay. Then maybe we can meet at McDonald's just near us."

"Really desperate to see me, huh?"

"It's my treat."

"No."

Carlo turned his face into a frown and looked away. Isabella knows that he is just trying to get her sympathy, to make her say yes.

"Stop it," she said as she hit his right arm lightly. Carlo didn't look at her so she tickled him at the side of his tummy. "Stop it, stop it!" he begged and they both laughed.

Christmas Eve came, everyone in Isabella's house are busy preparing for the celebration. Her mom is cooking spaghetti with meatballs and her younger brother, Jason, is helping her grill the pork barbecue in the front yard. She is wearing an old shirt. She's flipping the pork to cook the other side when her sister, Anna, called her.

"Isabella! Someone's looking for you!"

"Who?" she asked half expecting it would be Carlo. She immediately gave the clipper to the nine year old boy. "You know what to do, bro!" Jason nodded and smiled.

"I don't know," Anna, seven years old, shouted still standing by the gate. "Should I ask?"

"No," she said as she approached Anna. "Just be quiet and don't tell mom, okay?" she whispered and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Okay." And the child ran back towards the side of the yard to play.

Isabella opened the gate slowly trying to minimize the eeking sound of the old metal gate. She was right and her heart leaped with joy upon seeing Carlo standing in front of her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with both excitement and fear. Scared that her mother might see him, get upset and scold her for having a male visitor.

"You didn't want to meet at McDonald's so I just decided to visit you."

"You can't stay long,"

"I know. I just came here to give you this." He handed her a box of cake. Then Carlo reached for his pocket searching for something. As Isabella watch his gestures, she can't help but wonder what it is that he is getting from his pocket.

Then Carlo gave her a small box. "Oh my God! Is that a ring?" she exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement. Carlo grinned and told her to open it. With Carlo's reaction, she became suspicious that maybe it's just one of his silly pranks. So she opened it, looking shiftily at him then she saw a ring. Her silver ring that she thought got lost a couple of months ago. She stared at him with her narrowed eyes, "Hmmm…"

Carlo just gave her a huge smile.

While Anna was playing, she saw the box of cake that Isabella placed on top of the bushes so she can open the small box of ring. Anna peeked through it and saw a chocolate round cake. She was too excited that she brought it inside and asked her mother if she can have a slice right away.

"Where did you get this?" Lisa asked.

"Isabella's visitor gave it to her."

"Who?"

"I don't know him. Maybe his friend from school." She said innocently.

"Hmmm a guy. It looks like your sister has a suitor." She said coldly and immediately went outside to see who the guy is.

"Isabella? Who is that?"

Isabella panicked and turned to her mother right away, placing the small box in her pocket. "Oh, he's just my classmate. He lives a few blocks from here."

"Why don't you let him in?"

"No, Mom, he is just dropping by."

"Isn't it too early for Santa to start giving gifts?"

Isabella disregarded her mother's words and looked at Carlo. "You better go now." She said trying to push him away.

"Okay. It's nice to see you, Isabella. Merry Christmas! He said before sneaking a kiss from her left cheek. She was stunned for a moment. It felt like an electric shock flowed from her cheek down to her feet and back to her head.

"Isabella! Get inside, the boy already left!" she rushed back in, scared that her mom might have seen him kiss her but she didn't mention anything about it so maybe she didn't. She placed her hands inside her pocket to make sure that the little box is there. She still doesn't understand why Carlo has her ring but it doesn't matter now. All she can think of is the kiss he gave her. One precious kiss that is enough to melt her whole world. Am I falling in love with him? No, I can't. I just can't.

Dinner was served and everyone greeted each other a Merry Christmas with a kiss on each other's cheeks. Isabella took the liberty of slicing the round chocolate cake that says, "Merry Christmas!" There's no name written on it, no other dedication or messages.

"Who's your boyfriend? Why didn't you introduce him to us?" Her mother interrogated.

"He's not my boyfriend. He is only a friend from school and he lives a few blocks away so he dropped by."

"Dropped by and gave you a box of cake? Don't fool me Isabella, I've been there and I know when a man has intentions."

"It's just a cake mother!" she said irritatingly.

"Oh! Just a cake, huh? What do you think boyfriends give their girlfriends on their anniversary? Chocolates, cakes, flowers, right? And this is a box of cake."

"He is just a friend."

"I wonder why my closest friends never drop by to give me one."

"Mother, we are just friends, okay?" her tone raised a bit because of her mother's questioning. She walked towards her room to avoid her, pretending that she will just change her clothes. Her mother blocked her door and said, "You are not going to have any boyfriend, do you understand? It's just a waste of time. Men will just make you fall for them then leave you."

"I understand."

One more week before New Year's Eve then two more days before school will start again. She can't wait to get out of their house to avoid her mother's nagging. She took the box of ring from her drawer and stared at her silver ring with a little heart on top. She's still wondering why Carlo has it. He's like a thief. Stealing someone else's ring, including my heart. Oh Carlo. She replayed in her mind what happened on Christmas Eve, just two days ago. She has been playing it on her mind for like a million times. His deep brown eyes that always look like he's going to cry, staring at her. His kiss that made her forget everything. The kiss that only the bushes, the old eeking gate, the stars and the moon has witnessed. Then she wished they have mistletoe because according to stories, if a couple kiss under it, they will be together forever. Why I guess, I am falling in love with you, Carlo. She was thinking about him until she dozed off and had a dream.

In her dream, she is walking down a garden filled with flowers. There were butterflies everywhere. The wind is blowing against her pale face. Her dress is swaying along with the tall grass on the side of the pathway. She looked up at the blue sky; there were a couple of cumulus clouds trying to block the sun. Then she heard a galloping sound of a horse from behind. She looked behind her and there she saw the whitest horse she has ever seen in her entire life. Its white hair sways as it run towards her. The horse looks like it's glowing. She's just not sure if it's because of the sun or if it is lighting on its own. The white horse is now approaching her fast, but she didn't move. She just watched it jump over her and then everything went black.

She woke up feeling dizzy, wondering what that dream means. It felt so real she thought the horse will crash her. It was so beautiful she wished she could touch it. One thing she's curious about the dream is why no one is riding it. She thought about a knight or maybe a prince, who will save the princess. A knight so charming that would make her his princess. But in her dream, it was just a ravishing, glowing horse which nearly killed her.