So, winter holidays were nearing and I had far too many things on my mind to even think about any kind of holidays. I was having exams and stuff and I c- Oh, wait. Maybe I should introduce myself first.

Hello, whoever you are to be reading this. My name is Phineas. You've probably heard a lot about me and my stepbrother Ferb. We've done lots of crazy things we were kids, but that was a long time ago. We are now grown-up. We started going to college; Ferb went to a school in England, and I went to this Tri-State State college. So the last time we saw each other was last summer.

In the three months I've been on this college so far, I tried to make several inventions, just like when I was a kid, but it was... I don't know... it was just pointless. Not because of all the obligations, or because people didn't like it, or for being too old for it... It just didn't feel right. Something was telling me there was no point in doing this. And this college... Only a few weeks since I got here, I started to feel like something, a positive force of me, was being sucked out of me, like it was just disappearing. I've been feeling just... empty. Almost lifeless. I guess that goes with growing up, turning from a boy into a man. So for my sake, and for the sake of my childhood, I decided that it was time to let go of my past. Otherwise, it would have chewed me up and spit me out like I was a chewing gum. And likely, I wouldn't have been happy ever again.

Still, there is a beam of light in all this. I finally got in a relationship with a girl I had a crush on for several years. Her name is Isabella. She's a really beautiful girl, not only from the outside, but also (and even more) from the inside. Something is just so... perfect about her. And she told me that she liked me as well. So I chose to go to the same college as she did. ... I'm so lucky to have her in my life. And we were also that lucky to share a same room at a dormitory near the college. That way, I can be with her all the time.

But that's not what a set of circumstances wanted to happen this Christmas, apparently.

On the last day before winter holidays (the day before Christmas Eve), I was still having a few exams to write. Isabella was done with exams a week earlier. The last exam was especially exhausting, given that I had four answers C in a row and three answers A in a row, and some other details that don't really matter right now.

Exhausted, I came out of the classroom. I needed something to eat. So in the canteen, I bought a sandwich, smaller than usual, so that I have some money for Christmas presents to send to my family. This meal was exceptionally delicious. Due to that, and my being stressed and trying to relax, I was eating it for whole twenty minutes.

On my way to the dormitory, the street I was walking down was decorated with Christmas-themed things and all that. Well, it had already been like that for a month. But it was still nice to see it...

In no time, I was in front of my room's door. It was locked. Like the sane person I am, I took a key from my pocket and opened it. I put my jacket right on the hanger on my right, went past the bathroom door and looked at the room.

The room was mostly clean. Only my table was messy. The TV was off and a few pictures of me and Isabella were hanging on the wall. The opened window was facing a busy street. And on one of the two beds in the room, Isabella was sleeping. She was gorgeous, as always. I stared at her in daze for a minute, and then I slowly walked towards her and crouched beside her. Then, I kissed her in the cheek.

She woke up.

"Hello, sweetie," I said gently.

"Good morning, Phineas," she said, to which I corrected her:

"It's already afternoon."

Isabella quickly lifted up from her bed and worriedly asked: "Afternoon?"

"Yeah, why do y-"

But before I finished my question, she was already in the bathroom, brushing her teeth.

So I went into the bathroom, confused, and asked her what the big deal was.

"I have to go and buy Christmas presents for my family," she answered quickly. "I can't do it tomorrow, because all the places will be crowded and I'll get stuck and end up with nothing."

I was planning on doing the same thing the next day, and I didn't really worry about whether places would be filled with people. I thought about that for a few seconds, but I still decided to do it tomorrow, and I told her: "OK." But she wasn't in the bathroom anymore. I turned around to see her already leaving the apartment, saying:

"Great, see you then", and closing the door.

I stood there, utterly confused by what had just happened, but I shook my head and turned around. Everything was still in place, except for Isabella's blanket. I fixed it and laid on my own bed. The ceiling (that I watched purposelessly whenever I was alone in a room and nothing good was on TV) was not so interesting anymore, so I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. And good thing I did that, because the movie "Pulp Fiction" was just beginning.

Two and a half hours later, when the film was done, I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep. Two minutes later, someone knocked the door. I opened it, and of course, it was Isabella. She was carrying plenty of presents. I couldn't tell any of them apart. Isabella put them all on her working table. Judging by what those presents were, all of them were for members of her family.

See, Isabella wasn't intending to spend Christmas with her family, and neither was I. We were planning on spending it together, just the two of us, lying next to each other (staring at the ceiling?), watching the snow outside, have a snowball fight and enjoying the day. Yeah, wonderful...

Anyway, thanks to these gifts, somehow we stirred up a discussion on Christmas, our families, how our first three months of college were... etc. It was probably the most pleasant, most enjoyable three hours of my life. I had always felt great near Isabella, but at this certain moment, I felt... I can't describe it... I felt happy. Like I belong with her. I felt... right...

Evening came too fast.

"Ah," yawned Isabella, "I'm tired. I should go to sleep."

"Well then, I'll take you to bed," I said gently and kissed her armed. She blushed. And even though her bed was literally two steps away, I still escorted her there. She laid on the bed and almost fell asleep.

I, however, got a crazy idea. Quietly going towards my bed, I connected my bed to hers, changed the clothes into pajamas, laid on my side and took her hand. She suddenly opened her eyes in surprise. She didn't know what to say, so I said:

"Good night, Isabella." And one second later: "I love you."

"I love you too," she replied, and then kissed me in the mouth.

We hugged each other and fell asleep together. It was the best feeling ever. And I was at peace. Quite unlike the following day...