Disclaimer: We don't own anything nor do we claim to own anything nor do we want to own anything (lol) related to Make It or Break It. That hot mess belongs to ABC Family. We just like to borrow the characters from time to time. Strictly entertainment and no cash profit (though that's an awesome dream, right?).

Warning: The events of this story take place in an alternate universe therefore some events from the show did not take place while some did. Everything will be explained throughout the story.

A/N: So I (B) took my last-chance SATs last Saturday when suddenly I got this idea. Though I wrote most of it, LCTD did put aside studying for finals to help me plot and brainstorm. It may be OOC (like everything else I write) and you might not like the pairings, but it's all in good fun and the Christmas spirit. I hope everyone enjoys it and has a happy holiday!

-XX-

My Only Wish

Chapter One

There's still speculation about whose brilliant idea it was to have a joint Christmas party between The Rock and Denver Elite, but that's what happens. The great debate over where the party should be held rages on for weeks. In the end, being reasonable gentlemen, Sasha and Marty decide to use the flip of a coin to determine who gets to choose. The Rock triumphs and that is exactly where they decide to hold it.

Though the Denver Elitist will complain about how it smells like chalk and dirty socks, the Rock is beautifully decorated like a Christmas wonderland. There's tinsel everywhere, streams of gold and red strung overhead. The windows are sprayed with frost and the tables dusted with fake snow and confetti snowflakes. Christmas music is playing and there's even a fully decorated tree topped with a metal star.

Despite the festive decorations and the mingling adults, when it comes to gymnasts, the atmosphere is tense. The reason for holding this party is to promote good sportsmanship and civility between the two gyms with a reputation for fiction. Instead of getting along in the name of Christmas, it's like there's an imaginary line drawn down the middle of the room separating the Rock gymnasts from the Denver Elite ones. It's segregation at its best.

The one time someone dares to come close to crossing the line is when Nicky Russo goes to get a gingerbread cookie at the desert table just as Kaylie Cruz gets up for a cup of punch. They share an awkward wave that turns into small talk and eventually an actual conversation. As they talk, all eyes from both sides watch intently.

"Who's the guy?" Austin Tucker asks.

Payson Keeler looks up from the cheap, Christmas-themed paper plate in front of her and to her left. Austin, with a sugar cookie in the shape of a tree hanging from his mouth, sits beside her and looks over at the main attraction. Kaylie is in her pretty dress with a sweet smile on her face. Nicky stands in front of her with his hands in his pockets, nervously swaying from side to side. Payson is interested to find no jealousy in Austin's gaze, but curiosity.

"The traitor," Lauren says snidely.

"Nicky Russo," Payson says. She looks at Austin, but he just stares back and tilts his head to one side. "Nicky Russo. He took silver and placed second at Nationals."

Austin still looks confused. "I don't recall…"

Carter chuckles from across the table, sitting beside Lauren. "Wow, Austin. Either that's super arrogant or super oblivious even for you."

"I plead the fifth," Austin says, raising his hand.

"Nicky and Kaylie had a thing before you came here," Lauren announces in that upbeat, seemingly innocent Lauren Tanner way she always does. "We all called it Kaylicky."

"Poor guy," Austin and Carter say in unison. The two male gymnasts, who've both been involved with Kaylie Cruz at one point, share a knowing look and start laughing while the girls roll their eyes. Austin leans across the table and the only guys at the table bump fists.

Emily scolds Austin with a bunch to his shoulder and Lauren just encourages Carter with her giggles. As this is going on, Payson can't help, but let her gaze wander across the room and to the tables that are self-proclaimed Denver Elite territory for the night. She sees Kelly Parker with her narrowed eyes on Nicky as he whispers something that makes Kaylie laugh. It seems like the former National Champion isn't pleased one of her Denver Elitists is fraternizing with the enemy.

As someone who considered letting herself get close to Nicky Russo, Payson is definitely surprised by his behavior. Upon arriving, Nicky had walked in with Kelly Parker on his arm, looking like he completely assimilated into the world of Denver Elite. Their eyes had met from across the room and Nicky had given Payson a nod and a smile, which is more than she can say about the other Denver Elitists. Still, he went over to sit on that side of the Rock without a second thought.

Now the one time he acknowledges his former peers since that nod-and-small upon walking in it's with Kaylie Cruz. Payson thinks of that time where the three of them had almost found themselves in that dreaded "love triangle" and when Kaylie had given up with the boy for her best friend. It's little things like that that remind Payson that they're all in a good place right now and to leave the past in the past.

While Kelly continues to stare at the reunited Kaylicky, the other DE gymnasts seem to have lost interest. When Payson's eyes scan over the others at the table, she notices that they're staring at her. The way their lips quirk in scandalous smiles and the way they whisper to each other, trying to be discrete but achieving the opposite, makes Payson's blood run cold.

It had been mortifying enough to have all her fellow Rock gymnasts buzzing about her little kiss with Sasha. Now to have the Denver Elite gymnasts who are infamous for being cruel and malicious staring at her and talking about her, the girl who let her coach molest her, it makes it hard to breathe and takes away the magic of her Christmas-themed surroundings.

She's never been one to exploit the spotlight. Payson has always been low-key and let her talent speak louder than anything else. Those girls who are currently spreading rumors about her had once been girls that respected her and saw her as a threat. Payson can't help, but feel she's lost all of that.

"Payson, are you okay?" Emily asks. "You look a little pale."

Payson blinks her eyes and looks at all the concerned faces that surround her (minus Lauren and Carter who are too busy trading flirty looks). She can't even manage a fake smile to assure them that she's okay. Somehow it had gotten at least twenty degrees hotter and now she can still feel everyone's eyes burning into her whether they have honest intentions or not.

"Yeah," Payson says weakly. "I think I just need some air. Excuse me."

Pushing her seat back and straightening the material of her dress, Payson walks towards the exit. She really does hope the cool air would do her some good. Putting on the most convincing smile she can manage at the moment, Payson acknowledged a few people, including her mom who was running the reception table, as she walks outside. When no one chases after her, she knows she's in the clear.

It could have possibly been a better idea to grab her coat before she went outside because it's freezing. Payson exhales normally and she can easily see her breath in front of her face. It's something that's always enchanted her as a child. As she walks out in front of the Rock, Payson rubs her hands down her bare arms as she looks up at the clear sky and the twinkling stars.

Payson really doesn't know why she lets other people get to her so easily these days. Before the surgery, before falling at Nationals, she had been a solid, confident gymnast. She never worried about the psychological warfare that came along with the sport. She never cared much for what her competitors thought of her. Then again, back then, she had had a squeaky clean record, managed to stay out of the limelight and had been a power gymnast as oppose to a artistic one like she is now.

Staring up at the sky, Payson feels a thrill when she sees a shooting star skirt across the black backdrop. It may be foolish or childish, but Payson holds her breath and makes a wish.

-XX-

Kelly Parker thinks this entire thing is fucking stupid.

Here she is, sitting in an Armani dress, paired with Charlotte Olympia shoes, a Christian Louboutin clutch and jewelry from Tiffany's. It's a carefully pieced together and not to mention frickin' cute outfit and it's all wasted on a particularly dull evening in Boulder.

For one, she can't eat half the crap they're dishing out (uh, hello, she's a gymnast). They couldn't even get a hotel ballroom or maybe a community hall to hold it at? Apparently not. Instead, they just set up tables around their gym and put a lot of ninety-nine cent store decorations everywhere, hoping no one would notice. Um, they did. Can you say tacky?

Kelly had been against attending from the very start, but halfway through and the Denver Elitists had tried to make their own fun like they often do. The whole evening went downhill once the Denver boys got caught before they could spike the punch. Now that perky blonde woman (who is so on uppers), who probably can't tell a back handspring from a back tuck is trying to get them to sing carols.

"Shoot me in the head now," Kelly says.

"Gladly," says a girl from across the table.

Kelly narrows her eyes at the curly haired brunette. Stephanie Erikson.

Stephanie is just one of the many people who saw Kelly's failure to protect her National Champion title as a way to worm her way up to Kelly's coveted title of HBICDOE (Head Bitch in Charge of Denver Elite). The girl really is delusional if she thinks Kelly will ever give up that pedestal. Over her dead body maybe.

"Hey look. Finally something interesting is happening," says one of the male Denver Elite gymnasts. Kelly glances over at Joseph picking his teeth with a toothpick. What a pig. "Russo is putting the moves on our National Champ."

Kelly's hazel eyes instantly fly over to the table of food where Nicky is indeed standing with Kaylie Cruz, just on the invisible dividing line of the party. Just the sight of them getting along, being almost friendly (God forbid flirty) leaves a bitter taste in Kelly's mouth. Kaylie Cruz already stole Kelly's title and now she wants her best friend too? Some girls are just that zealous.

"Hmm," Stephanie purrs. "Wow, Parker, it looks like you can't hold on to anything…"

Kelly presses her lips tightly together and grits her teeth. She definitely didn't get all dressed up to sit here and be humiliated in front of people that should fear her. Stephanie gets some sick pleasure out of pointing out how Kelly has completely lost control and Nicky is giving her ammunition all because he can't put his pathetic, undying crush on Kaylie Cruz aside for the night. He's making her look bad and she doesn't enjoy that. Having had enough, Kelly is sure to grab her clutch before she shoves her seat back and stands up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Joseph asks lazily.

"There are no stumbling drunks to talk shit about therefore I'm bored. Of course only you idiots could mess up pouring some vodka into the punch bowl," she replies. "I'm leaving before I end up kicking someone's ass just to liven up this funeral."

"Aww, but you'll miss the raffle," he says with a smirk.

"Boo hoo," Kelly says, sounding sarcastic and irritable. "I'm out of here."

"Wait! Yo Parker! Didn't you drive here with Nicky?" Joseph shouts after her.

Already with her back turned and walking away, Kelly mutters, "For all I care, he can catch a ride with Kaylie Cruz among other things..."

As Kelly waits impatiently at the coat check-in, her eyes wander to where Emily Kmetko is talking with her mother and a boy in a wheelchair. It almost makes Kelly laugh, remembering how Emily Kmetko was supposed to be the Rock's secret weapon when the girl barely placed at Nationals. The more Kelly stares the more she sees how happy the three look, talking and trading smiles. It actually looks like they enjoy each other's company. If only the same thing could be said for her fragmented, emotionally retarded family.

Once Kelly gets her coat, she slides her arms through the sleeves and walks out. There she sees Payson Keeler. Kelly's first instinct is to go over and mess with Payson's head just for fun. It will definitely be the highlight of this lame night, maybe bring up how her supposed best friend is inside and moving in on the boy that was almost Payson's (and always has been Kelly's). Or she could mention how idiotic Keeler is, standing there, in the cold, staring dumbly.

As Kelly walks further out, she can't help, but follow Payson's line of sight to find out what has the fallen gymnast so entranced. That's when Kelly sees the shooting star and it reminds her of Nicky. Ever since they were kids, he's always bugging her about making wishes on stupid things like detached eyelashes and when the clock strikes 11:11.

It may be stupid, but right before the star disappears, Kelly murmurs her wish beneath her breath.

-XX-

Maybe things would have been different if the girls had known that at Christmastime, the possibility of the impossible is heightened and a shooting star in December can be a gift and a curse. Both Kelly Parker and Payson Keeler really should be careful what they wish for.

A/N: You know, reviews are like Christmas wishes. Feel free to leave one.

xoxo