Whisper in entirety is dedicated to the Coppertone Wars forum, especially Rachel, who thought up this crazy challenge in the first place.

Without further ado, I complete the "12 Days Of Christmas Challenge: Level 1" with my short drabble, Falling, in response to the prompt "write one fic about your OTP"

To Massington extremists (yes I went there :), this is all about Alington. Just giving you fair warning!

Falling

Sometimes, falling isn't a bad thing. Other times, it totally is. For instance, falling into a bed after a long, exhausting day can be the best thing in the world, for some. For others, falling (maybe jumping is a better word) off a high cliff is something on their bucket lists. Now, falling into your crush in the hallways is usually something out of your nightmares. And I doubt anyone would enjoy falling into a pit of fanged vipers waiting to strike.

There's one other falling that's more of a gray area, at least for me.

Falling…in love.

Now, I call it gray, because I used to dread it. My mother would always tell me that I would fall in love one day, maybe not now, or even five years later, but I would eventually. I immediately discarded this notion, because 1. ew, and 2. I'm Alicia Rivera. When I was in high school, I wasn't out to fall in love. No.

I was out to break hearts. And maybe have a crush or two, but I never ever thought I'd fall in love. First, of course, it was the boys that were way too old for me in Spain, at my cousin Nina's party. They called me "un ella bonita" after they leaned in for a kiss. But that wasn't love.

Then it was Josh Hotz, the kid from Hotchkiss in seventh. Ha. What was I even thinking? Of course he liked Claire Lyons. I don't like to admit it, but hey, I was naïve at one point.

I revisited him later on that year, and in to eighth, but then I came to my senses and realized he was boring. So I let him down gently, and let my friend, Olivia Ryan. I think everyone won in that situation. In fact, they got voted freshman class couple. I have the yearbook here somewhere, I think.

So I guess that wasn't love either.

I flew solo for most of my frosh and sophomore years. Then, of course, my story brings me to him.

Why dance around it? Derrick Harrington, that's his name.

You know, my mother always told me I'd fall in love one day. Did I already mention that? Oh well. Yeah, well, she was right.

He finally asked me out for Junior Prom. I wore a purple dress, and he got me a white corsage.

"You know, it's funny," he told me that night. "I've always liked you."

"Liked?" I asked coyly, spinning away. "Or loved?"

And it snowballed from there. He came to my dance recitals. I went to his soccer games. He grudgingly took me shopping. I willingly took him to Spain.

Derrick Harrington was the way I realized falling in love wasn't a bad thing at all.

Eventually, they'll come a day where I wear white and he wears black. My mother will sit next to his parents on ribbon-covered chairs. Lentonio will join her after walking me up the aisle.

We will grow old. Eventually, we will die. These are facts that I know deep in my heart. They are not the most pleasant of ideas, but the severity is eased by my knowledge that these two events will happen with Derrick. I will not be alone.

I have faced my fear of falling in love, but I have gained many more, as this is the nature of fear. Now, I fear losing him. I fear never feeling his lips upon my own. And most of all, I fear being alone.

For I would rather face my fear of falling all over again rather than attempt to claw my way out of the deep, dark hole I fell into. Love is scary, this is also a fact.

Even though not having him is one of my fears, I have learned to accept that in facing my fears, they diminish.

Reviews are appreciated! Bonus - I made a snarky homage to Lisi Harrisons' finicky...style in here, see if you can find it!

Happy writing!

-B