She opened her eyes slowly, giving them time to adjust to the blinding rays of sun that seeped through her curtains. Though, as much as she may have wanted to stay in bed, anticipation ran through her blood as she eagerly awaited her "gift" for that day.

Today would be the forth day this happened. Everyday when she would wake up, she would find, neatly placed, a rose on her front porch. To each of those roses, a note would be attached to the stem.

There, just as the other days, lay a rose with a small note attached to it. She gently and carefully picked up the rose.

Dear May, only eight more days till Christmas. That means that you have four roses now. I hope you're taking care of them for me.

She laughed as she walked inside to put the rose in the vase where the rest of the roses were. Even if it didn't have a name she knew exactly who it was from.

"Are those from Drew?" asked a little boy, adjusting his glasses so he could see.

"Mm-hm."

"Wow, May, I'm jealous."

"Huh? What for?"

"You're so loved, May."

"Haha, Max. What are you talking about? They're just roses," she said denied. Although she tried her best to keep her cool, the franticness in her voice gave her away.

"Yeah, May." Now he could conclude that it was true – his sister liked Drew. "Hey, May? Why is it that we're siblings but so different?"

"Max!"

They both laughed at his joke then went to do their own thing. May went back to tending the roses and Max went to go to the gym to help his father.

"Drew," she said with a sigh looking at the flowers.

As she opened the door, just as the other times, there was a rose placed on her porch.

Dear May, only four more days till Christmas. You'll be getting you're present soon.

"What present?" she wondered out loud.

"What? May, you're getting a present? And it's from Drew!" exclaimed the little boy as he popped up behind his sister.

Her face flashed between being scared and being embarrassed. She tried to deny it by shaking her head, but only furthered her embarrassment.

"May, just admit it. You like Drew, don't you?"

"Max! That's!" she yelled, then quickly hiding her face. "That's .. well, I don't hate him," she squeaked out softly.

"Is Drew coming over for Christmas?"

"No!" she quickly denied. "He-he doesn't even ..." she stopped. "N-never mind."

"I'm sorry, May. Wanna come help dad with me?"

"Sure!" she happily exclaimed.

"What a surprise! Max and May. How are you two doing?" asked their father, as he pulled the two in for a hug.

"Great, dad," said May.

"We missed you too," said Max.

The man started to laugh at his children's responses. "So, May, what brings you here?"

"Max asked me if I wanted to tag along so I agreed. Besides, dad, I really missed you. You've been gone for a really long time."

"It was only a week, May."

"Hey, dad? What were you doing anyways," asked Max.

"Me and another gym leader got together and were talking about improvements we could make, or help make, as gym leaders. We got to talking and, before we realized it, a week had passed," he said, laughing the matter off.

"Dad! It's not funny! We really missed you!"

"I'm sorry, May," he said, patting the girl on the head.

"Did anything happen when I was gone?"

"Did anything …. happen?" she restated, blushing a bit.

"Well, you see, since about eight days ago May has–"

May pushed her hand on his mouth and smiled to her dad, saying, "Nope, nothing happened."

"Since about eight days ago you've been doing what?"

"I've been trying to cook, but kept burning whatever I cooked. I think I'm going to need some more practice."

"Not in my kitchen you're not!"

They all laughed after he finished talking. May and Max both stayed with their father until dark, when they went home to be scolded by their mother.

"May? What's wrong? You don't seem like you're normal self," asked her mother, as she seen her daughter walking in with a rose in one hand and note in the other.

"Hm? No, I'm just tired, that's all!" she replied, frantically waving her hands as her face tinted red.

"Oh my, who's the rose from?"

"Um, er, a-a friend." Well, it wasn't like she lied. He was more or less like a friend.

"Oh, isn't that nice. I'd love to meet this friend."

"Y-you may just get to," she said tilting her head down, revealing her awkward smile and flushed face.

"Is it a boy?"

"Huh? No!" she yelled, suddenly jumping straight up. "I-I'm going to my room," she said, running up the stairs to her room.

She closed her door and breathed a sigh of relief as she slid down the door. Glancing up, she saw the vase of roses she brought up from downstairs.

Nine roses were now in the vase, as she placed the newest rose in with the rest of them. Then she glanced back at the note.

Dear May, only three days left until Christmas. Do you remember how I told you you'd get a present soon? Well, I can't wait until I'm bale to see you.

When she finished reading the note her face was beet red. She placed the note on her desk. Then, she opened a drawer. Inside was all of the eight notes she had previously received. She placed the note in the drawer and closed it.

She turned her head and looked out her window, "Drew, where are you?"

She grudgingly opened her eyes. She couldn't sleep, not even a wink. It's all because of Drew! It's all because of what he said.

Her heart was pounding; her face was flushed. Maybe she could get away with being sick.

She glanced around the room and then out the window. It was earlier than she usually got up, but still she decided to go out walking. She needed something to distract her from Drew.

Bundling herself up she stepped out to the porch. Today there was no rose. She thought it must have been because she had gotten up earlier then she had before. But, a part of her was a bit sad there was no rose today.

A figure moved up ahead, or so she thought. It was only a small glimpse, but she thought it was a person. No, she was sure of it. It might have been her dad coming home to get the lunch her mom prepared earlier last night for him. Or maybe not. But, it was someone. An inkling of her knew who it really was, but was too afraid to admit it.

Her feet began to ran. She wasn't thinking, she was just running. Running to find that someone. To find him. It didn't matter what was in her way – snow or not – she would find him, if it was the last thing she would do. Right now, he was like her disease, and it needed to be cured.

With every corner she turned the figure would be just rounding the next. She couldn't go any faster. Did it even see, or hear, her? "Wait!" she cried, falling onto the snow. "Wait," she sobbed.

"Tears don't suit you, May."

Her eyes widened. She lifted her crying face. "Drew."

"Hey, May. Long time no see." He smiled at the crying girl. "Didn't I already say, tears don't suit you," he comforted her, patting her on the head.

She was silent until his hand was firmly on her head. "Dad."

"What?"

She looked up at him and bluntly said, "You're like my dad. Whenever I cry he always says the same thing and pats me on the head like you."

He was both a bit shocked and hurt. "Dad? I wasn't trying to be a dad, I was … I was," he muttered.

"What's wrong, Drew?"

"Here," he said, throwing the rose at her.

"No note?"

"I am your note, May."

She laughed, tightly holding the rose to her chest. "Thank you, Drew."

His eyes got wide as he watched her thank him. "Yeah, whatever. See you, May. Maybe in another contest or something. I just wanted to say that it was the last rose. Sorry," he said, walking off.

Again Drew was trying to go someplace else she couldn't reach. He was trying to leave her again. Her chest ached at the thought of him leaving her. She needed to do something. "Drew!" she yelled, once again, running after the boy.

"Sorry, May, but I have to go."

"No! You're going to listen to what I have to say! I don't care about anything else!"

"Huh?" He was shocked at how this "new" May was acting.

"I don't know why, but I have to tell you. I'm scared that you're going to leave, and when I think about it, my chest hurts. When I get to see you, I'm super happy. When other girls are around you, I'm jealous that they get to be with you and not me. When you try to go someplace I can't be, I get sad and scared."

"May."

"Drew, I love you."

His face lite up, burning red from the tip of his nose to the ends of his ears. May laughed at this. For once in her life, it was Drew that was embarrassed and at a loss of words.

"Yeah, me too."

She smiled. "I know!" she exclaimed, jumping onto the boy. "I really, really love you."

"Oh my, so it was a boy," said the woman, making her way back to deliver her husbands lunch.

-The End-