Important bits of info:

Clare and Eli are hardly talking.

Drew and Bianca are already together.

Ice Hounds have already arrived, this take place before Come as You Are.

Christmas Wish

I searched through my closet; I had to find just the right thing to wear. It was Christmas Eve but that wasn't why I was tormenting myself to find the perfect outfit. DeGrassi had acquired a junior pro hockey team, the Toronto Ice Hounds. Except for Owen, the other members had been recruited from all over the world. It was actually quite a coup for Owen to have made the team even if he was second string. Most of the boys came without their families and were being billeted with DeGrassi families. The Torres family was hosting the captain himself, Mike Dallas, whom I'd met a couple of days ago when he first arrived. He wasn't the reason I was pining to be perfect either. To welcome the hockey team, and the few families that did move with them, the Torres family was hosting a Christmas party and this was why I wanted to look just right. Not the party it's self but one of the people hosting the party, namely Adam.

Since my breakup with Eli last year I had grown closer and closer to Adam. After breaking up with Jake we became even closer. Adam was still friends with both me and Eli but he was spending most of his time with me, only as friends though. Eli and I on the other hand could barely say hi to each other in the hallways. Meanwhile my feelings for Adam had gone from friendly to romantic. In the last few weeks all I could think about was kissing him. I managed to hide it well but kissing Adam began to consume my every thought. If I was a more impulsive person I might have done so already but I always stopped myself. Mostly out of fear because as much as my feelings for Adam had changed I was certain his feelings remained the same. I was sure that he still saw me as his best friend and thought of me like a sister.

I was finally ready. I had picked out black stockings with a back seam, a dark green skirt that goes to my knees and a black strapless corset style shirt. My black velvet shrug and black two inch heels completed my outfit. I put on light makeup and straightened my hair, taking off my cross in favor of a silver heart necklace. I grabbed my purse and left the house. Mom and Glen were at a Christmas party of their own and Jake was out with Katie, the only car in the driveway was Glen's truck, his truck is a stick which I can't drive so I would have to walk. I didn't mind though, Adam only lived a couple blocks away and the crisp evening air wasn't too cold yet. When I'm nearly there I see a shooting star and make a wish.

"I wish I kiss Adam tonight."

"Hey Clare you look hot!" Dallas grins when he lets me in the front door.

"Thank you Dallas," I smile hanging my purse and shrug on the coat hook by the front door.

"The kids party is downstairs, the grownups are up here," Dallas tells me when I step into the living room seeing Audra, Omar and a bunch of other adults.

I smile at the Torres parents and follow Dallas down to the basement. I know Eli won't be here because he's spending Christmas break in New York with his parents. Owen is right at the bottom of the stairs, he looks over when Dallas comes down and then he sees me. I know he likes my outfit when his eyes pop out a little. I admit it's not like what I usually wear, it's much sexier than most of my clothes but if I've managed to catch Owen's eye that's a good sign.

"Clare? Whoa you look very sexy tonight," Owen compliments.

"Yeah super hot," Drew nods coming up behind Owen with Bianca.

"Bout time you showed off that voluptuously smokin' figure of yours, and the straight hair makes you look a little older," Bianca tells me.

"Yeah and the dress really shows off those big boobs," Owen says looking at my chest and Bianca hits him in the back of the head.

"That was kind of the point," I smile walking past Owen and the others.

Scanning the room I look for Adam, he's talking to Fiona and Imogen so I decide not to say hi just yet. Maya and Tris are on the sofa, they wave to me so I go and sit by them.

"You look nice Clare," Maya smiles.

"Yeah you usually dress more…conservatively," Tris says.

"Yes but this is a special occasion," I grin.

I talk to Maya and Tris a few minutes and then get up going to the kitchenette where the food and drinks are set up. I get a glass of punch and start nibbling a Christmas cookie when K.C. comes up, eyes my outfit and gets a glass of punch.

"So who are you all dressed up for?" He asks.

"Never you mind K.C.," I reply.

"You're not trying to hook a hockey player are you?" K.C. questions.

"No K.C. I don't have an eye for the hockey players," I assure him.

We talk a bit while I finish my cookie and punch. K.C. is telling me about Bright Sparks when Adam finally takes notice of me and comes over.

"Mind if I take my best friend?" Adam requests.

"Not at all, think I'll go find Connor," K.C. says walking off.

I follow Adam to the other side of the room until we're almost under the stairs.

"You look really nice tonight," Adam smiles.

"Thanks," I grin.

He's so close I can feel the heat from his lips and I want so badly just to close the gap and touch my lips to his. I don't of course I'm too afraid.

"Eli e-mailed last night, he's loving New York." Adam tells me.

"Yeah I figured he would," I reply.

"Why is he talking about Eli? I don't want to talk about Eli!"

"Hey little bro you're under the mistletoe you know," Drew grins pointing above our heads and there is indeed mistletoe hung there.

"Kiss the girl dude," Owen incites.

I bite my lip and look at Adam; I can feel my cheeks go pink.

"We don't have to," Adam tells me.

"Kiss…kiss…kiss…" chants Drew, Bianca, Owen and Dallas.

If I don't do it now I may never do it, so I put my hand on Adam's shoulder and put my lips on his. My eyes close as my lips become familiar with the feel of Adam's. I feel one of Adam's hands come to my hip and rest there. I begin to melt into the kiss and his lips begin to part, they're barely open when my tongue goes in. I explore his mouth, feel his hot velvety tongue caressing mine, my breathing hitches, my hand caressing from his shoulder to the back of his neck. Adam's hand reaches around to the small of my back and presses my body to his. I can hear people starting to whisper so I force myself to pull away, tugging gently at his bottom lip with my teeth as I do. Our eyes open at the same time and lock onto each other.

"Holy shit! No wonder Eli wouldn't give her up! Move Adam it's my turn," Owen speaks up.

"Yeah me too," Dallas says.

Adam looks away from me and shoots them a look, his hand still at the small of my back he puts his arm around my back.

"No horny hockey player is putting their lips on my best friend, come on Clare," Adam asserts escorting me away from them.

I grin while biting my lower lip, we walk back to the food and Adam gives me some punch. We both make a small plate and sit on Dallas' bed as the rest of the basement is full.

"Are you sure Dallas won't mind us eating on his bed?" I ask.

"Nah he eats here all the time. I might have to stick with you for the rest of the party though, between your outfit and the kiss they saw I think every guy here might hit on you." Adam remarks as we eat.

"I'm really not interested in any of them," I respond.

We talk a while but don't mention the kiss again; we talk about school, his new billet brother, what he wants for Christmas, my Christmas plans but not the kiss. I kind of hoped that kissing Adam would get the thought of kissing him from my mind, but it didn't. In fact I just want to kiss him more now, the kiss was perfect and I want another.

"I should get home," I tell him standing up and tossing my long empty cup and plate.

Adam tosses his trash too and follows me up the stairs; the adults are still talking in the living room and have spilled onto the porch. They don't even notice us; they're all caught up in conversation. I reach out to get my shrug but Adam catches my hand and pulls me up the second set of stairs to his bedroom closing the door.

"Wait, that kiss earlier wasn't just a kiss under the mistletoe, it couldn't have been," Adam says.

I bite my lip and look away, afraid to tell him but he's my best friend I tell him everything.

"No," I shake my head, "truth is I like you Adam, more than a just as a best friend. I've wanted to kiss you for a long time a…"

Adam's lips on mine stop me from talking, his fingertips caress my cheek and comb into my hair. His hand at the back of my head he deepens the kiss, one of my hands grips at his shirt and the other clasps behind his neck.

"I've wanted to kiss you since the first day of school but you barely noticed me. Then Eli came and I never thought an amazing girl like you could like a guy like me." Adam confesses and I smile at him. "Don't go yet, you want to go back to the party?" He asks.

"No," I shake my head.

"You want to stay in my room and make out on my bed?" He asks.

"Mmmhmm," I grin carnally while biting my lip.

He smiles wide, we walk to his bed sitting down, he cups my face with one hand and captures my lips. Pulling away after a second and I look at him with my eyebrows pinched together, wondering why he pulled away so quickly.

"Uh what do we tell Eli?" He questions.

I giggle pulling him to lie on the bed and couple our lips again.