21 days till Christmas folks! Can't you smell the gingerbread cookies already?

Thank you to all who took the time to review, and I'm glad you like my little stories so far.

Anyways, to mark down 21 days to Christmas, here's another fic. Hope you guys enjoy it – and please take the time to review if you can.

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25 Days

Blush

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"Oy… I hate cold weather," Oliver grumbled as he pulled his jacket tighter around himself. The cold wind blew in his face, turning his skin rubbery, as his hair was blasted off of it, and waving in the air.

"First of all… it's your fault for bringing shorts to New York City in December. Second of all you're not even wearing a hat, or gloves, or anything," Miley commented, watching her friend freeze.

He was wearing a light spring jacket with a hoodie underneath. His hands were in his pockets, and he wore jeans and a pair of sneakers (his shorts were still in his bag).

"Where's Lily?" he asked, looking around to find their blonde friend missing from the crowd of students.

"I think she ran into one of her relatives… she's probably being forced down memory lane," Miley said, content in her puffy, purple down jacket and matching earmuffs.

It was senior year in high school, and a new field trip had been added to the school's program. Those who had a grade average of B and higher were eligible to go on the trip, since it was more the beginning of vacation than a learning experience. The students that decided to go on the trip, and that could, flew in from Malibu to New York three days before Christmas vacation. Since there weren't as many people as expected coming along, the school was able to afford higher class suites at the Marriot hotel.

"Guys! Listen up!" the teacher-supervisor said, hollering over the buzz of students. "Alright, there's been a little setback and confusion about the booking so, I'm going to need you guys to be back here in about two hours. If I don't see you here in front of the hotel, you're being sent straight back to Malibu," she warned. "Alright, see you guys back soon."

"God, I'd rather be sent straight back to Malibu…" Oliver muttered under his breath, which showed clearly in the air.

The students finally dispersed, leaving Oliver and Miley, without Lily.

"Where did –?"

Miley's phone beeped as Oliver's teeth began to chatter.

"Stuck with Aunt Mel… go on w/o me… meet you at Cheesecake Factory in an hour. – Lily," a text message read, and Miley tucked the phone back into her pocket.

"Relatives are holding her back. I guess it's just you and me for now," Miley said to Oliver, who was slowly turning into a block of ice.

"Great," he said, sounding less enthusiastic than he should have. He would've been more excited had his time with Miley been under different, warmer, more romantic, conditions – though he couldn't let her know that.

"Let's go," she said, and he nodded, walking along beside her.

There was pure silence as they walked along to no where in particular.

First of all, Oliver was too cold, and frozen to say anything. Plus, he didn't know what to say, walking along, alone with Miley on the lit streets of New York.

"Are you okay?" she asked, finally, turning to look at him.

"Cold," he managed to let out in a cross between a squeak and a whisper. He was pale with only a sprinkle of the healthy blush that used to be evident on his face.

Miley suppressed a giggle, and walked closer to Oliver.

A much stronger gust of wind blew in from behind, only waving Miley's hair, since it had been tucked in safely under her earmuffs. Oliver's hair blew up and over his head, now covering his face completely.

"Hate… cold weather," he grumbled from under his hair.

Miley let out a laugh, as she let her warm hands travel to his face.

Oliver hadn't seen anything coming, since his vision had been obscured by his hair. Then came the sudden contact of Miley's warm hand, brushing his hair back so gently. Her touch only seemed to make him freeze, and shudder.

Brushing his hair back, she parted it, he saw her again.

Her hand hadn't left his face, and there was no doubt that he was still cold.

But, just feeling her soft, warm hand against his cold face, and looking into her confused, affectionate, blue eyes made Oliver melt.

"Are you alright? You're kind of red," she said with a light blush of her own, and a sheepish smile, as she moved her hand away.

With that motion, Oliver came back to his senses.

"Ah – what?" he caught himself, noticing that some feeling had seeped back into his face.

"You're red," she repeated bluntly, holding back laughter.

"Oh – it's – it's just the wind, you know – uh, plus, it's – it's getting a little warm," he said nodding, his face only reddening, as he began to sweat.

"Okay," she replied, nodding back, somehow knowing that the wind was the farthest possible reason for his blushing – and his sudden break into sweat.