I know you'll love this chappy, cuz it involves a little making up... and a little romance ;)
Gunther laid back on his couch early on Christmas Eve morning as he channel surfed on the television. None of his family members were awake yet; he had been awake for who knew how long. Despite his dismissal that Cece was just a self-centered American girl and it didn't matter what she thought of him, Gunther couldn't shake Cece's words from the other night out of his head; thus, he found himself unable to sleep.
There was a knock at the door. Gunther didn't get up right away because of his incredulity that anyone would come to his house this early in the morning, although admittedly it was just nine o' clock. When the knock came again, Gunther launched himself to the door and answered it.
Cece had stood in front of Gunther and Tinka's door for a good long time as she outlined and rehearsed her apology in her mind. She knew it was fat chance that Gunther - or anyone - was even awake. Usually people sleep well into the afternoon during winter vacation. Still, she couldn't shake her guilt and just had to come and try to beg for Gunther's forgiveness. Finally, Cece knocked on the door, waited anxiously, knocked again, and waited until Gunther answered the door.
Gunther's dirty blond hair was disheveled and matted on one side as if he had just gotten out of bed. He was in a thermal shirt and dark grey sweats to keep him warm. His eyes looked tired, but baffled at Cece's unexpected appearance. Cece timidly waved and Gunther frowned slightly.
"Vhy are you here?" he asked gruffly.
Cece sighed. "I came to apologize."
Gunther was silent, which made Cece exceedingly nervous. However, she didn't realize that he was so quiet because he at that moment noticed all the snow still all over her that made her constantly shiver. Gunther brushed the snow off and opened the door wider.
"Please come in," he said stiffly.
Cece stepped in and glanced at Gunther. He gestured for her to seat herself on the couch. He sat across from her on the love seat covered with goat hair and waited for her to speak.
"Um... where is everyone?" Cece asked.
It was unlike Cece to beat around the bush.
"Asleep," answered Gunther. "You might vant to finish here before Tinka vakes up and attacks you vith her betwinkler."
Cece smiled. "Okay. First I want to say how very, extremely, absolutely sorry I am for dissing you the other day. It was uncalled for and you didn't deserve it. Do you forgive me?"
Gunther looked hard at Cece for a long time, then he nodded.
"You are pardoned for your act of betrayal," he said formally.
Cece groaned. That statement made her feel worse.
"There is still something that bothers me, though," noted Gunther.
"What?"
"Vhy was the idea of being my girlfriend so terrible? Vhy did you have to say vhat you said about me?"
"No, Gunther. It really had nothing to do with you, or at least only a little."
"Vhat do you mean?"
"Gunther... I'm your Secret Santa."
Gunther frowned.
"Vhat does that got to do vith anything?"
"When I became your Secret Santa, I was devastated. I didn't know what the foreign exchange student from who-knows-what country would want for Christmas. Then we started hanging out, and I realized you weren't as weird as I made you out to be. You're actually kind of cool."
Gunther smiled faintly.
"So as I got to know you a little better, I became a better Secret Santa for you. And then I got the idea that... you really cared about me, too."
Gunther frowned.
"I figured out it was you at the pet shop."
Gunther gawked. "How?"
"I was so sure that I recognized you, I came back to the shop. That guy Ashton told me that there were no other employees and that it must have been you who was in the Santa disguise. My doubts were confirmed when I opened my last gift and found a little grey kitten."
Gunther shrugged. "It vas not the one at the store. My cat had a litter not too long ago. I saw you liked kittens so much, I gave you one of hers."
Cece smiled. "And a gift card to pay for cat food. Combined with your other gifts - including that funky CD with my 'jams' - it showed me how considerate you can be."
Gunther looked down timidly.
"So, Gunther Hessenheffer, when all this happened and I saw how sweet you are, I realized that I had a huge crush on you. However, I was afraid to put myself out there. I didn't want anyone to realize that I liked you because... I'd be an outcast."
Gunther frowned.
"Vhy vould you of all people be an outcast?"
Cece stayed quiet for a long, long time. Finally, she mustered her breath and started telling Gunther something that she had only confided to Rocky after years of being best friends.
"I am dyslexic," admitted Cece.
"You are vhat?"
"Dyslexic!" exclaimed Cece suddenly with tears forming. "Since I was a kid, I've mixed up letters, words, even my own two feet!"
Gunther listened, but said nothing.
"When I was first learning to read, I kept mixing up the letters. All my classmates made fun of me until I moved here during the second half of kindergarten. From then on I made sure never to read aloud so that no one would find out what a freak I am. Then I met you and Tinka, the freakiest of the freak, and I made fun of you, abused you, and even tried to get you deported. I did it because I wanted to take away as much of the teasing from me and put it on you. Anything to prevent the nightmare of being left out. That's why I betrayed you at the party."
Gunther just sat staring at Cece. He said nothing for so long, Cece finally burst into tears.
"See, even you think I'm a freak!" Cece sobbed. "And now you're just going to laugh at me like everyone else."
Cece suddenly ran out the door in tears.
"Cece?" said Gunther. "Cece, wait!"
Cece ignored Gunther as she continued to run down the hall, down the stairs, and outside into the bitter cold. She hugged her thin little coat to herself as the fresh snow fell around her. The cold nipped at her nose and her chapped red cheeks. Cece could feel her tears turning into icicles a soon as she shed them. She felt so alone.
"Cecelia Jones," said a voice behind her.
Cece's eyes widened and she turned around to see a shivering Gunther.
"Vhy did you run away?" he asked.
Cece's lip quivered.
"Because you think I'm weird," she replied innocently.
"No," refuted Gunther as he slowly approached Cece.
He stood over her and looked down with compassionate blue eyes; he tucked Cece's hair behind her ear oh so gently.
"I think you are the sweetest, spunkiest girl I've ever met," said Gunther. "Vhat you think makes you strange makes you that much stronger."
Cece sniffled. "That's what Rocky said to me when she found out."
"Then for once in my life I agree vith Rocky."
Cece giggled, but tears continued to fall down her cheeks. Gunther cupped her round face in his hands and wiped away the tears with his thumbs.
"Gunther, I'm sorry for always being such a jerk," apologized Cece sincerely. "If you'll forgive me, I'd like to be friends for real, not frenemies."
Gunther leaned down so that his warm breath washed over Cece; his nervous countenance perturbed Cece, for she worried if he'd accept. Her face fell when Gunther at last shook his head.
"No," said Gunther.
"Oh," whispered Cece sadly.
She turned away, but Gunther pulled her back to face him.
"I reject your solicitation because I do not vant to be friends," asserted Gunther. "I vant to be more than that."
Cece gasped and Gunther leaned in to press his soft lips onto hers. Cece's eyes opened wide in surprise as she deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around Gunther's neck. Gunther suddenly lifted Cece off the ground and swung her around as the snow fell down around them. Cece giggled and repeatedly kissed Gunther on his nose and cheeks. When they finally stopped, Cece smiled and ruffled Gunther's hair.
"You know, you look cute when you're not all primped and glamorized," complimented Cece.
Gunther raised his eyebrows. "And vhat do I look like ven I am?"
Cece grinned slyly. "Like a prince."
Gunther shook his head.
"Hey, if you and your family want, you all can come to my place for Christmas," offered Cece.
"Really?"
"Wouldn't be the holidays without the Hessenheffers!"
Gunther grinned and kissed Cece again.
I have the concluding chapter up, too! It's kind of an epilogue to sign you off.
