The walk back was quieter than the walk up. The statue girl didn't speak on the way, not until they reached the school grounds with Sam climbing back over the fence. The both of them however were met with a large colourful display coming from the hall.

The boy and small girl looked at one another and slowly stepped towards the building. From the windows outside, it seemed as if a large tree was being mounted up. Did that mean?

Sam opened the fire door that lead inside, and little Pearl gasped when she saw all the objects in the hall, pulling the tree that Sam had cut down, upright with rope along with her sisters and even the objects from the outside shed. There was a long table set up in the middle of the hall, laced with tinsel, covered by table cloth, and set to the brim with Christmas crackers. There were two sets of plates and cutlery at one end of it, and the rest of the objects were placing chairs with books on the seat to make themselves level with the table.

Pearl seemed to almost forget about her and Sam's conversation at all of this excitement, leaping down from his shoulder and joining her sisters at the base of the new tree, helping them to decorate the structure. Though the boy could've sworn he saw her speak to Christina about something off to the side, and them taking a brief glance at him.

"Dinner's almost done. You will join me won't you? It's been a long time since I've shared a meal in this old building with someone."

Sam turned to see John at his side, not even having a surprised reaction to him being there. He didn't think anything could surprise him after tonight.

"I've found out something each about the girls" Sam replied not answering his question. "It took a bit longer than expected, hope that doesn't hurt my chances of getting out of here."

"It won't effect a thing. Come tell me at the table. We need some topic for conversation." John led him over.

"Sorry Mr Moore-, John, but I don't really do Christmas dinners."

"It's not Christmas dinner Sam. It's Christmas eve dinner. I know it's well past midnight but same old same old. And besides, when's the next time you're going to get a meal like this? Don't take that the wrong way."

"No you're right. Unless of course I'm," the boy glanced around then whispered in a hushed voice, "Unless of course I'm sent to prison."

"Well if you've found out something each about the girls like you said then you have nothing to worry about." John patted his back and offered the boy the seat next to the end of the table, to which the headteacher promptly sat, pulling a cracker with a stapler nearby. The stapler won. "I believe that's yours" he fitted the paper crown on the object as best he could.

"Sam?" he held out a cracker waiting for the boy to join in.

"Aw c'mon John,"

"Go on my boy" the old man chuckled. "You've been through more frightening things than the pull of a cracker."

Sam relented and immediately won, although he refused to put on the paper crown. At least, he did until Pearl picked it up with both hands. "Aren't you going to wear it Sam? It'll look good on you." She stared up with wide eyes.

He tried to look away, but he couldn't help but give in to that face. He took it and embarrassingly placed it on his hair. "Only because you asked me."

"You look just like a prince" she batted her stone eyelashes.

At this moment the other three girls joined them at the end of the table. Two of which had been chatting with the clay model fisher boys whom were also helping out with the new tree.

"Trimmings are all done" Isabel sauntered across the table brushing her hands rather proud of herself. "Getting a real tree was the best idea we ever had! Well, I say 'we', it was all Sam's idea. A great one too. So traditional" she squealed.

"How'd you manage to drag it in?" he eyed the headteacher.

"Nothing a little rope and a ford focus can't pull off. Or in, in this case" he wagged his finger taking a bite out of a mince pie.

It was then a couple more objects rolled in with a kitchen trolly straight from the cafeteria, two covered dishes with knifes and forks placed on it. The objects, which consisted of rulers and compasses, lifted the dishes in front of the two humans, lifting off the covers for the steam to hit their noses.

"Chips and ham, very classic. Thank you very much" John nodded to them and they bowed back without saying anything.

Taking a look at his surroundings, all the vacant seats Sam saw were being filled with staplers, scissors, pens, pencils, tipex, everything else that apparently had life in this school. He saw the four girls sat next to him on top of a stack of textbooks, the three fisher boys on the other side of them.

"I thought you all couldn't eat?" he inquired.

"We can't. That doesn't mean we shouldn't live the experience of a festive dinner" replied Brenda innocently shrugging her shoulders.

"But what-" Sam stopped himself when he saw them all pulling crackers, wearing the paper crowns, and reading the corny jokes to each other.

"I suspect it's been awhile since you've had a meal such as this eh my boy?" John gestured in a quieter tone to the entire table, although Christina couldn't help but side glance.

Sam didn't say anything back but instead began to tuck into his food. Though he paused slightly picking up the cutlery, wondering if it would suddenly come to life too, until he remembered he ate in the cafeteria earlier with these and they hadn't.

Isabel and Christina soon had their attention focused on two of the clay model fisher boys, and the second fisher boy, Ben, eagerly was holding a conversation with Brenda.

Pearl on the other hand, tried to make one of her own with their teenage friend. Gaining his attention from his food. "Are Christmas dinners like this at your home Sam?" She still had a wanting feeling of knowing more about Sam's home life after their little talk on the hilltop.

He put his knife and fork down and kept his gaze on all objects except her. He didn't know quite what to say. "They-, how would describe this one Pearl?" he finally looked at her.

"It definitely feels wholesome. Very homely, kinda like that feeling you get when you've been kissed on the cheek."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't know about that-," he mumbled feeling embarrassed. "I'd say" he quickly said "that the dinners I've had," he struggled to find the words "could never compare to this."

This answer however didn't seem to satisfy the statue girl. But the headteacher joined in on their conversation before she could ask anything else.

"And your always welcome to come back my boy, any year."

"Yes!" Brenda blurted out, catching the last part of their talk after finishing her own with Ben. "I really appreciated his advice in the gym earlier" she blushed, or at least, she would've if she could.

"Oh?" John cocked an eyebrow smiling a little. "Do tell Sam."

The boy scanned over at Brenda and wasn't too sure if he should say all this stuff to them. But, he caught on to what John wanted. He couldn't believe he was about to say all this sappy nonsense.

"Brenda seems, to be incredibly talented at what she loves, heck even as good as I am, whatever amount of limbs she originally had or, had not."

John's eyes went back and forth from the boy to an even blushing harder stone girl.

"And Isabel," he continued gaining the attention of the third girl upon hearing her name. "Is more valuable in her stone skin, than she would be in a human one."

"Where did, that come from?" she quietly wondered turning her head away though clearly very, very flattered by his statement.

"And Santa must a very special gift for Christina, who's obviously a big helper of his." He winked at her and she gave a soft but grateful smile, thankful he hadn't spilled the truth.

"And little Pearl," he turned to face the headteacher. "I think she's old enough now to go out and explore the school a little. I mean she's older than the both of us. As long as someone goes with her."

He didn't reveal that the both had gone up to the hilltop, and the youngest girl merely looked grateful for him suggesting that to John.

Said headteacher clasped his hands together and peered over to Christina. "If Sam thinks so, I reckon we she let her go out a little. Is that okay with you Christina?"

Pearl turned to her doubtful sister with hopeful eyes, and it took awhile for her to answer. "I, I don't know."

"Please Christina" Pearl really wanted this.

"I suppose, if someone went with you, like Sam or John, you could explore a few streets. Streets that are close to the school" she emphasized.

It wasn't exactly what she wanted, but for now it was a start, and maybe she could convince her elder sister to let her go further in the future. "Thank you."

"Speaking of going out," the eldest statue turned her eyes up to the human boy. "Could I, we, talk to you outside for a minute Sam?" she referenced herself and Pearl.

"Talk? Outside?" he gave a brief glance at John, who in turn nodded his head assuringly.

"Perhaps all four of you girls should go" he advised, getting the other two's attention as well.

Christina considered this. "Perhaps they should." She gestured for them to follow her into the room outside the main hall. A confused Brenda and a very reluctant Isabel talking to the third fisher boy got up from their seats following Christina.

Isabel wasn't the only reluctant one. Sam took a few seconds before he finally complied. "Right, right now?" he looked back between the table and them. Luckily the other objects didn't seem to be paying attention, so with a little more encouragement from John, the boy stood up and followed them out.

"What is it Christina? What do you need?" he wondered as the four girls jumped onto the table in the room outside the hall, two of them just as confused as Sam was.

"It's not what we need Sam. It's what you need" she answered with a concerned tone.

"I need? I just need to make sure your tree was up then I'd be back on my way home."

"That's the thing" resumed Christina. "From what we've heard you don't seem to have much of home to go back to."

"W-What, what are you talking about?" inquired Sam fearing the worst.

"Well, from all the things you've mentioned about your family. You stated twice before you don't always get along with them."

"Three times, actually" Pearl interjected. "When we were, talking with each other a minute ago. I told Christina about your story with the Christmas lights. Hope you don't mind that."

Inside Sam actually felt some relief, as he thought they may have discovered that he was homeless and a criminal. And at this point the other two girls caught on to what the subject was about and became just as worried.

"What we wanted to talk to you, or well, ask you Sam, are things really okay at home? Does what's going on there, have something to do with you being out in the middle of the night on Christmas eve?" the elder girl put both her tiny hands on his.

"Because if it is," Brenda self-consciously blurted out. "You're, more than welcome to come back here, anytime you want."

"Yes! I know it's your old school and all, and it might be a little more difficult during terms when the students and staff come in, but as long as you leave by morning, John will take care of anything else" offered Isabel, her voice becoming a little more gentle.

"You really are a good person Sam, and we do appreciate you, as I said before" Pearl smiled brightly up.

Now the heartstrings we're being pulled. This was the most genuine care Sam had received for himself, probably in his entire life. By people who only knew him for one night. For being made of stone, they had more generosity in them than people of flesh and blood. And what was he doing? He was still lying to them. He had not yet told them a single thing about his current situation and neither had he been honest in return for their sincerity.

They had done nothing all night but trust him openly and welcome him into a group which no one else had ever done for him before, even took the time to feed him and make an offer concerning his well being. He really did matter to them. Which only broke his heart at knowing what he was keeping from them. He never felt like this.

"I know you do Pearl" he gave a sad smile. "And no, things aren't going so well at home, or my lack of a home to be truthful."

There was a confused pause. "L-Lack of?"

"I, live on top of an abandoned block of flats. With nothing but an old mattress and blanket for warmth." He stared at the floor taking just one glance at them. Not being able to bear looking the innocent faces in the eye for what he was about to tell them.

"I haven't been all that truthful with you girls tonight. I left my family two years ago, well, I was kicked out. On Christmas day as a matter of fact. And ever since then I've been, stealing, to feed myself."

"S-Stealing?" Isabel stuttered as Christina took her hands off his.

"Yeah. I actually came to hide here from the police, after a botched robbery earlier tonight. All that stuff you asked me about in my bag, it's all stolen, all of it. The toys the items the banknotes. I couldn't tell any of you because, well because at first I needed to stay out of sight until the police were gone. And eventually, I didn't want to tell you. But after everything you did,"

He eventually looked at them, hoping desperately they would hear him out. "No one's shown me this much kindness, this much care. I've honestly never felt this much at home in my life. You girls deserve to know that much about me. That's the least I can do. And yes, I am a thief but please understand I have no choice but to steal. It was the only way I could stay alive."

All four girls pretty much shared the same expression. "You're, you're a criminal?" they all recoiled back a bit.

"N-No, you can't be Sam, you're not like that. You've saved our lives, you've helped us get a tree, you've spent time with all of us," Pearl desperately tried to deny what he was telling them. "You're not a bad person."

"I'm not Pearl, at least, I don't try to be. I only take what I need, I don't harm people or anything like that."

"But, it's still a bad thing," Brenda figured, still as shocked as her sisters.

"Have you taken anything from here?" Isabel questioned.

"No. Of course not" Sam denied.

"You're homeless. And you never told us?" said Christina who was backing her sisters up a bit. "If we had known you were in that much trouble, we would've helped you immediately."

"Even if you knew I was a thief?"

Christina didn't answer that, not sure herself. "I, we, I need to talk to my sisters about this."

Sam took that as the end of the conversation, though he kinda wanted to stay, he nodded understandingly and headed back into the hall. His shoulders slumped low. Little did any of them know or spot the four pairs of hairy legs crawling along the ceiling above them.

The teenager returned to the hall alone, slumping back down into his chair. John and the fisher boys taking notice.

"Where are the girls?" the eldest boy, Andy, asked.

"They, had to take care of something quickly." Sam turned to the headteacher and informed him in a quiet voice. "I, I told them everything. I told them the truth. Who I am and why I'm here."

Even John seemed taken aback. "And how'd they take it?" he leaned in.

"They're discussing it now" Sam sighed, part of him regretful and part of him glad he couldn't hear what they were saying.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"I thought, I thought that we really knew him. I mean there were parts he never let on to but I didn't suspect it was something like that" stated Isabel.

Her, Christina and Pearl were standing, whilst Brenda was sat down on the table, all four still in disbelief.

"I wonder if he associates with anyone else like that? I mean he might not that bad himself but what about the people who influence him?" proclaimed Christina. "I was going to let him take Pearl to see the outside world too."

Said youngest girl, felt a sudden wave of temper at her sisters words and doubt. She raised her voice a little and said "Well you heard him, what choice did he have? Humans aren't like us Christina, they have to eat and drink, they need all those necessities. If Sam hadn't of stolen he'd be dead!"

"So you're condoning it?" accused Isabel.

"No! Didn't you listen to anything? He's homeless, living on his own, with no shelter or warmth, and you're gonna blame him for trying to live?"

"I suppose, if he had no choice. I think Pearl's right Christina" Brenda spoke up. "Besides he's not a bad guy. He was put into this situation not on his own accord, and did what he could to survive. You can't blame him for any of that."

Pearl was grateful at least one person took her side.

"I'm not blaming him it's just, how do we know if we can trust him after this?" Christina stated.

"Christina, Sam me took outside the school a minute ago" Pearl began.

"He what?"

"Yes, because I asked him to. He took me up to the hilltop and back and it was wonderful. He's not a bad person just an unfortunate one. I went further outside the school and I'm still in one piece. May I remind he saved our lives earlier, you can trust him with that!"

"Well, I would like to know more about him first!" expressed Isabel taking a few steps forward. "And I'm going to question him right now-"

Four pairs of hairy legs dropped down on the third girl, trapping her underneath the creature. This was all followed by blood curdling screams of the third trapped girl and her startled sisters. All heard by those in the hall, including Sam.

"Girls!" he shouted.

Stay tuned;) Characters and story belong to me.