It was December 24th Christmas Eve and New York city was as busier then ever, people flocked to the stores to buy last-minute gifts. New Yorkers and tourist gathered at Rockefeller Center to see the large Christmas tree. The teens Gwen, Trent, Bridgette, Geoff, LeShawna, Harold, and Duncan were just some of the many people who visited Rockefeller Center. Afterwards they went to the Coffee Shack for some warm beverages, and to get out of the cold snowy weather.

"Ah! Isn't this really the best time of the year?" Bridgette asked her friends as she sipped on her hot chocolate.

"Girl I know it is! I can't believe it be all over soon!" LeShawna said.

"Everyone lets share our Christmas day plans! I'll go first my mom and I are going over to Geoff's house." Bridgette said.

"We have the best Christmas party! And hopefully it will be better than Thanksgiving!" Geoff said referring to the events that transpired this past Thanksgiving.

"I'm sure it will be." Bridgette said.

"Gwen is coming to my house with her mom and brother." Trent said.

"Yeah this will be the first time I'll meet the rest of Trent's family...I'm a bit nervous actually." Gwen said.

"Nervous? Why?" Trent asked.

"I don't know I just hope everyone likes me."

"Didn't you feel like this when you met my mom?" Trent questioned.

"Well yeah..." Gwen replied.

"And how does she feel about you?"

"She likes me."

"Likes you? Gwen she loves you! And so will everyone else in my family!"

"But what if they don't...you know how people can be when they first meet me. They automatically think oh look a weird goth girl!"

"I promise you once everyone see's what a sweet girl you are they will love you!" Trent reassured her.

"You always know what to say to make me feel better." Gwen said before giving her boyfriend a kiss.

"Barf!" Duncan said in a joking manner.

"Hey stop acting like my little brother!" Gwen joked back.

"I'm going to my Grandma's!" LeShawna chimed in.

"Your not going to be spending Christmas with Harold?" Bridgette asked.

"My family is having a Christmas party at our house, so I have and I'm stuck going to it. But believe me LeShawna will be on my mind all day! And I'm sure I will be on her mind all day! Right?" Harold said.

"Um yeah you know it..." LeShawna answered awkwardly.

"Duncan how about you?" Bridgette asked.

"Probably just over to my Uncle's house and get drunk with him and my cousins." Duncan answered.

"Sounds like a pretty good time." Geoff said.

"Oh...your not spending the holiday with your parents?" Bridgette questioned.

"Bridgette!" Gwen said she shook her head no trying to get her to change the subject.

"What about Courtney?" Bridgette asked.

"Ha." Duncan sighed. "Courtney is having a big family thing so I doubt I'll be spending the day with her. And lets...lets just say I don't really get along with Marilyn."

"Marilyn?" Bridgette inquired.

"Aka my mom."

"What about your dad?" Harold asked.

"Ha!" Duncan laughed. "No Eddie's in jail he's been there for a long time."

"And Eddie he's...he's your dad?" Harold asked.

"Yes Harold! Eddie would be my dad." Duncan replied.

"Hey guys!" Courtney said as she walked into the Coffee Shack.

"Court where have you been?" Duncan asked.

"Sorry I didn't make it to Rockefeller Center I got stuck putting up last-minute Christmas decorations." Courtney said she placed money on the table. "Gwen be a doll and order me a cup of coffee. Duncan can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uh sure." Duncan said he stepped a side with his girlfriend.

"Gwen be a doll and order me a cup of coffee." Gwen said mockingly.

"Gwen will you be a doll and order me a cup of coffee too?" Trent asked in a joking manner.

"Get it yourself." Gwen replied.

"I had a feeling that wouldn't work." Trent said as he went up with her to order the coffee.

"Whats up?" Duncan asked.

"The last time we talked you said you didn't have any holiday plans. Do you have any plans now?" Courtney asked.

"Well I had something in mind." Duncan said.

"Oh what are you doing?" Courtney questioned

"I was just going to...uh never mind." Duncan replied he had a feeling Courtney wasn't to big on underage drinking. "Why are you asking?"

"As you know my parents throw a Christmas party every year. And I would like you to come." Courtney told him.

"Uh really me?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I? You can even bring your parents if you want!"

"Um..I think they will be busy doing something else. But I will definitely come over!"

"Okay great!" Courtney said before Duncan and herself rejoined the group.

The teens spent the rest of Christmas Eve at their homes. Gwen watched Christmas movies with her mom and brother, Bridgette helped her mom bake cookies as they listened to Christmas music. Trent helped his mom wrap gifts for the coming festivities, Geoff attended a family gathering at his Uncle's place. LeShawna told stories to her younger brother Jayden and younger sister KiKi about Santa Claus. Harold invited his friend Sam over who brought some video games over and they played the games for hours, Courtney helped her mother put up some more last-minute decorations.

And Duncan spent the evening alone, he didn't know where his mom was probably getting wasted with one of her boyfriends. Being alone on a holiday didn't really bother him he was use to it, the last time he could remember spending a holiday with his family was when he was five or six. And it ended with his dad beating his mom after one of their drunken fights and the police being called.

When Christmas finally did arrive he wanted to dress his best which, was hard considering he didn't have a lot of clothes. He wore a black sweater and blue jeans even though him and Courtney were dating for a month, he never was at her home and she was never over his house. And he would like to keep it that way he didn't want her to meet his mother, he received a text message from Courtney with her address.

Her house was as Duncan expected, she lived in a red bricked house with a white picket fence, in a middle class suburb. "The all American home," Duncan thought to himself as he knocked on the front door. Courtney answered she looked stunning in a white dress.

"You look amazing." Duncan said.

"Thank you! Does it look familiar ?" Courtney asked.

"Yeah it does that's the dress I wanted you to buy, but you went with the red one."

"Yep! I knew you liked it so I went out a bought it! Come on inside your actually the first guest."

"Thanks I was freezing my balls off on my way over here." Duncan joked.

"Shh! Haha you can't talk that way my parents are here."

"Alright sorry." Duncan said as he looked around the house. "Nice place!"

The living room was decorated for the holiday the Christmas tree stood beside a lit fireplace, a nice sized flat screen TV was hung the fireplace.

"Thanks! If you think this is nice you should see Lindsay Stone's house! The girl lives in a mansion! A mansion! I'll tell you some people have it made." Courtney said.

"I'd feel lucky to live in home like this. Courtney what is being cooked? It smells amazing!"

"My mom is hard at work making dinner it wont be done for a while but its worth the wait! Ham, stuffing, biscuits, mashed potatoes, string beans, and oh my god she makes the best homemade apple pie!"

"Sounds great!" Duncan said.

"Mr. Clark nice of you to join us." Courtney's father Terrence said.

"Thanks for having me." Duncan replied.

"Princess your mother needs some help in the kitchen." Terrence told his daughter.

"Okay I'll be back in a minute." Courtney said leaving her boyfriend and father alone.

"Thanks again for having me I really appreciate it." Duncan said.

"Drop the act." Terrence responded.

"W-what?" Duncan asked.

"I don't know why my daughter is dating you. But for some reason she has taken a liking to you. But I know what type of boy you are! And my daughter deserves better...much better!"

"Oh really sir? What do you think your better than me or something?"

"Do I even need to answer that? Your some rat living in the slums of New York city. My daughter should be dating a boy with a future! Not some rat who is destined for failure."

"Terry can you come in here for just a second?" Courtney's mother Selma called out.

"Coming sweetie!" Terrence said.

"You think you know me? You're in for a shock old man." Duncan thought to himself.