Sorry there's been a bit of a wait for this chapter! Things got crazy with my school musical and I was incredibly busy. I'll be updating more regularly now. Only a few more chapters!

Nicole

It was Thanksgiving Day, and she had her laptop set up on the kitchen counter beside her while she chopped potatoes. Her mother had just run out to buy a turkey.

Troy was doing the same thing in his kitchen, a 22-hour drive from her, his kitchen lighting doing wonders for his blue eyes. She could only imagine the way they looked in person.

"Hello Gabriella!" said a female voice. She watched Lucille Bolton walk into view of the camera. The red-haired woman waved at her.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Lucille," she said, beaming.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you too, sweetheart! Same to your mom! Is she there?"

"You just missed her. She left to go buy a turkey," Gabriella said, shaking her head.

"Oh, well tell her I said hello! I'm running to the store too – I just realized I forgot to buy salad dressing! Your dad's coming with me, Troy," Lucille said, turning to her son. "Your uncle and cousins will be here at four. Make sure you change out of your pajamas before then, at the very least."

Troy rolled his eyes.

"Okay, mom."

"I'll see you in a bit! Goodbye, Gabriella!"

"By Lucille," Gabriella said, waving. She watched Troy's eyes follow his mother's trail, turning back to look at her when the door slammed.

"I love your mom," she informed him.

"She loves you," he said, raising an eyebrow. They both went back to their chopping, falling into a somewhat comfortable silence for a moment.

"So, what are you thankful for this year, Wildcat?"

Troy looked up at her thoughtfully, and she stared back at him, genuinely curious.

"I'm thankful for you," he said after a moment, a smile gracing his face. She wanted to melt.

"Shut up, Troy," she said, blushing and looking away.

I wish he wouldn't say things like that when he doesn't mean them.

"I'm serious, Ella," he said, pausing in his potato chopping. "Look at me."

She stopped what she was doing and stared at her computer screen, motioning for him to continue.

"I am so glad I met you at that ski lodge. You're the best thing that's happened to me all year," he said sincerely.

"I am too. Glad I met you, I mean. I just – I couldn't ever imagine me being happy, moving from place to place all the time, but you've just been this constant thing – "

"I love you, Gabriella," Troy interrupted suddenly. Everything stopped, her breathing shallow, the words ringing in her ears.

"What?"

"I just – I love you," he said again. "I don't know, I've just – I've wanted to say that to you for ages, but I guess I was nervous because you're like my best friend and I don't want to fuck this up." Gabriella stared at him, shocked, scanning his face. She reached out and ran her finger along his face on the screen.

"I love you," she said softly.

His smile grew as he registered what he said, his entire body slumping as the tense nervousness dissipated.

"You have no idea how much I wish I could kiss you right now," he said, his voice hoarse. He rubbed the back of his neck, drinking in the sight of her. "God, Ella, you're so beautiful."

She couldn't think of anything else to say, so she said it again. She could say it a million more times.

"I love you."

/

She was giddy in the next few weeks. It was the holiday season – Christmas had always been her favorite. The decorations that went up around town, the way everything seemed to smell of cinnamon – it really was the most wonderful time of the year. And this year, she had Troy.

It was a strange sort of relationship. They were best friends, but they were more – they loved each other. That much was clear. Troy had taken to calling her his girlfriend – every time he did, her heart seemed to grow three sizes. She was happier than she had been in years. But the long distance between her and Troy was killing her. She wished more than anything that she could spend the holidays with him.

Christmas was right around the corner. Winter break had just started. There were only a few presents under the tiny tree in her apartment, but it was all she needed. She had mailed a box to Troy a few days ago to make sure it would be there by the holidays. She bought him a leather bracelet she found in a tiny antique shop – it had the number fourteen on it.

She was in the midst of baking a batch of sugar cookies – a yearly Christmas tradition – when she got a phone call from Troy.

"Hey, Wildcat," she said happily.

"Ella," he said, his voice rough. She could immediately tell something was wrong.

"Troy? What is it?"

"My mom was in an accident."

Her heart fell in her chest.

"Oh my god, Troy…"

"It was only a minor accident," he said quickly. "She's going to be fine. She broke her leg, I think – I'm not sure, my dad just called me, he's at the hospital – but I just – I don't know. I'm at home by myself and I'm freaking out."

"Hey, you said she's going to be okay, right?" she said. Gabriella's entire body flooded with relief.

"Yeah, that's what my dad said. So I don't know why I'm so…scared, I guess."

"Troy, it's totally normal to be freaking out right now. You're just worried about your mom, it's totally understandable," she said. "I would be totally panicking too."

"I love you, Gabriella," he said. "I guess I just needed to hear your voice."

"I love you too, Troy," she said gently. She could tell he was crying, and she ached to pull him into her arms and wipe away those tears.

"I wish you could be here," he said quietly.

"Me too," she said. She stared at the cookie dough she'd been mixing and she hated it, suddenly. "I want to hug you so bad. I also have a sudden urge to punch a brick wall."

He let out choked laughter and her heart lifted. She had made him smile.

"Don't punch any walls, Ella. I don't need you to have any broken bones, too."

"I promise, I won't," she said. There was silence for a moment. "You should call your dad, or go to the hospital. Your mom probably needs you right now. I'll still be here, waiting. Keep me updated. Tell her I hope she feels better soon."

"I'll call you later tonight, I promise," Troy said.

"Okay. I love you," she said.

"I love you too."