"What are you doing?"

I flinched and whipped around. "Oh, uh, hey, Roma! What're you doing here?"

Romano crossed his arms. "I should be asking you."

"I was…" My voice faltered as I failed to create a good excuse. I couldn't tell him I was spying on Scout. He would get suspicious of her. Well, he was already suspicious of me.

"Hey, Bells," Scout chirped as she skipped past. I shook my head and quickly followed her before Romano could say anything.

"Jeez…" I groaned. "I think you just hurt my chances of staying a little while longer."

Scout shrugged a shoulder but didn't give a direct response.

"Romano doesn't like you, you know," I whispered. "Don't do anything weird, alright?"

Scout fluffed her tight curls in fake arrogance. "Me? Arrogant?"

"Uh, yeah," I grunted. "Just try to hang around the others, okay? Try to blend in."

She gave me an expression like she was trying not to laugh.

"Try," I repeated as someone rapped on the door. "Hold on."

I jogged over to it and flung it open, revealing Spain, Prussia, and France.

"Hey," I sighed, not sounding as friendly as I wanted.

"Whazzup?" Scout ran over and jumped into Prussia's arms.

"Y-Yeah, okay," Prussia replied awkwardly. "You can get off now."

Scout huffed but let go and hugged Spain.

"Hello…" Spain greeted uncertainly.

Scout released him as well, gave France an unsure look, and shuffled out with her head down.

"Hmph." France looked away, blushing.

Prussia started laughing. "If she doesn't hug you, you've got problems!"

"Anyway," I growled. "Um, the brothers weren't expecting you, so…" I let the first part of the sentence speak for itself.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of Romano," Spain laughed.

"Well, good luck." I allowed them entrance to the home. Italy walked in and tilted his head.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"We just came over to celebrate Christmas with you," France explained.

"Is Germany with you?" Italy asked hopefully.

"No," Spain answered.

Italy's face fell and he walked out. I slapped Spain in the back of his head.

"Ow!" he cried. "What'd you do that for?!"

"Figure it out," I snapped. He gave me a blank look. I did a face-palm and continued. "At least tell him the guys coming. Call him."

I strode over to the phone, picked it up, and held it out to Spain.

Prussia shoved him aside before the Spaniard could move and snatched the phone away.

"I've got this," he announced. "You can go do whatever."

"I'll go say hi to Romano!" Spain said, running in another direction.

France thought for a minute.

"Um, I'm going to find Scout," I told him, beginning to leave.

"And I'm going to find something to do," France decided.

Later

"There you are, Scout," I groaned. She was sitting outside, picking out blades of grass one-by-one. She glanced up at me and then went back to what she was doing.

"Hey," she muttered.

"Get up," I ordered. "You've got grass in your hair and stains on your dress."

"I know," she replied, staying where she was.

"C'mon," I huffed in annoyance.

"No," she grunted.

I scratched my head. Scout usually did whatever I said. Why was she being so defiant today?

"Err...Bell," she sighed. "I have something to tell you."

"What?" I asked.

She took a deep breath. "About this whole situation...I…"

I knelt next to her. "What?"

"I...I…" Her head shot up. "There's not enough pasta in that house."

I blinked several times. "Are you kidding me? There's mountains of pasta in that house!"

"No, no!" Scout protested. She hooked her arm in mine and dragged me to my feet. "We have to go buy some!"

"But-"

"No buts!" she snapped. She marched off away from the house, taking me with her.

She was definitely hiding something.

*Wow. Short chapter today. Sorry, I had limited time. *bows boss-like* Forgive me. And RedWhiteNBlue, you're right! Having Romano cheese is bad and-

My Nonna (who is awesome, by the way): But I thought you loved Romano cheese.

No, I don't.

Nonna: But you eat it all the time with your pasta.

Wha-? I thought it was-

Nonna: It's Romano cheese.

Romano: *walks in* What are they going on about?

I didn't mean to eat Romano, honest!

Romano: 0_0

Nonna: What's wrong with eating Romano? It tastes good.

Romano: Uh...What?

*goes over to Romano* I'm very sorry for eating you.

Romano: ...What are you talking abou-

I won't do it again, I promise.

Romano: How many times have you done this…?

Oh, since I was really little.

Romano: o.O I...I have to go now. *leaves**