After opening all the gifts, the area around the couch was filled with wrappers. We could barely see the ground!

"Phew! That was the best Christmas to date! I never got as many gifts as I just did!" Alex enthusiastically waved his hands around and I was so happy for him. In fact, I was happy for everyone. But the day was ruined as I couldn't focus on my gifts. Cynric was on my mind all the time. It was annoying to have his memories flashing on and on as I unwrapped each of the gifts.

"Guys, I'm not hungry. I'm going to my room to nap for a while. I'll join you guys for dinner!" I informed them and stood up. The helpers would get my gifts up to my room later.

"But we're going to play dumb charades right now! Don't you wanna join us? It's your favourite!" Crystal tried to bring me back to the group. But I had something else to do.

"No babe. You guys have fun for me!" Cheering them on, I turned around and let my smile fall.

"What's going on with her?" I briefly heard Winter whisper to Dane but decided to ignore it.

As soon as I closed the door to my room, I unblocked and called Cynric. My anger was escalating with each second passing. He wasn't lifting my calls. On the fifth ring, Cynric's sleepy voice answered me as I barked at him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"

"Wait, why are you yelling at me?" I couldn't believe he was pretending to be dumb!

"Why did you send these gifts, genius? Do you want to be killed? You know I live with my brothers who hate you. They resent you for some reason!" I dropped the bomb on him.

"Oh...that's nice. The feelings are mutual then. I hate your brothers too." I grunted at his attitude.

"I'm calling to let you know I'm throwing them all away. I don't need them. Because you gifted them to me."

"...Why do you hate me so much, Amy?"

I fell silent, not because I was shocked but because I was displeased with his stupidity.

"I can't believe you're asking me that. You...blackmailed me." I said in a quieter tone. I didn't want the words to spill out of my room. What follows if my brothers get to know about Cynric? Chaos and we all know it.

"I was desperate, Amy. I needed you. I needed your body but I want you as a person now. Can't you see how much I love you and am willing to bend backwards for you? I even took the risk to send them all to your house—"

"I can't deal with you bull anymore. I'm returning all of these during our combined classes next week."

"You well know I won't take them back." I pressed my lips into a thin line.

"Fine. You'll find them in the trash then." Saying, I cut the call despite him protesting. I blocked his number, once again. I had to, for my own peace.

I plopped up on the bed and kept staring at the ceiling, wondering why I let myself get stuck in this situation.

"Why don't you leave me alone...? You're haunting me..." I stared at the ceiling and the words came out unconsciously. Cynric's face twisted with pleasure, and his smile afterwards; these images kept haunting me since I received those gifts from him. I knew I needed to do something about him. But how?

*knock knock*

Bringing myself to the real world, I turned to the door. "Who is it?" I asked loudly.

"Winter. Open the door please!" Her sweet melodious voice replied as I shuffled to answer the door.

"Hey, hi! Is everything alright? You seemed low. You can always talk to me." Winter stood by the doorframe and asked. I melted on the spot.

"I'm not sure about that, but can I please have a hug?" Her eyes softened as she gazed down at me.

"Ah, there you go honey." She even kissed the crown of my head. I totally get why Dane is so in love with her. I wished I was a man and stole Winter away from Dane then and there!

"Feeling much better now. Thanks, Winter. You're the best." I complimented her wholeheartedly. She chuckled, her cute eyes turning into crescents.

"Well, I heard someone is coming up. A relative or your grandpa. We weren't given details." I tilted my head to the side.

"I wonder who that might be then. Well, I can't sleep actually. Is the game still on?" I asked with enthusiasm and she clutched my hands immediately.

"They're starting a new round! I'm calling dibs on you for my team!" Chuckling like little girls, Winter and I skipped down the stairs hand in hand.

"Okay, she's in my team!" Winter announced and I joined Alex. Nick, Dane and Crystal were in the other team.

"We're sorted. 3-3!" Crystal cheered and we started on. As the game went by, I realized how important these people are in my life. They are the prettiest flowers in my garden. They decorate my life with their colors and presence, painting my plain gray canvas with colors.

But I was afraid...that my grayness will absorb all their colors eventually. One mistake from my end, and I'll lose my garden to an unexpected storm. I don't want that to happen.

And the storm that could take my garden away was none other than Cynric. They all hate him for some reason that I wouldn't know. Dane and Nick hate him the most. Dane has a personal feud with him, and I was curious to know. I tried asking Winter about it in the past, but she neatly and politely lied to my face.

I know that she knows.

"Yo-ho-ho! Guess who is here!" The voice of a familiar man yelled as he stood by the maindoor. He was clad in a Santa costume. He was almost unrecognizable.

But when Alex and Dane stood up, alerted of this man's presence, I felt uneasy.

Could that man be...