Everyone's laughing around me, the lights on the tree are wishing everyone a 'merry christmas' and the smell of turkey and stuffing is in the air. Carly's face is full of excitement as she shares a cracker with my Mother who is wearing a Santa hat. It's Christmas day again and just like every year the whole building have a party at Carly's place. Everyone's having a great time, everyone except me.

It may surprise you but I hate Christmas, I always have. I don't know whether its because of the horrific Christmas's I had to endure as a child where the only presents I got from Santa were the one's my Mum had approved as 'safe'. I can't stand the music, the screaming children, the killing of trees and the cheesy commercials on Tv. Everything about Christmas just makes me feel sick.

"It's Christmas Freddie! Don't you just love the feel of it?"

That was Carly. She was one of those people that goes overboard on everything at Christmas, especially her happiness levels. I lied and told her some crap about it being the best day of the year and she bounced back to the karaoke that was taking place behind me. Of course it was inconvenient that my future wife had such a passion for Christmas but I guess its something I will have to deal with.

"I'm just going out to get some fresh air" I shouted over Spencer and Lewbert's duet of "All I want for Christmas is you". It seemed though no one heard or would even notice I was gone so I made my way out of the building and took a seat on the cold step.

The one thing I do like about Christmas is that the world seems to stop. There's hardly any cars on the street, the shops are closed and there's a sort of peaceful atmosphere outside. Every year I just sit looking out the window and simply watch the leaves blow by.

"Freddie?"

I looked up, shocked that anyone I know would be outside rather than enjoying Christmas. It was Sam, wrapped in a jacket and a scarf standing on the pavement beside me. She looked freezing, like she'd been outside all day.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked me while surprising me by taking a seat on the step beside me.

"I could ask you the same question" I told her.

She nodded and stayed silent. I looked at Sam who seemed to be lost in a trance while staring into the peaceful street. I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked, her nose was red in the cold air, her hair was placed neatly in pleats and her blue eyes seemed to glitter. I shook my head and forced myself to remember it's still Sam I was talking about.

"So, why are you out here?" She asked me breaking the comfortable silence.

"I don't know" I replied, "I like it out here. What about you?"

She laughed "I'm not a fan of Christmas. And it's either sit at home alone while my Mum 's out with her friends or wander the streets"

"You could always join the party at Carly's" I offered.

"Yeah right" She laughed again. "To sing cheesy carols and pretend to be happy about the presents people give you. Like I said, I hate Christmas."

It surprised me. For some reason I always thought of Sam being someone who would enjoy this time of year. I had always just assumed it was just me who hated Christmas, I guess we did have something in common.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I asked her.

She looked at me curiously "Go ahead dork"

I ignored the insult "I hate Christmas too"

This seemed to surprise her.

"You hate Christmas?" She said "But you always seem so...happy when it comes to these things"

"I could say the same thing about you"

Sam too had always shown enthusiasm towards Christmas, in fact she had never said a word against it.

"I guess we both don't want to damper Carly's spirits" She said.

I nodded. "So. What is it that you hate?"

She smiled "Lots of things! Like the music"

"The music is bad. But also the screaming children" I moaned.

"and the TV ads"

"the fake happiness"

"the busy Christmas eve sales"

Our laughter was echoing all around us. It felt nice to have someone who agrees with me, even if it was Sam.

"Why are you out here anyway?" I asked curious.

"I like it out here too" She said looking around her. "Everything is...peaceful"

I smiled "It's like the world has stopped"

"Yeah. Exactly"

I was shocked to see this side of Sam. She always seemed to be in to everything being loud and crazy, I never expected her to find peace in something like a quite street. Maybe I don't know her as well as I thought.

"You look terrible with that crap on your head Freddork"

Or maybe not. I had forgotten that Carly had made me wear ridiculous looking reindeer antlers. I took it off immediately.

I blushed. "Carly made me wear it"

She giggled. "Carly sure goes overboard with Christmas"

"Yeah...she does..."

"I really don't see how you could ever have a relationship with someone you have to pretend with......in your opinion of Christmas I mean"

I looked at her strangely. It wasn't often that Sam spoke out with a sensible reason about why I shouldn't pine after Carly, other than 'she will never love you' of course. I quickly told her she was wrong but I couldn't help but see the logic in her reason.

"You want to go for a walk? I'm freezing" Sam asked me.

It wasn't often Sam was so nice to me, I guess she does act differently when she's not with Carly.

"Sure" I agreed standing up with her.

Just when we were about to leave the doorway I look up to see mistletoe hanging above us. Then I said the most awkward thing I could ever have said "Look, we're standing under mistletoe Sam"

She looked up and I saw a blush creep to her face and I could feel myself burning up. I don't know why I mentioned it, I could've happily ignored it and gone for a walk. Now we were awkwardly staring at each other under the mistletoe on Christmas day.

"eh...lets just...ignore it" I stutter trying to avoid the thoughts of kissing Sam that were erupting my mind.

I was just about to walk out of the doorstep when I felt Sam pull me back under the doorway. I looked at her in surprise.

"I don't want to get bad luck!"

She leaned in and kissed me softly on the cheek.

It wasn't much, just a peck. Though somehow I was lost for words, by only the feel of her lips against my cheek I felt like I was going to faint. Suddenly I felt more affection to Sam than I have ever felt for Carly. I looked at her and she was grinning at me, supposedly enjoying my reaction to such a small gesture.

"Enjoy that dork?"

She was seriously laughing now. I shook my head at her, sure my face was now beetroot red. This time I was not going to let Sam have the satisfaction. So I took her cheeks and pulled her lips against mine. She seemed shocked and took a second to respond but when she did I felt like I was in heaven. Everything about kissing her felt right.

I pulled away and laughed at the look of utter breathless shock on her face. She quickly composed herself.

She grinned. "I still hate Christmas"

"Me too" I said "Though at least now we can hate it together"

"Sounds like a plan"

From that moment on I never looked at Christmas the same way again.

The End