After a long struggle with the big pine tree, Nick and Riley, flopped on the carpet from exhaustion, stared in awe at the tree as they enjoyed the fresh scent it provided.

“Do you have any intentions of decorating this tree or what?” Riley asked, still admiring the tree’s beauty as it stood proud and tall.

“Uh-huh,” Nick murmured as his body gave up and laid flat on the carpet. “The boxes are over there with the ornaments and stuff, if you want to get starting on decorating it,” he said lifelessly

Riley saw how tired he was and feeling rather creative from the happiness that filled her heart, she quickly got up, so full of life, and carried the boxes near where the tree was and began to take out the stuff, sorting it out by colors, trying to find a theme for it.

“Keep it simple,” Nick mumbled as his eyes closed

“Oh no, you’re not leaving all this up to me!” Riley retorted as she crawled over to where Nick was and grabbed his hand and pulled him with all her might.

Nick refused and was not letting her pull him, and in result, he pulled her back causing her to fall on top of his. Nick opened his eyes and found himself face to face with Riley. Their eyes gazed at each other for a second until Riley moved off from him and Nick, without saying a single word, got up and crawled to where the boxes were, in which the ornaments had been taken out and placed neatly across the carpet in order of colors: the silver with the silvers, the gold with the golds, the white with the whites and the red with the rest of the reds.

“I’m thinking red and gold,” Riley suggested as the theme. “What do you think?”

Nick shrugged his shoulder. “Guys are color-blind, we don’t care!” he smirked

“Yeah sure you are!” Riley smirked back while throwing a gold Christmas garland at Nick.

After an hours worth of working around the tree with careful ways trying to make the tree look as wonderful as it could, success was reached and Nick and Riley couldn’t help but marvel each other for a job well down.

“Want to know what’s missing now?” Nick asked

“What’s that?”

“Good old Christmas music!” he said joyfully as he made his way to where the stereo was and popped in Kenny G’s “Wishes” Christmas CD and soon enough, the air was filled with Christmas joy as the sultry sound of Kenny G’s saxophone played a gentle but powerful rendition of, “White Christmas”

Riley continued to gaze in marvel and amazement at the tree. Deep inside, she felt a deep connection to the tree. She felt Nick’s presence return back by her side as she softly began to say, “Look at one single pine tree. Once, it was so bare and so plain and with a few touches, it’s true beauty is revealed by the stuff that’s been used to cover it. I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing”

Nick looked at her, somewhat confounded at her words, but as her words sunk into him, he understood what she meant. He reached his hand out to her while saying, “Come on, dance with me!”

He helped her place her hands around his neck as he placed his arms around her waist. Riley’s neck found a place in his chest as the two of them swayed gently along with the music that lingered the air.

Nick’s heart began to feel a sense of wonderment while his brain was filled with confusion. He never anticipated of feeling this much connection with someone like Riley. He was used to always having any girl he wanted. All of them were very beautiful, almost perfect in vision. Riley on the other hand, she was different. She wasn’t beautiful on the outside, but her true beauty lies deep within her. She was one of the very rare that understood his every word. She listened to everything that he had to say, and often times, she listens to what he’s not saying, and she understands.

If he didn’t know how she looked like, he would be in love with her, but her outer layer brought about a barrier that stopped him from wanting to pursue anything. He felt low and he felt like he was the most horrible human being to step on the face of the planet.

He closed his eyes shut as he held her body closer to as they continued to sway to the music. With one swift turn, Nick chose to ignore what his mind was saying and followed his heart as his eyes remained closed while his hands were placed on Riley’s face as he pulled her close to his face and laid his lips against hers.

Her warm breath and soft lips sent a good sensation through his body, as if something was ignited and in that instant, he felt right where he rightfully belonged. His arms moved out of her face and wrapped it around her entire body, as she fit perfectly inside his arms.

For once in his life, as well as Riley’s, they each felt right. But how can something so good come so easily?