open my eyes, and silently curse at my alarm clock for waking me from my amazing sleep. 8 hours is a rare commodity and I wished to saver ever last bit of it. 

I see the alarm clock flashing the numbers 5:30 on and off taunting me to get up. I smash down on the off button and sit myself up.  removing the warm blanket and into the cold air. the radio is turned on and I can listen to the two voices banter back and forth as I get dressed for the morning. 

"I'm just convinced Rachel, the cold weather has been looming since November, and now with the snow pilling up 4 INCHES, we maybe be looking at this towns first tree lighting ceremony being canceled, or at.... at least postponed." Geoff says with his light tone charismatic stammer. 

"But you forget Geoff, this is a town built around the holidays, we wouldn't miss any of the annual festivities, the tree lighting the holiday parade, the Saint Nick Championship, the Park fun night,  Santa doesn't come to town, he lives in town, and there is no way a little snow is gonna put the brakes on this town for sure... well get back to this after another Christmas classic, here is Michael Bublé with It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." 

The song picks up with the light and familiar sound I've heard before. I throw on my thermal under armour and then my grey sweats. I look around my messy room for my boxing wraps, which proved to be very difficult in the dark. " I should really clean my room..." I thought to myself. I find my wraps under my boxing sweater and I begin to wrap my hands as Michael's voice is swaying me into my daily routine. my mom walks in my doorway with her short brown hair and green scrubs, she throwing on her coat and going through her purse to make sure she doesn't leave anything again. "Hey Jake; Honey, I'm taking an extra shift today, I'll be home late, make something for dinner please, and Dale wants to go see Santa at the mall today." 

"ugh, he's eight years old, he knows Santa isn't real. little brat is trying to weasel more presents out of me." I thought to myself but I managed a small growl to my mom as a statement of understanding. 

she walks off and I can here the faint sound of the front door closing. I pack my bag with my clothes and throw it over my shoulder. I plug my headphones into my phone while walking into my brothers room.  his room was even more messed up then mine, clutter of toys sprawled around. I crouch beside his bed where he laid sprawled out on the floor. I turn on his alarm clock he unplugged the night before, and I rub his hair for luck. I throw on my Christmas Jams playlist and my beanie. I look at the mirror in the front of me stands a 17 year old mess, my brown eyes show off my lack of enthusiasm for today. I open the door, and take off. I went full dash down the icy roads, as the brisk air brushes against my red-flushed cheeks. 

I make excellent time into the town picking up the paste as I pass local shops. and early birds getting ready to start the day. I pass the Grind House the lights are on and a girl sits by the window typing away at her computer, the chalkboard sign was already put out on the wooden patio. "GET JOLLY WITH IT, 10% HOLIDAY DRINKS." I pass the sign giving me a mental note to hop on the offer, I cut down to the park, and start to go a little faster, my lungs start to burn from the cold air, but my determination was all the same. the snow fall is a welcoming site, I pass by a couple cars and slow my run into a walk as I enter the gym. the heaters were on and Lowie, the janitor, was finishing up his job when I passed by him removing my headphones. 

"Hey, it's Hendry, first to get here last to leave."  Lowie mumbles in his low Motown voice. 

"Hello Mr. Lowie." I mumble in a panted voice. I pass by the janitor into the locker room I set down my gym bag and head into training. 

I start off with the jump rope 15 minutes non stop still listening to Christmas music alternating feet every third jump, next was the big rope, flinging the heavy rope up and down in a fast pattern, after I was done chopping wood I threw myself into an array of push ups, sit ups, and pull ups.  after the good sweat kicked in. I hit the punching bag, I bob-and-weave while throwing jabs with my right hand and hard crosses with my left. I take a step to the side of the bag and throw a wicked fast combo, I jump back panting as I start to see the all the lights turning on and the rest of the team coming through the front doors. I take out one ear piece and continue hitting the bag changing up my tempo, the guys walk in and start to run around the gym, hit the heavy bags, and the speed bags, only the best fighters get to spar in the morning and that honor went to Joe Marsh, and Tanner Rowinski. Coach Walters hangs on the outside of the ring coaching his prized fighters. 

"Come on Ski, hands up, hands up, don't get cocky put some power in it.... Marsh there you go, angle out, jab, jab, jab, jab." Coach said

 The sound of fist hitting bag, speed bag hitting wood, rope hitting the deck, weight hitting racked, all made a orchestra of hard work that brought a smile to my face... literally music to my ears.  it took Coach yelling my name five times to snap me out of my euphoric trance. 

"HENDRY, HENDRY, HENDRY, HENDRY. DAMN IT JAKE WAKE UP LOOK ALIVE!!!" Coach yells over the noise. I take out my other headphone and head over in a jog. 

"Yea coach." I croak, then clear my throat with a hard cough. as I wipe the sweat off my head. 

"Hey kid, don't think I don't notice your hard work okay, trust me you're in for a fight we just got to see who is willing, and that's probably gonna be after new years, especially with the Saint Nick Championship, you can't expect a fight with our best fighter, Joe being in the same weight class, after the fight you'll start sparing with Joe. if you want it well get you one." 

I nod my head to everything the coach was saying, but all I heard was "finding you a fight." I haven't spared in a long time and now coach says he want me in!!!! this is fantastic. 

"sure thing coach, thank you thank you, I promise 110 all the way!" 

Coach rubs his grey beard and gives me a nod to go back to work. this is it I thought. the start of something new, who would've thought. 

I shower and change into my clothes. my dark jeans and long sleeve black Henley were a wrinkled by my lack of awareness this morning. I leave my gym bag and trade out for my backpack. everyone around me focused on their own heading to the school across the street. I make a quick protein shake and rushed out the doors. headphone in one ear I walk through the hallway trying to make it to my first class, sipping away out of my grey shaker. Mikey comes up behind me and grabs hold of my shoulders. 

" Jake The Great what's good champ, you know as your best and only friend you should totally be teaching you pal the old one two!" 

he throws a few jabs in the air close to me I ignore him with a smirk. " I don't know why you don't just join the team, what else is there to do, football?" I say taking another sip. 

" I can't stand being in a room with that much self appraisal and testosterone, plus I don't wanna ruin this gorgeous face, a brown man like myself has a lot of maintenance you know!" he retorts. " did you finish the Algebra homework?" 

damn it, I knew I forgot something, could've sworn we had a quiz anyway. I shouted in my head. I give Mikey the " I didn't do it look", and he sympathizes for my forgetfulness. he reaches in his bag and hands me his notebook, you got two class periods to get it done, you owe me, again!"  

 we land in English and away we go into boredom. 

class ends and I walk out in a tiny dash. I bag my empty shaker bottle and head to history, I make time with my quick walk, and I decide to change the music on my phone. Sam Smith takes a swing on a Christmas classic when WHAM! I fall over my books sprawls out in the hallway, and my bottle rattles away. on the ground in front of me was a brown haired girl in jeans and a white sweater, her glasses on the ground and her coffee spilled everywhere. she looked just as shocked as I did. her grey eyes leveled mine. I couldn't stop looking at her, she was gorgeous. then she decided to ruin every beautiful thought I had of her.

" THE HELL DUDE, DO YOU ALWAYS BASH INTO PEOPLE SPILLING ALLL OF THEIR STUFF, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING! GEEZ!!" The girl said padding off some of the coffee from her white sweater. 

you got to be kidding me, I thought. I reach for my bag, and a logical answer. 

"ME? Who brings coffee to school!!" Mikey who shows up, behind me and the dark haired girl that was with her in sync responded to my question with a "I do." I help her up and I see the damage I caused. her sweater was ruined. her height reaches just below my nose but she definitely made me feel smaller.  

"who on earth blames the person who just lost a cup of coffee, when I only fell cause you like speeding down hallways Maverick."  

I start to pick up both of our things as she continues to dry herself off. I hand her the notebooks and pens and glasses. starting to feel like a fumbling fool I stand up straight and the coffee has stained her sweater. 

"great where a white sweater to school Samantha, a school filled with speed racers!" she says in a irritated voice. 

"le...let me make it up to you." I say trying my best to find the words. she grabs her phone out of my hand, I totally forgot I was holding it, smooth. 

"trust me, you've done enough damage.... ugh I'm too upset to think of something witty."  she says. 

my mind was going haywire, I can't think straight, yet alone talk. 

"JAKE.....my.... I'm Jake, and I can fix this just come with me." I said walking forward down the hall she stomps behind me arms crossed. I reach my locker and begin to dial the combo, after two tries the flimsy metal door rattles open, I hold out my red hoodie, she gives me a confused look, and I usher her to take it again. 

" no, I can't I'm sorry its really no big deal I didn't mean to flip out on you, I was heated....mostly from the coffee spilling on me but yea." she says putting her hands up to stop my attempt to fix the mess up. 

"trust me this school is notorious for two thing, never letting anything go, and its obsession for Christmas, you don't wanna be known as the girl with coffee all over her around the holidays." 

she takes the hoodie and takes off her sweater revealing a blue V-neck also damp from the fall. 

"yea, I've noticed that, places is deck the halls decked out." she says with a light chuckle.

she zips up the hoodie but leaves enough open to show off the V-neck. she extends her hand to me and I take it with a shake. 

" I'm Samantha Green by the way, I guess we got on the wrong foot, earlier. she says locking eyes again with me. 

"Jake Hendry, and yea I guess it was totally my fault, sorry, you new here? 

she shrugs on her backpack and we start to walk down the hallway. she keeps her hands on her straps, with her glasses still in her left hand. 

"yea, just moved in from Seattle, with my aunt, this town is weird. she says "feels like an ABC holiday special threw up on this town." 

I chuckled at the comment, she's right though...she's witty. 

" yea um, every town has something right, Holiday season is a must here." 

She looks at me with a raised eyebrow. and a smile that melts. 

"you are apart of the school's orientation board right, how else am I suppose to find AP Chem?" 

I run through my brain looking for an answer. " um... yea of course I got that covered, AP Chem is a.... this way!" I say pointing  in a random direction, silently praying she'd buy my bluff." 

she looks at me with a widen smile and ushers her hands holding her white coffee stained sweater in the same direction. 

"Lead on Hendry!"