Tamed

Chapter 22. Holidays

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!" Boon and Jason burst into the room shouting and startling everyone who were fast asleep.

"What the **** " Aiden cursed under his breath, pushing the blanket away.

"Yay!! It's Christmas!!!" Owen squealed and started jumping on his bed.

"What are you? Like Five?" Charlie rolled his eyes, folding his duvet neatly.

"Happy Christmas boys!!" Owen pulled his two best friends into a group hug. "Happy Christmas to you too Owen, but stop smothering us" Aiden complained.

"Joy kill" Owen scowled, pushing Aiden Away.

Natalie was watching them from her bed, above.

"Happy Christmas Nat bud" Marshall smiled at her. A smile broke into her face suddenly at this endearment. She immediately jumped down from the bed and threw herself on Marshall "Happy Christmas Marshmallow!!!" He hugged her back tightly.

"Now it's my turn Marshmallow" Owen said, pulling them apart and wiggling his eyebrows at Natalie, much to her annoyance.

"You do not get to call him Marshmallow. Do. you. understand?" she glared at Owen.

"Why? He isn't your property" he protested.

"Maybe he is. problem?"

"Ok fine. I am not going to fight with you over this, on Christmas."

"Hey are we invisible?" Jason and Boon whined "We were the ones who woke you up on this pleasant morning"

"And can the day get any better?" Aiden scoffed.

"Come on you guys. It's Christmas!!! Let's party"

"No more parties from you Jason" Joseph said.

"By the way, I thought you were supposed to be at the forest with the dragons. What happened to your detention project?" Marshall asked.

"We behaved ourselves and they let us go"

"You know how to behave? Well that's news to us" Charlie chuckled.

"Whatever boys, it's Christmas and let's get merry"

"No more funny business Jason. Our families are coming over today to meet us" Joseph warned him.

"Where's Nathan and Ezra by the way?" Owen asked.

"Ah. Maxwell is lecturing them on how to control their ego while dealing with dragons"

"Did something happen?"

"Well, the dragon may have done something which may have irked Nathan" Jason began.

"And he may have tried to do something to the dragon" Boon added.

"And the dragon may have burnt something" Jason continued.

"And he may have ended up in the healing section" Boon finished.

"We are not saying anything" They both said in unison .

"What are you talking about?" Joseph asked, totally confused.

Jason and Boon shrugged and sealed their lips.

"Whatever.. let's open the presents!!" Owen suggested and everyone went to their respective beds and reached for the pile of gifts lying at its foot.

For Natalie, it was a letter from her Aunt apologizing for not being able to visit her at the institute as her grand mother had fallen sick again. With teary eyes she folded the letter and safely kept it underneath her pillow and looked over at the boys, happily opening their presents. Owen had already started stuffing his mouth with homemade pumpkin pie sent by his mother. Charlie was wearing a blue colored jumper with a huge C embroidered on it. Aiden was staring at the photo frame which Natalie believed contained a photo of him with his parents.

"Hey Nat" Marshall's voice distracted her. He climbed upto her bed and sat beside her, pulling her into a one sided hug.

"So what did you get for Christmas?" she asked, not making eye contact with him.

"Books" he said grabbing her right hand and opening her palm. "This is for you" he said, placing a silver chain in her palm. "Merry Christmas" It was a beautiful chain with charms hanging form it. All the charms were miniature forms of different dragon breeds. "Awww.. You didn't have to do that. But thank you so much Marshmallow!!!" she hugged him.

"Ohh! I didn't get you anything. Sorry" she said, pulling away, her cheeks deeply flushed.

"It's okay. I already got a best friend. There's nothing more that I could wish for" he assured her.

"That's sweet. But I will get you something later" she told him, with a smile.

"No that's totally fine Nat" he smiled back at her, helping her put on the silver bracelet on her wrist.

"I can't wait to meet your parents" Natalie told him.

"Yeah, they are excited too" he smiled back at her "Who's coming from your family?"

"No one is" she sighed.

"Oh" Marshall's smile faded away "But you can spend time with us" he suggested.

"Thank you Marshmallow, but I wouldn't crash your happy family reunion" she said, dropping her gaze.

"but"

"No buts. Don't worry too much about me. I'll be fine. I promise" she assured him, squeezing his hand.

The institute was going to be packed with happy families and reverberating with their chatter in a few hours. And Natalie started devising different plans to escape from all the merriment.