Snowflakes (Andi Thalis)

[Ginny Campbell]

Ginny was in high spirits. The holidays always did that to her; all the decorations and the music and the food and most importantly all her family.

All of her family.

That was one of the wonderful things about Christmas: She had not one, but two families. Four parents and now a sibling and more aunts and uncles and cousins than most people would know what to do with.

And she got to see all of them.

She thought it was a pretty sweet deal, even if it was a little awkward between her and her dad now that he knew what she'd accused Chase.

Of course, the holidays were over now and she had to return back to school next week (she was grateful that her classes didn't start immediately after the new year) but she was still high on family affection.

So when she saw a familiar figure sitting by the lake a smile spread across her face. One of her father's recruits and a member of his collection, as it were. He was so good with them.

"Andiiii!! Happy new year!"

[Andi Thalis]

The new year wasn’t a holiday she particularly liked. It was one that made her reflect on another year that she didn’t have her mother, one more year that her father ignored her. It was also a year that had broken her heart, left her friendless, and now she was alone yet again, staring out at the lake and its icy surface, dressed in warm clothes. All you could see of her face was uncovered by the thick scarf she wore, a beanie on her thick unruly mahogany hair. Jade eyes looked out over the lake as she sat on the snowy hill.

Until she heard a soft voice calling her name.

Andi looked up from her musings and saw Ginny walking towards her with rosy cheeks and a smile. Andi smiled back, uncovering her face with a finger. “Happy New Year, Ginny,” she replied back softly, cheering up a bit in the company of her fellow redhead. Not that Andi had red hair, but her hair was so darkly brown that you would see the rich red inside, and she was often called a redhead by passing boys. Thinking of the opposite sex made her think of Leon, and she smiled fondly.

“So how was the family? I bet Mr. Campbell liked the present I got him?” Andi asked, referring to the tie she had gotten her recruiter. It had been a reindeer tie…that also lit up and sang “Merry Christmas” whenever someone pressed the secret button. She knew that he liked ties, that’s why she had gotten him one. “I’m sorry if it annoyed you all holiday break, but…I saw it and I couldn’t resist.” She giggled softly, standing and dusting herself off before looking at Ginny once more.

“I’ve missed you, Ginny.”

[Ginny Campbell]

"Oh my god," Ginny laughed when Andi mentioned the tie she'd gotten for James. She'd had to hear that damn tie the entire holiday; it had gone over not like the hilarious-but-trashy gift anyone else would have treated it as, but instead as a priceless treasure. "Did he ever. It combined his two favorite things, terrible ties and Christmas."

She shrugged off the apology with a grin, "It's fine, it's not like I'm not used to it or anything."

As the other girl stood she gave a few little hops until she was directly in front of her friend, flinging her arms around her shoulders, "Me too! It seems like it's been ages. And ages and ages." She sighed dramatically before releasing the other girl and taking a step back.

"So how were your holidays? Did you get anything just totally awesome?"

No mention of family or her multiple gatherings; she didn't want to intentionally make the other girl feel bad. No mention either of boyfriends, although she was only vaguely aware that Ethan had been involved in....something or other. And then only because they were friends. She didn't know it involved Andi, at least.