After school, we decided the rules for the bet.

For Jane, Charity and I, we could only wear dresses. Even to bed. No matter what, we could not wear anything other than dresses. Not even skirts. Dresses. None of us were looking forward to it, but we could deal. The guys got to pick out our dresses for the day. We could wear any form of dress or nightgown thing we had already to sleep in. we decided three dresses would be enough for each of us, because we didn't think the bet would last all that long. We honestly thought the guys would cave the first day, no matter what the stakes were.

As for the guys, we got to pick their jeans. They had to wear any skinny jeans we picked put, all three pairs, unless they caved beforehand. Unless their jeans said they were skinny on the tag and were the "right" size so they would actually be skin tight, they couldn't wear them. We were all looking forward to the guys waddling around, because they were mostly muscle and did not have the legs to wear skinny jeans…comfortably anyway. We weren't just the only ones that had to continue the bet at night either though. They had to wear leggings to bed. Yes, leggings. Not regular pajamas, not boxers, clingy leggings. We also got to pick those, because it wasn't like they would have any before hand.

And finally, the stakes of our little agreement.

Because we were more or less doing this bet in couples, each couple hand individual stakes if they lost. Ziggy and Charity weren't dating, but they were doing against each other for the purposes of the bet. If Ziggy lost, or Charity for that matter, because they had the same stakes, they had to dress up in a very stupid costume and walk around the Avery mall. The rest of us got to decide what costume they had to wear. For Parker and Jane, their stakes were different. If Parker lost, he had to wear one of the girls concert dresses as his uniform for our next concert. If Jane lost, she had to tell him she loved him, actually say it to him. I didn't think her stake didn't seem so bad, but she seemed mortified by it. To each his own, I guess. As for me and Alex, ours was different too. If he lost, he had to be my slave for twenty-four hours. If I lost, I had to be his slave. For ours, when we were at home, Matt had to approve the task if it seemed too unreasonable. (Yeah, Matt knew about the bet, but not that we were dating.) And if we were at school, anyone else involved in the bet could decide.

We all decided to get together after exams were over and winter break had officially started. The first weekend of the break, the day after mid-tern exams, we all decided to go to the mall and not only do our Christmas shopping, but get the dresses and skinny jeans for the bet. Jane, Ziggy, Parker and Charity met Alex and I at the mall around noon, when we all went to get some form of food to eat before going off in groups to do the real Christmas shopping, for each other and our families.

The guys decided to go off together, to the nearest sports shop, to hang out. I was glad that Ziggy and Parker were finally more or less accepting Alex. While they walked off, the three of them were messing around and acting like they didn't hate each other. Charity, Jane and I went off, to do our own shopping, but the problem was, half the things we needed to buy were for each other, so it wouldn't really work. The three of us decided to split up, just so we could get each others Christmas presents, then meet back up when we were all done.

I headed to Hot Topic right away, because I couldn't go into a mall and not go into my favorite store. I couldn't think of anything there for either of my friends, so I went to a few different places before I found something for both of my best girl friends. I got an awesome, but very sarcastic, tee shirt for Jane, along with a pair of boxers (she liked wearing them as shorts) that were covered with novelty superhero's. Then, for Charity, I got her a pair of earrings that matched her turtle necklace, and decided to make her a mix CD of music she wouldn't have heard, but I knew she would like anyway. My other girl friends and I never exchanged gifts on Christmas, so I didn't have to worry about them. Just my guy friends. Like every year, I would get Toader some form of giant candy. Parker…I wasn't sure if I'd get anything for him because we were friends through Jane, so I didn't need to worry about him much. For Ziggy…I was planning on something personal. My plan was a bunch of pictures I had of us together, in a little album. He didn't know I kept a lot of them, being they were all the way back from when we were really little kids, to this year. And last but not least, Alex. I couldn't get him anything that would make Matt suspicious, so I got him the latest season of his favorite show on DVD, and was going to make him a CD too, of the bands that I had him listening to and he liked.

Just as I was finishing up, I sent a text out to everyone, seeing if they were done with their own shopping. Everyone was just finishing up, like me, and we decided to meet up in the food court again so we could go and get our dresses (ew) and skinny jeans.

When I got to the food court, the guys were all sitting around. They had obviously gotten done first, because they weren't into giving gifts to everyone they knew. They were probably wandering around the mall, messing around or something. However, Parker and Alex both had bags with them. Alex's was from Spencer's, which scared be deeply, because Alex in a store partnered with Playboy couldn't be a good combination. Parker's was from Hat World, which made me smile, and the other was from Aeropostale. Jane showed up next, bags from Hot Topic and Target in hand. Then, Charity ran up last, with something from Hot Topic, Spencer's, and one other place that I didn't pay attention to.

"Okay, so we have to get the dresses and jeans next. Are we gonna go as a group, or couples, or what?" I asked, setting my bags on the table, rubbing my wrist.

"I'm always up for couples," Alex added, sending a wink in my direction.

I rolled my eyes at him and looked at everyone else. They didn't seem to care all that much. "Well, if we're all together we can all laugh at each other more."

"This is very true," Jane agreed with me.

"Yeah," Charity added. "Let's do that!"

"Whatever," the guys decided.

We all started walking away from the food court and towards all the stores.

"We should probably get the jeans at Hot Topic or something, because they're the only the place that have guys skinny jeans that I can think of," I said absently as we walked.

"They have them at other places!" Parker countered, a bit too quickly.

"Okay…Dude, chill…"

He looked around awkwardly. "Sorry…"

"Babe, would you feel better if we went somewhere else for your jeans?" Jane asked him, rubbing his arms.

"Yeah…" he admitted.

"Okay. Then I guess we're going to be stopping here. Have fun." She winked at me with a wicked smirk before going into a store that I'd rather die than step foot in.

"What about you, Chare? Where do you want to go?" I asked her nicely.

"Hot Topic." She shuddered.

"Whoa, you're not afraid to go in there?!" I was pretty astonished…

"I went in there alone for you."

"This is very true… So Hot Topic it is. Lucky you." I elbowed Alex's side and knew that if we weren't in our own mall, where there were a lot of people that knew us from school, he would have grabbed my hand or something, but we were surrounded by people that could easily recognize us.

As we entered the big arch of the store, I grinned. "What colors you want, Chare?"

"Purple, black and just a regular pair," she answered.

"Awesome. You're going easy on him though."

She shrugged. "What are you doing to Alex?"

"We're right here!" Alex and Ziggy yelled.

"Oh, we know," I told them before going to where the guys skinny jeans were. "You're in luck, man. Your colors are here."

"Yay!" Charity celebrated before yanking three pairs off the rack and thrusting them at Ziggy.

"These aren't my size!" he complained.

"Then find yours!"

Grumbling to himself, Ziggy dug around until he found his size in regular blue jean skinny jeans. He held them up and turned whiter than the ice he skated on.

"There's no way in hell," he muttered, shocked at how skinny guys skinny jeans actually were.

"You agreed to the bet," Charity informed him, crossed her arms and smiling.

"Or you going to drop out now?" I asked.

"Fuck no, he's not," Alex answered for him.

Did I mention that if one of the guys lost, all of them did? No? Well if one of them caves, they all lose. And if one of the girls caves, we all lose.

"F. M. L," Ziggy muttered as he got the two other colors Charity specified.

"No off to the dressing room with you!" Charity started pushing him away. "Uh, Bella? Where's the dressing room…?"

I grinned at her. "See that door covered in stickers and decals?"

"Okay! Thanks!"

While she went to make Ziggy try on his skinny jeans, I smiled a mix of the cutest thing you'll ever see and pure evil, at Alex. His face got just as pale as Ziggy's did.

"I really don't want to know why you're smiling like that…"

"No. No you don't. No, my lovely Alex, what size are you?"

After he told me, his voice shaking a little, I started searching the racks and shelves of jeans to find what colors I wanted. Bright, neon blue. White, of course. And hot, pulsating pink. I handed them over to Alex and I swear his eye twitched.

"Aw hell nah."

"Oh, yes, Alex." God, I sounded so evil! I loved it.

"I fucking hate this bet. You're so gonna get it, Isabelle."

"I'm so scared," I said sarcastically, hanging him his jeans.

"Not. Gonna. Happen." I crossed my arms and glared at Alex.

"Come on. I have fag jeans, you can wear this."

I glared at him and not because of the dress he was holding. "Please don't use that word."

"Oh, uh, sorry?"

"Yeah."

There was a slight awkward silence before Alex continued to insist I just have to wear the dress he head in his hands. It was black. Would hang just under my mid-thigh, so it would be okay with the school dress code. It was flowy at the bottom, so thank god, it wouldn't be skin tight. I did not have the curves to pull skin-tight dresses off. The straps had simple rhinestones on them, but it wasn't too flashy. The neckline was straight, thank god, or else I really wouldn't want to wear it.

"You have to, lovely little Bella," Alex said, sounding like an asshole.

"I hate you," I muttered.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing my ear. "No, you don't."

I smacked his chest and looked to see Charity and Jane coming towards us, carrying their own bags of death with them.

"What'd ya'll get?" I grumbled.

"Parker has regular skinny jeans, and I have like knit dresses from Old Navy," Jane answered.

"I have princess dresses," Charity said, very clearly hating this bet.

"I have this," I said, gesturing to the black dress. "And apparently I'm wearing my homecoming dress too, and Jane?"

"Sup?" she asked.

"Can I borrow your, uh, Homecoming dress…?"

"You have to wear that?!" her jaw dropped.

"Yup."

"Oh, dude…"

And then she fell for to floor laughing.

I rolled my eyes. And then realized something because of her laughter. "Weren't we all goin g to shop together so we could mock each other…?"

I just then realized that we kind of split up…

"Oh…right…our bad…" Ziggy said.

I laughed a little and helped Jane back to her feet. "We just need the leggings.

"Can we just wear our under amour?" Ziggy pleaded.

"No!" the three of us answered in unison.

"Spandex?"

"No! Leggings!" Its amazing how in unison teenage girls can be when fighting with guys.

The groaned as we headed back down the mall, to go to buy them their new sleepwear.

"I hate this…" Alex muttered, sitting on the couch in his white skinny jeans.

"You're telling me…" I mumbled back, crossing my legs for the millionth time, because I was in Jane's dress, which looked like lingerie even more to me now.

He looked over at me, wear I was in the leather chair in the other corner, by the big window. He let his eyes lazily travel up from my red Converse, that actually matched the dress pretty well, color wise anyway, all the way up to my face. I am probably the only girl that would wear a sexy dress and Converse covered in dirt and god knows what else from the football field. He kept staring at me, even though I was frowning, my arms and legs were crossed, and I did not look happy to be in this dress.

"You look really sexy in that dress," he said wolfishly.

"So you've said," I answered automatically.

"No, I haven't."

I thought back. "You've been thinking it."

"No, I haven't," he repeated.

I shrugged. "Shane's gonna kill me."

"Why?"

"He hasn't seen this dress yet…"

While I had worn the dress once before, because this was the sixth day of the bet already, Shane hadn't seen it. I was careful to not let him see it before, avoiding him around the house when I could. However, I couldn't do that again, for it was Christmas and we were sitting out in the living room, for presents and whatnot.

"Aw, shit, he knows the rules of the bet?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. He knows you picked out what I have to wear. And he hated the black dress."

"Aw, shit…" he said again, shaking his head.

"You're fu— Hey, Matt," I stopped myself.

My brother shook his head as he came into the room and sat on the other end of the couch from Alex. He was blocked a little from my view by our glowing Christmas tree, that twinkled with different colors.

"I can't believe you guys…" my brother said in a condescending tone.

"Neither. Can. I." I violently glared at Alex.

"Why're you ganging up on me?!" Alex questioned.

"Its fun," I answered. "Matt, smack him."

Matt reached over and hit the back of Alex's head as hard as he could. Alex winced a little and rubbed his head while Matt smiled smugly.

"We just have to wait for Shane, then we can open presents and you're free to go," Matt said.

"Awesome," I said.

After I was done with family stuff, I was going to get together with Jane, Ziggy, Charity and Parker. Shane came into the living room, with a glass made specifically for booze. I could smell the eggnog in the air, and I really didn't like it. Never had. Couldn't drink the stuff either. I could also smell some form of alcohol in his drink, which was evident by the smile on his face and the glimmer in Shane's eyes.

"Isabelle," Shane gasped, staring at my dress.

"It's for the damn bet," I muttered. Matt looked at me for a second for swearing, because I rarely did, in front of him anyway. He didn't care when I did though.

"Thompson, I should kick your ass," Shane growled, pulling the ottoman into the middle of the living room and plopping down in it to face Alex. "But I'm not going to, because it's the holidays."

I could almost feel Alex breathe a sigh of relief. Understandably. Shane glowered at Alex for a few more seconds, before taking out his iPod and plugging it into the big speakers. He started playing some quiet Christmas music before turned back to the rest of us.

"Okay, who's going first?" Matt asked.

"I think you should, Bro," I said.

"Uh…?"

"Come on. Mix up the tradition a little," I teased him. When it was just us, I always opened all of my stuff first.

"Okay…" He smiled.

Matt opened all of his presents first. He got an epic, universal remote and booze from none other than Shane, because…I wasn't sure why, but he liked it quite a bit. Alex got him a few generic tee shirts. That exchange was a bit awkward. Matt say thanks, though he was expecting anything from Alex. I gave him a book on history that he had been really wanting to read, along with his favorite movie from when he was little, on a DVD. I also made him a CD, the one I spent the most time on by far. It was hard finding music I could use for his, because he was picky, though what he did like, was pretty good.

"Alex, you next," Matt decided, nodding at him.

"Uh, okay…"

I handed Alex my presents for him first, because that's what I happened to grab from under the tree. He opened the season of his favorite shoe and smiled, if for nothing else than I remembered what he liked. When Matt wasn't looking, he winked at me, then tore open his mix CD of things I had gotten him hooked to. Then he opened Matt's gift, which was, yet again, tee shirts. Though he added boxers into the mix this time, which made Alex blush and Matt grin like he had gotten his revenge. And last, he opened Shane's stuff, which was all under amour, a hoodies and shirts.

"Bella," Alex said, grinning meanly.

I rolled my eyes and reached under the tree for anything that was mine. Now here's where things get awkward. Matt always gets me quite a bit of clothes, so I hand a lot to open in front of everyone. I never liked doing that, plus there were two extra people around this time, which made me a little uneasy. Naturally, my brother got me clothes, like more jeans, tank tops, a few new band tee shirts, and a new hoodie.

"Open mine now," Alex demanded.

I didn't question it and reached for his next. I cautiously pulled the plain green paper off, and peeking inside.

"Alex, I'm not wearing that," I said simply.

He grinned like a wolf.

"Let me see, Bells," Shane said.

I pulled out the green tee shirt that appeared to have the Mountain Dew logo on it. It didn't. It said Mount And Do Me, in the form of the logo. My cousin glared at Alex.

"I'm seriously going to kill you," he threatened.

Scared as he was of Shane, he just shrugged.

I reached for the last thing under the tree that was mine, which was a fairly large box. It was clearly from Shane, because he was the only person whose gift I hadn't opened. I pulled the paper off that, then opened the box to find numerous Converse boxes. I grinned like a crazy person.

"I think I just might have to hug you," I told Shane.

He spread his arms away from his chest and nodded. "Come on, cuz."

I got up from my comfy chair and wrapped my arms around Shane. He smelled a little like his alcohol, but I ignored that.

I returned to my chair and started opening the Converse boxes. I got a new white pair, solid black, hot pink, bright blue, orange, Dr. Suess, camouflage and the British flag. I was in my own heaven.

"Shane," I said, smiling, nodding at him.

Then my cousin started opening what we got him. Being a fellow music freak, I got him a few vintage records of the Beatles. He loved that, and it was his equivalent to Converse. Alex got him a stud belt and a badass band tee shirt that just came out, so he knew he wouldn't already have it. Matt, however, got him a very old, very rare, book of law. Shane was very happy.

"Okay, as much fun as this is, I kinda want to go with my friends. Are we done?" I asked, standing up.

"Yes, Bella," Matt joked.

"Awesome! Thanks." I jumped up and hugged my brother and Shane, thanking them again for my awesome new stuff, before running up to my room and grabbing the bag I had that was filled with my friends' presents. As I was doing that, I sent a text to Ziggy, asking if he could come get me. He was on his way.

Before Ziggy got there, I brought all my new stuff up to my room, with some help from Alex, so it wouldn't take as many trips. As soon as I put my last thing up in my room, I got a text from Ziggy that he was there. I kissed Alex on the cheek and ran downstairs with the bag, and outside.

Only I was stupid and forgot a sweater, even though I was barely wearing anything. Because I was an inch or two taller than Jane, it was even shorter on me, so I felt barely covered. Plus it was Michigan winter, so it was freezing. I didn't bother going back for a hoodie either, because I wanted to hang out with my friends. So I just jumped in Ziggy's Dad's car as soon as I could to soak up some heat.

"Nice dress," Ziggy laughed.

"Nice pants." He was wearing the purple ones.

"Oh shut up. Aren't you cold?"

"Freezing."

He grinned, rolling his eyes and taking his hoodie off. He handed it to me before starting down the icy street again. I pulled it on, felling his warmth from it, and smelling how it smelled. Not to mention its hugeness on me.

"So where are we gonna hang out?" I asked.

"Parker's."

"Don't want to be around your dad?"

"Not even a little."

We drove in silence until we got to Parker's. I grabbed the bag from where it had been sitting at my feet, and followed Ziggy inside. We went into the living room, where everyone was already sitting, in front of the warm, crackling fire. They all had their various presents in hand, waiting for me to get there so we could open everything. I sat down on the floor, with everyone else, folding my legs underneath me because my dress was so short. Jane had a gray knit dress that was actually pretty. Parker had plain blue skinny jeans. Charity had a big, pink, princess dress that was floor length and poofy. She was standing in the middle of the room, spinning in circles, singing to herself.

Ziggy plopped down next to me, legs out in front of him. He groaned when he tried sitting Indian-style. "I can't friggin move enough to sit."

"Still think skinny jeans aren't a bitch?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

After Charity finally sat down with us, dizzy and giggling, we all exchanged gifts so we only held what we were going to open.

"Why don't you go first?" Parker told his sister.

"Yay!" she clapped and opened her gift from Jane. It was a bracelet with lots of bright colors, which she totally loved. Then she opened mine, again, something she loved. She and Parker would have already exchanged gifts, as would have Jane and Ziggy, because they lived together.

"Jane," Parker drawled, nuzzling her neck. "Your turn."

Jane rolled her eyes and smacked him gently before opening his gift. It was a completely amazing red hat with a huge puff-ball on the top. It was something Jane really liked, but I had a feeling she would be getting something more personal later, when they were alone, because he would have gotten her something somewhat expensive too. She opened Charity's next, which was an awesome see shirt from a movie she liked. Last, she opened mine, which she also loved, so I was very happy. I knew my best friend well.

Parker turned his head lazily towards me. "Bella…" He smiled.

I reached and grabbed Charity's gift first. She got me a pentagram on a black chain, which was what she got from Spencer's, and a tee shirt from Hot Topic. I smiled and thanked her for it. Jane got me a huge book, one that I actually hadn't read before, and a few pairs of amazing knee-high socks with awesome, bright colors and patterns. Then, last, I opened Ziggy's. It was a teddy bear, from Build-A-Bear Workshop, that was incredibly soft and the same exact shade of blond as his hair. It was in a hockey uniform, with little skates and a stick and a puck and everything. It was so adorable I hugged it and felt like a little kid.

"Aww! Ziggy I love it!"

He smiled at me. "That was the point, Bells."

I laughed at him.

Parker rolled his eyes to his best friend. Ziggy looked back at him. In unison, they said, "I woulda got you something, but I would've felt gay." So its not just teenage girls that speak in unison…

They started laughing at each other.

"Wait!" Charity yelled. "Parker, I have something else for you."

Parker raised an eyebrow and watched as his sister went to her room quickly and returned with something in hand. She tossed it gently at Parker, who caught it with ease, and opened it, turning bright red.

"I'm not sure if I should hug you or hit you," he said, completely monotone.

"Why would you hit me?" Charity gasped.

"Because," he hissed. "You gave me porn and my girlfriend is right here."

Charity giggled. "I got him condoms and a Playboy."

My jaw dropped, even though I was laughing, as I reached to give her a high-five. Ziggy laughed, his arm across his stomach. Jane smiled a little at Parker's reaction. He just had a plain, stony face.

"Come on, loosen up, man," Ziggy joked, punching his friends arm.

"Yeah, whatever." Parker smiled a little and rolled his blue eyes.

Changing the subject, though I wasn't sure if it was on purpose or just her personality, but Charity randomly said, "I wanna watch Christmas movies!"

"I'm in," I agreed. I loved cheesy, romantic Christmas movies.

Ziggy and Parker groaned and fell completely to the floor. Jane didn't seem too thrilled herself, but she didn't protest. Thus, Charity and I moved so we were leaning back against the couch and turned on the TV.

Granted, none of us ended up watching what was on, but Chare and I knew what was going on, more or less. We were all talking. About the bet, sports, hockey, what we got from our families, stuff like that. A little while later, we smelled baked goods and cocoa and just Christmas. Not too long after that, Parker and Charity's Mom came in with a huge tray of awesomeness.

"Merry Christmas!" she gushed, setting the trap in the middle of the carpet.

"Merry Christmas," we all said in varied volumes.

She grinned and I really wished I had a mom like theirs. She had blue eyes, like Parker's, and the same dark hair both her children had. She was probably my height, and I swore she had bones like a bird, because she floated around her house so gracefully, it rivaled her son on the ice. She always had a smile on her face, making everything seem to be happier when she was around.

"Oh, Bella, would you and Matthew like to come over for New Years?" she asked me sweetly.

"Sure. We'd love to." I smiled at her.

She clapped her hands, and I knew where her daughter got it from. "Excellent! What about you, Jane, Ziggy?"

"I think our parent's would like that," Ziggy answered.

"Fantastic. Will your father still be here?"

Ziggy clenched his teeth and fists, refusing to answer. Jane stepped right in before anything could be assumed. "Yeah, he will be."

"Ooh! Do you think your parents might come?"

"I'll talk to them about it."

Mrs. Claxton grinned amazingly. "Wonderful."

She left us to enjoy our time alone, watching cheesy movies and talking about everything.

"Bella!"

I snapped my head towards Charity. "Yeah?"

"Can you give Alex something for me?"

"Uh, sure?"

She sat and thought for a second. "Actually, I want to give it to him myself."

"Uh, okay?"

She turned away to watch the movie again, like nothing happened. I was a little confused, and huffed out a quick laugh. I looked over to Ziggy for a second, and saw that he still wasn't happy at the mention of his father. I picked up the bear his had gotten me, which I was determined to name later, and held it up in front of his face.

"Aww…come on… Mister Grumpy Gills," I said like I was talking to either a cat or a baby.

He could help but smile, even a little bit, and take the bear from me, turning it around and moving its arms around like it was party-boying.

"Really sexy," I laughed at him. "And give me my bear back!"

I reached forward and snagged it away from him. I hugged it to my chest and kissed his head, petting it because it was so soft.

"Did ya check out the jersey?" he asked, bobbing his head.

I looked at the back of the jersey it was wearing. It said Underwood right over the shoulders.

"Oh my god! It's a You-Bear!" I smiled very happily. "Its amazing!"

He chuckled. And then I remembered something.

"You never opened your present from me. We got distracted."

"Oh, right," he remembered. He glanced around and grabbed his silver-wrapped present. He tore off the shiny paper and flipped open the cover of the photo album. He went through the pages, that were covered in pictures from when we were three, at the youngest, up until not too long ago. He reached over and hugged me tightly, and I smiled.

"I love it, Bella. Thank you so much," he whispered.

"That was the point," I quoted him.