The year was 1992. It was a cold Vermont winter. Kris was bundling up in her winter gear and getting ready to head out with her Girl Scout Troop for Christmas caroling around the neighborhood. The Boy Scouts would be joining them this year since Kris' mom, Margie was her leader and the Boy Scout leader was her best friend, Joy. They thought it would be fun for all involved. Caroling would end at Margie's home where parents could pick up their children after the kids have enjoyed Hot Chocolate and Apple Cider to warm up.

Caroling was something Kris looked forward to every year. She loved the Christmas spirit she saw shining through everyone. Folks always seemed happier, kinder, more willing to forgive others. In general this is how kris like to live all year long. It wasn't in her nature to hold a grudge. Until she met Sam.

While caroling Kris felt someone staring at her. She looked over and it was one of the Boy Scouts. "Do I have something on my face?" She asked Sam. Sam smiled like a Cheshire Cat back at her and said "No but you really should consider a nose job."

"Excuse me, my nose is perfectly fine perhaps you need your eyes checked?" Kris scoffed at Sam.

"No I've got 20/20 vision. I can see quit well" he retorted with an even bigger grin.

Sam thought Kris was an odd looking girl. She had long wavy dark brown hair, and her skin was fair. She had these really nice wide eyes and he couldn't quite tell if they were brown with specks of green or green with specks of brown. She was cute for sure but then she's bundled all from head to toe like an Eskimo. She looked like a cream puff. He wondered how much of that was her snow suit and how much of that puff was a fat girl hiding in a snow suit.

"Are you fat under that cream puff of material?" Sam blurted our.

Kris eyes widened as she looked at this rude boy in front of her. Who insides this jerk. He was really ruining her fun. She decided not to respond. How dare he say that to her. Besides it's none of his business. Kris decided to look away and continue caroling.

Once they made it full circle back to Kris house she was relieved. Ready to get out of her snow suit, and away from this rude boy who had soured her mood. She just wanted hot chocolate and to sit by the fire place with a good book.

Kris had taken about 3 steps on to the property when out of no where a snowball came flying at her face and smashed her in the nose so hard it knocked her over. Blood was oozing out of her nose and kris was furious. Here she was laying on her back with crimson red ruining the beautiful white snow around her. She knew exactly who threw the snowball. What a jerk she thought.

Meanwhile Sam saw this happen in slow motion. He thought he could get Kris talking to him again if he threw a snowball at the back of her head. He didn't realize she'd turn around and the impact would be her face. Now she was on the ground bleeding. He ran over to help her his face was panicked. "Kris I'm so sorry I meant to hit you in the back of the head."

"Oh great so your saying this is my fault, I should have foreseen you throwing a snowball at my head?" She scoffed as she tried to pull her hand out of his. "I can take care of myself."

"Kris I really didn't mean to hit your face, please let me help you." Kris mom ran over at that moment with paper towels and helped Kris in to the house.

Sam felt bad. He just wanted more witty conversation. He didn't mean to hurt her. He went inside to get her a cup of hot chocolate in hopes of making a mends. When Sam got inside he froze. Kris was out of her snow suit. She wasn't fat at all. 'I'm an idiot' he thought. She's really skinny. Almost too skinny. Sam snapped out of his daze and grabbed a hit chocolate for Kris and brought it over. "Look Kris.."

Kris interrupted, "Sam I know Ben and Jeremy really like you and that's great for them. However just because we're both friends with them doesn't mean we have to be friends. As a matter of fact I think life would be a lot easier if you just left me alone whenever you saw me. I just quit frankly don't have the energy for it."

Seth decided that it wasn't worth arguing with her. He could see she was worn out from caroling. He left the hot chocolate beside her and then went in search of his two pals Ben and Jeremy to find out more information on this girl. He had so many questions. Why is she so skinny? Why does she look ready to pass out just from caroling? Is she sick? Dying? Did he just hit a dying girl in the face with a snowball? Man he was a dick. As he had all these questions in his mind he had one more pop in 'why does he even care? He doesn't know this girl from any other. Other than hitting her with a snowball she's just some random girl'

Kris sat in front of the fire place warming up. Her nose had stopped bleeding. She decided she would drink the cup of Hot Chocolate Seth left behind. 'No point in letting it go to waste' she thought. Besides she was freezing. This past year had been exhausting. Kris had caught mono and for some reason she was one of the lucky few who relapsed. She was missing school and all of her friends. Currently she had tutors helping her at home. However her energy level was low and her school work had to be spread out. Her appetite was non existent but she tried to eat for her mother's sake. She knew her mom was worried when Kris weighed in at 99 pounds. At 16 that wasn't a healthy weight for her. Her mom talked about the need for a feeding tube so Kris pushes herself to eat as much as she could.

Ben and Jeremy came over and gave Kris big bear hugs. They were only a year older than she was but they treated Kris like a little sister and always wanted her safe and warm. Ben our a blanket around her shoulders and Jeremy handed Kris a plate of her favorite shortbread cookies. They knew she needed the calories and always encouraged her to eat when she could. They visited her all the time. The three of them would watch movies. Half the time Kris would fall asleep on one of their shoulders and the guys would watch the movie and just keep watch over her. Marney was a single mother and was so glad the boys were there looking out for Kris when she had to work.

Seth watched from across the room. He was shocked to see Kris face light up at the sight of Ben and Jeremy. Those two were knuckle heads. He had known them since they all joined scouts together as little kids. They were even helping Sam figure out what his Eagle Scout project should be. Sam couldn't help but feel a sting of jealousy. Why was she being so nice to them. He didn't do anything really wrong. He just tried talking to her and she acted like she didn't have any time for him. Seth was stewing in his emotions which he didn't understand and his dad showed up to pick him up. He looked back to wave at Ben and Jeremy "Later guys." He said.

Kris head shot up and she glared at him. He was such a prick. What kind of person throw a snowball at the face of someone he doesn't know? Also who tells a stranger to get a nose job? Why did this boy irritate her so much. She hung out with Ben and Jeremy all the time and they didn't annoy her. At last Sam was gone. If she was lucky she wouldn't have to see him again.