DISCLAIMER: Ryan Murphy, the then WB and a few others own these characters, I am just playing with them for a little bit.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

It's Called a Gift
By Erin Griffin

 

Nicole pushed a Freshman out of her way with ease as she walked down the halls. She was on the warpath and anyone weaker and uglier than her (note: everyone) was going to pay dearly for that mistake. Under her hand was a small square, wrapped in what looked like penguin wrapping paper. Her shoulder jabbed past one of the Tuna twins, she didn't care to remember which, and Freddie Gong was smart enough to dive towards the lockers to avoid being hit as well. Nicole smirked at this as she saw other students follow his example, all feeling sorry for the poor soul she was after, and glad that it wasn't them... yet. Her heels clicked in agitation as she looked for the room she knew her victim was going to be in and turned suddenly when she saw it. The sign announcing the headquarters for The Zapruder. She opened the door and her eyes scanned for the one she had searched the halls for: Samantha McPherson. When she saw her there alone, looking over the newest layout for the paper for whenever the deadline was, Nicole walked over to her. She took her sunglasses off as she did so, as it was already pretty dark in the room.

Sam heard the heels before she saw her, and without looking up, she said in a dull tone, "Hey Satan."

"What is this?" Nicole asked, holding up the wrapped square, yet unopened. Sam's eyebrows raised as she inspected the item held up, and then she looked around it at the blonde in possession of it.

"I don't know what they call it on Planet Bitch, but here it's called a gift. Merry effin' Christmas." With that, Sam looked back at the lay out, her tongue going to the inside of her cheek in thought, and she sighed when Nicole didn't seem to move. When she looked up, she was surprised to see that Nicole was looking at the present as if to check it for bombs or something. "Open it."

"Why?"

"Because that is what people do with pres-"

"No, Spam," Nicole sneered the name, "why did you get me a present?"

Sam shrugged. "Out of the goodness of my heart, I guess. That, and Brook's been bitchin' that we need to get along if she and I are gonna try to be a family and blah blah blah, so... You're welcome. Now, I've really got to finish this, so could you...?"

"You're not ushering me out. Nicole Julian leaves when she feels like it."

"Aw, you would rather stay in the land of the uncool with me? I'm touched," Sam said. The fact that she seemed so nonchalant about everything was starting to get to Nicole, but before she could say anything, Sam said, "Well, if you're not leaving, you mind sitting over there and out of the light so I can figure this out? The deadline is coming up, and I'm not going to be the one who's late."

"Fine," Nicole said, unsure why she was so determined to stay. Perhaps she wanted to see if this was some joke Spam was trying to play on her, if maybe she might give something away in her body movements. After over ten minutes, Nicole didn't see any, and she was looking hard. As she watched Sam work, moving various articles out and then switching them a couple of times again, Nicole's hands nervously played with the edge of the gift that was loose. By now, she figured the gift was a CD of some sort. She just wasn't sure which one. She decided that since one corner was pretty messed up by now that she would finish unwrapping the gift. When her eyes flickered towards the brunette, she saw that she was watching her. She hurried now, and was surprised to see that the CD was Enigma.

"I didn't know what to get the girl who already has everything she wants. I hope this might help you chill the hell out." Sam laughed at the look Nicole sent her way. When she was younger it might have worked in weakening her knees, but after the revealing time spent locked in the Novak with her and the rest of the Glamazons, she knew she wasn't so tough.

"Um, thanks," Nicole said with a raised eyebrow. She stood up to go, and when she looked back, she saw the smirk on Sam's face. This irked her some, and she wanted to knock her down a peg. She walked towards her for a second, sized her up a second and then leaned in. The kiss was very brief, barely more than a peck. When she backed away, Sam was quiet, and it was her turn to smirk.

"What- What the hell w-was that?" Sam sputtered. Nicole let out a laugh, then put her sunglasses back on.

"'It's called a gift'," the blonde echoed. She walked to the door and was prepared to open it. Then she turned to Sam and said, "If you tell anyone, I'm swearing on my life that there was mistletoe involved and that you jumped on me." With that, she was gone, a 'Merry Christmas' just barely out of her mouth before the door closed behind her. Sam stood there for a couple more minutes as she willed her cheeks to return to normal coloring before she went back to work.

The End

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