The fresh breath of a Connecticut winter intoxicated Audrina as she took out the trash.  Thin sheets of powder lie on the ground.  Audrina could hear the shrieks and screams of joy usually heard on Christmas Eve.  These cries of happiness had reminded her of when she once had a loving family to share this holiday with.  Visions of presents and gingerbread houses danced in Audrina’s thoughts.  A smile flashed across her face, but faded as quickly as it had appeared. Audrina knew it was wrong to want something she could not have, yet she yearned for a wonderful Christmas.  For what kind of Christmas would this be if there was no one to share it with? As Audrina entered the house she could smell the chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. Their warmth filled the air with a sense of compassion. It reminded her of how her mother used to bake. This thought saddened Audrina for it caused her to think of her family, which she tried not to do. Two summers ago, Audrina’s family had gone on vacation to Brazil. There had been some complications on the flight and the plane crashed. From her family, only Audrina had survived.  She sometimes put this burden upon herself wishing there was something she could have done to save them; some way she could have known the future of the plane.There was another boy in the foster home who had suffered the same lost she had. A boy, who appeared to be the same age as Audrina, had also lost his family in the plane crash. He went by the name of Timmy. He had a small fragile, build and kept to himself. There were not many things she knew about him, and never bothered to find out. Audrina entered the living room and looked around at the other children in the room. Audrina knew they had all lost a person close to them in some way. Audrina felt their pain and agony and wished there was something she could do. A sensational notion crept its way into Audrina’s mind.  She realized she had not been the only one in the room suffering and self loahting.  A majority of the kids had not had a Christmas in years or a family to share it with in that case.  Because Audrina had the most vivid memory of what occurred during this time of celebration, she decided to plan the holiday.Audrina went to her room to decide what she was going to do for this magnificent event.  Audrina had thoughts of a party, going out to eat, and a secret Santa.  Finally, she reached a decision. Her decision would benefit not only her but many others. Audrina went straight to work. While everybody else was outside enjoying the wintry weather, Audrina was cautiously working so no one would be suspicious of her. Beads of sweat dripped down her face, as she hassled around the house searching for streamers and balloons.The room was extravagant, when finished. The fan that hung from the ceiling now looked like a chandelier with its long strings of tinsel that decorated it. The smell of peppermint and freshly cut fir trees filled the house. Christmas bells and caroling could be heard from the sound system in the corner of the room. Audrina was extremely satisfied with her progress. However a small voice in her head had wondered if anyone was allergic to anything. Audrina had chosen to ignore it. She anxiously awaited their arrival. She could not wait to see the overwhelmed faces of her friends. Audrina could see them approaching the door and shrieked from excitement. Her slip had delayed their entrance, for the group had looked to see where it had come from.  Finally they decided it was not important at all.Audrina’s closest roommate entered the house first. She was thrilled with the achievement. She skipped around the room with such happiness it made Audrina grin. The others soon followed, and had the same reaction. However Timmy did not have the same reaction as everyone else. Audrina had never paid much attention to the boy until now. She spotted him coughing, and could not make out what he was doing. She could see his head was jerking forward and his hands formed grasps around his throat. Audrina had known she had seen someone do that before and thought he was reenacting a movie. She had not realized what was happening until someone had yelled:“Timmy’s choking!” Horror filled every particle of Audrina’s existence. There were few things Audrina knew about Timmy, one being he was allergic to many substances and could not participate in several group activities due to this crutch. Timmy must have been allergic to the scents that filled the air and his throat was closing. “Someone call the hospital!” screamed another girl frantically pacing in the hallway. Timmy was rushed to the hospital as soon as the ambulance arrived. The flashing lights haunted Audrina’s dreams that night as she thought of the horrors that had occurred. Audrina imagined every possible situation. With each dreadful thought came another round of worries. Audrina was very shaken up, and did not know what to do. Eventually she woke up and drove herself to the hospital for she could not bare the anxiety any longer. When she arrived visitors were not allowed in, but she snuck past the nurse in one solid, cat-like movement. Timmy looked terrible; there was an IV connected to his arm, and bandages plastered on his throat. Audrina feared for his health. She could not imagine what would happen if he did not recover. The guilt would tear her apart, and she could not bear it. That night Audrina had fallen asleep beside Timmy’s bed. As Audrina lay asleep, she dreamt of what could become of Timmy, if he pulled through this tragedy. Audrina also pondered the thought as to why this boy had meant so much to her now. He had never been a part of her life before and now it seemed like he had taken control of it. Audrina felt like she had a deeper connection to him, after this incident.    “Audrina…Audrina,” an unfamiliar voice echoed. Her eyes fluttered open and she could see the boy Timmy lying in front of her, with a feeble attempt at trying to wake her. “Oh! Timmy! You’re alive! I never thought… but… never mind...I am so glad…” Audrina trailed off from her unfinished sentences. “I am fine; it was just an allergic reaction to the smell of the fir trees. Sometimes it makes me nauseous. It was really nothing big.” Timmy responded with such a clear voice, Audrina was surprised that anyone could be so sure of themselves.  “Well, I am glad. Oh, by the way Merry Christmas!” “Merry Christmas to you, too.” Timmy murmured through his smile.  The two laughed and told of stories of their Christmas’ passed. They laughed and cried together, at the stories told. It was a terrific day for both Audrina and Timmy. They were two very different people, but together made a great combination.A bond was formed that day, one that can never be broken. Although they never had a real Christmas that year, they both received gifts. One of the greatest gifts that can be given: the gift of friendship. It really was a Merry Christmas after all!