Chapter 26 [Christmas]

Lunarhaven, Christmas Day.

"I will be fine mom, don't worry about me. Just enjoy your cruise" I said while holding the smartphone near my ears.

"But Darling it Christmas day and we supposed to enjoy it together" Mom moaned.

"I know that but you been working hard sending me to university, I want you to just relax and enjoy yourself beside Stephanie and Li is here with me" I reassured Mom.

"Doesn't Stephanie and Li need to go back home and celebrate with their family?" Mom asks.

"Stephanie flight got canceled and Li doesn't celebrate Christmas" I replied.

"Buuuuuuttttttttt Darling, I miss you" Mom moaned.

"I know mom when you get back home. Let spent time together okay?" I said.

"okay fine. My daughter grows up so fast. I remember the day when you used to run in your underwear in the house, where that day goes?" Mom said.

"Mom!!" I exclaimed, while my cheeks begin to red.

"I got to go, mom," I said.

"Ok, Ok, take care of your health, don't just eat junk okay?" mom said.

"Can't promise you that, I love you," I said.

"love you too," mom said, I end the call and put down the phone on the counter.

I sighed loudly in the kitchen and walk toward the living room, I look around the small apartment room with three bedrooms. It fills with a lot of art decoration that Li and I made, some are beautiful while others are straight up ugly. Well, not all that we make turn out to be a gem, you know what they say practice makes perfect. Li is sitting on the sofa watching the TV while Stephanie is sitting at the counter next to me studying a book about Surgery. Stephanie turned her head toward me noticing mine sighed.

"What wrong?" Stephanie asks, taking off her glasses.

"Mom worry too much, I just worry that she doesn't enjoy her cruise," I said.

"She will, you know how many single older gentlemen are on that cruise, A lot I tell you. She will be swimming in them," Li chimed in and chuckle.

"Erhh, I don't want to think about that," I cringed.

"Too late!" Li said aloud.

"Don't worry Lina, she will enjoy herself. I assure you" Stephanie reassured me.

"Your right" I sighed.

I walk toward to the sofa and take a seat next to Li, Her slick long blunt pink hair move when she turns her head to me, her left eyebrow raised way from her big round eyes.

"So what our plan for Christmas night?" Li ask.

"Watch TV and eat pizza," I said.

"Studying" Stephanie chimed in.

"You guys are so boring!!!" Li Sighed.

"What do you want to do?" I ask.

"I'm glad you ask! we should get a Christmas tree and tons of food also something to drink preferably liquor. Let's celebrate Christmas!" Li said excitedly.

"Liquor?" Stephanie ask.

"Yes Liquor, why not, we 21 right?" Li said.

"Can't we just have a relax Christmas day?" I moaned.

"you know what? I'm In. Let's celebrate the shit out of Christmas!" Stephanie burst and slam her book closed.

"I thought you didn't celebrate Christmas?" I said to Li.

"My family didn't celebrate it but I willing to give it a try. I never had a Christmas celebration before this might be my first time," Li said.

"come on, this is my first time celebrating it. Let make it memorable!" Li plead toward me.

"Fine" I groaned.

"Girls Let suit up!" Li exclaim.

After a few minutes of putting on winter cloth, we each step out of our room. I look at Li cloth, she wearing an oversized green winter jacket underneath it an oversized beige sweater, black jegging, and black high top boot, she literally looks like K-pop artist and I'm jealous as fuck. I can see an arrogant grin on her face and I responded by rolling my eyes.

I look at Stephanie, she is wearing a gray vintage design sweater, blue jeans and blue sneakers with her black glasses, there this aura of sophisticated and intelligent emit from Stephanie. While I on the contrary look like a teenager with my pink hoodie, short black skirt, dark purple tights and black boots.

"I need new cloth," I said.

"I told you!' Li said.

"Lina, you can borrow mine" Stephanie offered.

"It okays," I said.

"so where are we heading first?" I ask.

"Food! A WHOLE CHICKEN!" Li exclaim.

"What?" I and Stephanie puzzled.

"isn't what you meant was a whole turkey?" I questioned.

"Turkey, Chicken it the same thing right?" Li said while shrugging her shoulder.

"It not the same thing but that's not the question here. The question here is where do we get it?" Stephanie said,

"There a grocery store three blocks from here and guess what they sell near it?" I said.

"A Christmas tree!" Li guessed.

"Correct!" I said then high five Li hands with my own.

"What we waiting for? Let's go!" Li said then jog toward the door.

We left the apartment and descend the stair to the street, we open the door and the gush of cold wind hit us. Li and Stephanie shiver for a second before they finally adjusted to the cold while for me, I don't really feel any cold it like every other day for me. It probably because I'm powered, now I think about it.

"Damn, Lina, Don't you feel the cold? It like freezing out here" Li said.

"Meh,"  I shrug.

"It like you don't know Lina since when does she ever felt cold or hot," Stephanie said, Li nods her head in agreement.

We begin to walk toward the grocery store, I turn my head to Stephanie and my eyebrow raised slightly, I can sense Li doing the same thing.

"What?" Stephanie asked and smile.

"So?" Li asked.

"How it goes with you and Brandon? I thought he brought you camping last month, so tell us the juicy story" I asked.

"Do I have too?" Stephanies hesitated.

"Yeah!" Li said.

"There is no juicy story, it just he brought me there and we spent time together, it was sweet and calming being there away from my studies, he rented a cabin near the lake and of course we did something more than sleeping next to each other" Stephanie said, her cheek blushing.

"Then? there must be more" I asked.

"Fine, he also rented a small rowboat and we take a ride on it to the center of the lake— where he proposed to me" Stephanie confessed, I and Li squealed in excitement.

"But your guys still 21?" I ask.

"Who cares? It so romantic. Oh, I wish I had someone like that" Li said.

"So what your answer?" I asked.

"I said—No," Stephanie said.

"What?" Li confused.

"Well she is 21 that still young in my book," I said.

"Yeah that is one the reason and also I have my studies to be a doctor. I don't want to get married yet." Stephanie explained.

"So what happens after you said no?" Li asked.

"I tell Brandon why I declined and he is a little bit disappointed but I promise if he willing to wait for me then sure after I finally achieve my dream to be a doctor. We would get married" Stephanie said.

We finally arrived at the store without realizing it, we were talking so much that we forget the timed that we took to walk over here. We enter the store and it quite crowded with people and there a lot of empty shelves in the store, I look around for the food aisle and found it at the back of the store near the refrigerated area.

"I'll go grab the alcohol while you gals go grab the food," Li said and jog toward the liquor aisle.

I and Stephanie walk toward the food aisle after Li left as we walk, I try to open up a conversation with Stephanie.

"Brandon really changed a lot after Highschool," I said.

"Yeah, after high school he really tries to make up for what he has done and also try to give back to the people, he been volunteering for human right activist and raise fundraiser for the needs. I wonder sometimes if I'm right for him or I deserved his heart" Stephanie said, her eyes wander far.

"You changed too, you know that right?" I said.

"Look at you studying to be a doctor so you can help people instead of searching for petty attention and praise," I said.

"you remember that pro—"I said but interrupted by a someone bumping into me.

"Sorry" the worker apologized then quickly walk away.

"So, what were you about to say?" Stephanie asked.

"Nothing, It just — I accept your apology," I said after walking forward and turn my body toward Stephanie and smile.

"Thank you," Stephanie said and smile back, She walks close to me and hugs me, I retund her hug and release her.

"We here! let find that turkey" I said, Stephanie and I motivate our self by raising our fist in the air.

And the search for the turkey begins.