Wow, it's been a while since I've updated, hasn't it? Last I checked, it was late November, correct? Well, I'd like to apologize for that. A lot of things have haven't between then and now. If you want to know why, you can read about it at the end of the chapter. Again, I apologize for the delay, but I hope the first part of this Christmas edition makes up for it. Enjoy!
Monday, Apartment- Afternoon
"We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"
I frowned as I stood outside on the balcony of my apartment, silently listening and watching the Christmas carolers as they tried to brighten the mood of the apartment complex with some festive songs. Though why they bothered to sing outside my apartment was beyond me. They must have noticed my sullen expression as they continued singing, louder than before.
"We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christ and a Happy New Year!"
"I wonder if throwing something at them amounts to the same as aggravated assault…" I thought, somewhat annoyed.
It was their fault I was in this mood to begin with. Up until 10 minutes ago, I was sleeping peacefully in my bed. The next thing I know, I hear a bunch of loud singing voices coming from my bedroom window. I could have just told them to go away, but that would have been rude, and if there's one thing I've learned since moving here, it's that people have a bad tendency to talk, and the last thing I needed was to be considered the 'unwelcome neighbor'.
I looked up at the sky as it was lightly snowing, so a bunch of the kids were busy playing in the snow, enjoying themselves. I would have smiled at them if my mood wasn't so dour. I heard the door to my room open, but I didn't bother turning around, since it could only be one person.
"Merry Christmas, champ!" Kyu yelled, happily. I did nothing more than sigh, as I laid my head down on my arms on the steel railings. I felt the cool wind hit my body even though I was wearing my standard winter wear: a dark blue hoodie and some sweatpants. I didn't have any boots, but that was fine, since my sneakers worked fine.
I took a quick glance at her and looked as my fairy friend had changed her appearance again. Was it because of the season, the changing of the weather or just because she wanted too? I didn't know. Regardless, she was wearing a pinkish and sky blue dress with matching arm-warmers. She had ditched her pink ballerina shoes and stockings for a fair of green, grassy sandals with a pink flower on both. Finally, her hair was still pink, but it looked very similar to how it looked when we had first met.
"Come on, champ." Kyu said, walking outside and standing beside me. "Where's your Christmas spirit?"
"Ask me later when I'm no longer being tormented by Christmas carolers." I answered, agitated. Kyu looked at me, and then looked down at the carolers who were still singing.
"What's wrong with them?" Kyu asked. I pointed at them as they began singing another song.
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Don we now our gay apparel
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la"
I groaned and went back inside, shaking my head. I walked downstairs with Kyu following me, as I headed for the kitchen for some coffee.
"So, you're ticked just because a bunch of Christmas carolers ruined your beauty sleep?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow. I did nothing but groan again as I waited for my coffee to finish. "Wow, can anyone say 'Scrooge'?"
"I am not a 'Scrooge'." I said, frowning. "You'll find that I love Christmas just as much as the next guy, Kyu."
"Really?" Kyu questioned. "Because it seems to me you've been acting very surly these past few days."
"Have I?" I asked, taking my mug full of coffee and walking to the couch in the living room. I took a quick glance at the small, but noticeable Christmas tree that Kyu helped me set up weeks ago. I was thankful for her help, because this was the first time I actually bought a live tree before. When I was younger, my family always used an artificial one we kept in our attic. That tree was older than I am.
"If so, I don't mean to. It's just…" I said, as I took a sip of my coffee feeling my body warm up as the liquid went down my throat. "…I've never realized how much I miss a Christmas with my family, until I realized I'd be spending one alone here."
"Oh yeah," Kyu said, sitting down on the couch with me. "You aren't able to go home again, huh?"
"Nope." I said, sighing. I was a bit upset to be honest. This was the second time I was denied getting to see my family. I'll admit the first time was partially my fault. But this time, I refused to take any sort of blame. We recently had a sudden influx of snow appear, and as a result of the cold weather, the roads turned into ice. Thus, it was deemed "unsafe" to drive on the roads, as there had been too many accidents and there was no telling if another snow storm would hit.
"Did you tell your parents?" Kyu asked.
"Yeah," I answered, sighing. "Needless to say, they were upset as I was."
"Aww, sorry to hear that, champ." Kyu said a sincere tone in her voice. I smiled at her.
"Thanks. And its fine." I said, taking another sip from my mug of coffee. "I mailed their gifts yesterday, so they should receive them before Christmas, hopefully."
"That's good." Kyu smiled, before turning serious again. "Now back on topic, what's your deal with Christmas?"
"Kyu, as I explained to you, I don't have a deal with Christmas." I explained, frowning.
"Then what is it?"
"Honestly, this is how I've always felt about Christmas." I said, upset.
"Like a Scrooge?" Kyu asked, making me frown again.
"For the last time, I am not a 'Scrooge'." I stated. "I love Christmas, I really do. I just don't love what it's turned has turned into, is all."
"What do you mean?" Kyu asked. I set my coffee on the coffee table in front of me, and grabbed the remote for the T.V.
"I mean," I began as I aimlessly flipped through the channels. "I just hate the fact that Christmas became a money-grab."
"A money-grab?" Kyu repeated.
"Yeah." I answered. As I was about to explain further, I looked as the T.V. stopped on the local news. It wouldn't have been my first choice, since I really hate listening and watching the news. Never once did it contain anything positive about the world. All of it was just negative, which had a really bad affect on my morale.
"And in our top story," The newswoman spoke. "It seems that another fight broke out at the local mall today, as Christmas shoppers are doing their utmost best to fulfill their child's Christmas list before supplies soon run out. This is only the third fight that has broken out this week, but many fear the ensuing violence will continue on in the week until the Christmas season has passed." I frowned as my point was being proven already.
"Furthermore, it seems the toy on every child and every parent's wish list this year seems to be the talking Emerald teddy bear doll." Kyu and I looked as a life-like teddy bear appeared on the screen.
"A teddy bear? Really?" I said, as I wondered what possible interest was there in a doll that could only spit out canned responses.
"I think it's cute." Kyu said, gushing at it.
"Really?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow at her. Kyu simply shrugged in response.
"Meh, I'm weird." She said. I simply rolled my eyes as I turned back to the T.V.
"The Garnet teddy bear seems to be so rare it seems that last minute shoppers will do anything to get their hands on one of these unique, animatronic characters." The newswoman continued. "Even robbery."
"See, a perfect example right there." I said, pointing at the T.V.
"What is?" Kyu asked. I looked at her, annoyed.
"Did you not just hear what she said on the news?" I asked. I then sighed, shaking my head as I finished off what was left of my coffee in my mug. "I never understood the fascination children have with dolls and toys and stuff. I mean, what's the point? In about two months, they'll probably be thrown in the back of their closet somewhere, forgotten for the next few months until their parents come and clean them out."
"Are you saying you weren't like that?" Kyu asked a skeptical look on her face. I looked back at her, a serious look on my face.
"Kyu, my family wasn't as rich as we were before as we are now." I explained. "You have to remember, there were three of us: me, my younger brother and my older sister. My parents had to split money between all of us." I then held three fingers. "If chances were good, we would each get about three items that we really wanted." I then put my fingers down. "The rest of the stuff was just clothes or hand-me-downs from other children in her neighborhood. We had to make do with what we had and be grateful for what we got."
"Wow, that sucks. Sorry to hear that champ." Kyu said, looking apologetic.
"Don't be." I said, patting her on her shoulder. "Like I said, we were grateful for what we got. It's only because of our prayers that my parents managed to increase their income and we could start getting more stuff for Christmas. But we were so used to the idea of getting three items, that's all we ever got." I then looked back at the T.V. frowning as the newswoman continued talking. "Which is why it always pisses me off to hear about stuff like that on the news."
"You mean about the robberies and stuff?"
"Yeah, but it's not just that." I said, still frowning. "I never understood why people become so greedy around Christmas time. This is supposed to be the season for giving, not for being selfish. We've all forgotten that."
"All people are naturally greedy, dude." Kyu reasoned.
"And I'm not saying we aren't." I argued. "I mean, we're only human. It's in our nature to be greedy and selfish. But its only around Christmas that the greed multiplies." I then slouched in my seat, depressed. "Back when I was young, Christmas was about being with family and friends, and enjoying the time you had together. After a few hours of the kids playing with their toys and stuff, everyone in the neighborhood would gather together at one of our houses and then we would all have a feast and give thanks for another year of being together." I then sighed as I waved at the T.V.
"Now, it's all about getting that doll or that toy of the moment." I sighed once more, sinking further on the couch, putting my hands on my chest, as I absentmindedly listened to the news.
"You know what?" Kyu said, standing up from the couch.
"Hmm?" I responded before being thrown something. My instincts kicked in and I caught whatever it was. I looked as it was camouflage wallet I bought last year after my old one fell apart.
"What are you doing?" I asked Kyu, confused. I looked up at her, surprised as she had a serious expression on her face.
"Get up, champ." Kyu ordered. "We're going out."
"Going out?" I repeated. "Going out where?"
"To the mall, I guess." Kyu said, shrugging. "I don't know. All I know is, you need to get out of this apartment!"
"Kyu, I am not going anywhere in this weather." I argued. "Even if it weren't snowing, I still wouldn't go because this is the week of Christmas."
"So?" Kyu said, shrugging.
"So, do you have any idea what the mall and stores are going to be like?" I asked. "Besides, you heard the woman on the news. I am not going to the store just to watch a bunch of people beat each other up over some dumb toys."
"Well, you can't stay here all day!" Kyu argued. "Your attitude is really grating my nerves. Besides, some fresh air would do you a world of good."
"I can't stay here?!" I yelled. "Remind me again, which of us pays the rent for this damn apartment?! Which of us has lived here on their own for the past few months before some perverted, know-it-all, make-believe fairy tale strode her way in here and started acting like she's in charge of every living thing in my whole life?!"
"What did you just call me?!" Kyu yelled back.
"Oh, so you're hard of hearing too?" I said, sarcastically.
"You know what? Screw you! Without me, you'd still be wasting your life away in that bar you're always in, drowning away your sorrows like you always do!"
"Screw me? Screw you! I never asked for your damn help in the first place, ya' sorry excuse for a prissy-ass bitch!"
"Fine then!" Kyu said, walking towards the door. "If you hate me so damn much, I'll just leave! Screw you and your stupid face!"
"Bye!" I yelled, just as she slammed the front door. I stomped upstairs to my room and slammed the door shut, causing everything on my walls to shake. Thankfully, nothing fell down as I was not in the mood to pick anything up. My fists were balled up, and I just felt the urge to hit something. Seeing as there was nothing punchable around, I did the only optimal thing and that was scream my lungs out. I fell onto my bed, breathing heavy. I put a pillow over my face, and just lied there, upset.
"Damnit…" I thought. I felt my heart beating, as the weight of guilt dropped onto my shoulders. I groaned and turned around in my bed. Before I knew it, my eyelids grew heavy and I fell asleep.
Monday, Adult Film Studio- Afternoon
"Ooo, yeah, very sexy!" An enthusiastic camerawoman said, as she was taking explicit pictures of the most popular woman in the entire studio. The woman, in question, was currently wearing a red and white plaid mini skirt and an unbuttoned white Y-shirt, all-in-all giving her the appearance of a naughty schoolgirl. Her hair, which was normally short and only went down to her shoulders, was now tied into two large ponytails fastened with a pair of red bands.
Though the actress was trying to look motivated, she just couldn't build up any resolve to look interested in what she was doing. Luckily, the camerawoman noticed and stopped.
"Hold on," She said. "Let's stop for a second."
"Huh?" The actress said, stopping off the stage to the woman. "What's wrong?"
"That's my line, love." The camerawoman said, a lopsided grin on her face. "Normally, you'd be very eager when it comes to photo shoots. But I can tell from here you're not happy about at all. What's wrong?"
"Well…" The actress said, looking at her friend, before looking down at herself. "I don't know, Janice. Do you really think I can still pull off the whole sexy schoolgirl look?"
"Of course you can, Jessie!" The camerawoman known as Janice agreed, smiling at her friend. "With your looks and that body, you could make anything look good."
"Of course, babe." Jessie said, smiling before looking down at herself again. "It's just… I dropped out of high school when I was a teen. Those people will take one look at me, and think I've just a woman whose been held back a lot."
"Nonsense!" Janice said, waving off her friend's worries. "The men of this world are all simple, love. They all want the same thing. If they can't get it, they'll compensate. After all, men are nothing, if not resourceful." At this, Jessie had to laugh.
"Right. Are you sure you're not giving me advice because you want me to become a full-fledged lesbian?" Jessie asked.
"You'd be a pro at it!" Janice said, smiling. "Just imagine if you were into women and women only. All the males on this planet would get sex changes just to lie with you!" Again, Jessie laughed at her friend. She enjoyed these little talks with her friend. From the time she first entered the adult entertainment business, Janice had been her one true friend to support her. Yeah, she Lola, Aiko and Beli, but none of them knew anything about the porn industry.
She took a look at her friend, with messy Mohawk that extended into a short ponytail that went to the bottom of her neck. She had several piercings: one on her right eyebrow, one on her left nostril, another on bottom lip and the rest were all in a circular motion on her right ear. She was wearing a green and white plaid shirt with a pair of blue long shorts. She had a pair of beautiful blue eyes that were hidden behind a pair of rectangular reading glasses. Needless to say, she was flawless.
"Thanks babe. I needed the laugh." Jessie said, still giggling at her friend's joke.
"Anytime." Janice said, holding her camera. "Ready to get back to it?"
"Of course." Jessie answered, posing for another shot as the flash from the camera went off.
10 minutes later…
"Alright, that's a wrap!" Janice said, taking one final shot with her camera. "Great work today, hun."
"You think so?" Jessie asked, stepping off the stage. "I'm not so sure. I just couldn't get into it like my other shoots."
"Don't sweat the small stuff, babe!" Janice said, once again waving off her friend's concerns. She walked over to her laptop, which was sitting on a desk nearby. After plugging her camera into it, she began uploading the pictures on her computer. While she was doing that, Jessie headed into the building's locker room and began changing back into her regular outfit. Of course, she could have changed in public. After all, public nudity was nothing to frown upon. This was a porn business, after all. But after a long day of photo shoots and videos, the seasoned adult actress needed a moment to herself.
After several minutes, she walked back out just as her friend was finishing up.
She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a stack of bills and handed it to her friend.
"Your reward, Madame." Janice said, faking a French accent. Jessie took the money and looked at in confusion.
"This is why more than I usually get paid, Jan." Jessie said, calling her friend by her nickname.
"The client was extra generous. Just consider it a holiday bonus."
"Wow." The porn star said, surprised. "Thanks a lot, Jan."
"Don't mention it, love. Have a good holiday. See you after New Year's!"
Jessie waved 'goodbye' to her friend and headed out to the company parking lot, where her convertible was waiting. She smiled as hit the button on her alarm, unlocking it.
"It pays to be a star…" she thought, slipping into the driver's seat. She started up her car, turned on her radio, and drove off the parking lot, heading home. She slipped on a pair of sunglasses, even though the sun wasn't out. She felt that whenever she was driving, having a pair of sunglasses on was needed, unless it was too dark for them, of course. She felt they completed the mood she was in whenever she was driving. Besides, all the hot models wore glasses in the movies. She was just following the stereotype…
Monday, Maye Household, Afternoon
After a 20-minute drive, the adult actress finally arrived at her place of residence. It was a large two-story house that was situated in the center of a large gated community. Like most communities of these kind, the houses here were very expensive, and mainly only the rich and powerful could afford them. Jessie was far from being powerful or rich, but when you are a famous porn star, you tend to be granted with a few… perks.
Pulling into her driveway, the adult actress got out of her car, and took a breathe of fresh air, as she slowly breath in the cold, winter air that was slowly breezing through the neighborhood. She took a look at her large house, and a sad smile formed on her face. Though this place was her home, she always dreaded to come back to it, since there was no one waiting for her when she returned from a hard day's work.
Unlocking the front door to her house, she walked inside, stopping in the corridor, looking around. Though there was stuff in each room, the adult actress couldn't help but feel that this place was as empty as it was when she and her daughter first move into it.
"I wonder if this how all parents fill when their child leaves the nest…" Jessie thought as she walked upstairs, heading to her room. "Too bad mine left with the full intention of never coming back."
As she was walking to her room, the adult actress stopped in front of a certain door. The door which led to the room that formerly belonged to her daughter, Tiffany. She had been in there many times before, but it didn't make entering and leaving any less difficult. Opening the door, her heart ached as she looked inside. The room was colored pink, after her daughter's favorite color. It was practically empty except for the few things that her daughter didn't take with her when she left: her dresser that she kept all her clothes in, a writing desk which she used to do her homework or write in her dairy/journal, the T.V. that sat atop the old counter, and obviously her mattress.
Looking around for a minute or two, Jessie closed the door to her child's room and proceeded to her bedroom. Stripping off her clothes, she headed to the bathroom, which was adjacent to her bedroom. Turning the shower knob on 'warm', she stepped in and slowly washed herself off, trying to get rid of the aching feeling that was still throbbing in her chest.
"Stupid guilt." She thought, as she roughly rubbed her chest and torso, as if she hoped to somehow scrub the feeling away. It did nothing more than cause her pain, as a slight bruise formed above her right breast. Sighing, the adult actress just let the water hit her for the rest of the shower until she stepped out about 20 minutes later. She silently dried herself off and donned a white bathrobe. As she dried her hair, she turned to the calendar that was off a ways nailed to the wall where the switch to her room's lights were. It looked relatively normal, but on the 22nd, big black handwriting was shown saying, 'MOST IMPORTANT DATE EVER'.
She walked up to the calendar and just stared at it, particularly at what she had written. The 22nd was an important date, at least to her. Because it was on that date that she was blessed with the most precious gift of all, her daughter, Tiffany.
"I wonder if she'll even see me…" The mother thought. As she thought on these things, the feeling in her chest grew more, making her groan. She briskly turned around and walked to a mini fridge hidden in the corner of her room. Opening it, she took out a cool bottle of wine that she had stocked for emergences. She normally didn't go for wine, since she considered it too weak, but something was better than nothing.
"Anything to get rid of this stupid feeling in my chest." She said outloud, twisting the cap and opening the bottle. Normally, Jessie wouldn't be the type to drink by herself, since she found it lonely and bothersome, but seeing as her friends were either out of town or busy, she had little choice. She poured herself a bottle of white wine in her cool glass that she kept in her fridge. She slowly sampled it, letting the flavors explore every crevice of her mouth. She nodded, pleased. She then quickly drunk the rest, and set the glass atop her fridge.
Sighing, the adult actress then rubbed her eyelids as she slowly walked to her queen-size bed, and lied on it, staring at the ceiling for a few minutes before she felt her eyelids getting heavy. Blinking once or twice, Jessie soon yawned as sleep overtook her, making her fast fall asleep.
Monday, Shopping Mall- Afternoon
"Stupid Charles!" Kyu thought, as she angrily walked up to the one of the many mall entrances throughout the large building. After her fight with Charles, the love fairy quickly left the complex, not really paying any attention to where she was going. She just began walking and continued to walk until she found herself at the mall, not that she cared, as she was too upset to be happy or excited. Those who spotted the expression on her face wisely decided to give her a wide berth.
"Can't believe that idiot said that to me." the love fairy said, speaking to herself. "All I was trying to do was help him and he just blows up at me! Well screw him! If he thinks his life was better without me in it, then fine! See if I ever help him again! Stupid, ungrateful, little…"
"Kyu?" Someone called out to the love fairy, surprising her. She quickly turned around and looked as a certain cheerleader was staring at her with a strange expression on her face.
"Tiffany?" Kyu said, calling out her friend's name. She took notice of the cheerleader who was wearing a badge fur coat with a red scarf tied around her neck with a black pair of snow boots.
"Hey," Tiffany said, raising her left hand, though she was still staring at her friend, strangely. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerned. "You were standing there mumbling to yourself."
"I was?" Kyu asked. She had been entirely unaware she was mumbling due to how upset she was. It was only when Tiffany brought her back to reality that she realized what she doing. She looked around, startled at her new surroundings. Last she had checked, she was outside, walking. And walking.
"Where are we?" Kyu asked, making Tiffany cock an eyebrow in confusion.
"We're… at the mall?" Tiffany answered, still confused.
"The mall?" Kyu repeated, looking around again. "Oh, we are!" She exclaimed, causing several people to look over, wondering what the strange girl was doing.
"Yeaahhh…" Tiffany said, before looking at her friend again, a worried look on her face. "Seriously Kyu, are you alright?" She asked concerned. "You looked pretty zoned out, and you had an angry expression on your face, too."
"Oh, did I?" Kyu asked, though she knew the answer. The love fairy rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was pretty upset about something."
"Yeah, I could tell. What's up? Is Charles with you?" At the mention of her client's name, Kyu bristled, goosebumps covering her skin as she tried to relax and calm herself before she went on another tangent like before.
"No, he's not." Kyu answered, still upset. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention his name in my presence right now."
"Huh? Why" Tiffany asked, now doubly concerned. "Did something happen? Did he do something to you?"
"We just got into a stupid argument." Kyu answered. "I don't want to talk about it right now." She hoped her friend with get the message and leave the topic alone, as she was still not in the mood to talk, much less, think about a certain individual right now.
"Oh, okay…" Tiffany said, speaking up on the subtle hint. "Sorry."
"Forget it." Kyu said waving off her apology as she, once again, calmed herself down. "So, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was just doing some shopping before tonight." Tiffany answered.
"What's tonight?"
"I'm having a sleepover at my house. Girls only." Tiffany explained. "It's sort of a pre-celebration before my birthday tomorrow."
"Your birthday is tomorrow?" Kyu asked, surprised. "Wow, how old will you be?"
"21 years!" Tiffany answered, excited. "Officially an adult in society's eyes."
"Cool! I didn't know you were 20. You kinda look a bit younger, to be honest.
"You're sadly not the first person to tell me this." Tiffany said, rolling her eyes. "Do you know how irritating it is whenever the bouncer at the club doesn't believe me, and I have to show my I.D.? But I'm not lying. I actually will be 21 tomorrow."
"Hey, like I said, it's cool." Kyu said, smiling. "What time will you be hosting the party?"
"Actually, I plan on having the party on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow will just be a little quality time for me and my parents."
"A party on Christmas Eve?" Kyu questioned. "You sure that's smart? People will be a bit too busy preparing for Christmas that following morning.
"It's not going to be a regular party," Tiffany explained. "I'm planning on having both a birthday and a Christmas party all in one. That way, I'm not the only one receiving gifts."
"Wow, that's cool." Kyu complimented. "I guess that means I should start looking for a present for you."
"Yeah, but not right now. It'd spoil the surprise!" Tiffany said, as both girls laughed whilst continuing their browsing through the mall. After about an hour of wondering around, the two stopped in the mall's food court for lunch.
"Hey, I was wondering," Tiffany said as she bit into one of her French fries, "Do you think you could come to my sleepover tonight?"
"Huh?" Kyu said, looking at her as her mouth was full of a cheeseburger she had just bitten into.
"Well, it's just going to be me, Audrey and Nikki there, and… quite frankly, the two of them don't really make for pleasant company." Tiffany admitted.
"What do you mean?" Kyu asked.
"Well, all Audrey will do is talk about boys, nails and whatever else is going on with her at the moment." Tiffany explained. "And Nikki… well, you've met her. She hates anything to do with parties or get-togethers, and the only reason she's coming is probably cause Audrey is making her."
"What about Kyanna?"
"I asked her, but she said that she may not be able to make it since she'll be working late at the hair salon."
"Oh."
"Yeah, so can you come? Please?" Tiffany begged.
"Uhh… sure." Kyu agreed.
"Really? Great!" Tiffany said, hugging her friend. "Thanks, Kyu!"
"No problem." Kyu smiled, before realizing something. "But I don't exactly have a sleeping bag, and I'd rather not go back home to get one."
"That's fine, we have some cushions at our house you can use."
"Cool, thanks." Kyu said.
"No problem." With that, the two girls continued their lunch and resumed their shopping, afterwards, until they were both ready to depart.
Monday, Downtown Area, Afternoon
"Don't you just find the Christmas season wonderful, Aiko?" A certain yoga instructor asked, as she smiled at all of the decorations that were hung up all over the city. Though it wasn't dark out and the Christmas lights weren't lit, Beli could just imagine what they would all look like once the night sky covered everything.
"Yeah, whatever you say, Beli." Aiko answered, not really caring. Beli looked at her friend, who was dressed in a pair of jeans with red sweater and a green winter coat with a pair of black snow boots. Beli, herself, was wearing a brown buttoned-up coat with some khaki pants and a pair of brown snow boots. The two of them were currently walking around the downtown area, browsing the displays in the window. Well, more so, Beli was doing the browsing while Aiko was just along for the ride, not really caring what the two of them were doing.
"Aiko, why is it you seem to get like this every time Christmas comes around?" Beli asked, frowning.
"I don't know what you mean." Aiko said, frowning as her hands were in her coat pockets. She then sighed, as she turned her face away, staring at the people walking to and fro through the streets.
"You know what I mean." Beli argued, pointing at her friend's face. "That, right there. You always seem to get more frustrated and more depressed every December. Why is that?"
"I don't know." Aiko said, sighing. "I guess I'm just feeling… not so young anymore."
"Not young anymore?" Beli repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you know… old." Aiko explained, struggling to say the word as if was poison on her tongue. Beli's eyes grew wide for a bit before lowering once more.
"Since when do you care about your age?" Beli asked. From what she observed about Aiko ever since meeting her, she never really cared about the less important things that women seemed to worry about. Stuff like fashion, beauty and age didn't seem to bother her at all, so it was a bit surprising to hear Aiko worrying about them now.
"Since I turned 29 last month." Aiko said, stopping as she leaned on the wall of a building the two were walking past. "Only one more year, and I'll be out of the 20's and officially be in my 30's."
"And?" Beli said, trying to understand where exactly this was going. "What's wrong with being 30? Jessie is 36 and she'll be 37, next month."
"Jessie is one of the few women who were fortunate enough to be blessed with good looks no matter how old she gets." Aiko explained "Do you really think a normal 36-year-old would look like that at her age?" Not knowing how to respond, Beli simply shrugged.
"So, this is all you worried about not looking pretty anymore?" Beli asked, standing beside her friend, so as not to get in anyone's way.
"Basically yeah, but its more than that." Aiko explained, sighing as a slight wind blew through the streets. "I guess I'm just worried about what exactly I want to do with my life."
"What do you mean?" Beli asked, rubbing her hands together as she had forgotten to wear a pair of gloves. "You don't care for your teaching career?"
"Please tell me that wasn't a serious question." Aiko said, annoyed.
"Right, sorry." Beli said, apologizing, making Aiko roll her eyes.
"No, I don't care for my teaching career. I went to university for six years to get a degree, and what am I doing with it? Teaching college students."
"Is there something wrong with that?" Beli asked. "You're helping to shape the minds of young people everywhere."
"Yes, but it's not something I want to spend my whole life doing." Aiko explained. "I've got ambitions of my own, ya' know. I don't know what they are, but I have them."
"So, you're worried that you may not be able to fulfill your life's goals?" Beli asked, worried. The expression on her face only made Aiko more depressed as she sighed.
"You want to know why I dislike December so f'ing much?" Aiko asked, trying not to curse since she knew Beli disliked it. "Because December is that start of winter, and when winter comes, everything goes dormant. Nothing grows in winter. Everything is lifeless, dead, empty. It's a reminder that everything comes to an end eventually."
Beli silently listened and looked at her friend, surprised. This was the perhaps the first time that she had ever heard or seen Aiko look so serious and forlorn.
"I'm sorry." Aiko said, without looking at her friend. "I didn't mean to ruin the mood."
"It's… fine, Aiko." Beli assured. "I really wish I could help, but I'm afraid I don't know you as well as I should."
"It's fine, Beli." Aiko said, smiling a sad smile. "This is something I've struggled with for years now. Its not like the answer is just going to come to me."
"Well… have you considered doing something you're naturally good at?" Beli asked, smiling.
"Like what?" Aiko asked, confused. "The only thing I'm good at is gambling, and I don't even do that very well."
"No, I mean like, a hobby or something you like to do a lot. What about artwork? I've seen you draw from time-to-time."
"That's just something I do when I have time to kill." Aiko informed. "It's not something I'm particularly good at."
"Well, all the more reason to work for it, isn't it?" Beli assured. She then laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Like you said, you're life's goal isn't going to come to you like that. But that's all the more reason to try new things and find out what it is you're good at and what you like. As a famous person once asked, 'Would you rather be loved for doing something you hate doing? Or would you rather be hated for doing you loved?'"
Aiko looked at her friend, a bit surprised by the enthusiasm she was showing.
"You really have that much faith in me?" Aiko asked.
"I do." Beli said, her hand still on Aiko's shoulder. "You're a good person, Aiko. I know that and I can see it, even if you can't." Aiko stood there, blinking, before grinning at her friend.
"…Thanks Beli." Aiko said.
"You're welcome." Beli responded. As the two smiled at one another, the wind blew a big harder, bringing them both back to reality. At this, Aiko scowled looking at the sky.
"I really do hate winter." She said, frowning, before looking back at her yoga instructor. "Wanna go grab some lunch?"
"Yes, please." Beli accepted.
"Fine, but no junk food." Aiko added.
"What?!" Beli yelled out.
"I hated fried foods, and besides that, you're supposed to be dieting." Aiko said, walking away.
"You guys are never going to let me live that down, are you?" Beli complained.
"Not any time soon!"
Monday, Maye Household, Evening
"Wow Tiffany," Kyu said as she and the cute cheerleader walked into her bedroom. "Your room is nice."
The love fairy looked around as she quietly observed her friend's personal area. Her room generally looked a typical girl's room. Though it wasn't fairly big, it was the largest out of all of the rooms on the second story. The wall was painted pink and was filled with posters of boy bands, movies or pictures of Tiffany, herself, during many cheerleading events. She had a light blue circular carpet at the foot of her queen-sized bed that had a wooden stand at the head of her bed. On the right side of her room, she had a large brown dresser which housed her socks, underwear and bras. On the top of her dresser were several pictures, one of which was of her and her grandparents. Next to her dresser, were several chairs for guests to seat and a bookshelf where she kept her books and magazines.
On the left side of her room, a large brown sofa was placed in the center, while a brown wooden desk was in the upper corner of her room where her computer laid. A gray office chair was shown in front of it. Finally, in the back of her room, a large TV was shown in the center of the wall where she had a perfect view of it from her bed.
"Thanks." Tiffany said. "I personally didn't think any room in this house would fit all my stuff after I moved out."
"Moved out?" Kyu repeated. "Moved out from where?"
"Huh?!" Tiffany exclaimed, before waving it off. "Oh, uhh… its nothing. Forget I said anything."
"Okaaay…" Kyu said, looking at her friend, strangely before she decided to take a seat on her friend's sofa. "So… what do we do now?"
"Well, Audrey and Nikki should be here soon. I'm not sure about Kyanna, but I don't think she'll make it."
"Oh." Kyu said. For a while, the two sat in silence, not really knowing what to talk about. Tiffany, likewise, was in the same boat. She was a social butterfly, but she often had trouble breaking the ice with people she wasn't really familiar with. All she knew about this girl was that she was Charles's cousin.
"So, uhh… out of curiosity, how long have you lived here?" Tiffany asked, trying to make conversation.
"Huh?" Kyu responded. She racked her brain, trying to come up with something was a lie, but still believable enough. "Oh, uhh… I think I've been here for about three months, maybe?" She answered, trying to make it sound believable.
"Well, its partly the truth! I did meet Charles three months ago." Kyu thought, arguing with herself for some reason.
"His mom asked me to come check on him, since it's the first time he's been away from home. I was looking for a reason to leave home, so I agreed."
"Leave home?" Tiffany repeated. "Why?"
"Uhh… just stupid parent crap." Kyu answered, shrugging. "My mom didn't agree with some of my choices, and I was getting tired of her hounding me, so I decided to leave."
"You too?" Tiffany asked, sympathetically. "I can relate."
"What do you mean?" Kyu asked, confused. "I've met your grandparents. They seem nice."
"Yes, but they're my grandparents." Tiffany explained, emphasizing the 'grand' in grandparents.
"Okay, what about your real parents?"
"…Let's just say, you're not the only with mom issues, and leave it at that." Tiffany said, not walking to talk about it.
Kyu blinked, not really knowing what to say or think. She, herself, was obviously lying since she and her mom got along great, but she didn't actually think Tiffany would have problems with her parents. Again, an awkward silence took place as the two knew not what to say. Fortunately, the silence was broken by someone bursting through the door.
"What up, bitches?!" Someone yelled out, shocking both girls in the room. Tiffany looked upset as a familiar redhead walked into the room, followed by a quiet recluse who was frowning at her friend's display.
"What the hell, Audrey?!" Tiffany yelled.
"What?" Audrey shrugged, as if she did nothing wrong. She was wearing a red midriff with black lines going diagonally on it and a pair of short shorts. She also had a pair of white socks and a pair of brown sandals.
"Don't 'what' me!" Tiffany argued, upset. She then pointed at her door. "I've told you numerous times to stop doing that! That is not how a normal person enters a room!"
"Newsflash for you Tiffany: I'm not normal." Audrey said, pointing at herself.
"If that isn't the truth…" Nikki whispered. The girl must have decided to just wear her PJ's on the way here, as she was currently wearing a pair of pink pajamas with fox slippers.
"Whatever!" Tiffany yelled. "The point is, you have to stop doing that. You're going to give someone a heart attack one of these days!"
"Yeah, yeah. Calm the fuck down before you actually do have a heart attack." Audrey waving her off, which only helped to upset Tiffany more.
"And quit talking like that! My grandparents are just downstairs. They don't need to hear the fowl language you use on a daily basis."
"Alright already! Would you relax?" Audrey said, getting upset. "Seesh, you turn 21, and suddenly you act the like whole world revolves you or something."
"Audrey…" Tiffany growled.
"Is everything alright girls?" A sweet voice called from downstairs. "I heard yelling."
"We're fine, Grandma! Thanks!" Tiffany called back. The young cheerleader sighed as she heard her grandmother walk away, before walking back in the room. Throughout the whole engagement, Kyu silently sat on the sofa, watching with piqued interest. It wasn't until it was over that Audrey finally noticed her. Nikki, who was used to these little engagements between the two girls, silently sat on one of the chairs in the room, playing with her phone.
"Hey, who are you?" Audrey asked, frowning.
"I'm…" Kyu began, before being interrupted.
"That's Kyu, remember?" Tiffany answered. "You met her on Halloween? She's Charles's cousin."
"Cousin?" Audrey repeated. She took a good look at Kyu, staring at her.
"Take a picture, hun." Kyu said, smirking. "It'll last longer."
"Whatever." Audrey said, waving her off. "Anyway, it's time to get this party started!" She then slammed something on the counter, surprising everyone. They all looked as it was an 18-pack case of beer.
"Where did you get these?!" Tiffany asked, shocked.
"I picked some up at market before we came." Audrey answered. "What's the big deal? You'll be 21 tomorrow, anyway. Legally old enough to drink."
"Yes, but for tonight, I'm still underage!" Tiffany argued. "Besides, you're the only one here old enough to drink. Nikki's still 18, and Kyu…" Tiffany then stopped as she didn't exactly know how hold her new friend was.
"I'm, uh, 20 too." Kyu said, lying. Truthfully, she was far older than any of them. In fairy years, she was in her late 300's. Though that may seem old by human standards, truthfully, she was about the same age as a human teenager.
"Really?" Tiffany asked, surprised. "Wow, you look far younger than that."
Kyu said nothing as she stared at her friend with an 'Are you serious?' look. Tiffany looked back at her, confused. It was only then realization dawned on her as she was reminded of a similar conversation that the two of them had earlier in the mall. Suddenly, a small smile appeared on both of their faces. Before they knew it, the two of them started giggling before bursting out laughing, surprising Audrey. Nikki looked at the two of them for a brief moment before going back to her phone.
"Okay, what the hell is so funny?" Audrey asked, upset at being kept out of the loop.
"Sorry Audrey," Tiffany said, still giggling. "That's a trade secret." Audrey looked ready to argue, but instead, she simply waved the two of them off, not caring.
"Whatever." She said, opening the pack of beer and pulling one out. "Now, let's get this party started!"
About two hours later…
After drinking a couple of beers, the girls' mood soon started to lighten as all of the girls' inhibitions were lowered, due to the alcohol's influence. Even Nikki, who was not a party girl in the least, was even attempting to communicate. Their activities ranged from: watching a few girly dramas on the television, gossiping about boys or what was going on in their lives, and playing a short, but silly game of "Truth or Dare?".
"Ha! Your turn, Nikki." Audrey said, as the bottle she had spun landed on Nikki, who was biting into a slice of pizza that the girls had ordered. "Truth or Dare?"
"Dare, I guess." Nikki said, shrugging.
"Okay, I dare you to reveal something about yourself that you wouldn't tell anyone ever." Audrey said, smiling successfully. She knew Nikki was a closed individual who rarely ever told anyone anything about herself since she didn't really trust people very much. Nikki's eyes rose for a second, before lowering again.
"In the dead of night, I like to watch and fantasize about yaoi." Nikki said, shrugging.
"Seriously?!" Kyu shouted, surprised.
"Yeah." Nikki said, biting into her pizza again. To be honest, Kyu wasn't really all that surprised. If Nikki was as closeted as she seemed, then getting off on porn wasn't that big of a shocker.
"What the hell is yaoi?" Audrey asked, confused, along with Tiffany.
"It's a term in anime for gay porn, usually with boys." Kyu explained. She smiled as she expected both girls' reaction. And fortunately, she was not disappointed.
"Eww!" Both Tiffany and Audrey exclaimed. Kyu burst out laughing while Nikki simply shrugged, finishing off her pizza.
"You are so disgusting!" Audrey said, looking at her friend.
"You wanted to know a deep, dark secret of mine? There you go." Nikki said, not really caring. "Besides, you say that as if any of you don't watch porn either."
"Oh, I'm not denying it." Kyu said, proudly. "I'll happily admit that I'm a pervert. I get off on many different types of porn. I especially like the magazines Charles keeps under his bed."
"Charles reads porn magazines?" Nikki asked.
"Yup! He may goes for the swimsuit models the best." Kyu said.
"How did the hell did we get on this topic?!" Audrey yelled, frustrated, though a slight red could be seen on her face.
"I agree." Tiffany said, blushing as well. "Let's move on, okay?" She swiftly spun the bottle on the floor, whilst trying to calm herself down. The bottle soon slowed until it eventually stopped on Kyu. "Truth or dare?"
"Hmm… truth." Kyu said, smiling.
"Hmm," Tiffany said, trying to think of a good question that would be hard for Kyu to answer. Of course, giving how "open" she had discovered Kyu was, that was going to be difficult. She could have asked something perverted, but Kyu probably could have answered that easily, as well. Plus, it would have done nothing but embarrass herself.
"Okay, what type of boy do you normally go for?" Tiffany asked, figuring it was the safest option.
"Hmm…" Kyu said, as she thought about her answer putting her right index finger on her chin. "…Well, I'm partial to playboys, really. Guys who can attract or pick up a number of girls effortlessly turn me on." Both Audrey and Tiffany stared at the love fairy with wide eyes, while Nikki was looking at her, surprised.
"You… actually go for guys like that?" Tiffany asked.
"Sure, why not?" Kyu said, not finding anything wrong with it. "Charles, himself, is starting to become one." At this, all three girls looked at Kyu, shocked.
"…What?" Nikki said, as if not hearing her.
"Charles is a bit of a playboy, himself. He's talked to a lot of women, these past few months. Some of them are slightly older than he is." Kyu explained. The girls continued staring at her, not knowing what to say or think.
"…Are you… serious, Kyu?" Tiffany asked, shocked.
"I wouldn't lie about something like this. It's the truth." Kyu said, a serious expression on her face. "I mean, he obviously knows you three, as well as Kyanna and Beli. But he does know three other women who are older than he is." The girls continued staring, trying to process this new information. An awkward silence soon took place in the bedroom. Luckily, a knock on the door helped to get rid of it.
"Sorry to disturb you girls," Tiffany's grandmother said, as she popped inside. "But there are some fresh-baked cookies downstairs if you want any."
"Cookies!" Kyu yelled, as she immediately sat up from the sofa, heading for the door. "I'll bring some up for you guys!"
With that, the love fairy left, leaving the three friends alone in the room. Three silently sat where they were seated, still trying to make heads or tails of Kyu's information.
"Wow…" Audrey said, surprised, though not as much as Nikki or Tiffany. "Maybe that geek isn't as lame as I thought. I'd never have thought someone like him could actually be seeing different women at the same time."
"It's a lie…" Nikki said, not willing to believe it. "…Charles… Charles isn't like that…"
"And how exactly would you know?" Audrey asked, rolling her eyes. "You don't even like talking to people. How would you know what a person is really like or not?"
"Because I just do!" Nikki yelled, upset.
"Oh, get real. You're just upset to find out the boy you like isn't who you think he is."
"I never said I liked him. He's a friend, nothing else."
"You should stop denying it. You're not fooling anyone." Audrey said, a smirk on her face.
"Shut up!" Nikki yelled, upset. The recluse tired of arguing, pulled at her phone and started playing some app game on it.
"Whatever." Audrey said, waving off her friend. She then looked over at Tiffany, who was quiet throughout the entire exchange. "What do you think, Tiffany?"
"I-I t-think…" Tiffany began. "…I think I want to talk about something else." With that, the cheerleader quickly grabbed a slice of pizza and her can of beer, eating and drinking both. Audrey shrugged and pulled out a nail filer as she silently trimmed her nails.
"I'm back!" Kyu yelled, entering the bedroom with a plate of cookies. "Gotta say Tiffany, you're grandmother makes same damn good cookies."
"…Thanks." Tiffany said, her voice barely above a whisper. With this, the sleepover continued, though it was safe to say that the mood had quickly deteriorated, not that Kyu had noticed.
Several hours later…
After the excitement had died down, the girls soon crawled into their sleeping bags. Tiffany took her large bed, whilst Nikki and Kyu slept on opposite sides of it. Audrey argued that she wanted the couch and the girls eventually relented and let them have. It was nearing 2:00 A.M., and the girls were all fast asleep. Well, three of them were, but a certain love fairy had trouble entering Dreamland, her mind still filled with thoughts.
"It's been a whole 12 hours since I've seen Charles," she thought. "I wonder how champ's doing since our fight." Kyu turned on her back, staring up at the ceiling. "I wonder, did he really mean what he said…?"
*flashback*
"Screw me? Screw you! I never asked for your damn help in the first place!"
*end flashback*
Kyu blinked, her large green eyes staring back at the ceiling.
"Champ certainly has changed." She thought. "Before, he never would have had the gall to yell at anyone like that. …Or maybe he would have. I don't know. I've only known Champ for a while, but he always was a defensive person, to say the least."
Kyu sighed as she turned around on her side. "Maybe I should apologize tomorrow. I wonder if he's worried sick that I actually disappeared." At this, the love fairy slightly chuckled. "It would give me something to laugh about, at least."
"Hey Kyu?" Someone called out, surprising the love fairy.
"Huh?" Kyu said, turning over to face the bed. She looked as Tiffany was looking down on her. "Sorry Tiff. Did I wake you?" Kyu asked, calling Tiffany by her strange nickname.
"No," Tiffany answered. "I was already awake. It's kinda hard to sleep when you have to put up with Audrey's snoring." She said, pointing to the redhead who was releasing loud noises from her mouth as she slept.
"Oh, that's Audrey?" Kyu asked, sarcastically. "I honestly thought it was a truck or something."
"Don't let Audrey hear you say that." Tiffany warned, laughing. She stopped after several seconds, getting her breathe back. She then looked down at Kyu with a serious expression on her face. "Hey, listen, there's something I wanted to ask you."
"You want to know whether or not what I said about Charles earlier is true." Kyu said, voicing her friend's exact thoughts.
"Well… yeah." Tiffany answered. "I mean, I can't claim to know Charles well. The two of us have only known each other for a short time, while you've known him for practically your whole life." Tiffany said, trying to find the right words so she didn't sound offensive. "But, for the short time I've known Charles, he didn't exactly strike me as a 'playboy'. So…"
"You want to know if I was lying or not?" Kyu asked.
"No!" Tiffany said, loudly, covering her mouth, as Audrey started to move around, groaning. She then whispered, controlling the volume of her voice. "No, I'm not calling you a liar. I just… I mean, you did say earlier today you got into an argument with Charles, so I figured this was just your way of getting back at him." At this, Kyu couldn't help but laugh.
"Tiff, trust me, if I wanted to get back at Charles just because he hurt my feelings, I could think of better ways to do it than by spreading rumors about him." Kyu explained. She then sat up, leaning against the wall, underneath one of the windows in her friend's room.
"I'll say this: Charles is a "playboy", but not how you're thinking it." Kyu said. She smiled at the look of confusion on the cheerleader's face. "What I mean is, he's been talking to a lot of girls, but he's not sleeping with them, if that's what you're wondering. As far as I know, the guy is still a virgin."
"What?!" Tiffany shouted, raising her voice again. Audrey groaned once more, turning around in her sleep. The head cheerleader mentally hit herself as she was starting to let her emotions get the better of her.
"Yes, Charles hasn't done it yet, so you don't have to worry about it." Kyu said, smirking.
"W-why would I-I w-worry about I-it?" Tiffany said, stammering as she was blushing.
"Oh please," Kyu said, waving off Tiffany's defenses. "You can fool your friends, but you can't fool me. At the Halloween party, I noticed you eyeing him as he danced with Kyanna. You like him, don't you?"
"What?!" Tiffany shouted, though did so quietly this time. "How could I like him? I've only known him for several months now!"
"Long enough to develop feelings for someone." Kyu said, winking. "But hey, I'm not mad or anything. If you like him, go for it! It'll be good for you, as well as him."
"What do you mean?" Tiffany asked. Kyu sighed, and scratched the back of her head.
"You may find this hard to believe, or not, but Charles isn't exactly the best when it comes to the opposite sex." Kyu explained. "He's never really had much luck with girls before. He's been alone almost his entire life. He wasn't really popular in school, and he often was made fun of. He never told his parents, cause he didn't want to bother them, and his siblings didn't know how to help."
"Wow, that's sad." Tiffany said, frowning.
"Yeah, but it gets worse." Kyu said, sighing as she pulled her knees to her chest. "Luckily, a girl took notice of him when he was in sixth grade. Charles was shocked since no girl had ever shown interest in him before. For a long while, he was happy." Kyu then sighed again. "But unknown to him, the girl was just using Charles to get back at her ex. When he found out, he got upset and hurt the girl badly."
"He… hit her?" Tiffany asked, gasping. Kyu sadly nodded.
"He wasn't in his right frame of mind. He thought he had managed to find a small glimmer of hope, but it was quickly whisked away from him." Kyu said, continuing the story. "He managed to avoid suspension thanks to his parents, but after that, he basically shut himself off from the rest of the world. All he wanted was to hurry up and finish school so he could be done with it."
"What about high school?"
"High school was even worse." Kyu said. "Though he tried to ignore people and just do what was required of him, he was still on the receiving end of bullies and such. And as you know, high school lasts four years, so… yeah."
"Wow," Tiffany said, not knowing what else to say. "I'm really sorry to hear that."
"It's fine." Kyu said, shrugging. "He's opened back up, and his pretty much his old self. Despite how he acts, Charles has always had a good heart. Anyone could see it."
"Yeah…" Tiffany said, agreeing.
"Now, can you do me a favor?" Kyu asked.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Don't tell Charles I told you all this. I really wasn't supposed to, and if he finds out I did, he'll be even more upset at me than I imagine he already is." Kyu said.
"No problem." Tiffany said.
"Thanks." Kyu said, yawning. "Well, I'm starting to get tired so…"
"Yeah, same here." Tiffany said, crawling back under her covers.
"By the way," Kyu began. "Happy birthday."
"Huh?" Tiffany said, before noticing the clock was past midnight. "Oh. I guess it is my birthday."
"Yup. 21 years old, babe!" Kyu said, happily.
"Yup!" Tiffany said, agreeing. The two laughed before wishing each other a 'good night' and heading off to sleep. Unknown to the two, a certain blue-haired recluse was silently pretending to sleep, all the while listening to the two's conversation. What she was thinking, however, was anyone's guess…
And that concludes the first part of the Christmas special. Sorry if you thought the ending lacked something or the chapter was too short. As I said in the beginning, a lot of things happened between now and November when I last updated. First off, were my Finals, which were a killer. I barely managed to pass, but I did. Secondly, there were a lot of Christmas and New Year parties that I was forced (and yes, I do say forced) to go to. My friends, apparently, don't know how to take 'no' for an answer. Thirdly, I caught a really bad cold and couldn't move, much less type. And lastly, my computer kept crashing on me and caught a really bad virus. I lost almost all of my files, including my Huniepop chapters. Luckily, I remembered that I saved them all on a flash drive, so there's that.
Again, I apologize for the chapter if you didn't like it. I was planning on making it a lot longer, but because of all the delays I just decided to cut it in half, which I really hate to do.
The second part is already in progress, and I'm hoping that I'll have it done before the end of this month. That's the good news, at any rate. The bad news is that classes start next week, so updates will slow down a bit, I'm afraid. Still, I'll continue writing since I owe it to all of my fans and the people who have supported me. Again, I thank you all for your patience and hope you continue to bear with me. Until next time!