As promised, another chapter for today! Enjoy!
My dearest Rose
I'm sorry to hear that your holiday isn't as great as it should be, especially when it's Christmas in the morning.
And since it's indeed Christmas tomorrow, you deserve to be happy. That is why I've chosen to send you this gift now, instead of waiting for the holiday to end and give it to you in person. I hope that it will cheer you up a bit. And remember – this is just a gift from a friend to a friend, nothing else.
To be honest, I would rather have you to not be fair than not be able to tell me when you're ready. Because, I still want to be the absolute first to know, and it just encourages me to keep trying. And waiting.
Oh, how I miss our patrols too! Even though I must say, my puns are not at all bad. But I'm pleased to hear that my company is pleasant. You company is surely pleasant too.
I wish you a merry, merry Christmas too.
Truly yours
Scorpius
Roxanne and Lily sat still once Rose finished reading the letter aloud. Then, when Rose did nothing, they both got impatient.
"Are you not going to open the gift?" Lilly then asked
Rose didn't answer.
"Come on, Rose. Either you do it, or I'll do it if you don't." Roxanne said.
"Why is it so important for you?" Rose asked with the gift in her lap, still unopened.
Roxanne laughed. "I don't have any romance in my own life, so your love-life is the highliht of this week." She said.
"Open it Rose." Lilly said with a bright smile on her face.
Rose took a deep breath. Then she started unwrap the paper.
Once the paper came off, it revealed a little, square, black gift box. Rose felt nervous, even though she didn't know why, as she opened the gift box.
On a layer of blue satin lay a thin silver chain. Rose picked it up. It was a bracelet. There were a couple of charms hanging from it. Rose studied them one after one.
As Rose studied the bracelet closely, she discovered, that what she first thought where one silver chain, was actually two rather thin chains. The charms where attached to both of the chains. The first charm the caught Rose's eye where a little green stone, hanging in the middle. It almost looked like a real diamond, perfectly round, and with a ring of silver around it. Next to it hang a little, tiny bird in silver. Its eyes gleamed blue, and it looked like two tiny, blue sapphires. Next to the bird was a tiny heart, also in silver. Between the lock and the green gem, there was a miniature "R". Rose smiled, and felt a warmth spread in her chest.
"Can I see?" Roxanne asked, and Rose handed her the bracelet.
"'R' for Rose." Lily stated.
Rose wasn't able to wipe the smile of her own face.
"It must have been very expensive." Roxanne said, eyes big.
Rose nodded.
"You want me to close the lock for you?" Lilly asked.
Rose cleared her throat before answering. "Yes, thank you."
Rose stretched out her right arm, and Lilly put the bracelet around her wrist, closing the lock, and then let it go.
The light from the lamps in the room shone right trough the green gem and reflected a small green pattern on the wall.
"Wow." Roxanne said.
"It's kinda awesome." Lily said.
Rose didn't say anything. She just looked at the bracelet with a smile on her face. A smile, that stayed on her face when she finally fell asleep.
"Wake up! Wake up! It's chriiiiiistmaaaas! WAKE UP!" Hugo screamed into Rose's ear.
"Shut up Hugo!" Rose shouted back, covering her ears with her hands.
Hugo jumped down from Rose's bed, and smiled to his sister. Rose shot him an irritated look, before pulling the covers over her head.
"What going on, is the house on fire?" Roxanne asked as her head appeared. Her black hair was one big mess.
"No. But…." Hugo started. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!" he then screamed, laughed, and then ran out off the room. Rose sighed annoyed.
"Whoever invented little brothers should try living with one." Rose said as she fought her way out of her covers.
"Yeah, they can lend Fred if they want to." Roxanne said. Despite having a natural dark tan, her face was pretty pale from lack of sleep. Rose didn't even want to think about how she looked herself right now.
"Lily? Better get up." Rose said while Roxanne was busy yawning and pulling on her clothes.
"Yeah, sure, I'm on my way." Lily mumbled under the covers.
Rose picked the first, the best outfit and pulled it on, while Roxanne was busy convincing Lily to get up.
"Lil you have to get up!"
"Mmm…"
"We're gonna open your present and eat your breakfast if you don't get up."
"Mmm…"
"The house is on fire and you're going to die if you don't get up."
"Mmm…"
Roxanne turned towards Rose.
"It's hopeless." She just said.
Rose smiled; put a finger against her lips and then pointed at the covers Lily was tucked underneath. Roxanne's eyes glistened, and she smiled viciously, as she realized what her cousin had in mind. She nodded eagerly.
Rose held up her fingers. 3. 2. 1. And just as she took down the last finger, the pair of them grabbed each side of the covers, lifted it off their cousin and threw them on the floor.
Lilly flinched and the moaned. "It's so cold!"
Roxanne just grinned. "Get up and get dressed cousin."