It was a cold and windy December in Great Lakes city. People walked up and down the snow slicked sidewalk, chatting happily. Mischievous kids threw snowballs at passing cars and buses, passing adults, and each other. Normally Adelaide would be in her room, getting ready to watch the Sugar Sugar Rainbow Unicorn Friendship Hour Christmas Special again. But at the moment she was busy.
The tiny girl held a large cardboard box, stuffed to the brim with Christmas decorations. It looked like something someone at least three times her size should carry, but Adelaide was far stronger than she looked.
She made her way up several flights of stairs to get to her apartment. She should've been moving slowly and carefully, but she was far too excited to do that. She was finally getting the chance to decorate her families' Christmas tree all by herself. And deeper still, the decorating wasn't her only plan.
She stopped to reach into her pocket for a moment, touching the sprig of mistletoe that was practically burning a hole into it. She smiled at the thought of holiday mischief she had recently indulged in. Yesterday she had planted several kisses on the face of her friend Alexis.
It was fun. But today was going to be different, because THIS time she was going after her original target.
Carl Casagrande
She giggled quietly. She was sure she knew exactly how it would play out. She'd invite him to help her decorate the tree, and right when he came through the door she'd catch him when he wasn't expecting it. One touch of her lips would turn the smug little braggart into a flustered, red faced pile of mush. If she wasn't carrying that box, she'd have been rubbing her hands together and laughing evilly. Just picturing it in her mind tickled her.
Almost as much as the tickle she felt rising in her nose.
Adelaide let loose a terrible sneeze, making her drop her box and scatter it's contents all over the floor.
"Aw dang it" Adelaide said at the sight of the mess she'd made
"Bless you" said a familiar voice
Adelaide looked up to see Carlota walking towards her. She made a series of sniffles before bending down to pick up the decorations she dropped "Aw" Carlota "Got a cold, Adelaide?"
"Not a cold" Adelaide said wiping her nose on her sleeve "I always get the sniffles in the winter. Sid says she thinks I might be allergic to tinsel"
She picked up some tinsel and sneezed at it as if to cement the statement before tossing it in the box "Well let me help you with those" Carlota said bending down next to her "Going to get some decorating done?"
Adelaide nodded happily as she hoisted the box back on her shoulders "My mom and dad are gonna let me decorate the tree all by myself this year" she said "But...I was actually hoping Carl could help me."
Carlota resisted the urge to give Adelaide a knowing smile "I bet he'd love that" she said as she reached into her pocket for her cell phone She began to text rapidly "Adelaide...wants...to know...if you...want to...decorate...her Christmas tree...with her."
The girls stood in the hall quietly for a few moments before Carlota's text tone went off, and she showed Adelaide the phone to see the message
"Nah"
Adelaide twitched, eyebrows coming together as she frowned deeply, cheeks puffing out as she began pouting "I...think...you...hurt...her...feelings...frown emoji" Carlota texted
They waited again for Carl's a simple emoji was sent. A face holding a sign over it's mouth that said "SORRY"
Adelaide's face fell, as she exhaled out her nose "I dunno what's gotten into Carl" Carlota said "He's been really grouchy for some reason. He's been sulking in his room since yesterday, and he wouldn't talk about what's bothering him"
"Well fine" Adelaide grumped as she stomped away "He can be that way. See if I care."
"Give him some time" Carlota called after her "I'm sure he'll come around"
Carlota watched Adelaide go up the stairs to her apartment, then began to turn towards her door, only for something on the ground to catch her eye. Bending down, she picked up a small sprig of leaves with a red ribbon tied in a bow around it.
"Is this mistletoe?" she thought "Huh...I guess Adelaide must've dropped it before." She slipped it into her bag "I'll have to remember to give it back to her later"
A bit later
Carl laid on his bed, pillow pressed on top of his head and phone gripped tightly in his hand. He looked up at the texts his sister had sent him, Adelaide invited him to decorate her Christmas tree just a little while ago. But he didn't want to see Adelaide right now, he didn't want to see anyone.
He just wanted to be alone.
Just yesterday he'd seen Adelaide kissing Alexis under the mistletoe. And it had brought on SO many unpleasant feelings.
Jealousy, bitterness, dejection...stomach cramps. Though the last one may have been from the extra refried beans and hot sauce he put on the torta he had eaten for lunch.
He just didn't want to think about it, and the best way to avoid thinking was to sleep. He groaned as he turned over to look up at the ceiling, as it usually helped him drift off. But soon the sound of singing reached his ears.
I'll have a blue Christmas without you
I'll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won't be the same, if you're not here with me.
"And when those blue snowflakes start falling"
"That's when those blue memories start calling"
"You'll be doing all right"
"With your Christmas of white"
"But I'll have a blue, Blue Christmas"
Carl grumbled to himself before he rolled off his bed, stormed out of his room, and up to Carlota's door.
"Can't a guy have enough quiet to sulk in his room?" he thought
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Carlota stuck her head out of her door to see Carl, his arms folded over his chest, and mouth set into a frown.
"What is it?" she asked, clearly annoyed
"Can you turn your music down?" Carl asked "I can hear it all the way in my room"
"Sorry little bro" she said "I'm trying to listen to Alisa's new song cover for Christmas as much as I can before mom gets home. I know if I play it when she's here, she'll flood the apartment again"
"Yeah yeah" Carl said "Whatever. Can you PLEASE just keep it down?"
Carlota smirked as she reached out and poked his belly "Awww" she said in a baby voice "Is Carl gonna cry because he's having a blue Christmas?"
He swatted his sisters hand away "Cut that out" he snapped
"I mean really" Carlota said "It actually looks...kinda like you..."
Carlota squinted her eyes as she looked at her brother's face more closely. His eyes looked puffy and more than a bit red.
"Wait..." Carlota said "Have...have you been crying?"
"No!" Carl said turning his head
"Do you want a tissue?" she asked with a clear note of concern in her voice
"I want YOU to turn your music down, OK?" Carl snapped before stomping back over to his room
"Fine fine" Carlota said "I'm about to head over to visit one of our neighbors anyways, just so you..."
Carl slammed the door behind him "...know." she said "Wonder what's got his chonies in a bunch?"
Carlota shut off the song she had been playing on her laptop. Then she grabbed her bag, slipped out of her room, and left the apartment. Looking back and forth to see that the hall was empty, she quietly crept a few doors down, She walked up to a door, knocked three times, paused for a few seconds and then knocked four more times. The door opened just enough for Carlota to slip inside.
"Well?" said a voice "What did you think?"
"I loved it" Carlota said "It was beautiful"
CLAP CLAP
The lights turned on to reveal a young woman dressed in a pink shirt, blue sweatpants, and panda bear slippers. Alisa grinned
"I'm so glad to hear that" she said
The two friends slumped back onto the couch, enjoying the cozy comfort of the apartment. A pop star like Alisa could've easily been in a five star hotel, but she much preferred the simple charm of the Casagrande Apartments. So anytime she was in town, she had the perfect place to crash where she wouldn't be bothered by fans, AND had friends she could be close too.
"Remind me to thank your abuela for letting me stay here" she said grabbing her the mug of hot chocolate off the coffee table "Especially in one of the only fully furnished apartments in the building"
"Trust me" Carlota said as she searched through her bag "It's no problem"
Carlota pulled her tablet out of her bag, causing a small plant to come out with it, which Alisa noticed "Whoa...is that mistletoe?" she asked "Heh...are you planning to catch someone under it?"
"As if" Carlota said with a giggle "I found it outside. I think my neighbor dropped it"
Alisa reached over and picked up the mistletoe as Carlota began to search through her many social media profiles "How's everything going with you today?" Alisa asked
"Pretty good" Carlota said "Babysitting is a lot easier than usual since I only have to watch Carl today. But..." Carlota's face fell a bit " I think something is bothering him. I mean he's been even more snippy with me than usual, he hasn't tried to prank me even once today, and...I even think he's been crying about something"
Alisa looked concerned "Wonder what's got him so sad?" she asked
"Heck if I know" Carlota said "He won't tell me anything"
Alisa took a gulp from her mug of hot chocolate "Poor kid" she said "Nobody should be sad at this time of year."
"Didn't you JUST cover a sad Christmas song?" Carlota asked as she looked up from her tablet
"Not the point" Alisa said "I think we should do something to cheer him up"
"Any ideas?" Carlota asked
Alisa looked down at the sprig of mistletoe in her hand for a few moments before a thought struck her "Do...you have any christmas clothes?" Alisa asked
"Of course" Carlota said "I have a Lady Santa suit that's just your size."
Alisa turned to her and smiled "What say we pull a little Christmas prank on Carl?" she asked
Carlota smiled back "Go on" she said
In the Changs' Apartment
Adelaide stood back to look at her work. Christmas lights blinking on and off, several ornaments, some round others icicle shapes, hanging from branches, candy canes dangling from their ends, tinsel wrapped around it tightly.
Which she hadn't sneezed at once thanks to the clothespin firmly set on her nose
"Almost done" Adelaide said as she removed the clothespin "Now for my favorite part"
She reached into box of decorations, and pulled out a spool of thread
"Popcorn garlands" she said happily
Adelaide hustled into the kitchen, grabbed the box of microwave popcorn from off the counter, and opened it...to see that it was empty.
"Hey" Adelaide said "There should've been one packet left." She folded her arms across her chest, beginning to pout "Sid must've made it to eat to watch her movie with her Ronnie Anne"
She put the spool of thread in her pocket, before noticing how empty her pocket felt "Where's my mistletoe?" she wondered "I must've dropped it someplace". She headed to the door "I'll have to find it after I get some more popcorn down at the mercado"
Adelaide left her apartment, hustling down the stairs and dashing down the hall, passing right by Carlota who was standing by a door, looking at her tablet. The door opened a crack, making Carlota look back at the face peeking out at her
"Are you ready?" she asked
"Ready" Alisa said "How do you plan to get Carl out here?"
"Don't worry" Carlota said as she headed back down the hall "I know something that'll get him out of his room. BRB"
Alisa watched from behind the cracked door as Carlota went back into her apartment. She returned moments later, tossing a tube of something up in the air and catching it in one hand. Typing out a text message on her phone with the other. She stopped at Alisa's door and showed her the message
"Our neighbor has a hair emergency" she read "Need to borrow your hair gel"
Alisa suppressed a giggle as Carlota sent the text "And Carl should be seeing that in 3...2...1..."
"WHAT?!" screamed a voice loud enough to shake the building
In a matter of moments, Carl scrambled out the door into the hall, tripping and falling over as he did. He quickly picked himself back up and stomped over to Carlota . He reached up to grab the tube from her hand, but she held it out of his reach.
"Give it back, Carlota" Carl said jumping up and down like an angry puppy
"Sheesh, relax Carl" said Carlota "I just need to use a little for our neighbor's hair"
"I don't care if you're using it for Yoon Kwan from 12 is Midnight" Carl said hotly as he snatched it from Carlota's hand "Don't touch my hair gel!"
"Sorry" Carlota said turning to the door "Hey Alisa...looks like Carl doesn't want us to use his hair gel"
The door slowly creaked opened and Alisa stepped out. Gone were the shirt, sweatpants, and slippers. Instead, Alisa was wearing a VERY form fitting red dress lined with white fur. Her hair was down instead of it's previous ponytail. And around her neck was a fur collar with a bell. Carl's eyes went a bit wide, and face went a bit red, at the sight of the pop star
"That's a shame" Alisa said tossing her hair "I was hoping to get a little extra shine before you start streaming"
Carlota shrugged "Maybe I can ask Margarita if she..."
"Hey wait" Carl said "You didn't say it was Alisa who wanted to use my hair gel."
"Well she IS our neighbor right now" Carlota said "But if you don't want to share then..."
Carl looked from the tube in his hand, to his sister, then to Alisa. Sighed, and handed the tube back to Carlota "Just don't use all of it, OK" he said
Carlota squeezed a dollop of gel into her palm, and began gently rubbing it into Alisa's hair. Then produced a comb from her pocket, and with a few strokes Alisa's hair looked sleek and shiny.
"That's should do it" Carlota said handing the tube to Carl
"Thank you Carl" Alisa said "This is very generous of you." She reached out and pinched Carl's cheek "But I guess that's what Christmas is all about"
Carl turned away an grumbled under his breath as Alisa winked at Carlota, who winked back before she bent over a bit to look Carl in the eye "So..." Alisa she "Have you been a good boy all year, Carl?"
"Is that a trick question?" Carl asked
Alisa smirked a bit before pulling out a tube of lipstick "You know, Carlota told me you were feeling sad" she said "And I don't think anyone should be sad so close to Christmas"
Alisa began to apply the lipstick as Carl turned to his sister "And what else have you been...telling..." Carl noticed the device she was leveling at him "Why do you have your tablet?"
"Because I want to capture the moment Alisa gives you her Christmas present" she said
"Present?" Carl said turning back to Alisa "What kind of..."
Before he could finish his question, Alisa scooped him up in one arm. Then reached up to hold a sprig of mistletoe over his head. He looked up at the sprig, his eyes widening as Alisa puckered her lips
"Merry Christmas Carl" she said
At the Mercado
Bobby rung up two single packets of microwave popcorn from behind the counter. Adelaide reached into her pocket for money, only to see Bobby raise his hand
"Don't bother" he said "Consider them a Christmas present"
"Thanks Bobby" Adelaide said with a smile grabbing the packets and slipping them into her skirt pockets
Adelaide hustled out of the mercado and back into the apartments "Can't wait to start making popcorn garlands" she thought as she made her way up the stairs "Maybe I'll stop by to see Carl on the way. I know he likes popcorn so maybe he'll want to help...oof..."
Adelaide fell flat on her rump after she bumped into Carlota, who was holding out her tablet with a smile on her face. Adelaide looked up at her "Carlota?" she said "Why are you..."
Adelaide looked over and gave a small gasp as her jaw slowly lowered
Standing there in the hall was pop star Alisa Barela, dressed in red, holding a sprig of mistletoe in one hand, and holding Carl with her other arm.
Kissing him.
Leaving bright red lipstick marks on his cheeks, nose and chin. His face slowly turning as red as the lipstick as a lovestruck smile spread across it.
Adelaide's heart dropped into the pit on her stomach, which began to churn at the sight in front of her. An unpleasant heat rose in her face, and grew more and more intense with each kiss she saw Carl receive.
Smooch
Her cheeks burned like fire.
Smooch
The heat went upwards and her ears burned.
Smooch
The heat spread even further and settled in behind her eyes.
She could feel her lower lip beginning to tremble as her, slowly dampening, eyes traveled up to what Alisa's was holding. A sprig of mistletoe with a red ribbon tied around it, the sight of which made her heart sink even further down from her stomach into the soles of her feet.
"That's MY mistletoe!" Adelaide thought, starting to breathe harder
Smooch
"That's MY Christmas prank" she thought as her nose started to run
Smooch
Her throat tightened as she watched Carl dissolve into a flustered, red faced pile of mush in Alisa's arms. Each kiss planted on Carl feeling like a wasp sting being planted on her.
"That's my..."Adelaide sniffled quietly as she watched "That should be me! It...It should be me!"
Alisa pulled away for a bit "So Carl" she began "Are you still sad?"
"Uh-uh" Carl said shaking his head slowly
"Good to hear" Alisa said before planting another kiss on him "This is a time of year to be happy"
"Well I'm happy" Carlota said "And I'm sure my followers will be when I post this video. So what were you even sad about anyway, little bro?"
"I" Carl began "I...I don't...I don't remember"
Pitter patter pitter patter
SLAM!
All three of them looked up in the direction of the stairs to the next floor. Carlota looked back at her brother and celebrity bestie
"Was there someone else here?" she asked
"I didn't" Alisa said
"I see seashells by the seashore..." Carl said in a dazed voice
The two girls giggled and Carl shook the fog from his head. With all of his usual bravado dissolved away, Carl sheepishly asked "Alisa, could you put me down now?"
"I could..." Alisa said "And I will..."
Carlota leveled her tablet at them again as Alisa raised the mistletoe back over Carl's head "...as soon as I'm done"
Carl's face went as red as his hoodie again as Alisa's lips came closer...
Back at at the Chang's apartment
Adelaide walked past the Christmas tree, head down and tears pattering on the floor. She paused only a moment to reach into the box of decorations and pull out a small sheet of stickers. She walked over to a small armoire near the kitchen table, or as she preferred to call it, her Crying Cabinet.
She opened the door, peeled one of the stickers off the backing, stuck it on the door and stepped inside. One she'd shut the door behind her, she cried. And cried. And cried. Her tears poured out from behind the doors like two waterfalls. Fortunately for her, they didn't touch the sticker she'd placed on it, as she wanted anyone who tried to comfort her to know that she didn't want comfort. She just wanted to be alone
And the words on the sticker, reading "Do Not Open Until Christmas" should have made that clear enough.
Merry Christmas Everyone
