Will watched her go, knowing it would take more than that to win Melanie back.For now, he decided to just go back to where he was staying.--------"Who was that Holly?" the blonde's father asked as they watched the exchange on their way home."Melanie's ex, I think." Holly answered, watching them go in different directions."Come on, it's rude to listen in," he said. "I'd like to try your hot chocolate anyway.""Ann told you?" Holly asked."Quite a few things," her father nodded. "She mentioned jumpers too."--------"How did it go?" Lydia asked the second Melanie got home."Fine." Melanie said vaguely as she went to her room, the door shutting loudly indicating she wanted to talk.Lydia sighed and stood up, putting her book down and going upstairs.She walked in without knocking and found Melanie sat on her bed, fiddling with a large pearl she kept on her bedside."What happened?" Lydia asked."He knows about all of us." Melanie explained. "Emilie told him."She put the creamy whit
"Wow...!" Trisha stared in awe at the beautiful red dress covered in ruffles and bows, not unlike the dress she usually wore, only more fancy."Are you getting that one?" Melanie asked, a gold dress draped over her arm."Yep!" Trisha took it off the rail and ran over to the till.Melanie dug out her purse and put the dress down with Trisha's."Sis..." Trisha said nervously, holding a necklace with a bow shaped pendant.Melanie just nodded to the till."Come again." the shop worker said as they left."Let's go see Holly," Trisha said. "She said the jumpers are finally done.""I bet they've been done a while," Melanie sighed. "She's really fast, but doesn't like people thinking she rushes.""I don't think that." Trisha admitted."I know," Melanie smiled. "Let's get these home first though."Trisha nodded in agreement and ran on ahead.--------Holly practically threw herself at the door when she saw the sisters pass the window, Trisha had her fist raised to knock, while Melanie just loo
"Wow...!" Trisha breathed.Emilie stood next to her, in the middle of taking her coat off."Wow!" she said again, Emilie's dress was beautiful; It was white with silver flowers and a thick pink twim. "You look amazing!""Thanks, Holly made it." Emilie explained.Trisha nodded in understanding."Come on, I'm thirsty." Trisha took Emilie's hand and ran to the drinks table.Trisha took two cups and gave Emilie one."Let's dance." Trisha said when they finished their drinks.Emilie took Trisha's offered hand and they went to the dance floor.--------"They look like they're having fun." Lydia said, watching them from the door."We should go to our own party." Melanie suggested."Mel's right, we should go." Sapphire agreed when no one moved."They're pretty cute though." Lydia said, her two friends agreeing as they left.--------"When are they gonna get here!" Holly complained impatiently.She and Ann had been waiting at their party, waiting for the rest of the group who had been assigned
Holly hated Christmas Eve.Not that she had a problem per say, or anything bad happened, it may as well have been just another day...Except for the fact that every year the day felt longer... waiting for the day to end, then the struggle trying to get to sleep."Holly, staring at the clock won't make it go faster." her father pointed out as she sat at the kitchen table staring at the clock shaped like a yellow teapot. "It doesn't make a difference."Holly grumbled, sipping her hot chocolate and standing up. "I should do dinner for tomorrow.""Are you going to make meatloaf?" her father asked, holding out her pink apron.Holly shot him a confused look."You mean stuffing? Yeah." Holly took her apron and tied it around her back."You look like a pro." her father said with a grin and thumbs up."Thanks," Holly began going around the room gathering ingredients while her father just sat and watched."You love to cook, don't you Holly?" he asked.Holly turned from where she was crumbling b
Trisha was quite literally up at the crack of dawn, as soon as sunlight peeked into her room, she was awake, out of bed, and dressed in minutes.She ran to her sister's room and began jumping on the bed."Sis~! It's Christmas!" she announced.The strawberry blonde peeked out from under her yellow, fish themed blankets and blinked up at her, then threw her blankets back over her head like any normal person, human or not, would when woken up before decent o'clock."Sis~!" Trisha whined, shaking where the older girl's shoulders were.Melanie pushed the blankets off with a sigh of defeat."I'm awake, go wake Lydia." Melanie gave a silent apology as Trisha left.Melanie knew, whether she liked it or not, that she had to get up now.Trisha was still very fond of sitting under the tree opening presents, hers or not.Right on cue, Melanie heard her cousin shouting at Trisha to go away.Melanie got up, ignoring the few blankets that fell on the floor, and went to Lydia's room to save her siste
The weeks passed quickly as everyone enjoyed the rest of the year.Holly and Lydia meanwhile prepared for their surprise at midnight."Hey Mel?" Ann said as they watched Lydia run out the door. "What's up with her lately? Hasn't she been like this since Christmas?"Melanie nodded, watching Lydia out the window."Isn't this where one of us suggests to follow her?" Ann asked."Don't." Melanie moved away from the window. "She's allowed her privacy."Ann blinked. "You're not curious?""Of course I am, but I think she wants to surprise us." Melanie sighed. "She's planning something with Holly for New Year."Ann heaved a sigh. "You've already tailed them, haven't you?"Melanie shot her a sheepish smile."I didn't see what they were doing, just them meeting up." Melanie admitted.Ann glanced out the window."It's New Year's Eve, I'm sure they'll tell us later." Ann reassured.Melanie smiled and turned toward the stairs."Let's play a game," she suggested, going upstairs before the blonde cou
The Rose Cottage was alive with activity as four teenage girls ran about the house, preparing for the upcoming event.Melanie, a short girl with long strawberry-blonde hair and bright green eyes, was covering the kitchen in tinsel, she hummed merrily as she hung silver tinsel up around the door, or tried to at least.Realising quickly she wouldn't be able to reach on her own (and refusing to get help), she grabbed a chair from the table and knelt on it, granting her the few needed inches."Hey Mel, have you seen my cookbook?" a blonde girl asked from the other door that had yet to be covered in tinsel."Over there," Melanie grunted, waving at the shelf covered in red tinsel with small pointy leaves.Melanie had picked it as a joke since the leaves had the same name as her friend. "Holly, is this lined up okay?"Holly turned with a critical look in her greeny-brown eyes."It needs dropping on the left." Holly said, hugging a dusty brown book while Melanie adjusted the tinsel accordingl
It had been half an hour since Melanie and Lydia left, the former claiming to have an idea regarding their broken decorations."They can't be that much longer." Sapphire said, tossing her mug between her hands on the table, hot chocolate long finished as they waited in the kitchen.Holly had taken a red flower from the vase, Poinsettia, and was playing with it, she heaved a bored sigh and, flower still in hand, took the mugs to the sink."You're right!" the blonde said suddenly, turning toward the living room when she was done rinsing the mugs. "Let's get set up, in case anything else is broke."Sapphire followed her sister and they started going through the box; putting tinsel, baubles and other stuff into piles on the couch.Sapphire pulled out a small bell with a red bow on top, she went to put it with the other bells, when she noticed this one, unlike the others, had metal inside.She gave it a small jingle, giggling like a child when the sound rang throughout the room, Holly chuc
The weeks passed quickly as everyone enjoyed the rest of the year.Holly and Lydia meanwhile prepared for their surprise at midnight."Hey Mel?" Ann said as they watched Lydia run out the door. "What's up with her lately? Hasn't she been like this since Christmas?"Melanie nodded, watching Lydia out the window."Isn't this where one of us suggests to follow her?" Ann asked."Don't." Melanie moved away from the window. "She's allowed her privacy."Ann blinked. "You're not curious?""Of course I am, but I think she wants to surprise us." Melanie sighed. "She's planning something with Holly for New Year."Ann heaved a sigh. "You've already tailed them, haven't you?"Melanie shot her a sheepish smile."I didn't see what they were doing, just them meeting up." Melanie admitted.Ann glanced out the window."It's New Year's Eve, I'm sure they'll tell us later." Ann reassured.Melanie smiled and turned toward the stairs."Let's play a game," she suggested, going upstairs before the blonde cou
Trisha was quite literally up at the crack of dawn, as soon as sunlight peeked into her room, she was awake, out of bed, and dressed in minutes.She ran to her sister's room and began jumping on the bed."Sis~! It's Christmas!" she announced.The strawberry blonde peeked out from under her yellow, fish themed blankets and blinked up at her, then threw her blankets back over her head like any normal person, human or not, would when woken up before decent o'clock."Sis~!" Trisha whined, shaking where the older girl's shoulders were.Melanie pushed the blankets off with a sigh of defeat."I'm awake, go wake Lydia." Melanie gave a silent apology as Trisha left.Melanie knew, whether she liked it or not, that she had to get up now.Trisha was still very fond of sitting under the tree opening presents, hers or not.Right on cue, Melanie heard her cousin shouting at Trisha to go away.Melanie got up, ignoring the few blankets that fell on the floor, and went to Lydia's room to save her siste
Holly hated Christmas Eve.Not that she had a problem per say, or anything bad happened, it may as well have been just another day...Except for the fact that every year the day felt longer... waiting for the day to end, then the struggle trying to get to sleep."Holly, staring at the clock won't make it go faster." her father pointed out as she sat at the kitchen table staring at the clock shaped like a yellow teapot. "It doesn't make a difference."Holly grumbled, sipping her hot chocolate and standing up. "I should do dinner for tomorrow.""Are you going to make meatloaf?" her father asked, holding out her pink apron.Holly shot him a confused look."You mean stuffing? Yeah." Holly took her apron and tied it around her back."You look like a pro." her father said with a grin and thumbs up."Thanks," Holly began going around the room gathering ingredients while her father just sat and watched."You love to cook, don't you Holly?" he asked.Holly turned from where she was crumbling b
"Wow...!" Trisha breathed.Emilie stood next to her, in the middle of taking her coat off."Wow!" she said again, Emilie's dress was beautiful; It was white with silver flowers and a thick pink twim. "You look amazing!""Thanks, Holly made it." Emilie explained.Trisha nodded in understanding."Come on, I'm thirsty." Trisha took Emilie's hand and ran to the drinks table.Trisha took two cups and gave Emilie one."Let's dance." Trisha said when they finished their drinks.Emilie took Trisha's offered hand and they went to the dance floor.--------"They look like they're having fun." Lydia said, watching them from the door."We should go to our own party." Melanie suggested."Mel's right, we should go." Sapphire agreed when no one moved."They're pretty cute though." Lydia said, her two friends agreeing as they left.--------"When are they gonna get here!" Holly complained impatiently.She and Ann had been waiting at their party, waiting for the rest of the group who had been assigned
"Wow...!" Trisha stared in awe at the beautiful red dress covered in ruffles and bows, not unlike the dress she usually wore, only more fancy."Are you getting that one?" Melanie asked, a gold dress draped over her arm."Yep!" Trisha took it off the rail and ran over to the till.Melanie dug out her purse and put the dress down with Trisha's."Sis..." Trisha said nervously, holding a necklace with a bow shaped pendant.Melanie just nodded to the till."Come again." the shop worker said as they left."Let's go see Holly," Trisha said. "She said the jumpers are finally done.""I bet they've been done a while," Melanie sighed. "She's really fast, but doesn't like people thinking she rushes.""I don't think that." Trisha admitted."I know," Melanie smiled. "Let's get these home first though."Trisha nodded in agreement and ran on ahead.--------Holly practically threw herself at the door when she saw the sisters pass the window, Trisha had her fist raised to knock, while Melanie just loo
Will watched her go, knowing it would take more than that to win Melanie back.For now, he decided to just go back to where he was staying.--------"Who was that Holly?" the blonde's father asked as they watched the exchange on their way home."Melanie's ex, I think." Holly answered, watching them go in different directions."Come on, it's rude to listen in," he said. "I'd like to try your hot chocolate anyway.""Ann told you?" Holly asked."Quite a few things," her father nodded. "She mentioned jumpers too."--------"How did it go?" Lydia asked the second Melanie got home."Fine." Melanie said vaguely as she went to her room, the door shutting loudly indicating she wanted to talk.Lydia sighed and stood up, putting her book down and going upstairs.She walked in without knocking and found Melanie sat on her bed, fiddling with a large pearl she kept on her bedside."What happened?" Lydia asked."He knows about all of us." Melanie explained. "Emilie told him."She put the creamy whit
Lydia hadn't meant to abandon Holly, she'd been wanting to try the Christmas special, but instead she'd flew out their bathroom window, feeling too much like running away.She would've blamed Melanie for her sweet tooth but, aside from Holly's cakes and pies, the mermaid didn't like sweets unless they were frozen.As she entered the snowy park, she considered going to the store.But as she passed Emilie's tree, she glanced over and saw a dark haired boy a little older than her pacing by a bench.Lydia frowned at him; Melanie's ex-boyfriend from Ireland!"Will!" she called, walking over.The boy looked up and grinned."Lydia!" he waved. "It's been forever!""What are you doing here?" Lydia asked."Came to visit." he said. "How's Mel?""Fine," Lydia said with a wary look.Will heaved a sigh."We're on holiday." he explained."'We'?" Lydia asked, hoping he didn't mean his girlfriend."Me and my parents." he elaborated. "We came here for Christmas.""What about your girlfriend?" she asked
Holly and Lydia were sat together in a small cafe; It was narrow with about ten tables per side, in two long lines."Ann took me to Santa's Grotto yesterday." Holly said while stirring her tea, letting go and watching the plastic spoon spin in the cup."I know," Lydia chuckled, putting ketchup on her cheesy toastie, Holly never liked the idea and just kept her toastie plain."Ann took Melanie last year, when she visited in Ireland," Lydia shrugged. "She only realised the next day Santa was her ex.""Melanie has a boyfriend?!" Holly cried.Lydia raised an eyebrow."Had." she corrected, biting into her toast and getting covered in ketchup.Holly gave her a napkin."He didn't want a long distance relationship when we moved, then he started dating a girl from our old school." Lydia sighed. "Everyone thought him and Mel would get married someday.""She loved him?" Holly asked, sipping her tea."Still does." Lydia smiled sadly."How could he pull off being Santa?" Holly asked."He's one of
"Have you ever heard of a Secret Santa?" Trisha asked.Everyone was at the Rose Cottage as usual, Trisha had brought Snakes and Ladders which they were all playing."I have," Lydia said. "Everyone gets a present, then they're given to a random person, usually in a group.""Wouldn't you recognise the writing?" Melanie asked. "When you sign it?""You don't sign it." Lydia explained.Melanie just blinked in confusion."I want to do it this year." Trisha announced."I have an idea," Holly said. "I'll make everyone jumpers, and we can just pick one wrapped up."Trisha blinked. "Jumpers?"Holly nodded. "I'll do them all the same size, and I won't sign them.""Sounds great!" Emilie beamed."Makes one for Ann too." Melanie ordered."Hm..." Holly began counting on her fingers. 'Me, Saph, Melanie and Lydia, Trisha, Emilie... and Ann.' she blinked. "Seven.""Is that okay?" Trisha asked sadly, as though expecting Holly to change her mind.Holly just smiled. "Give me a week."Trisha perked up exci