"Get anything cool?"
"I got to watch my cat unwrap my new laptop 😑😂"
"Yikes"

"So you're leaving on tomorrow?" I ask.
Persia nods, "we are."
I sigh, "can you take me with you this time?"
"Sorry," Persia shakes her head, "still no."
"Dude, you should've gotten a job back home, then mom and dad would've been more likely to let you stay," Shrek says.
I roll my eyes, "that only worked for you because your mom lives around there."
Shrek sighs and nods, "yeah, that's true. Otherwise Persia would've come with you guys," he laughs, glancing at Persia.
Persia rolls her eyes, "no thanks."
I sigh, "Same here."

After a while, I head back to my room and pull out my notebook and begin writing as Scales jumps onto my bed, spinning in a circle and kneading the blanket before laying down.

12-31-2020
Hey Ash!! I haven't written in here in a couple days, I've been busy with my siblings here. Tonight we're going over to Clyde's house for a New years party, it should be fun. I just hope Shrek doesn't demolish Clyde- the twins keep making jokes about Clyde and I being together, even though we're not and never plan to be- so Shrek wants to meet him. Shrek is a little older than me so him and Persia are seniors, as you know. Maybe Shrek and Persia can talk to Clarrisa and become friends with her. Though, they'd likely be more of acquaintances since Shrek and Persia font come to visit much and I doubt the Travis' are traveling to Wisconsin anytime soon.
I'm liking my new laptop. I put some stickers onto it, it's pretty cool.
Anyways, happy new years. I love you!
~Lana

At about 8 we head over to the Travis' for the new years party. Its just us, them, and Clydes grandparents.
Thankfully, Shrek doesn't interrogate Clyde, he just stares and listens for the first several minutes as Madison introduces the family.
"And these are Evans parents," Madison gestures to the two elders beside her husband, "Gloria and Thomas."
After the introductions, Clyde leads the way to the kitchen to show me the various appetizers laid out on the counter on gorgeous white serving plates with golden leaves around the edges.
"These plates have got to be expensive," I breathe, lightly tracing the edge of one with my fingers.
"Yeah, and they're not microwavable either," Clyde laughs.
"Understandable," I laugh.
I watch as Clyde grabs a round pastry off a plate.
"What are those?" I ask, pointing to the plate he had taken a pastry from.
"Raspberry tarts," Clyde says, wiping crumbs from his lips after eating the one he had taken.
I take one from the plate and take a small bite, which, since they're so small, is almost half the pastry.
"Mmmm," I moan and lick my lips, glancing over as Clyde laughs.
"Oh hush," I punch his arm and shove the remaining bite of pastry in my mouth.
"Come on, I wanna show you my new switch," Clyde nods toward where his room is.
I nod, grabbing another tart before I follow him out of the room.

"Its eleven forty, maybe we should head out there, I could use another tart," I giggle.
"Sounds good," Clyde laughs.
He saves the game and turns it off, placing the switch back on its charger and leads the way back to the kitchen.
We walk into the kitchen and see Shrek and Clarrisa laughing together next to the punch bowl.
"What's up?" Clyde asks.
"Shrek was just telling me about when you guys first got Daisy," Clarrisa laughs, looking between me and my brother.
"And how she puked in our dads lap on the way home?" I smile at the thought, holding back a giggle.
Clarrisa nods, laughing and then shakes her head, "so you guys have had her for like ten years, huh?"
Shrek nods, "more like eleven or twelve, actually."
My heart pangs at the thought of what inevitably will come in the next few years.
"Wow," Clarrisa widens her eyes for a moment, "hey, do you wanna see some pictures of the puppy Clyde and I had when we were little?"
I glance to Clyde, "you had a puppy?"
"He was already eight years old when we got him, she's exaggerating," Clyde rolls his eyes.
"Yeah, lead the way," Shrek nods.
I watch the two of them leave the room and I head towards the plate of tarts, stopping for a peice of very rich chocolate fudge on the way.

"Come on everyone, it's almost time for the count down!" Madison calls.
Me and Clyde scramble out of the kitchen and into the living room where the count down is at twelve seconds left.
The twins and Chloe come in right after us and we all begin counting loudly.
"Ten! Nine! Eight!" We count down the numbers in time with the clock, "Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy new years!"
I look around the room as the adults kiss their spouses and us kids give hugs to one another.
Someday I'll have someone to kiss at midnight.