"Shrek and Persia are coming for Christmas!" My mother announces.
"Really!?" I sit up on the edge of the couch.
My father, who had only just gotten home from a twelve hour shift, nods.
"And I got Christmas morning off!" He announces, "I just have to leave after dinner tomorrow for the night shift."
"Yay!" The twins squeal, running to hug him.
"Awesome," I nod.
My mother laughs for a moment before she speaks, "Shrek and Persias plane lands in two hours so I'll go pick them up while your father starts on dinner."
"I can help," I offer, "cooking I mean."
"Sounds good kid," my father nods toward the kitchen, "let's begin."
"Kelly, Becca, I want you to go make sure the bathrooms and guest rooms are tidy," my mother instructs before she leaves.
"Ok!" I hear them begin scrambling off towards the first guest bedroom in the hallway by their room.
"So whats first?" I ask.
"We're having barbecue chicken and corn on the cob," my father informs me.
"How about baked potatoes too?" I ask.
My father laughs, "you have a problem," I roll my eyes and he pauses, "but yes."
"Sweet," I nod.

"Merry almost Christmas!" Persia calls as she walks into the house.
"Persia!" I exclaim.
"Hey sis!" She laughs, walking into the kitchen.
I drop the ear of corn I was preparing on the cutting board and run to Persia for a hug.
"How are you?" I ask.
"Good, good," Persia nods, "and you?"
"Good!" I nod.
"I still haven't met that neighbor boy," Shrek raises an eyebrow at me as he enters the kitchen.
"We're still not together and don't plan to be so you really don't need to," I shake my head and go over to hug him.
"I'll help in here dad," Shrek offers, "Lana and Persia can go get all the bags from the car," he laughs.
I roll my eyes, "ok."
Persia and I giggle as we walk to the car for their bags.

After grabbing their bags from the car, I head to my room to wait for dinner. I pull out my phone and begin messaging my group chat.

Me: heyyyy
Katy: Hey!!
Me: how're you?
Katy: good
Katy: hru?
Me: excited that Shrek and Persia are here!! Though I wish I were home for Christmas
Katy: me too
Ella: yeah

My phone buzzes, it's a message from Aubrey.

Aubrey: Hey, I was just wondering, what lunch do you have?
Me: I have first lunch, what about you?
Aubrey: I have first lunch too
Me: neat!
Aubrey: yeah

Me: Hey, I was wondering if it'd be ok to invite my friend Aubrey to sit with us at lunch
Clyde: the more the merrier- just keep her away from Rider
Rider: ha ha ha
Ashley: sounds good!
Parker: agreed

Me: do you wanna sit with me and my friends at lunch when we get back to school?
Aubrey: sure! I usually sit with one of my other friends but she's too busy with her new boyfriend now
Me: oof

"Are you excited for Christmas tomorrow?" Persia looks to the twins, who nod vigorously.
We sit around the dinner table eating our meal and making small talk.
Persia mentioned her boyfriend again, the same boy, and my father gritted his teeth. When dinner was done and Persia and I were talking while cleaning the table, it looked as if he would crush the cup he was washing in the sink.
"I'm ninety nine percent sure that if you don't wash that more gently you'll break it," I glance to my father as I dunk the mop into the soapy water.
Persia had just retired to her room and left me to finish the mopping.
"Yes," my father stumbles with his words, "right."
I laugh, rolling my eyes, "that boy would be dead if we were back home."
My father shakes his head, gritting his teeth, "there wouldn't be a boy if we were back home."
My mind flashes to times my father interrogated Zack and Jake when they came over, asking if they were seeing anyone, if they liked me, if they were lying to him about not liking me. It happened the first few times they came over, but once he was able to meet their parents he calmed down some. I was never allowed to be alone with either boy, nor any other boy for that matter. Though for some reason, now, he trusted Clyde. He didn't grit his teeth at every mention of Clyde- he only did that when the twins teased about the two of us.
"I'll leave you to your cleaning," he sets the glass on the counter to dry and leaves the room.

"Dude, my dad is like hard-core mad about Persia having a boyfriend-" I break off.
"I've met her boyfriend at school, he's not too bad," Ash shrugs.
"Thats good," I sigh, "ok, I gotta go to bed."
"Goodnight!" Ash waves.
"Goodnight!" I wave back.
I hit the end call button and check my messages. The message of the call time pops up on my phone, documenting the half hour spent talking to Ash.
I get myself ready and eventually lay down in my bed, ready to sleep away the night until Christmas morning.

"Lana!" Kelly shouts from where she sits on top of me in my bed, "Santa came!"