AGNES

"It's awfully cold outside," aunty Cherry states, looking out the window to see a storm blowing in the dusk.

"Oh yes," I add, rubbing my palms against each other. "I pray my friends will be able to make it tonight."

"Don't worry, the night is still young."

We stand together, watching the snow shower on everything facing towards the sky, wrapping our bodies for warmth until we hear a knock on the door.

"That should be them." I hurry to the door and open it.

Yvonne and Tessa stand outside, shuddering to the bone. They put on the matching cardigans, scarves and mittens Tessa bought for us girls. I had actually forgotten to wear mine.

"The weather is extremely cold tonight! It's like a global freezing," Tessa says and enters first.

Yvonne follows. "I agree. This extra sweater I'm wearing isn't even enough protection."

I hug them. "I'm glad you guys made it."

"Did you install an air condition here?"

"We don't have an air condition, remember?"

"How come it's still chilly in here? Did we come in with the raining snow?"

"Don't worry, I'll get hot chocolate for you all." Aunty Cherry goes to the kitchen.

"We could really use that," Tessa says.

Another knock on the door and I quickly see to it. Ronald stands back with a crooked smile and arms around himself despite the denim overall he wears on a hood jacket.

"Hello everyone," he greets.

"You made it!" By chance, I take one quick look over his shoulder to see if there is anybody else behind. "Please, come in."

"Thank you. I would have been here earlier but the weather got my mom, so I stayed back a bit longer to look after her."

"I hope she's okay now."

"Yeah. I left as soon as my dad came home."

Aunty Cherry steps out of the kitchen holding a tray with six cups of hot chocolate.

"Exactly what I needed!"

Ronald, Tessa and Yvonne sit on a chair first to have their cup of chocolate while I still stand by the door worriedly waiting for Felix – and Xian, Felix and Xian I mean.

Finally, another knock. I open fast and see Felix holding Xian in his arms. My attention shifts to Xian's condition as he's quavering much worse than anyone. "What happened to him?"

"Well, the obvious. Got any hot beverage?"

I will forgive Felix for his uncalled sarcasm since this is supposed to be a happy occasion. "Aunty Cherry prepared hot chocolate."

"Oh! Great!" He helps Xian inside to find a seat on the sofa. The rest of us gawp with awkward looks while he sets him comfortably.

Tessa ticks her teeth. "Xian's in a real bad state. I hope it doesn't make him fall sick later."

"He's very sensitive to this freezing weather."

"I should start the fire." Aunty Cherry sprints to the fireplace on the opposite side of the sitting room.

"This storm on Christmas Eve sleepover wasn't ours for the asking," Ronald sighs.

Meanwhile, I still have my gaze on Felix, seeing him warm Xian up so compassionately – a part of him I never thought I'd see. He rubs his arms over Xian's thick sweater as he squeezes him in a side hug to provide more warmth.

"You're a good friend," I say out of the blue. He looks up and cocks his head slightly, astonished by my compliment.

"Thanks...?"

"Not everybody can go out of their way to care for a friend like this."

Saying that was probably a big mistake. I divert my gaze from Felix to the others and I see them turning at themselves coyly. The awkwardness escalates through the roof.

"All set!" Aunty Cherry calls our attention after lighting the fireplace. "You should come closer and bring Xian here so he can warm up."

One by one, they get up then relocate near the fireplace, but I stay behind with my head full of questions. Why did I have to compliment Felix like that? Am I suddenly concerned now?

What's wrong with you, Agnes Carter? Can you just overlook this absurdity and focus more on what's substantial? Have fun with your friends tonight, and for once, get your mind off Felix! I shake my head and join them at the fireplace.

Fascinating how I want to cover my enamoured expression with a grim when I see that the only available space to sit is beside Felix. Yeah... I get the cue that was an intentional move.

"We can sing Christmas melodies to lighten the mood," Ronald suggests.

Everybody throws at him the tartest look, most especially Tessa. "That is just childish, Ronald – tacky even. We're not little kids anymore."

Then as the room grows still, enthralled by the fire flickering in the hearth, we pass some time before we appreciate the inapt but well-meant need for a touch of whimsy in the atmosphere.

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me..." Felix starts a song and waits for others to sing along.

"A partridge in a pear tree," Yvonne joins.

"On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me..."

Ronald sings, "two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree."

Felix jumps up eagerly and picks up speed. "On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me..."

Tessa sings with a nervous laugh, "three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree." We all laugh at her. "What? I can't be the killjoy in the room," she sniggers.

Until the eighth day of Christmas, I keep silent, enjoying the sight of friends singing and having fun.

"So on the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me..." Felix faces me and the others stay quiet.

"God no...!" I shake my head, sensing myself on the spot, chills literally running down my spine. Under pressure from the stare the others give, I sing shyly, "nine ladies dancing, eight maids a' milking, seven swans a' swimming, six geese a' laying..."

"Five golden rings!" Everyone together echoes at once, "four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and... a partridge... in a pear... tree..."

FELIX

We sing to our heart's content till aunty Cherry sets the table. "Dinner is ready!"

We finish the indoor carol song by the fireplace and move over to the table for dinner. The dim kitchen light creates a picture perfect aesthetic for a perfect Christmas dinner, and like a match made in heaven, we sit two on each side except for aunty Cherry who sits alone across my end. Xian and Yvonne sit at my left while Ronald and Tessa sit at my right, facing each other.

On the table before us are numerous delicacies from seafood to meat, even continental dishes, like peppered pasta salad, with desserts on the side. We begin stuffing our faces after blessing the food.

"We sure bought a whole lot of seafoods," Xian says, his health much better than before.

"Apparently! Everybody loves seafood! I mean, who doesn't?" Yvonne responds.

"I guess you must have been a mermaid in your former life."

"Or a whale, perhaps," Tessa comments.

We burst into noisy laughter.

"The point is, I'm very careful when it comes to selecting the best groceries."

"So careful that you forgot to buy custard, huh, Yvonne," Agnes sneers at Yvonne. "After I went out and bought custard that day, I came home to find two buckets of custard in the store. And don't forget I had to walk miles for it."

"Who knows, perhaps it happened for a reason unknown to you," Ronald says. In that second, I observe Tessa's change of expression then an abrupt movement under their side of the table. "Ouch!!!" He yelps.

"The food is nice, isn't it?"

"Very nice," he replies with a grimace.

"Good boy."

Whatever Tessa did, I'm really happy she did it. That should keep him in check before he spoils the surprise.

"Oh my! You guys must be so hungry, and here I was assuming the food might all go to waste," aunty Cherry says.

"Why?" Yvonne asks.

"The groceries you bought from the market are almost exhausted."

Yvonne glimpses at Xian with the corners of her eye.

"Don't stare at me like that!" Xian reacts. "How were we supposed to carry more than what we carried the other day?"

"We could go shopping for the New Year," I tell him.

"Told you!" Xian returns the side look.

"Anyways, I bought enough to take us through the holiday," Tessa speaks proudly.

"Yes, why not?" Ronald pouts, "after you made me carry tons of clothes around the mall."

"It was for your good so those muscles of yours can become tougher."

"Isn't this tough enough for you, huh?" He rolls up his sleeves to show off his triceps – which in all fairness are quite tough.

Yvonne and Tessa shake their heads in sync.

"Oh, come on! Even you, Agnes!" He squeals. I turn to my side to see Agnes also disapproving.

"Really," she giggles, "no offense but I bet Felix is muscular than you."

My jaw falls. Luckily, food isn't in my mouth to make me look like a total moron.

"Oh, he's blushing!" Yvonne teases me. Clearly, these girls are fully ready to embarrass the hell out of me from the looks on their faces.

"Why don't you show us some muscles, Felix?" Tessa adds.

I wobble my head, begging them to stop. With Agnes at my side, my cheeks definitely turn red from discomfiture.

"Come on, don't be afraid." Xian says, still bent on embarrassing me.

I dare to look at Agnes and for creep's sake, her gaze fall fixated on me. She can clearly see that I am not as toned as Ronald, yet she played this card. I try to straighten my face, but my cheeks give into the blush. "I won't do it." With finality and my eyes lowered, I continue eating.

"What a party pooper!" Tessa comments.

They keep teasing me with their laugh, but one thought inspires me to stay stable and not wish for the ground to crack open and swallow me.

*

Later into the night, after feasting, after playing board and card games, after making silly jokes, aunty Cherry brings popcorn to the living room and turns the TV on, so we can see a Christmas animated movie.

"Whoa! I know this movie!" I exclaim.

"Wow! I didn't know that," Agnes replies.

"My sister and I have always wanted to see this movie one day in a drive-in."

"Well, you can't miss this opportunity," Yvonne chips in.

The lights go out as the movie begins playing. I draw nearer to Agnes for some unknown crazy reason, expecting her to snap or something but she plays cool and in fact snuggles in cosily. The midnight rain hitting the glass windows hinders us from hearing the animation but the warmth from Agnes amazingly puts me more at ease.

And the rest is history... actually, we just watch the film till we all fall asleep.

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