MY CHRISTMAS EVE
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6:30AM
I woke up to the enticing aroma of Mom's cooking and the blaring music from Jayden's room. My sister Julie burst into my room without knocking, asking to borrow my charger. I was still annoyed with her for the prank she pulled earlier, so I ignored her and turned to face the other side of my bed. She persisted for a bit before leaving, and then James swooped in, snatching my comic book, "Hunted Demons," and dashing out of the room. I got up to close the door, finally enjoying a moment of peace. Afterward, I headed to take a shower.
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7:00 AM
When I came downstairs, everyone was already seated at the dining table, waiting for me. We were heading to church that morning, and Mom wanted us to have breakfast first. The twins, James and Jack, were getting restless, tapping their cutlery on the table as they waited for me to take my seat. As I sat down, Jayden gave me a nasty look, which made me feel a bit scared, but I didn't show it. Instead, I stared back at him.
Fifteen minutes later, we finished our meal, and I helped Mom with the dishes. After we finished, it was time to head to church. The church is just a seven-minute drive from my house, so we arrived there quickly.
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7:22 AM
When we arrived at church, the Daniel family was already waiting for us. We all exchanged greetings, and I couldn't help but notice Derick, who was looking particularly handsome that morning. I felt a flutter in my chest, but I tried to ignore it. After a few hours, the service was over, and I realized I had spent most of the time gossiping with Jenny. Mom had even separated us at one point! After the service, we said our goodbyes to the Daniels, and I couldn't help but notice how handsome Derick looked. Then, we headed back home.
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9:00 AM
When we arrived home, we were greeted by my cousins Anissa and Leo, and their parents. Anissa is my age, but we don't get along. She loves to talk about her boyfriends - Brad, Joe, Jackson, Mark, Lucan, and Victor. I'm not sure why I remember their names, but she's told me so many times that it's stuck in my head! Her brother Leo is even worse; all he does is play pranks on me and has a crush on Jenny. Once, he wrote a love letter, but it was so poorly written that we could barely read it.
OUR CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE:
1. Dancing Competition (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM) - I'm always the winner, so I'm looking forward to this!
2. Game Time (Chess) - This is just a way to pass the time until...
3. Gift Opening (4:00 PM - 6:00 PM) - The best part of the day!
4. Outing with Friends (6:00 PM - 10:00 PM) - Mind-blowing, can't wait!
5.𝘾𝙐𝙍𝙁𝙀𝙒: 𝟙𝟘:ℙ𝕄
DANCING COMPETITION
10:00 AM
It was another family tradition - the "Dancing Competition." First, Dad and Mom came out, dancing like clowns; it was hilarious! After they finished, Julie took the stage. She's a good dancer, but I'm the best in the Drake family, and she's the second best (although she taught me how to dance, I'm still better than her!). Julie's dance was breathtaking. Jayden, on the other hand, isn't a good dancer, so he passed it on to the twins, James and Jack, who are terrible at dancing - we just watched them flail about in a funny way! Then Anissa came out; she isn't a good dancer either, but at least she tried. One thing I don't like about her is that she's a show-off. Next, Leo came out, but instead of dancing, he dragged me out onto the stage! I was feeling a bit embarrassed, but As Leo dragged me out onto the stage, I felt a surge of shyness wash over me. I couldn't dance, not after what happened in school. I had promised myself never to dance again, to avoid the fear that gripped me. You see, everybody knows I'm a good dancer, but what they don't know is that I have a phobia of public spaces, ever since I was kidnapped. I was diagnosed with Agoraphobia, and it's not just a made-up story. In school, they might think I can't dance, but the truth is, I'm actually a skilled dancer. I learned from the best - Julie Drake. She's a great dancer, but I'm even better than her. But my fear has held me back... Just then, a knock on the door broke the tension, and Jenny and Derick walked in. I was thrilled to see them, despite feeling a bit embarrassed with Derick present. They took their seats, and Derick asked, "Isn't it time for the dancing competition? Who's dancing?" I remember his exact words. Everyone pointed at me, and I felt my shyness spike. How could I dance in front of Derick? But the crowd's enthusiasm was infectious, and I started dancing. When the music ended, everyone applauded, and I had to choose the next dancer. I walked over to Derick, pulled him up, and he smiled, saying, "I like the way you dance, but I dance better." The room erupted in laughter, and Jenny suggested, "If you think you're better, why don't you have a dancing competition?" I grinned, "So, we're having a dance battle!" Derick's smile grew wider, "Dance battle, my second favorite thing... Bring it on, Silvia Drake!" Just then, Dad stood up to make an announcement, "There will be a dance battle between Derick Daniels and my beautiful and smart daughter, Silvia Drake," Dad announced, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Thanks, Dad," I said, twisting my wrist in excitement. "Come on, Daddy's girl!" And with that, we began dancing. But just as we got into the groove, Dad dropped a bombshell: "You know, both of you can't dance tango!" Derick, unfazed, challenged Dad, and I was taken aback. I wasn't exactly skilled in tango, and Dad knew it - I had quit my tango classes after just a month! But Derick, confident and determined, removed his jacket, ready to take on the challenge...
As he placed his hand on my waist, I felt overjoyed, wishing this moment would last forever. Then, my dad started the music, and I was beaming with happiness. Everyone around us was making sweet comments, like: 'They look perfect together,' 'They make a great team,' and even 'They would make a lovely couple.' But then, Anissa made a comment that ignited my anger: 'She doesn't look good with him, I look much better with him.' I was fuming! As I turned to glare at Anissa, I saw her winking at Derick, and to my dismay, he smiled back at her. I felt like lashing out at her, but Jenny intervened, snapping pictures of us dancing together, capturing the joy and tension of that moment."
"When we finished dancing, I returned to my seat, feeling happy and wishing it could be just me and Derick. But then, Derick walked over to Jenny and pulled her into a dance, despite knowing she's not a great dancer. To my surprise, he started cheering her on, and I joined in, chanting 'Jenny, Jenny, Jenny!' along with the others. Encouraged, Jenny started dancing, busting out a hilarious 'chicken squeak' move. Just then, the doorbell rang, and I got up to answer it, revealing my friends from school, the SQUADJAX crew! I had invited them over, and they arrived with a thoughtful gift for me. As they entered, Jenny let out a little squeak, then stopped, looking shy again, and...
As I opened the door, I was thrilled to see my friends from school, the SQUADJAX crew, standing there with big smiles. We're a tight-knit group, and each of us brings our own unique energy to the squad. There's S - Silvia Drake (that's me!), Q - Quinton Eugene, U - Uriel Amelidian, A - Adelaide Jones, D - Derick Daniels, J - Jenny Daniels, A - Adams Seymour, and X - Xander Tobias. We're a team, and together, we're unstoppable!"
"I noticed the tension between Adam and Jenny, their eyes locked in a silent gaze. I cleared my throat to break the spell, and Jenny quickly returned to her seat. I then pulled Adam aside, knowing he loves telling jokes and dreams of becoming a comedian. He launched into a few humorous tales, and we all erupted into laughter - except for Jenny. She remained lost in thought, her eyes still fixed on Adam, a gentle smile on her face."