Flickers

Chapter 11

On the upcoming Christmas
On the day that I am anticipating
I will be with you

- Merry Christmas in advance, IU feat. Thunder

It's the time where every kid anticipates, where adults got their wallets empty, it's Christmas.

Christmas is big here in the Philippines, you can hear the children singing carolings in the street, mothers hanging Christmas lights inside and outside their house, and fathers taking out those parols and Christmas ornaments for their Christmas tree.

(AN: Parol is a Filipino ornamental lantern displayed during the Christmas season. Parols are traditionally constructed using bamboo and Japanese paper and are illuminated with candles, oil lamps, or carbide lamps)

Groceries are packed full of people, they are quite ready for the Christmas shopping spree that will happen a week or two before Christmas. Toys, clothes, and foods would be in demand as the sales would continue to rise with its affordable prices.

Every night, a nine-day mass would happen in the church, even if the sun was still asleep the people will wake up naturally at 4 in the morning just to attend the mass.

"Ange! Have you prepared the llanera pan?" My mother shouted across the kitchen while I assemble the llaneras in my hand and swerve towards the kitchen.

"Here ma, I already chop the vegetables for pancit and spaghetti, the pasta is already set" I informed her and step down to take the talyasi (wok) down our stove to saute and to make the sauce for the sweet spaghetti.

(AN: Pancit are noodles and the dishes made from them, typically using rice noodles)

Even though we're not Roman Catholics but INC, we still make a tradition of having a feast on Christmas Eve. Though we didn't get to feel the Christmas spirit, it's an advantage since we wouldn't give any aguinaldo to our godchildren.

(AN: Iglesia ni Cristo is Unitarian in theology, holding that Jesus Christ is God’s chosen son but is not himself God)

After sauteing the vegetables and making the sauce, I finished my two dishes and returned to my room. Taking the plug out of my phone's charger, I saw the flood of messages that my friends and some of our teachers sent in our classroom group chat.

I clicked on Eric's message first but before that, I look left and right in vigilance to see if there's someone behind me. I have this paranoid feeling that someone reading my messages whenever I have my back turned.

Eric: Merry Christmas Ange, but I think my Christmas would be merry if you said yes to me (winky face)

I burst out in laughter after seeing his message and tried to think of a smart retort.

Ange: It would definitely be merry if I said yes indeed... but I think it'll be better if I say yes 11 months later so... keep it up! Hwaiting!

Eric: I'll wait even if it takes forever

Ange: You mean like never?

I teased him and he flooded emoticons of a puppy crying and a chick with his tears flowing like a river and so on making me laugh out loud.

We talked about our days, he told me that his head would turn white after giving all the aguinaldos to his godchildren at the end of the day. He was also taking the risk to run away and take refuge in his friend's house but he was captured by his parents. I on the other hand poked fun at his misery making him flood another batch of crying expressions and even taking a picture of him with his lips in a pout and eyes wide like he was begging for a treat.

My heart pound after seeing his picture, it's been a long time since I have laid my eyes on him. I never thought I'll miss seeing someone this much and to think that it was a boy, I truly am becoming one of those foolishly in love fictional characters I read on Wattpad.

Eric: Merry Christmas, don't miss me too much okay or I'll fly there to you

Ange: Okay enough of your theatrics superman, you still have people to save

Eric: You're right Lois but you do have to worry, I'll always come into your side first

Chuckling loudly at our silly mini act, I waved goodbye at him and turned to respond to my friend's greetings. They were teasing me about how it was sad that I couldn't get aguinaldo from my uncles and aunties while I teased them about giving out aguinaldos to their godchildren.

I pushed my phone down my pillow and returns to the kitchen, mom has already finished steaming the Leche plan and is just letting it cool itself. She's now working on buko pandan while I go and take some spring roll wrapper to make some lumpia so we can fry it in the evening to make it taste fresh and out of the kitchen.

(AN: Buko Salad is a Filipino fruit salad dessert made from strips of fresh young coconut with sweetened milk or cream and various other ingredients)

In the evening, the seven of us, with my elder brother who finally makes it home after a busy working schedule at the fast-food restaurant he's working, has arrived.

We are together and prayed for a blessed year along with the wish of attaining happiness and health towards the upcoming year.

***
Chapter 11 is up!

Woo! Too many AN! Another additional info is that we used to decorate our homes with Christmas ornaments as early as September and it lasts until January.

Have a great day everyone! Stay safe and healthy!

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