Karera | [ Stacey x OC (F) ]

C26 - Christmas Eve

Third Person's POV

The morning air was crisp and refreshing as Louise drove, her fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel while Aiah sat beside her, gazing out the window. They were headed to the airport to pick up Louise's cousin, Cyan, who had flown in from New Zealand.

Louise had convinced Aiah to join her with a playful grin and some teasing, which Aiah couldn't resist—despite knowing Louise's intentions all too well. Stacey had encouraged Aiah to go along with it, adding fuel to her girlfriend's mischievous plan.

As they neared the airport, Louise received a message from Cyan saying she was with a friend from New Zealand. Curious, Louise felt the excitement build up, it wasn't often she saw Cyan, and now there was a surprise friend in the mix.

They pulled up near the arrival area, and Louise immediately spotted Cyan, who was standing with a tall woman sporting a casual yet confident air. Louise parked the car in front of them and got out, with Aiah trailing close behind.

"Yo, Cyan!" Louise called, waving with a wide grin.

Cyan turned, her expression lighting up when she saw Louise. She immediately hugged her cousin. "Louise!" she said warmly before noticing Aiah. "Wait, is that…"

"Aiah Arceta, yes." Louise grinned, giving Aiah a sideways glance to watch her squirm a little. Aiah had an awkward smile, looking slightly out of place. "I insisted she come." Louise added, throwing a playful wink Aiah's way.

Cyan raised an eyebrow and then chuckled. "The same Arceta who raced with us in Paris?" she asked, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Yup, that's me." Aiah admitted with a sheepish laugh. "It's nice to see you again."

Cyan laughed warmly, clearly finding the situation entertaining. "It's good to see you too! I didn't expect to run into you here." she said, smiling, before gesturing to the woman beside her. "By the way, this is Maximo. She's a friend of mine from New Zealand, and she have a filipino blood since her mom is a filipina. It's her first time also here."

Maximo gave a small, confident nod, extending her hand to Louise and Aiah. "Hello, nice to meet you both. Cyan has told me a lot about her famous cousin and her adventures, and I finaly met you." she said with a slight accent.

"Nice to meet you, Maximo." Aiah said, shaking her hand.

"Welcome to the Philippines." Louise added as she and Aiah helped load Cyan and Maximo's luggage into the car.

As they made their way to Louise's condo, the conversation flowed easily, with Cyan catching up with her cousin and teasing Aiah about her presence. They stopped for a meal at a nearby restaurant to chat more comfortably.

8:01 am - Restaurant

Over the clinking of silverware and the aroma of freshly cooked food, the topic inevitably shifted to Christmas Eve. They were all eagerly discussing plans for the evening, eager to make the most of their reunion and the approaching holiday.

Cyan, always one to spice things up, suggested, "Why don't we do an overnight swimming trip at a private resort? I know it's last minute, but it would be great to have a place to ourselves and just relax."

Louise considered it, nodding thoughtfully. "That's a good idea." she agreed. Turning towards Aiah with a teasing grin, she added, "Maybe Arceta's resort might be available?"