Darla's Christmas Carol

chapter 1

It was the merry month of December and all were in anticipation of the holidays. Everything was decorated and all was cheery and happy for the season to be jolly. However, there was one unhappy child. Darla was wearing a red Santa hat with a pink bow sewn into it, wearing a pink winter coat with a white and lighter pink striped scarf, she was wearing a green skirt with red and white dots, and black boots. She had to stay after school today since it was the last day before Winter Break and she was looking rather grinchy than happy like her classmates.

"Darla, are you sure you don't want to go home? I could call your parents and tell them to pick you up." Her teacher assured.

"Whatever..." Darla grumbled as she came into the classroom.

Darla's teacher could tell something was wrong, but she decided not to call Darla's adoptive family if she didn't want them to come. She then took out tissue paper of red, white, and green colors and put them in a corner for now. The other kids were putting up their glittering white paper snowflakes they made earlier that week in Arts and Crafts.

"I hope Aunt Anita and Uncle Roger can make it," Amber, was of course, the happiest of all the kids due to being nearly constantly cheerful. "It'll be just so much fun to sing carols with Uncle Roger on the piano."

That sounds great, Amber, I can't wait to spend Christmas with my grandparents with Mom and Dad baking cookies." A girl student smiled.

Patrick's car was seen driving up to the school, obviously to pick up Darla. Darla groaned slightly, she recognized Patrick's car and walked over to it and hopped in the backseat. The others called to her, hoping to see her tonight at the pageant, but Darla gave forced smiles and waves, though they did not seem sincere.

"So, how was school today?" Patrick smiled.

"It was fine..." Darla said as she helped herself to the seat-belt.

"You sure? You don't seem like yourself." Patrick said out of concern.

"I'm fine..." Darla sighed as she stared out the window.

Patrick then drove the car to home. "Are you excited about tonight?"

"Sure... Excited..." Darla folded her arms.

Patrick could tell there was something wrong, but he tried not to pry at it and make Darla feel worse than she already was. Darla sighed as she stared out the window and saw happy children doing their favorite winter activities: Building snowmen, making snow angels, baking cookies, and decorating the tree.

"So, um, can you guess what we'll be doing as soon as we get home?" Patrick asked, trying to break the ice between them.

"What's that?" Darla slightly mumbled.

"We'll be baking Christmas cookies and decorating the tree and also maybe build a snowman." Patrick told her.

"Fantastic..." Darla sounded uninterested again, even more than when Amber of all people would invite her to do such activities.

Patrick was still worried. "Hope you still got your lovely singing voice for tonight..." he chuckled anxiously. "I bet you're happy for your friend Anne-Marie too, this'll be her first Christmas with a real family."

"Hmm..." Darla turned her face.

The rest of the ride home wasn't any much better.

Meanwhile, Cherry was even in a Santa hat and she carried a bowl with paper in it, she was in the church that was once abandoned from her ancestors, but currently a home to Forte.

"Merry almost Christmas, Cerise." Forte said.

"Mm-hmm..." Cherry said, shuffling the bowl a little.