Learning to Love Christmas

Chapter 2

II: Challenge Accepted

November 30, 2013

Friday has always been my favorite day of the week. It's the last day of school and all the students were free to do whatever they wish until Monday. It's also the day when the café isn't full of frappuccino fuelled teenagers who want to do their homework in a "quiet" place. Their plans usually backfire since most high school students have the same idea.

On Fridays, teens go out to have pizza or go home to get ready for a party so the café is filled with bookworms and business people trying to relax after a long week. Not only are they easier to handle but they're also quieter and they keep to themselves.

Since the day brings a steady, manageable flow of customers, Mrs. Davis allows us to have after school activities. I have book club while Gavin has basketball practice. Carol on the other hand doesn't have any extra-curricular activities. She refuses to do any other school-related thing aside from school itself.

"Hey Elle!" I heard someone shout behind me. I looked back and saw Gavin jogging up to catch me. I stopped in my tracks and waited for him. He got here pretty fast and we soon fell in step together. Gingersnaps was only a block from where we were.

"How was practice?" I asked him.

He kicked a pebble, looked at me and smiled proudly. "We are so ready to beat the polar bears. What did you book nerds do?"

I slapped his arm playfully. "We discussed The Fault in out Stars."

"What's the new book you have to read?" I know Gavin was just asking to be polite. He's always claiming he'd rather wait for the movie than read the book.

I just keep my answers short so he wouldn't get bored whenever he asks me about book club. "We decided to read The Christmas Shoes. I already read it last week so I don't have to read it again."

"Cool." Gavin smiled.

By now we were on the street of the café, Everglade Street. It was my absolute favorite. It was the most festive street in town during this season. All the two to three storey buildings were covered in a layer of snow. Wreaths were on the doors and Christmas lights were strung on the windows and some even made the effort to decorate their canopies with garlands. The iron street lamps' posts had long red ribbons tied around them and simple green wreaths were on each one.

You would find almost everything you need on this street. There was a clothes boutique, a mini mart, craft store, hardware store and twenty-four hour pharmacy. You could also find a restaurant, bakery and of course, Gingersnaps.

Gavin opened the café door for me. I thanked him and walked in. I found Jo tending to a customer at the cash register while Carol was once again trying to teach Oliver how to manage the bookshelves. She showed him how to do everything yesterday but from what I've seen Oliver hasn't gotten the hang of things. Either that or he's purposely trying to provoke her.

"I am done!" Carol exclaimed in frustration when Oliver put To Kill a Mocking Bird in the A section. "Ugh. You are so aggravating!"

Some of the customers were starting to stare while some, like the teen bookworms, were too engrossed in their pocket books to notice.

She picked up the rag we used to clean the tables with from a nearby table and stomped off. But Oliver couldn't let it go.

"You know," Oliver called, making Carol stop in her tracks. "Most psychologists agree that hostility is really just sublimated sexual attraction."

That sounded oddly familiar.

He was smirking at her smugly. Carol scowled harder, most likely ready to punch him. "You arrogant son of a – "