12 Days of Writing

Asher Has Eggnog for the First Time

This one-shot comes from a book I'm writing, so you won't know the characters as well. Asher has amnesia, so this is a cute story about him trying eggnog "for the first time".

Asher pulled off his shoes and flopped onto his bed, the comforters wrapping him up in a snuggly cocoon. He sighed, the patched up wound on his side aching a little. It was strange, really, how everyone told him he felt pain differently. There had been a hole in his side, and yet he walked it off like it was nothing. To him, it wasn't anything to worry about, but to his friends . . . well, it was a bit disconcerting.

Asher rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. Apparently, Christmas was coming soon, and everyone was really excited. It didn't make any sense to Asher, but seeing Fenni's bright smile made him smile too. It was becoming rarer and rarer to see such a happy smile on his spanish friend.

But . . . what was Christmas? When he had asked the question, everyone had looked at him like he was an alien. 'What is Christmas'?! Are you serious?!

Yes, he really had no idea. But instead of saying that out loud, he had instead brushed it off and told them No, I was just kidding! Ha ha! He hoped that they didn't ask questions. Asher wasn't one to joke around, mostly because he didn't understand jokes very well.

Luckily, they, thinking he ever the weirdo, scoffed and went back to what they were discussing. Asher had kept smiling and pretending to know what they were on about, but now he frowned.

Just what is Christmas, and why is it so important to everyone?

Asher sighed once more and touched his side. The others told him not to move too much, nor aggravate the wound, but he really didn't feel much pain there. It was mostly just irritating. Kind of like why he didn't remember anything . . .

There was a sudden knock on his door, and he sprung up, that irritating feeling returning to his side. He ignored it and went to open the door. Someone is here? But who?

He excitedly opened the door to see Rika and Fenni, both in pajamas and holding mugs of something steamy. Rika held two, and with one movement, brought the second mug up to Asher. He took it wordlessly, but with a cocked head. "What is this?" he asked.

Fenni smiled. "Eggnog!" he held up his mug proudly. "Joshua, Rika, and I whipped some up in the cafeteria. I sprinkled some salted caramel on yours; you looked like a caramel type of guy."

Asher looked down at the delicious looking . . . what had Fenni called it? Egg along? Egg noggin? Something like that.

"Well, go on," Fenni said, bringing his own beverage to his lips. "Have some! We made it for you."

Rika took a swig of her own mug, eyeing Asher carefully. She was probably trying to gauge his response to the drink, her sharp eyes concealing genuine curiosity.

Asher brought the drink to his lips slowly, the warmth of it seeping into his fingers. It didn't smell too bad, and the added caramel would make anything taste better. And besides, anything that Fenni liked Asher would surely enjoy as well. Sipping some, Asher's eyes widened.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Fenni, what is this?"

"Like I said, eggnog!" Fenni chuckled. Rika smiled, too, almost laughing at Asher's reaction. Asher blushed.

"Well, you don't have to stand out here," he waved them in. "C'mon. You can sit down and we can drink and talk and . . . stuff."

Fenni and Rika entered his room, Rika plopping down on a chair by the wall and Fenni sitting cross-legged on the floor. Asher resumed his spot on the bed and all three talked with each other about things that were happening, things that they were worried about, and also about Christmas (well, the boys talked. Rika just watched them, throwing out expressions here and there, signalling her attention and small insights).

They must have talked for hours, the eggnog going cold before Asher had even finished half of it. They laughed and told jokes, explained some fears, and started to nod off, one by one.

Asher was the first to fall asleep, his mug falling to the floor (good for him, and the maid, that the eggnog was drained beforehand). He curled up on the bed, the comfort of his soft quilts and blankets wrapping around him and warming him. With a warm feeling inside both physically and emotionally, he easily fell into a wonderful dream.

*/\*

The next day, the three realized that Joshua had spiked their drinks, hence why they had massive headaches in the morning.