Hacker Academy

Secret Santa

I stand outside the doors of Hacker Academy, looking up at the sky.

It's amazing how they can make fake snow in HackCity.

I stretch out my hands. The tiny flakes melt quickly away as soon as they touch me. I sigh. This year, I'll probably be spending Christmas alone.

Mom and sister always tried to keep a festive mood during the winter holidays. Mom would work extra hard to get more food on the table. Sister would write letters as presents to us. I would hack, hack, hack. A few years later, we just stopped celebrating. We couldn't afford it.

This year will be different. I'll send money to mom and sister. Even though I won't be there with them, it'll be better if they have more money to spend a better Christmas without me.

"Ada!"

The cheery voice sounds like my sister. I turn around and see a tiny figure running towards me. I smile.

"Hey Unix."
"Ada," she pants. "I've been trying to find you! Haven't you heard? There's a Secret Santa going on in the school!"

I nod. "I read on the school news."

"Did you join?" Unix asks eagerly.

"No. Did you?"

"I haven't. I wanted to join at the same time as you. That's why I've been trying to find you!"

"Unix." 

How do I tell her I have no time to join some game when I could be hacking? 

"I don't really want to."

Unix's happy face drops. Her eyes shift from me to the ground. 

"Please, Ada. I've only celebrated Christmas with Domain, and all he does is drink beer. This will be the first time celebrating with everyone, with you."

Unix's eyes are watery, and her hands are clasped together, begging me. She really does remind me of my sister. I sigh.

"You're guilt tripping me, aren't you?"

For a moment she says nothing, her face still serious. Then she cracks a smile before letting out a full blown laughter.

"You caught me, Ada. So? Pleassssse?"

I sigh. "Okay."

"Thank you, Ada! Here, I'll get you started." 

I give Unix my phone. 

"There, I've registered the both of us to the school's Secret Santa. This will be so fun!" 

She hands my phone back. "Do you see a name?"

Little green pixels float around my screen and form a name at the center. I frown. "Yeah."