First Term Love Story

Chapter 43: Wish

Me: where are you?

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Me: did you go to the party yesterday?

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Me: Eugene?

Me: are you okay?

*****

All of us were settled around the dining table for breakfast. Today, mom had made us scrambled eggs with cheese and ham in it along with a few sausages. We ate our breakfast peacefully today unlike the day before where we had been bombarded with questions. Yesterday, Cameron and I had helped the littles with the rest of the Christmas decorations and put the star on top of the tree which was quite a bit of fun. I had almost forgotten how it was to spend time with family after the three months or so of being away.

Today, though, was my birthday, our birthday and since we are turning 18, mom and dad decided that they would take us to a fancy restaurant by the beach for dinner to celebrate.

"How was college?" Dad asked.

"It was quite fun, I learnt a lot," I said.

"I liked it," Cameron said.

"We're glad to hear that," Mom said, "Do any of you happen to have any plans on Christmas?"

"I want to bake some cookies like in the past, and I may be out for a while on the day but its not confirmed."

"Is it for your boyfriend?" Ally asks.

"Maybe," I reply slyly and I give her a cheeky grin.

"Cameron?"

"Nah, I'm spending all my time here with the littles. If you guys are planning on abandoning us like last year together, no worries, I'll be here."

"We didn't abandon, we went on a date," Mom reasons.

"So are you guys going?" I ask mom.

"Yes, so take good care of the kids, Alicia and Ally, be good on Christmas okay."

"Yes Dad," they say together.

We finish up our food and I stay behind to help mom with the clean up, putting all the plates and mugs on the sink and wiping the table down before adding some water into the vase for the flowers.

"How's it been going with Eugene?"

"Rather good," I reply.

"Okay, that's nice. He treats you well?"

"Of course mom, I wouldn't have a date with someone who despises me."

"I know, I'm just checking on you."

"No need to worry, Cameron already interrogated him plus he is one of Cameron's friends."

"That's good for your brother to do, I'll ask him on it later."

I give a frustrated sigh but say 'okay' before I leave a few seconds later.

*****

I wrap the pale pink, fluffy towel around myself as I walk into my closet to pick something for the occasion, feeling bombarded by the many clothes I have excess to now compared to those I had at the mansion. I settle on one of my favourites, a black one shoulder dress that hugs tightly to my body till my waist where it fans out and falls just at my knee. I put on a quite a bit of make up too, similar to what I did for the party and bring along my black purse as well to place my phone, wallet and other essentials. I'm at the doorway, checking that I have everything when my eyes linger on Eugene's cap, hoping for just a moment that he would just say something.

I walk out of the room and go down the stairs with my purse in hand. Dad is leaning against the door, waiting for me with a bright smile on his face.

"You look beautiful, darling," Mom says when she sees me by the car.

"Thank you", I say, doing a small curtsy before I slide into the car seat beside Cameron who was straightening out his tux.

Mom and Dad soon get into the car and we start our drive towards the beach. Mom and Dad were getting interested with our stay at the Mansion again and were asking us a series' of questions which Cameron and I took turns to answer, leaving out the excursions. Mom asked if I baked there and I said I made a at each other simply and said that we only went to the one at the start of the school year batch of butter cookies before I left. When they asked if we attended any parties, we looked though lord knows how many we went to.

I don't know why we didn't answer everything honestly but it felt like it would burst the little bubble of our experiences there and call us selfish for not sharing but some things are better kept between the groups.

Ally starts rattling on about some new clothes she bought recently as well as her new bracelet in which she lifts up her wrist so that we could see. It was a simple bracelet, silver bead of varying sizes.

"You got a new one too," Alicia points out as she points at the bracelet on my wrist, the one Eugene got me.

"Yeah,"

"Eugene got it for her," Cameron helps me say.

"That's sweet of him," Mom says as we pull up to the front of a pretty restaurant with candles in jars hung along the edge to light up the place.

There is wooden flooring at the front but the rest of the place is carpeted , with wineglasses already set on the table and napkins the shape of origami. Obviously a fancy restaurant. The waitress leads us through the countless tables and through a glass door out back which reveals the sight of the beach, waves crashing against the coastline. I take a seat beside Cameron and look through the menu, ordering duck confit with mashed potatoes.

Dinner was filled with the buzz of Christmas excitement and Dad's compliments for the food like he does every time we go somewhere special. We are all finishing up our meals when a beautiful chocolate cake arrives for Cameron and I to blow out the candles. I blow my half, making a simple wish and after Cameron makes his, we tuck into the chocolate cake together. It was a great night with my family but even in their company, I kept missing that certain someone and maybe that's how my wish ended up to be him...