White Flag

Water Bottles

Today was the biggest deal of the year in their home as it was to every other family in the entire country. Today was Christmas eve. Ayla stood on top of the makeshift stage with arms crossed, her brown bouncy bob rustled as the breeze of the wind blew against her skinny body. She has been waiting fifteen minutes for her late choir team, all of which her age, to arrive for practice when one of them emerged from a distance. Ayla adjusted her round frames, making sure she was seeing correctly.

They actually wore it. She thought, feeling excited as she waved at them.

Their choir consisted of five members in total, all of them went on the same junior high school except Ayla who was homeschooled by her mother, Emma.

Leah whom she considered her closest in the group waved at her vibrantly and twirled for Ayla from afar before giving her two thumbs up in the air. She was followed by Ayla, her younger twin and two other girls who carried a disgruntled expression on their faces.

'Do we really have to practice wearing this right now?' Joanna asks as she got closer to the stage, her face contorting in annoyance as she struggled to prop her leg up on top of the platform. 'It's not like we'll make a joke of ourselves later than we already are' Jenny adds, walking behind Joanna as her eyes darted from her outfit to Ayla's flesh-colored bodysuit.

'I know it's a trouble to come all the way here in your mascots, girls but it's better to practice wearing all of this now than push it back ten minutes before 5 pm.' Ayla reasons as she ushers the two struggling members towards their spots on stage.

'Everyone's looking adorable, okay so don't worry!' she assures. 'Thank you for wearing it! How does it feel?' she asks, her smile not leaving her face as four of the girls in her choir positioned themselves in equal distances. 'I love it so much!' Leah quips, holding out her phone camera in front of her. 'I think this is the cutest thing we ever came up with!'

'Good to know' Ayla says, hugging herself tighter as a wave of colder wind swept the farm.

'How about you?' Leah asks with a worried frown, putting her phone in her mascot's pocket. 'I'll be fine when I wear it on my back. It blocks the cold in a way.'

'Do you need help?' Lea asks barely moving from her spot, all watched as Ayla strap into her own attire propped behind her keyboard positioned center stage. 'Maybe one of you can turn on the switch on those sockets near Leah?' She asks. 'Or maybe not. My bad' Ayla realized the switch was on the floor and neither of them could reach their toes if they bent forward. 'I'll do it' Ayla offers, walking past Leah, pressing on the switch with her big toe. 'Oh Smart!' Leah says, nodding in approval at her twin as all of them watch Ayla return to her spot. 'I didn't think of that' Leah adds, giving Ayla a high five.

'Make sure the mics working' Ayla father suddenly appears from behind the stage wall where the parole hung, a part of his belly poking out of his white t-shirt. He gives out one mic to each member and scoots down looking at them with a proud smile. Poy, Ayla's father, was assembling the stage since yesterday afternoon with some of the men from the village. His round cheeks flushed from the labor work. 'Okay girls, I'm going to head inside and bring you guys my famous strawberry shake~'

'Mom's famous shake!' Ayla interjects, shaking her head.

'Yes, Ayla, mom's blended shake that came from my own recipe which I will bring to you all after I shower, okay?' Poy says, rolling his eyes at his daughter while wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

'Thank you uncle Poy' the girls' chorus and watch him walk away towards Ayla's house.

'Okay guys, let's begin in 4, 3, 2, 1' Ayla cues and pounds against the keys. 'O holy night~' the four of them starts singing.