Till The End

Chapter 21 - In His Arms

At the dining hall I find others already present as they are filling their plates. Soon my eyes shift to that robotic guy standing at a corner, whom I once didn't like but now just wanna find him in every crowd. Our eyes collide with thousands of arcane ardour with mixed feeling of maladroitness. I take my eyes away knowing the importance and head towards the large table to grab a plate since it's a buffet serving. As I take hold of one and slide aside I see Jim comes beside taking his plate to which we both again peek into each others eyes with no sense of the surrounding. I decide to break the awkward silence feeling the urge to talk about what happened but as I'm about to do, Winnie interrupts coming in between to get hold of the sausages placed on the bowl in front. It's not a good situation to talk, I should better wait.

As we all were having our food, Sam asks the teachers if they have any plan for Christmas.

"I know you guys are excited for Christmas. But the camping is also important , we have come here all the way from Virginia. But ....", Mrs.Kate exclaims with a suppressed voice and we all were almost sure that we aren't celebrating Christmas tomorrow. But as we thought so, she states further, "But tomorrow we are not going anywhere and we'll celebrate Christmas", she exclaims with exhilaration in her voice and we all are so so happy for this. We together reply, "Thank you", with full force of voice.

"By the way do you all have any plan for tomorrow? Like any party or something?" Annie asks us and we all are again totally blank because we don't have any plan.

So Sam replies, "No", with disappointment.

"Then don't worry, I have an amazing plan for you guys", Annie exclaims cheering our modd while we keep wondering.

"Really!" We exclaim.

"Yes, my friend Katie, her house is nearby this cottage and she is holding a Christmas party tomorrow and asked me to bring my guests if they are willing to. You know what, she's a party freak and every year I take those who come to this cottage during Christmas. Believe me you'll really enjoy a lot. Her parties are really amazing. So you all are coming right?" Annie elaborates.

"Are you sure Annie? Coz we are a lot of people?" Mr. Lee asks her.

"Yeah. Don't worry. If you all come , Katie will be really happy. Please join", Annie requests.

"Sure, we will then." And we were so so so happy coz finally we have got a plan for Christmas . But it's okay that we are gonna have a party at Katie's place but at least we should decorate this cottage, so I propose,"Don't you all think we should decorate this place too?"

"Actually Eila , you're right. We should also decorate this place. Okay then, let me order the decoration items and we'll do it together", Annie agrees.

"The things are here", a voice comes from behind and we turned to find that it's Droophy uncle with two largely filled sacs in his hand. "I bought everything", he lifts up the sacs with a wide grin in his face. So he already bought the things for decoration.

"Ahh I knew it. It's your habit to give surprises", Annie exclaimes approaching near him to get hold of the sacs.

"Now come on you guys quickly finish your food and start decorating", he gushes.

After finishing food, we all together join hand in hand to decorate this place. Few are busy in blowing the balloons, while some are decorating the Christmas tree and others are decorating the whole hallway with lights, stars and paper lanterns. However Winnie informs that she's not feeling well so she wanna rest and goes to the room. Annie calls Jim near me and handing the bells she tells us to go near the entrance gate taking the stool and decorate that place. God! Why she chose Jim to work with me? Anyway, I don't have any option left and so, giving a look at him I go near the entrance following buy him as he's carrying the stool.

As we were at the entrance ready to do the decorations, I feel, I have a chance now to clear the matter with him since no one's around. "Jim. I...", as I start, he pauses me.

"You don't have to say anything", Jim replies and I know he understood that I was talking about the thing happened inside the plane, that we kissed and all.

"Everything's normal between us right?", I think I am exaggerating the matter. I mean nothing's abnormal between us. I should have said it in a better way but now it's too late to repent since the words are out of my mouth. Yet, I found no better way than this. God! so many confusions. 

"Yeah, everything's normal. Eila, I know the thing's kind of awkward at the first place but let's leave it. It all just happened", he assures with a pleasing smile. I'm happy he understood and now since all's sorted we started decorating.

At first Jim stands on the stool trying to attach the bells but it was not working. To be straight he isn't able to do it. This thing needs crafty hands which I have since I am a craft freak since childhood. No wonder how many DIY works I have done.

"Jim, you come down. I can do this", I say.

"Can you?" He asks seeming surprised.

"I'm expert in all this", I inform crossing my arms over my chest. Actually the clumsiness between us is drifting away and we are kind of normal now. 

"Okay, you do it." As he comes down I stand up on the stool and he hands me the bells one by one as I keep handing them nicely sticking with the tape. 

"Is it looking good?" I ask standing on the stool. 

"Yes, it's good now. Come down carefully coz the stool is kind of shaky", Jim tells from down. As I try to get down my leg slips and I am about to fall. Jim grabs me into his arms and we both get freezed for the moment with our eyes locked over each other's. The sense of this touch is shivering down my all veins one by one with growing goosebumps. Don't know why I just wanna remain like this, into him. This guy is driving me crazy like hell in each passing moment. His breathe rolling over my face is assuring how much less distance we have between us now. In each split seconds our face is just getting more close making our lips are just a inch apart...

"Eila", there comes a voice and we both get out from our thoughts realizing what we were about to do, AGAIN. The next moment we both release trying to figure out the source of the voice as we keep looking around but find none. "Eila, Emi is searching for you", as the female voice hiits again we look to see Winnie standing in the balcony, calling me out. 

"I'm going", I hastily reply as I move out from the place as quickly as possible before which I give a last look at Jim who's also looking at me. This neuroticism is back again, but not in form of a disease, rather as a feeling.
Entering inside, I look for Emi and finally find her working with Tacker as she's decorating the Christmas tree, "Were you looking for me?"

"Me? No. who told you?" Emi asks seeming surprised.

"No no. No one. You both continue", I turn around wondering, Did Winnie lie to me? But why?