[Completed] Moments Around the Mistletoe

Six

We are on our way to visit Davion De Novo Memorial School. It was the school and orphanage raised by my great-great-grandfather Davion De Novo who wanted a child but his wife was barren. My great-grandfather said that instead of adopting children he formed a school for orphans and treated them as his own children. He fed them, gave them a home, he gave them a family. If I remembered what my great-grandmother said, she said that instead of calling him Sir Davion, they would call him Papa Davion. 

Great-great-grandpa Davion was a good man. He was rich, yes, but he never thought that a person was rich or poor. According to my great-grandfather Gerry, his only son, Grandpa Davion only knew two nationalities of people: rich and poor. He wasn't wrong, he was right.

I turned the driving wheel into the right and the two cars entered the school. Children will be so happy once they receive their gift but as usual, we will hide them until it's the right time to give it to them and that is on December 25. I parked my car and went inside the school, the seven of them are gonna meet with the principal on the current update of the school so I better go first.

As I stepped into the orphanage and went upstairs to where the rooms of the orphans are, I heard a loud talking sound in one of their room. I don't wanna eavesdrop so I knocked on the door and Jane a 16-year-old orphan opened the door.

"Oh, Jane," I said surprised. "What's going on? Is everything alright?" She nodded no and I went inside the room just to see her friend Anna packing up her things and Gemma sitting on the bed. 

"Anna, what the hell is going on. What is that...?" I pulled her into a hug and she bursts out crying. It's not the time to cry since it's almost Christmas but you can cry at any time, even though if this time is Christmas. 

"Jake, it's about Jake, he cheated on me and-and I..."Anna starts crying again and this time she pulls her hair back in frustration. 

This is why dating is not allowed in the orphanage because first of all, they are still teenagers and they can't date until they are of the legal age and that is 18-20 above. Besides, they are not professionals yet and they can't be independent so they better not date or they'll end up feeling that they're worthless. I'm 25 but I'm not in a relationship, mind you. 

"I wish we didn't remove the dating ban for your own good," I sighed. "But there are no rules to love, that's what you said to us."

"Come on Anna, Jake's a jerk for cheating on his loyal girlfriend," Gemma said. "There's always karma, so don't worry don't leave this orphanage and we're always here for you. Your friends are here for you."

"She's right, Anna," I said sitting beside her. "Jake is the same as you, he's no different than you are. We're family here and family always sticks with each other that is why my great-great-grandfather Davion formed this orphanage. He wanted every child to feel special, to have a home and most of all to have a family. Don't worry I will handle this, I'll talk to Jake."

"You'll do that for me?" I nodded. "Of course, I will. I'll be back." 

I stood up and went to Jakes room. I knocked on his door and he opened it. 

"Hey," I smiled to not make him feel that I am going to talk to him about Anna. "How are you?"

"Don't tell me you have come to me to talk about Anna. She won't listen to me," Anna won't listen to him. Well, that sounds a little bit wrong. I know that Anna wouldn't listen to him since she's heartbroken but that isn't the Anna I know. 

"Tell me, then. Tell me everything."

Jake tells me everything about what happened on that day he cheated on Anna. It was about Ella, a former orphan who was adopted by rich parents and his classmate. He told me that he didn't actually cheat on Anna but she caught them kissing when Ella visited in the orphanage. She actually has a crush on Jake but she knew she didn't got a chance since Anna was beautiful and she was just nothing and when she was adopted, she knew what she was gonna do and it was that. Emma admitted that to Jake, right in front of his face. He said that she is ridiculous for doing that.

"You know what? That was partially your fault, why did you let her kiss you when you know that you are with Anna?" I questioned.

"No, I did not!" Jake snapped. "Ella just did that, now that she has a family she's starting to think that she wasn't an orphan before. Her parents abandoned her because they didn't want her and now she acts like a goddess."

"Ella has always been that mean girl and I know that. The whole family is aware of that and even though she went through a lot of counselling that's always her attitude and believe me if I tell you that she talks back to me," The thought of Ella talking back at me and bad-mouthing me makes me smirk. "Maybe that's got to do with her past or family history on why is her attitude like that."

Jake nods and plays with his fingers. "Thanks for listening to me, Cathy. I hope you tell Anna about this, she doesn't wanna listen to me and I'm really worried about her." I nodded and gave him a hug before leaving his room.

So that's what happened. He didn't actually cheat on her that was just an accident. I may have never know what kind of feeling this is but I don't what a broken heart feel because I have been broken before. Yes, it was a relationship but a friendship kind of relationship, the one where your friend betrays you. 

I arrive at Anna bedroom but she wasn't there, wasn't there. I got so worried that I went outside the orphanage and thankfully is in the garden with her friends talking together in the swing.

"Mind if I talk to Anna alone?" I said to Jane and Gemma. They nodded a 'sure' and I sat down on the swing beside Anna.

"I want to leave," said Anna.

"Don't say that if you're just doing for a man, a boy."

She looked at me but I didn't look back at her, instead, I looked up to the heavens. "It was an accident, Anna. Jake didn't cheat on you, it was Emma's doing because she had a crush on him. In fact, he's worried about you, Anna. You should go talk to him."

"I wanna leave, Catherine!" Her voice said almost crying. "Not because of Jake but because I don't wanna get hurt again. I don't wanna see him anymore, because if I do I'm afraid I might remember what happened."

I know that this is not a time to laugh but a feign laugh escapes my mouth. "It's not about Jale but you don't wanna get hurt again and you don't want to see him cuz if you do you are afraid to remember what happened? Looks like you're leaving because of Jake."

I stand up and stretched an arm for her to reach. We walk to the entrance and I held both of her hands. "Look if you wanna leave, then leave. We won't hold you back because that's what you want."

Anna looked at me completely puzzled. "Are you supposed to say to me that I have to stay?"

"I'm not you're mother, I'm your friend, you're sister-figure," I said. "And friends should always support their friends no matter what. So, if you wanna go, then go. You always know where to come back."

Anna burst out crying and I hugged her. I feel like this is gonna be the saddest Christmas just because of one rotten teenager, but no matter what, Christmas must always be happy even though if there is someone missing. 

***

"I feel sorry for what happened. Anna said she's leaving." My brother Caesar gives me a cup of hot chocolate while I stare at the dead screen of the television.

I really fell so sad, she lost her family during a fire accident and she doesn't know where her siblings and grandparents are since they got separated when the accident happened and she's a very smart student, an academic excellent awardee but not that sporty.

"That's what she wanted, she wanted to leave and we cannot hold her back," I looked at my brother with pitiful eyes. "She knows where to come back. If she won't because she will see her past lover, I know that she will visit her home."

"You're right," Caesar nodded.

She won't come back at any moment now but I know that she will visit the orphanage. I just wish that she didn't regret what she decides for herself.