Fallin' For You-Part 5

SEVENTEEN

"Tammy!" Biana shrieked, running over as the twins—and Wylie—come into view. "I missed you and Linh so much! Oh, and you too Wylie."

Sophie laughed and pulled Wylie and Linh into a hug before giving Tam a nod. "Welcome back home."

Tam laughed. "Yeah, I like the weather over here much better."

"Why? Is it snowing over there?" Jensi asked.

Linh laughed, giving out more hugs. "Yes. A lot."

"So, are you guys going back after your birthday, or...?" Sophie asked as they all started walking out of the airport.

"No, we're actually staying here until New Years," Tam said with a smile. "We'll be doing some of our work online while we're gone so we don't fail."

"That's very smart," Biana said. "How hard is your work?"

Tam blew out a breath. "Pretty hard—and the professors don't make it any easier."

"Well, how about you two head home to rest, and then later we can meet for some ice-cream?" Maruca suggested.

Linh smiled. "I like that idea."

Sophie nodded and soon everyone had gotten in their cars and drove home.

§§§

"Who's should we open first?" Tam asked, sounding confused as he looked at all the presents in front of him and Linh the next day. "There are so many."

"Well, I think we should open this one," Linh said, pointing to a blue and purple bag. "It has both of our favorite colors on it."

"Wait, Tam's favorite color is blue?" Maruca asked.

Linh shook her head. "No, that's my favorite color. Tam's is purple."

"Correction," Tam said, looking slightly embarrassed. "My favorite color is Eggplant Purple. It's the darkest purple there is."

"Interesting," Dex said. "You strike me more as a gray or black kind of person."

"Dex, we've known each other for six years," Tam peered at Dex. "You know what my favorite color is."

Dex shrugged. "I know. But after all those years, you still strike me as a gray or black person."

Tam groaned, everyone else laughed, and Linh suggested, "How about we just open the present?"

"It's from me," Sophie said as Linh pulled the gift forward. "It's a gift for each of you separately, but in one bag."

Linh nodded before she and Tam tore through the bag, pulling out each of their gifts. Sophie had gotten Tam a collection of Edgar Allen Poe books, and she'd gotten Linh an octopus plushie that was the size of her head.

"It's so cute!" Linh said while Tam just chuckled at his books and said, "Well that's ironic,"

"What is?" Sophie asked him.

"Well," Tam started. "I was looking for more books to get and came across this exact collection on Amazon. I decided I wanted to get it, but all I did was put it in my cart. So...thanks."

Sophie laughed. "That is ironic. And, you're welcome."

"Okay, it's my turn," Biana said, shoving two pink gifts in front of Tam and Linh. "That's one's Tam's, and that's one's Linh's."