On the first day of Christmas, Zara Fischer's 'true love' gave to her... a breakup.
The day before seventeen-year-old Zara takes off for the Christmas holidays to the other side of the world--cold, dreary London--her boyfriend of two months dumps he...
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Once more, the shout out goes to: @amiva0402 for cracking yesterday's riddle.
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Saturday: December 18th, 2015
"Where are you going, Zara?" dad asked me as I put my shoes on that morning.
"To the Twelve days of Christmas competition," I replied, lacing up my boots. We had free tickets for a 12pm movie session today near Hyde Park, so if we solved the riddle fast enough, it meant Jasper and I could just hang out in between. I was more than excited to sit next to him in a cinema again—mostly because it meant his eyes wouldn't be on me, but he would still be next to me. As each day went on, I felt myself getting more self-conscious under his watch, and also more flustered when I spoke.
But while Jasper had touched me more frequently and his heart had beaten more rapidly during the tinsel competition, nothing seemed to change for him. So I assumed the feelings were one-sided.
Not that it mattered anyway. Because even in some universe where Jas and I liked each other... well, it wouldn't work. He lived here and I lived back in Australia and we only had thirteen days left together. Less than two weeks. And that's if he wanted to see me after the competition ends on Monday.
"We're all going to see my parents today," dad then countered, pulling me from my thoughts.
"Okay," I said back, getting to my feet and grabbing my jacket.
"By all I mean you included."
"Tonight?" I zipped up the parka.
"No... in a couple of hours."
I paused. "I've got commitments."
"Well, Clare and I are on holidays now and you're here to visit family and bond with your siblings, not run around London with some boy."
"Excuse me?" I scoffed.
"You can go out for an hour, but I expect you at your grandparents' house by midday latest, Zara."
"No," I retorted, standing as tall as I could, brows furrowing.
"What did you say?"
"I said no. I've been here over two weeks and you've had next to no time for me. I've finally found someone to spend time with and something to do, but now that I am convenient to you, you want me to just give that all up? Sorry dad, but I made a promise to a friend."
"Zara, I did not fly you over here—"
"Shut up. Just shut up."
"Little Miss—"
"You do not get to play the caring father role!" I spat at him. "You do not get to boss me around and tell me what to do when you've been absent from my life. I'm on the verge of getting an old friend back—one I never would have lost if you and mum never split up or just suddenly threw it on me."
