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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Saturday: December 25th, 2015
We all sat around the Christmas tree in our pyjamas. Fittingly, while shopping for Jasper's present yesterday, Clare and I managed to find a Grinch pj set. Before heading down this morning, I made sure I put it on, rousing a laugh from dad.
Clare snapped a picture of us all by the tree, before dad switched with her, insisting she be in one. With a roll of my eyes, I took over from dad, setting up the camera with a timer before we all posed for the picture with all of us in it.
Amelia squealed with delight over each present she got. She had more presents than me, but hers were evidently cheaper. I had a couple of smaller ones from Clare—a shirt and a necklace. And dad had given me a new laptop, not without adding the comment about all the 'video calls' I can do with my boyfriend. Then they handed me one from mum.
"What?" I asked, accepting it.
"She asked us to make sure something was under the tree for you from her," Clare said, smiling warmly at me.
Slowly peeling back the wrapping on the small box, I carefully lifted the lid underneath, feeling my jaw drop. "W-w-what?"
"It counts as an early birthday present too," dad then said. "Your mum covered most of it. But Clare and I added some to the pool after your mum told us her plan."
"But she didn't even know I wanted one until I came here."
Dad shrugged. "She hadn't organised it yet. She called for advice about which to select and that's when Clare and I decided to chip in. Then, of course, she express-posted this."
"Thanks, both of you. So much." I pulled the key from its box, studying it, feeling my heart glowing warm. "Do we have a picture of it so I know what it looks like?"
Clare laughed and then got to her feet to fetch her phone. Once she had returned, she passed it to me.
∘◦ ❈ ◦∘
"Mum, you didn't have to get me a car," I said when she picked up.
"Well, I kind of did, Zara. After hearing about that fight you had with your dad when you first arrived, I didn't realise you actually wanted one that badly. But then hearing you were doing a competition for one... Did your father tell you this counts as a birthday present as well?"
"He did."
"And you will have to get a job to pay for the petrol. I won't cover that."
"Of course mum."
"Though I'm sure you have plenty of money from the competition to cover it for the meantime. Or maybe you can get some nice seat cov—"
But I cut her off. "I don't have any money from the competition."
"Clare said you and Jasper won. The people in charge called her to say you had—"
