Critical Thinking ✔

23

After helping dad decorate I went up to my room and sat in my closet staring at the wrapped up gift. I turned it over to see if there was an address or name of where it came from but there wasn't. Who else could have known my icon beside Bookie... But how did it get here? Maybe it was a coincidence and a friend had given this to me or something.

I glanced over at the gifts I had bought and wrapped up then looked back at the mystery gift on my lap. Eventually, I decided to unwrap it and my eyes widen at the sight of a book, the first thing I saw was a Cardinal. Now I knew...it had to be Bookie unless I told someone else about my liking for the bird. The book was called the CARDINALS WAY, it was written by Howard Megdal. I picked it up to see two things slip out of the book. One was a note and I picked it up then read it.

Dear Gift Reciever,
Honestly, I saw the book with a cardinal and thought of you then grabbed it. Not sure if it's about baseball...sorry if it is. Realized there is a Cardinals baseball team. But I hope you like it, Merry Chrismas :)

PS. If your who I think you are then great! You might not know who I am...but I think I know who you are if the one who received this gift was the right person. I promise I'll let you know who I am once I make sure.

I felt my heart flip flop but I also felt warm inside. Not only warm inside but my cheeks got hot too as usual. The corners of my lips raised as I looked at the bookmark that was a small sun connected to a chain that went to a square that had the shape of the sun. Words underneath it said you are my sunshine. My face had joined the heat parade and my heart was the entertainment, constantly flipping and flopping.

But that was okay. Because I liked this new feeling. And if this Gift Giver was Bookie then this was the best gift I have received so far. I wish I could give him a gift too. Maybe I could soon, knowing he possibly lived nearby me made me warm inside and my cheeks hurt from the corners of them being raised for so long. I knew what I had to do, so I grabbed my phone and went on Featherbook before clicking on my messages with Bookie. Then I started typing my heart away.

CyberGeek: Hey! So I want to thank you so much for the gift! I love it! We should um...meet and I can give you a gift too.

But I never sent it. Not all of it at least. I pressed the backspace button and stopped at Hey! A new feeling caused me to shake a bit as I pressed send. This new feeling was fear. Maybe it wasn't a completely new feeling but I never got so shaky and sweaty before, at least I don't think I have. I was scared... nervous... and more. All my positive emotions seemed to have faded. And I no longer knew what to do. I turned off my phone and put it into my pocket then got up to go do something to push away these thoughts and negative emotions.

I picked up the gifts I had wrapped up and left my closet. After leaving my room I headed down the stairs to find my dad turning on his laptop to what looked like an online channel service, that sat on the coffee table. We didn't have a TV so it seemed like his laptop that he used for work was going to be a substitute. I quirked an eyebrow to see him turn to me grinning widely.

"Glad to see you down here." my dad said and glanced at the gifts I carried in my hands. "Is mine in there?" he asked walking up to me and I huffed turning my body away from him so he couldn't see.

"You'll have to wait until tomorrow to see," I said sticking my tongue out and he grumbled but smiled anyway before heading to the kitchen.

"So I was thinking we could make cookies and of course can't forget about the milk." I heard dad say as I put the gifts under the tree. I would probably have to wait until school started to give my friends their gifts because of the holidays but rather have them there so I won't forget them.

"No cookies and milk for Santa?" I asked walking into the kitchen now seeing dad pull out the things we would need to make cookies.

"Nah I bought you gifts not Santa so I deserve cookies and milk," he said and I shook my head smiling before walking over the sink and turned it on to wash my hands.

After we washed our hands I did the measuring and dad did the mixing. We both rolled the batter into balls before putting them on the cookie sheet. Dad put them in the oven and I set up the timer. We washed our hands again afterward we made our way to the couch to watch something on his laptop. I leaned against dad's arm as he looked up Christmas classics.

Our plan was to watch them until it was midnight and we could open gifts. That was our plan every Christmas and every year it failed. Mom thought it was silly and would always go to bed after dinner leaving us two to watch Christmas shows and movies. I'll admit it, I enjoyed it and this Christmas was slightly different but in the end, I would still be hanging out with dad this night and see mom in the morning. As long as that happened, Christmas Eve and Day couldn't have been more perfect.

Dad fell asleep first this year. Usually, I'm the one to fall asleep first, only a few times he's fallen asleep first. The elf movie was funny and heartwarming so I wanted to finish it. I felt something vibrate in my pocket and I pulled it out glancing at it tiredly.

BookerBooker: Merry Christmas Cy 🎄🎁

The corners of my cheeks rose as I typed back. My fingers slipped a few times as I typed. Not to mention my eyes kept closing but the movie was ending so it was alright.

CyberGeek: Merry Christmas Bookie ❤

~ XD yay update! So this book may or may not be finished before school starts again for me ugh. And if it isn't, just like all the other books it will be a while before I will be able to update them again because of school. Well anyway did 1,000 something words for this chapter. If I don't force myself to type 2,000 a chapter now I think possibly I can finish this book sooner than I will if I do what I was trying to. Anyway have a nice day/night!