Life's Not A Doughnut

Chapter 16 ~ After

I get the text I have been dreading for the past 24 hours as I'm walking to the beach.

I stare at the notification on my screen, too afraid to open it.

What if I did get Will for Secret Santa? What if I got Mia? I suppose that wouldn't be so bad. The whole thing is making me feel sick just thinking about it. I slide my screen quickly before I change my mind.

-Mia-
Hey, come to mine after dinner and you can draw your Secret Santa :) I'm the only one at home tonight, dw.

I am half relived, half annoyed. Now I will have to wait all day to find out as the anxiety chews away at me. On the other hand, I have more time to calm down and accept the fact I might get Will, and should start thinking of a present to get him.

It couldn't be anything too personal, that is just weird. But I don't want to make it look like I don't care, it is Christmas after all. What if I got Annie? How awkward.

As I approach Liz who is surrounded by the group of children, another thought hits me.

What if Will has me?

I hadn't even thought of it that way. Imagine the look on Annie's face. What if he didn't even get her a Christmas present and only did the Secret Santa. Are they even doing that whole couple present thing? Do they count as a couple? I'm just as confused as anyone else as to where we all stand.

I don't really want to have that conversation either. I refuse to ruin Christmas with my pathetic summer drama, so I'll keep smiling and pretending to be ok for as long as possible.

"Nora? Are you ok?"

I look up at Liz who is examining me with her honey eyes carefully.

"Sorry?"

"You've been standing here staring at the ground. Everything ok?"

"Oh, yes. Everything's fine I was just lost in thought."

"Well today is our last lesson for a few weeks. We stop classes over Christmas and New Years and we'll start again in January."

My stomach twists at the thought of another year gone by.

"Lets make this lesson a good one then." I smile assuringly.

"That's the spirit!" Liz throws me a high-five and we head over to the kids.

The day is filled with fun and laughter. The young children run frantically through the sand, playing games in a squeal of excitement. Liz and I can barely keep up with their enthusiasm but I am grateful for the distraction. A boy verses girl tug of war was the highlight of the day, the girls winning two out of three games and taking pleasure in rubbing it in to their opponents.

The sun fell over its apex as the morning rolled into afternoon. The children's energy levels were declining with the temperature, Liz flattening out their beach towels for them to nap on. The sand was still warm beneath us, the waves slowly rolling in to kiss the shore before retreating again. It was a nice day. In fact, it was perfect.

Parents began arriving to take their children home to wash the sand from between their toes. Liz hoisted her own daughter, Holly, higher on her waist and came over to me. I was letting the water come up around my ankles and wriggling my feet into the soft ground beneath me.

"What a day."

"It really was. A good one though." I glance at Holly who is half asleep against her mothers shoulder.

"Any special plans for Christmas?"

"Not particularly. I'll spend the day with Mum then go see some friends later on, we have this Secret Santa thing planned."