FLOWER ARE BETTER WHEN THEY'RE FAKE (COMPLETED)

Chapter 8

The rest of the week went by quickly - thank God. I turned in my sweater, and for extra credit a beanie, for Home Ec and passed phenomenally. But school is now behind me. I am currently on vacation! No worries of stupid school for the next three weeks!

Right now I am currently baking cookies for everyone. We are throwing a little good-bye party for Joshua and Dani before their flights. Dani is going home to New Jersey and Joshua is going to San Diego to see his aunt. Greyson is also leaving soon. He and his family are leaving for the UAE because that is where the Expo 2020 is being held. The Expo is basically where countries from all over the world showcase themselves and provide business opportunities. They are going to see if they can find new partners and things to invest in. This is mandatory for Greyson to go. Family problems don't look good in the press, you know.

Tomorrow though, on Christmas Eve, he has a family dinner to attend. His brother and his wife - Greyson's sister-in-law - are flying in from New York to come to the dinner then the whole family is leaving at night. The invitation said he could bring a plus one and we all kind of knew who he was taking. It was going to be so much fun, I can't wait. An evening with a bunch of people who don't really like me for valid reasons, sign me up.

Though tonight we really are throwing a goodbye party for Joshua and Dani, it was also serving as a distraction for Greyson. He is always tense during the holidays. With the pressures of business and the tension of public festivities, it can get to his head. I don't think he really celebrated the holidays without breaking down.

"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, Had a very shiny nose, And if you ever saw it, You would even say it glows-" sang a father who was sporting a holly jolly holiday cheer. He was wearing a ridiculous Christmas pajama set that looked like an elf. If you only lightened the color of his wavy hair he would look like a tamed version of Buddy the elf.

Dani made a pit stop in the kitchen and checked up on my baking process. "Those look delicious!" She was "complimenting" my annual attempt of Pinterest and Instagram worthy cookies. If you do not know, Santa is a skinny legend, Christmas trees say "dress to make a mess", and Elves are misshapen globs.

Dad stole a finished cookie from the plate and took a hearty bite from it. "Little too "golden" on the edges for my liking." I give him a death stare that is just so hysterical that he laughs very stupidly. Okay old man, you are on.

He walks away to the pantry to grab something. I finished about 2 more cookies before I decided to launch the plan into action. I put down all my stuff and said, in the most serious face I could make, "Dad, can you come here?"

"What happened?" he yelled from the pantry.

"Come!"

He came out holding some candy and extract. It looks like he spilt something on his shirt which was making him smell like vanilla. Just need to add the icing to finish the gingerbread man.

"What?" he asked as he read the bottle in his hand.

I pulled the bowl of frosting towards us and asked "Does this smell funny to you? I think the eggs are bad or something." I kind of let that last part trail off to make it convincing.

And just as I hoped he bent over and put his face right in the bowl. His little sniffer was about a centimeter or two away from the frosting.

With my hand on the back of his head I pressed it into the frosting. I make sure I press hard enough to get some frosting on his face. When he picked it up my hopes were high, but the results were off the roof. It had covered every inch of his face! It was my turn to laugh, and boy did I laugh.

"Well played, young lady, well played," he said suspiciously.

Holding my spatula to his face I said "Do not insult my baking again."