Serendipitous: Liam's Story

Calendars, Masks, and New Year's Kisses

See the song on the side! listen to it when it says New Year's in italics!

~~~

"What?" Liam asked incredulously upon checking his text to find the latest from Hope.

"Ohhh let me see!" Louis said grabbing the phone from Liam's grasp. Upon seeing the image, he peered closer, enlargening the picture to see what Jolie and Lena were holding in their hands, still partially wrapped but the name and the nearly naked person were very noticeable. He began to laugh then proceeded to laugh harder, having to hold his stomach as Liam snatched his phone back to type a reply to Hope.

~~~

It was around two in the afternoon at the Starbucks on the corner of 8th and Lexington. Which was where Hope, Lena, and Jolie were currently at, all exchanging Christmas presents before the earlier two left to go back to their hometowns for break.

Hope glanced down at her cell phone, laughing at Liam's response of what, why, and how upon seeing the image she captured of her two friends opening her gag gift.

"Hope," Jolie said laughing, still slightly shocked as she held her and Lena's joint present in her hands.

Hope just grinned pocketing her cell phone. "Merry Christmas!" Hope chimed, still laughing.

Jolie bit her lip, closing her eyes briefly as she tried to stop laughing. She shook her head before placing the NYC Fire Department 2013 edition down by her main Christmas present from Hope and Lena, a cookbook of gourmet cupcakes.

"You really have too much fun Hope," Lena said as she shook her head at her best friend.

"A little." Hope cocked her head, laughing. "But I quite think it's a great present, a calendar's quite useful really!"

Lena gave Hope a deadpanned look while Jolie took a sip of her hot tea, grinning about Hope.

"You guys are heading back to Florida tomorrow right?" Jolie asked.

"Yep," Lena answered, taking the calendar of half naked men with as much muscle as Hercules himself, and putting it into Jolie's messenger bag. They were already getting curious looks from some customers nearby.

"Is everyone going to be there?" Jolie asked referring to Hope and Lena's high school friends.

"Yeah, but I think Wyatt has to go to Colorado for a bit with his family but he'll be there for New Year's." Hope said nodding.

"I'll be back on the third." Lena said looking at her roommate.

"Lena, stop worrying about me!" Jolie shook her head at Lena.

"But you're here all by yourself all holiday..."

"I'll be fine! I have Ms. Mares special alumni ceremony on the twenty-eighth, it's an honor to even be asked to attend!"

"But your family will even be in Florida, in the Keys!" Hope sighed.

"I know, but I couldn't ask for them to wait for me," Jolie shrugged hopelessly.

"But now you're all by yourself and also-" Lena stopped as she was about to say James' name. She'd found out the other day from one of her classmates that the boy was staying over the holiday too but as an instructor for the kids lacrosse camp.

Jolie smiled sadly as she looked down at her coffee, knowing exactly what Lena was about to say. "He hasn't talked to me since and I don't really blame him." She said looking up, trying to shrug but the light that had been in her eyes, dimmed at the subject of James. It still hurt knowing how much she'd hurt him... James had been the best boyfriend a girl could ask for, and in return, she'd broken his heart because she couldn't love him back since her heart was already claimed...