“Mira, how do you want to celebrate Christmas?” Ariel asked Mira in late November. The sisters were cleaning up after breakfast. Well, Ariel was cleaning, Miranda was daydreaming.
“The usual I guess.”
“Church on Christmas eve, eating a ton of extremely healthy food, going to bed late, waking up early on Christmas morning, having a huge breakfast, and watch movies while gorging on junk food until we both feel sick?”
“Yup. Why are you asking?”
“Just wondering if you want to do something different this year, that’s all.”
“Like what?”
“Like maybe spending time with Josh?”
“I will on Christmas Eve, but Christmas is for family, we’ve had this tradition since we were young.”
“True.” Ariel brightened up considerably when she thought of an idea. “Mira, do you want to invite Josh over for Christmas day?”
“What?” Mira became flustered. “No! Yes! Well… I don’t know.”
“Yes or no?” Ariel rolled her eyes.
“He’ll see me in my PJ’s! Besides, our basement is a bit of a dump.”
“How about we invite him over, we’ll get you some new PJ’s, and you can count it as my Christmas gift to you.” Ariel grinned, “Besides, he’s been here before. Just ask him.”
“Alright.” Miranda sounded dubious, “but he’ll think I’m weird for asking so early. We’ve only gone out for a month, it’s weird if I ask him to do something a month, won’t I seem desperate?”
Ariel rolled her eyes, “jeez, when did you become in indecisive? At any rate, just ask him, if not now, then in a couple of weeks. Where did the strong, ‘not scared of anything’ Miranda go?”
“She fell in love.” Miranda said in an extremely girly voice.
Ariel threw her dish towel at her.
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“Is this seat taken?”
Ariel looked up from her studying and smiled when she realized it was Joe. “Nope.”
“So how’s it going?” He asked.
“Alright. Just trying to study.”
“You’re diligent. I don’t study during the term at all.”
“That’s because you have more time to cram near exam time than I do.”
“Oh yeah, you work.”
“I don’t only work; I am also ‘mommy’ to a teenage girl. Though speaking of work, I need to get going, my shift starts in a couple of minutes.”
“But you said you’d help me with biology!” Joe whined.
“I thought you said you don’t study during the term?” Ariel raised one of her eyebrow.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“Fine, when do you have time?”
“Now.”
“I don’t.”
“How about a trade, I’ll teach you accounting and you teach me bio.”
“We already have that deal Einstein.”
“I mean at the same time. How about you come to my house next week? Mike, my buddy also needs help with accounting, I’ll grab him, and we can have a giant study session.”
Ariel considered it. “Alright, see you next week.”
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Yipppeee! Another update 
Next chapter will be longer!
