"Do you mind me asking why you're not going home this Christmas?"

"Nope, you can ask," I said, and she heaved out a sigh of relief. "But that doesn't mean I'll tell you."

"Touché." Eleanor effortlessly lifted an eyebrow, trying to stop the smile that steadily creeped up her face by rubbing at her lips.

I mimicked the action and was rewarded with a goofy smile and a curt laugh.

The front door opened, and in walked her brothers. I knew them too, not personally, of course. They were fraternal twins, famous for being swim team champions back when they schooled here. They were more alike than many identical twins I knew. I, however, forgot their names.

"We come with groceries," the first one who walked in announced.

"And even more groceries!" the second one added.

I could tell they were the 'one trip' type from the many bags that hung off their limbs, subjecting them to leaning a little too far to the side after every wobbly step.

Eleanor helped with the first twin's load, letting the angry red streaks which were underneath the bags show. "Would it kill you to go back to the car for the rest, Jacob?"

Right, the short one with curly blond hair was Jacob. Making the taller one with the side-parted hair Killian, I think. Or maybe it was Kayden.

"Yes, it would," Jacob replied. "I would literally die if I had to go back out in that weather again."

Finally! Someone who noticed the cold!

Jacob had his arms spread out like he was a scarecrow and Eleanor picked off the bags one after the other. I would have helped--actually, not helping was killing me--but I was nervous on what was going to happen when they noticed me. Plus, I was a hand short. I didn't have to ponder over that for too long, though.

Killian-Kayden saw me after he took off his parka. He smiled. "Hey there."

"Hello," I responded in a voice that was far too scratchy. I cleared my throat and tried again. Jacob turned.

"Oh hey, how have you been?"

"I've been goo--" I started, stopping short. I wasn't good. I was so-so. But it was not right to say I wasn't good, I dunno. So I nodded my head and said, "Good. I'm good."

It seemed my hesitation caused him to assess me a little more until his eyes found my immobilized hand and the first aid kit on the floor.

"Eleanor did that, didn't she?"

I nodded slowly. "She was a factor."

Jacob's twin sucked in a breath, looking in my direction. "Gosh, is it bad?"

"I can still move my hand, sort of. So that's not bad, right?"

"I like how positive this one is, Killian." I was wrong about Kayden then. Jacob looked at me with a small smile. "It may not be bad now, but it gets worse. She's the queen of klutz."

"I heard that!" Eleanor yelled from where I presumed was the kitchen.

"And where is the lie?" Killian said this time around.

I stood up, already feeling like I was interrupting this nice family's day with my presence. Just as I was about saying my goodbyes to the guys--so I could slink out and pretend I was never here--someone called out my name.

"Alicia, are you leaving already?" Eleanor's head popped out from behind the doorjamb as she wiped her hands dry with a napkin.

"Yeah. Next time."

"I'll see you!" Her voice floated from the kitchen when she disappeared. She stuck out her palm and waved at me before no part of her was to be seen, probably attending to the voice I heard mention her name from deeper in the house.

I took my leave after saying goodbye to Eleanor's brothers. The walk back to my room seemed longer than it was before, and the weather was a lot worse, just like Jacob had said. Maybe it would snow soon.

I spent my time watching YouTube videos and taking too many BuzzFeed quizzes to find out which celebrity potato matched my aura, after which I dozed off.

°

The insistent knocking woke me up. It was dark outside, the distant multicoloured lights streamed over houses shining. Rubbing sleep out of my eyes, I sat up.

"Who is it?"

"Special Santa Delivery Service," came the reply. It was Eleanor.

"I don't remember ordering anything? Maybe you've got the wrong room," I called out, silently moving to the door. "Besides, I was super naughty this year too."

"That's why I'm bringing you this parcel of coal."

My forehead was pressed against the door as I forced back a laugh. "I'll pass."

"Oh come on, Alicia. My arms are getting tired," Eleanor whined, stretching the words in an endless staccato. I opened the door and stepped back to let her in.

There was a big box in her hand and she shuffled from one foot to the other, urging me to take it from her. It had tiny gingerbread people drawn on it. Festive. "It's for you."

"You really didn't have to," I replied.

"I wanted to." And it was enough of an answer, not requiring any validation. Absolutely perfect.

"Thanks."

"You're very welcome, Alicia." Eleanor crossed her hands behind her. "Plus, I accidentally made too much and my mom threatened to not let me in the kitchen until it's all gone somewhere that... isn't the trash."

"Accidentally on purpose?"

"Exactly." She said with a smile."There's banana cream pudding and some s'mores," my new friend added, as I lifted the lid off the box. Yes, I considered Eleanor a friend now. Anyone who brought me food was automatically on the list. Sorry, I don't make the rules.

"With star-shaped marshmallows," I commented. She was three spaces higher on the list now.

An 'all-American girl' smile. "The only way to have it."

I took a spoonful of the pudding, narrowly missing my mouth when my hand was finally close enough for me to have a taste. It left a streak on my face and a stain on my jeans.

"You don't know how to use a spoon?" She genuinely sounded perplexed, wide eyes trying to take in why I couldn't feed my own self and had to end up using tissues to clean up my mess.

"I do. Just not with the wrong hand. I'm left-handed, you see." I emphasised by wiggling the fingers of my left hand which peeped out through the space in the splint.

Eleanor's eyes widened even more at the information before her head bobbed up and down in comprehension. "Do you want me to help you?"

It was a bit of a surprise to hear someone cryptically offer to feed me."You have helped more than enough." I passed her a smile. "I'll adapt."

It took a whole minute, an awkwardly bent elbow, and an eerily steady hand before I finally got the banana pudding in my mouth. It was extremely good and I might have sighed from the wonderful flavour alone. It was a warm, full-bodied and creamy mixture which awakened your taste buds as soon as it met your tongue.

There was a long silence as I ate, Eleanor looking down at her phone even though she seemed disinterested in it. I told her "I like the sweater," breaking the silence.

"Hella ugly, right?" She looked down at it, stretching out the fabric of too-bold-red, ghost-pale-white and baby-barf-green, so I could have a better view of the too-fat-Santa and his too-long-beard. I didn't think a sweater could look anymore hideously festive. If any such sweater existed, it should be outlawed.

"Not gonna lie, it's definitely an eyesore," I humoured her.

"My mom wouldn't let me leave the house if I didn't put this disaster on. It even lights up, can you believe that?" The tone she spoke with was higher than I had ever heard, animated and full of life. It went back to it's smooth, calm, non-flammable form as she pouted, saying, "I look like a Christmas tree." She did something with her hands and the sweater glowed. Forget what I said, no other sweater could beat this one. This was a worldwide Christmas treasure.

"It's a good look," I told her after I got another bite of one of the soft-centred cakes in the pudding. "I mean, if I had to choose between you and--let's say, the tree they put up at Times Square, I would pick Light Up Eleanor."

And she truly lit up with the wide grin that adorned her face and the colour that filled in her cheeks, twinkly eyes even brighter than the hung up lights around the halls.

"A wrong choice, but sweet anyway." She brushed her long, flowing hair back, placing her elbows on both her thighs once done, and going ahead to cradle her face in her waiting palms. The smile came again. "I like how you say my name though, it's nice."

I cocked my head to the side, tongue peeking out to wipe off pudding I felt was above my upper lip. Eleanor pointed out that I missed it and I ended up using the back of my hand to get it off. "How do I say your name?"

"I dunno," she shrugged. It looked weird with how her body was positioned, in a good way. "You do it differently than everyone else does."

"Alright... Eleanor."

A loud laugh before a glance at her watch before a gaze at me.

"Do you have to leave?" I asked. My pudding cup was almost empty now, you could hear the spoon scrape the bottom more and more each time it dug into what was left-- a contributing factor being the little control I had over my right hand.

"Uh huh," she said as she stood up. "Enjoy the s'mores."

"I'm sure I will. Thank you, again."

"Anytime." She started to back up, tucking stray strands of her hair behind her ear. "Remember not to stress yourself out. Rest your wrist."

"I will."

Then it was just me and the small glass cup she packed s'mores into. I moved to the window ledge and watched her leave. At some point, she looked up in my direction and even though I was sure she wouldn't be able to see me from where she stood, she waved. And even though there was no way she'd see me too, I waved back.

~~

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