THE PUNGENT MIXTURE of antiseptic, deodorizer, and cleaning supplies stung Inez's nose as she stepped out of an elevator. It was the odor that lied underneath sickness and death. Even though the smell always grossed her out at first, she was completely used to it.

During extended school breaks, like winter break, Inez always liked to spend some of her time at the children's recovery wing of Summit Medical Center, conveniently close to where she resided. Since her mother worked down in the emergency department for kids, she found a way to get Inez a visitor's card in case any other medical staff thought she was roaming the hospital. It was very convenient in a lot of cases since not a lot of medical staff in this ward of the hospital knew who Inez was.

But luckily, she could rely on one nurse — Nurse Zamora, a thirty-year-old brunette Latina with the brightest of smiles. Currently, she's sitting at a desk area of this wing in front of a computer, typing information away as her eyes darted back and forth from what seemed like a file on the rounded desk. She is the head nurse of the children's recovery wing, so her days are mostly spent sitting down to order other nurses around. The head nurse wore scrubs with colorful smiley faces on them, as well as a bright red Santa hat with a fuzzy white area on the hem. As soon as she saw Inez walk by, a bright smile planted on her face. "Hey, Inez, it's been a while," Nurse Zamora chirped. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Yeah, do you know which room Faye is in?" Inez questioned as she held up a large, sparkly gift bag. "I have something for her."

"She's in . . ." Nurse Zamora murmured as she typed something into her computer. "Room C306."

"Thank you, Nurse Zamora," Inez smiled with acknowledgement. Before she knew it, she was off to find the room, which was luckily right across the nurse's area in a way. Before she entered the room, she knocked with enthusiasm. "Knock, knock."

"Who's there?" The girl inside, Faye, asked as if she was answering to a knock-knock joke. 

"It's Inez," she hummed as she turned the door handle. Faye had a wide smile over her face as she saw the girl walk in with the best of smiles with her gift bag in hand.

Faye is a very enthusiastic six-year-old who suffered with liver failure for the past year. With treatments over the past several months, she was able to survive, but her liver still wasn't holding up, so she'd be in and out of the hospital. A day prior, she had just gotten a liver transplant, which was why she was in the recovery room resting. Inez was always a fan of how brave Faye was. It could always be seen in her beautiful hazel eyes and white toothy grin. She had the face and actions of an angel, making her always enjoyable to visit. 

"Inez, I missed you! Did you know that I just got my surgery? I'm gonna be better now," the little girl beamed as she sat up from her bed. "My doctor says I can even go home in two whole weeks!"

"Yeah, I know. My mom told me all about it," Inez cooed as she reached out to hug the little girl. "I'm so glad they finally found you a liver."

"I'm so glad that you're here," Faye beamed as she turned to the gift bag sitting at the foot of her bed. "What's in there?"

Inez smiled as she reached for the bag to hand it to the girl. "It's a surprise. Why don't you open it to see what's inside? Consider it as an early Christmas gift."

Faye tore into the bag as if she was food deprived, taking out the sparkly pink wrapping paper that stood on top of whatever was in the bag. As she pulled the item out, her eyes widened with shock as her mouth fell into a genuine grin. "A Barbie Fashion Set? I've always wanted this," she cheered as she began to open the package with her bare fingers. "You're like the big sister I never had. Thank you!"

"Aww, you're very welcome. You're like the little sister I never had," Inez hummed as she brushed back Faye's dirty blonde, shoulder length hair.

"Can you sing a song to me? I love it when you sing," Faye begged as she popped her classic Barbie doll out of its packaging.

"Of course, what do you want me to sing for you?" Inez asked.

Faye chirped. "Santa Tell Me by Ariana Grande."

Inez nodded as she took her phone out of her black handbag so she could find a karaoke instrumental version of the song on YouTube. She tapped on the first option YouTube provided as she cleared her throat to begin singing. This would probably be her second time singing the song in public, instead of her shower or the comfort of her own room. But she didn't mind one bit, because frankly, she'd do anything for Faye.

As she sang the song, Faye eagerly listened. Her hazel eyes glistened in the artificial light that shone above her as she hugged her new Barbie doll against her chest. When the last verses of the main chorus came around, the little girl decided to join Inez and sing with her. She might've stumbled on the lyrics by mixing up a few words, but neither of them stopped singing. It was actually fun, and they both enjoyed it very much.

When the song ended, Faye broke out into a giggle. "That was so much fun. You're a very good singer."

"Aww, thank you, Faye," Inez smiled as she caressed her fingers through Faye's hair.

The two spent the rest of their time playing and talking. They had a fashion show with Faye's new Barbie doll, and they talked endlessly about everything and nothing. Their connection clicked, as if they were real, biological sisters after all.

The three-story shopping mall located on the border of town was always a busy location for anyone in the county, especially on school breaks. Inez and Jolien were practically struggling to find a table to sit at in the mall's newly renovated food court so they could eat the food they recently bought. When a table for two finally opened up, the girls swarmed the table immediately like vultures, just to make sure no one else would take it.

It was a Tuesday before Christmas day, so the mall was packed with people. Both Jolien and Inez still had to buy dozens of gifts for family and friends since they hadn't already, and this was their last chance. Online shopping on Amazon wasn't much of an option anymore, considering that the clock was ticking to the worldwide-known holiday, so shipping would be slow.

But before they went shopping, they just had to grab a bite to eat for extra fuel. Who knew how long they'd stay at the mall?

"God, everyone seems like they're in a hustle," Inez narrowed her eyes to dozens of people, juggling shopping bags and baby strollers laced through their fingers. 

"I mean, there's only two days left until Christmas Day, so everyone is here for last minute gifts. With all these people, we may not find everything we need," Jolien grimaced before she poked her straw in her small cup of lemonade. She took her phone out of her purse, tapped a few buttons, then turned her phone to show it to Inez. On her screen was a shirtless photo of Harry Styles on the beach. "He's so fine, isn't he?"

"Uh, yeah, he is, I guess," Inez nodded as she unwrapped her classic chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A. She took a big bite out of it before a large piece of lettuce fell to its packaging.

"I guess? He's like the hottest man ever, and you said so yourself once," Jolien echoed as she took a bite out of her waffle fries. "Oh, I see, is there someone you like, and you want to stay loyal to him, even if you're not with him?"

"I said that like, last year or something," Inez shook her head in denial. "And no, I don't like anyone, I promise you. You know damn well you'd be the first person I'd tell if I did."

"You're damn right," Jolien nodded in approval. "But a week ago after the winter performance, I saw Alexander and you smiling at each other. What was that all about?"

If anyone in the world could have an award called "World's Noisiest Best Friend" it would certainly be given to Jolien. She always wanted to hear some kind of tea, especially if it was hot, and this was it. "That means nothing," Inez laughed as she poked her straw into her fruit punch. "Don't strain yourself, Jojo."

"Okay, Nezzie," Jolien shrugged as she placed her phone back into her purse.

"Bitch," Inez chuckled as she waved her finger in the air. "Don't call me Nezzie."

A smirk crawled up Jolien's lips. "I won't if you pinkie swear not to call me Jojo ever again."

"I can't make any promises," Inez shrugged before ran a hand up her head to smooth down her slick high bun.

"Alexander's antics are really rubbing off on you," Jolien remarked with a curt nod.

Inez frowned. "Never say that ever again."

After the girls finished eating, they threw away their food and empty drinks so they could go around the corner of the food court to the glass elevators. The first store they wanted to visit was Bath and Body Works to purchase candles for their mothers. This mall in particular had two of the stores at opposite ends of the building, since it was widely popular and could get cramped at times. But both of the stores were on the middle level of the mall, so as the elevator became available, they eagerly went in.

"Let's hope that nothing is sold out," Jolien raved as she pressed the elevator button that led to the middle level.

"It's two days before Christmas. Something has to be sold out," Inez grimaced as she watched the elevator gradually close doors. But in mid-sentence, the doors opened back up as the elevator dinged. A hovered beside one of the elevator doors, provoking the censors to open the doors once again. Within seconds, two people slid into the elevator.

Two people that Jolien and Inez were awfully familiar with.

"We caught the elevator just in time," Alexander remarked with a grin as he stood in the back of the elevator. There was glass placed in the back so viewers could look back at the food court. Visually, it was pleasing to look at.

"Yeah, we did," Jayden nodded in agreement before he looked up to the two girls. "Hey, you two." 

Inez exchanged a baffled glance to Jolien before she stood next to Alexander in front of the glass. "Hi, what are you guys doing here?" 

"We're going to stop by Foot Locker," Alexander replied as he took a brisk glance at Inez before raking his hand through his chocolate brown hair. "Either that or Finish Line. Where are y'all headed to?"

"Bath and Body Works," Inez answered nonchalantly as the elevator pinged, indicating that they were now on the second floor. "For Christmas shopping." 

"Good luck with that. The stores are filled with people at this hour," the brunette-haired boy said with a curt nod as he held out his hand when the elevator doors flung open. "Ladies first."

Inez and Jolien brushed their way out of the elevator and headed towards the right because that's where the popular retail store chain. Inez turned her head back to see where Alexander and his friend were headed to, which was the opposite direction of where they were going.

"What was that all about?" Jolien asked with furrowed eyebrows as she forked her hand through her brunette, straightened hair.

"What was what?" Inez questioned in return.

"Don't play dumb. You know what," the brunette mused before a smirk crawled up her lips. "That little thing going on between Alexander and you. You two were never ever like that before. What made things between you two different?"

Inez frowned. "I don't know. Things just feel different between us. He can be bearable . . . when he's not so annoying and competitive, of course."

"So, you guys have been talking?" Jolien hummed as her false, natural-looking eyelashes fluttered.

"I mean, I guess we did the night of our winter concert in choir. But it wasn't serious," Inez informed as she shook her head. "Before rehearsals, we were kind of talking . . . and he even complimented the way I looked that night."

"Oh?" The brunette said enthusiastically as her voice revved up. "And how come I'm hearing about this just now?"

"Because it doesn't mean anything," Inez shrugged as she dodged past a large family juggling dozens of shopping bags of all colors and sizes. "Him and I are barely even friends."

"Well, okay, if you say so," Jolien said as she squinted her eyes at her best friend. That only caused Inez to internally question it all — what were Alexander and Inez? Maybe they had recently calmed down a notch, but that didn't automatically mean they were friends. Their bonds didn't seem neutral enough to even consider each other as friends, so what were they?

Those were the kinds of questions that clouded Inez's head as she approached the store. Frankly, she didn't even know what was going on. 

a/n: so it looks like a little bit more information about Inez has been unraveled. she sort of volunteers at the hospital and visits Faye. they're so cute omg 

this chapter has given me childhood memories of Barbies. but quick question: what kind of dolls did y'all like as a kid? or toys, it doesn't matter💗

here's a random fun fact about Barbie: her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. as a kid, i thought she was just Barbie, no last name or middle name or anything like that 😵‍💫

and let's talk about the mall situation. honestly i love Alexander so very much. he can annoy but he can be so cute at the same time <3

i love y'all :)