Page 39 of The Holiday Disaster

This movie was picked by Ethan because he had an obsession with all things animals, but I was surprised to find that the storyline resonated with me. The main character chose to put on the mask of a cat to escape the hardships she faced.

While real life wasn’t nearly as magical as the movie, everyone dealt with their own struggles. Many of us hid behind a mask for various reasons, but we all used it as a means to escape, nevertheless.

Running away was easy, but then we lost what it really meant to be living. It was through our struggles and efforts to overcome that we were able to cherish the happiness we obtained through our own hands. Once we found that happiness, we’d do anything to protect it.

I peeked down to Ethan snuggled in my arms. He was watching the cat people with shining eyes, and I could imagine him trying to teach his cats to walk on two legs. And I’d be right there with him, every step of the way.

It was dark by the time the movie finished. We had wasted the last of the sunshine inside, basking in each other’s warmth instead, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

We would have probably stayed in the room until the party if not for the need to eat. After dressing, I carefully wrapped Ethan in my red scarf that was the same color as the sweater I wore.

It was a bit cooler today, the skies clear and stars sparkling down on us like they had come out specifically for the evening festivities tonight.

The streets of downtown were filled with people exploring the little snowy town. Even though it was completely dark, the large Christmas tree brightly lit up the entire square, creating a warm atmosphere.

There were still a few stalls set up on the main square, but the majority were already in the process of packing up for the night.

As we walked around to take one last look before they all left, the old man from yesterday caught my eye. He glanced down at Ethan, who was hugging my arm and had half of his body basically pasted against mine, before meeting my gaze again with a knowing look.

I gave him a nod, silently confirming that the Doves of Destiny had done their job and brought our hearts together. He shot me a huge smile before resuming his packing.

Ethan and I chose a random restaurant for dinner. The food wasn’t anything worth mentioning, but it didn’t matter what we ate. Everything tasted sweet when we were together.

All the vendors on the main square had left by the time we finished our dinner. There were people setting up decorations and a makeshift stage at one end of the square. Some booths were prepping food and drinks, which I assumed were for the party.

“What should we do until the party starts?” I asked. We were standing by the same coffee shop from yesterday. The lights inside were still on, so I gestured to it. “Wanna wait in there?”

Ethan nodded and pulled me inside. Even though it was way past dinnertime, the coffee shop was still full of people sitting and chatting with their friends. We got our drinks and found a more secluded area in the corner.

“Tell me how you’re liking your first semester,” I said when we settled down.

Ethan took a sip of his hot tea before going into everything he’d done and learned so far. His dorm mate also happened to be in the same major as him, so they shared a lot of the same classes.

I was envious that his dorm mate was able to be with him every day. If only I had gone up to him instead of watching from afar, afraid of his rejection, perhaps we could have gotten the misunderstanding cleared up earlier and we wouldn’t have wasted a whole semester.

“Sounds like you’ve made the right choice coming to this school. You’re gonna be the best vet in the future,” I said, pushing away the useless regret. The past couldn’t be changed, so I could only grab hold of the present.

“You know… The pre-vet program wasn’t the only thing on my mind when I chose our school,” Ethan said with his head lowered as he looked up at me through his lashes.

I grinned and leaned closer to him. “Oh? Do tell.”

“While it’s true our school is known for their program, the thought of going to the same school as you also crossed my mind.”

I had my suspicions, but I never said anything since I didn’t want to sound conceited. But now he confirmed it, and I couldn’t help the huge grin that popped up.

“Say more,” I teased as I scooted my chair closer to him and wrapped an arm around him. He pushed me with his shoulder and gave me the exasperated glare he usually did as I was teasing him. The glare held a lot less heat than it once did and was now filled with indulgence and love.

“We’ve basically gone to the same schools our whole lives, so it was weird thinking of not doing that anymore for college,” he said with a shrug like it was a casual observation not worth any importance.

I wasn’t going to be fooled by his nonchalance so easily. “I’m glad you chose my school whether it was for the pre-vet program or some other reason...” I paused, leaving the words unsaid, but Ethan still blushed in understanding. “I’m ecstatic to have you close again. And as a bonus, we’ll get to experience the whole campus romance thing.”

He flushed even deeper, but he held my gaze with a goofy smile on his face. Our conversation turned to the top dating spots that were popular at our school like the flower garden or lake with the perfect view of the sunset. We planned out times to visit them both as well as the local restaurants that Ethan had been dying to try but hadn’t yet.

Time always went by so fast when I was with Ethan, and before we knew it, a barista had come over to remind us that the coffee shop was closing for the night. We quickly put our coats back on and headed outside and back to the main square.

I helped Ethan wear my right glove as I put on the left one and tucked his bare hand in my coat pocket. We could have purchased a new pair of gloves for him, but neither of us brought it up. I think he liked sharing hand warmth as much as I did.

They had finished setting up for the party and it was in full swing. Large electric heaters had been set up all around the square and the makeshift stage on one side with the giant Christmas tree at the center. People hung around as they ordered food and drinks from the booths lining the edges of the square.

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