#TheChristmasSwitch

So, hey there. Christmas, huh? You excited? Well, I know I'm not. Every year, it's just the same day. We eat, sing songs (I really hate those songs), open gifts (part where the shouting and cheering annoys me), and waiting for Santa Claus ( I don't believe in him). But the worst part is, my family. No it's not that I hate my family, but they are just sometimes...annoying. They are always very cheerful. But I'm not. I just like a simple Christmas, where you can eat quietly and talk about simple things and laugh not so hard, where you open gifts and just take pictures. My family are always noisy. They talk out loud. I probably like sophisticating things. You know, how royalties act. But yeah, it's just impossible to have that kind of Christmas or even any occasions. But I know Lexi is the opposite. She LOVES Christmas. But her family doesn't usually celebrate occasions because they are always busy. Sometimes, she just celebrate it on her own. Now that I'm her friend, I want to give her a real family Christmas. And based on the chapter title, it's what I'm going to do.

December 12...

Today is our Christmas vacation. And we'll come back to school on February 5 next year. Lexi and I was just walking to the same street when she sighed.

"I'm not sure if I want to celebrate Christmas this year." she said.

I asked why. "Because my dad's not coming home till February 6 and Mom's still in Italy. I don't want to celebrate Christmas on my own." I frowned.

"You can come over at my house." I said. I'm not sure how to tell her about my plan. She just shrugged.

"I know! You see, my family loves Christmas and... I don't. Your family doesn't celebrate Christmas and you love Christmas. So why don't we switch places: I'll stay at your house and you'll stay at my house!" I tried to convince her with that.

"What?! No way."

"Why not? I've never seen your family before."

"No, it's just that--"

"You've always wanted a family you can celebrate Christmas with, and this is an opportunity you've been waiting for."

She seemed thoughtful. Finally, she agreed. We asked my mom if we could do that and she wasn't offended when I said sometimes I'm annoyed. She said that she felt that way too sometimes but she just lets it out with a sigh. But she said YES.Yes!

After I packed my PJ's, I went to Lexi's house to see what's keeping her long. She was at her house, of course, packing up her things to my house. But then, I heard Lexi talking on her phone by the front door of her house.

"Ms. Macy, you can take a day off. I need you with something." that's what I heard though, she was whispering. "I need you to tell..." suddenly, my mom told me I forgot my PJ's. I didn't hear what she said anymore.

"Oh thanks, mom." I said when she handed me my backpack.

"Oh look! There's Lexi." I saw her still talking on her phone. Mom said goodbye and she waved at me. I stepped out from the bushes I was hiding from and she finally saw me.

"Oh! Hey, Al. Didn't see you there." she said, feeling nervous. I knew that there was DEFINITELY something she's hiding from me. "What are you doing here, anyway?" she almost drowned on her sweat. 😓 😓

"Umm, we were switching places, remember?" I replied. She laughed very hard, almost too hard. She welcomed me to her house and I am VERY excited to see where I'm going to sleep for tonight. She showed me the bathroom, kitchen, the basement (we didn't actually went inside), the attic (we didn't climb up either), and lastly, her bedroom.

"WOW! Your bedroom looks so aesthetic!!! I'm sure I'm gonna be sleepin' so comfy tonight, eh?" I said, excitedly.

"Oh that's not where you'll be sleepin' tonight." she replied. I was confused at first. Then...

"This is where you'll be sleepin tonight." she said as she opened the door of the guestroom. The bedroom was SOOO beautiful!!!!!! The bed was pink and white with a fluffy comforter, there was also a crystal chandelier hanging on the ceiling, the desk was adjustable in height and size, a big balcony, and there was also a flat screen and a LOT of free movies and TV shows in it, a mini refrigerator, your own bathroom with a pink bathtub, and finally, a big and beautiful grand piano! This was literally my dream bedroom. All of those excitement made me suddenly faint. Good thing was, Lexi caught me immediately.

We went downstairs to meet her mom, and go to my house so I could give her a tour, too.

"Al, this is my mom, Harley." she introduced her mom, or is she? They DEFINITELY don't look alike. Her mom waved at me and smiled.

"Ok girls, I need to go on a special meeting with our company now. Have fun." she said, then she left.

"Ok! Well, let's go to my house now. But I bet it'll be HARDER to give at tour through a big family crowd." I rolled my eyes. Lexi laughed. "It's fine. I bet your family is cheerful. Unlike my family..." she rolled her eyes too.

We went to my house next and it was hard to go through the crowd when we went inside.

"We'll NEVER get to my room." I said. Then I remembered how my cousin, Daisy, would sneak outside her bedroom through the window. So, I pulled Lexi's hand and we went to the left side of the house. Good thing was, the window was open. She gave me a boost up, and I was tall enough to reach the window. I immediately ran towards my bed and reached out under it. I took my special escape kit. My special kit contains a two long, thick ropes, two grappling hooks, a rope ladder, a helmet, a harness, and two pairs of gloves. My parents have a bigger escape kit. Theirs contains an axe, a small knife, and a health kit, for medical emergencies. Our family are always prepared. We even have an underground evacuation house and a flood evacuation house. It's a big and tall tower house with a strong, hard metal gate so that the water can't get in. It also has a strong glass window and a metal window too, if the water is higher than the tower.

Anyway, I used the rope ladder to let Lexi climb up to the window. After putting back the rope inside the kit, my mom and auntie came in.

"Hello girls!!! Is Lexi ready for the sleepover? We can't wait to give her a tour!" my mom said. I was very annoyed.

"Umm, actually, I wanted to give Lexi the tour." I replied. My auntie laughed very hard. Ugh!

"Oh sweetie. You are not a big girl anymore!" she said as she hugged me very tightly. This is exactly what I hated. "Come on, Welles Family! Let's give Alyssa a big family hug as a welcome-to-adolescence gift!" she called loudly and my whole family went upstairs to my room and gave me a hug. Lexi laughed hardly watching me get swished inside the ball of hug. I gotta admit, they are still thoughtful. I thought they just want to annoy people, but I was wrong.

We all went downstairs to say goodbye to them and Lexi was very happy, finally celebrating Christmas with someone. As I was walking to Lexi's house, I was starting to regret the switching. But I didn't want Lexi to be sad. I want her to experience having a real family and I'd probably just steal my family's attention to me instead of Lexi.

When I arrived at her house, it was quiet. I did not like that. I went upstairs to her room and locked the door, just in case someone opens it. I watched TV to distract me from getting afraid. There was a new short film titled 'If Anything Happens, I Love you' and the synopsis was about two grieving parents struggle to confront the death of their daughter, who was killed in a school shooting. It made me cry even with just reading the synopsis. I don't want to lose my loved ones. Even if they are annoying sometimes.

Just then, I heard something from the living room. I was very afraid, I shivered. I thought I was the only one in the house since Lexi's dad is not coming back 'till February ad her mom's still in Italy, and Louise was on a sleepover at her friend's house.

I laid my ear on the door so I can hear what's going on outside better. There was another loud noise of some objects clanking. I unlocked the door and peeked outside. It was very dark I couldn't see a thing. So I grabbed a flashlight and I gulped, and stepped outside. I went downstairs very carefully and slowly so that I won't fall. I heard another noise. I shivered and froze on that spot for a full minute then stepped on the stairs again, more slowly this time. Then I finally walked straightly and waved the flashlight sideward to see who was making the noise.

Then...someone quick as light zoomed behind me. I was starting to get scared at that moment. I looked behind me. No one was there. Then I saw someone zoom again. I pointed the flashlight at where I thought I saw the person zoom. Still, no one was there. Suddenly, I heard some noise from the kitchen. I ran to the kitchen and started walking slowly, waving the flashlight sidewards. Then I saw a creepy picture of a crowd and a Korean woman, smiling creepily with her head tilted sideward to her left. I screamed loudly and ran outside the house and went to my house.

Lexi asked why I screamed. I told her the whole story, and she said I was too scared to be alone. I nodded, embarrassed. She gave me a hug and she came with m to her house. She said she'll just pick up the picture later and she helped me pack my things. Well, the Christmas Switch did NOT turned out good, I thought. As she was walking with me to my house to make sure I have company, she was looking sad and disappointed. I guess I am a bit needy.

"Lexi, I'm sorry I ruined your fun." I apologized to her. "No, it's fine. At least I got to have some time with a family who knows how to have fun" she sighed. I was very sorry. " You know, we don't have to call the Christmas Switch off. You can stay at my house 'till New Year and we can still have fun!" I cried. She brightened up a little but she seemed confused. "I thought you didn't want your annoying family?" she asked. I smiled. "Well, I want to spend some time with my family. I love them no matter how annoying or loud they are."

So, yeah. Christmas was fun. We had a lot of funny, embarrassing, and fun times. Well, I guess it all turned into a Christmas sleepover, eh? Merry Christmas!!