I do not own any of the characters. This is for entertainment purposes only. Any plot similarities to other FF and stories/movies are coincidental. Character thoughts in Italicized, and Bold for emphasis. Blue underlined are hyperlink to photos of item described. 

Lunchtime:

Gui Gui thought she conquered the hallways of high school after being popular for three years; she believed she was prepared for the worse when she confidently walked one thousand feet in the cold, from her classroom up to the double doors of the Senior’s building. Everything she thought she knew about being on top just got swiped of the face of the earth. She felt foreign, she felt like a freshman wandering through the massive crowd of people who’ve already established their cliques, people who belonged, and people who were actually ready to face the real world and become adults. Her definition of high school couldn’t be anymore different than it has just become the moment she stepped on to the polished marble floor, and the moment her appearance was met with many eyes with a gaze she couldn’t distinguish as friendly or hostile for the first time. Gui clutched her phone so tightly her knuckles were as white as the snow on the tips of her brown leather boots. Luckily for her, a warm familiar voice brought her back to her senses.

Oh I cannot think of anymore comforting in my life than this voice right now. Maybe next time I should have just called him before coming into the building…

“What brings you here to my domain, Ghostie?”

“Geo! I am so glad you are here. I thought my legs were turning to jelly. I thought I knew everyone in high school… apparently ‘everyone’ did not include the senior class.”

“Are you here to look for Aaron? I can take you to our classroom.”

“No, actually I was looking for you.”

“I suppose you want your ticket back?”

“Yea, I do. Thanks for keeping it safe for me.”

“No problem. Have fun with Aaron. If he tries anything funny, call me and I will be there to watch out for my cute lil sis okay?”

“Haha, that is very nice of you Geo, but I don’t think I will have that problem… you see… my problem is that I still don’t know if Aaron is going.”

“Why? Did he need some time to think about your offer?”

“No, but I have absolutely no idea how to ask him. I have never asked out a guy before, especially a guy as great as Aaron.”

“Is this what I think it is? My charming little ghost has a crush on the most popular guy in school, but doesn’t have the courage to ask him to a concert even when she had the courage to ask him to stay over at her house?”

“What? No! I do not have a crush on Aaron! I really regret ever sharing the details of how I got to know him with you, evil Ge.”

“I didn’t mention any names… so it is Aaron then?”

“No! I am not even asking him out. He just happens to be working with me on operation Uncover Secret Santa. So I need all the opportunities I can get to talk to him about it. This concert is just the perfect chance.”

“It is a concert. It will be so loud; you won’t even be able to hear yourself, besides you will be too busy fan-girling.”

“I am asking you for advice and mockery is all you are going to give me? I do not call you the best brother I never had for this.”

“Older brothers have a tendancy to tease, lil ghost. Why don’t you just pretend that I am Aaron and practice asking.”

“Okay, here goes nothing. Since I have an extra ticket, and you are free that night, do you want to go with me to the concert?”

“No Gui, don’t ask like that. Do not just assume he has no life, even if he has no other plans, it will come off as an insult. You also made it seem like you have no choice but to go with him.”

“How about this, it would mean the world to me if you could go to the concert with me this Saturday. I have waited so long to ask you.”

“No no no. Too much exaggeration. That make you look desperate and you are just throwing yourself at him. I am sure he gets one of those confessions everyday from his crazy fan girls.”

“Then how am I supposed to do this?”

“How about I give you a full on lesson about guys and dating after school today and for the rest of the week?”

“Yes! That would be so helpful. Thank you! You are the best Geo!”

Gui Gui gave George a quick hug before going back to her own classroom. A certain someone just so happened to look out the window for that brief second, and had his day ruined for the second time of the week.

“Hey man, you okay? What did you see outside that window? You look like you are ready stab someone with those chopsticks.”

“I am fine! Totally okay! I don’t even know what you are talking about. What hug? I did not see anything.”

Afterschool:

Aaron stood in front of the café doors and for the first time in his life, not excited to go inside. He did not want to face her, not in the state he is in now. Unsure of all the things he might say to her if he saw her smile like nothing was wrong. Worse, to see her without the usual smile that he loves… it would break his heart.

No, Aaron, man up! You still have to apologize for this morning…

~[FLASHBACK]~

Having after walking 15 minutes from his house to the school café in the freezing cold below zero degree weather, Aaron was glad to be able to sit down at his new favorite place on campus – his and Gui’s usual table in the café, which is practically reserved for them by now. Moments later, Gui Gui walked in with an awkward smile on her face. She sat down, clumsily, more like landed her on the chair after tripping over the leg of another chair near their table. Aaron couldn’t help but laugh at her “grand” entrance. It made him forget all the unpleasant feelings from a mere 16 hours ago, after learning Gui gave the “golden ticket” to George, the runner up for most popular male at school. However, it only took two minutes to ruin the record a 16 hour recovery when the first name that came out of Gui’s mouth was “George”.

“Aaron? Did you hear what I just said?”

“Oh so that’s where I am on your list?!”

“What are you talking about?”

“George or Me?”

“Huh, George… of course I was just talking about him…”

‘Well you can just tell that cashier everything about George, cause I don’t want to hear it. If you are not going to talk about the Secret Santa, then do not waste my precious mornings!”

Aaron walked out of the café, leaving Gui Gui in the chair, too stunned to process what just happened.

~[FLASHBACK END]~

I should not have just lost my temper like that, I have to go in there and apologize. What is the worse thing that can happen anyway?

Aaron braced himself for anything that could be beyond the café door, well anything except what he saw the moment the door opened. Nothing. No one. No familiar smile. No Gui. He did not prepare for this.

“Aaron, the little lady left a note for you.”

“Oh really. Okay thank you.”

Sorry Aaron. I can’t come to our afterschool meeting today, actually I cannot make it for the rest of the week either. Something important came up. I left this note so you won’t have to wait for me needlessly and waste your precious afternoons.

- Gui Gui

Well, this is unexpected…That’s it! Aaron Yan it is over! You ruined your chances. She is mad at you. No way of apologizing your way out of this one. It will take a Christmas miracle for us to reconcile…

Later on that evening:

Gui Gui was in the middle of her dinner when the thought hit her. The note. I hope Aaron did not misunderstand… I should have phrased it better. What if he thinks I am mad at him! Oh no… better call him.

Panicked, the slightly careless Gui rummaged around the house for her large touch screen phone, turns out it was on the dinner table, under her napkin, that she just spilled water on. Luck is not on her side today, even when normally, her phone could have survived some water damage; the 3^rd time is ironically not the charm.

How am I going to call him now… right the house phone! Wait… I don’t remember his number.

Gui as about to retract her hand when the phone rang.

“Hi sweetie! We have some good news for you. Your father and I got a short break from our conference and we might be able to come home for Christmas. We can spend it together this year, as a family, just like you wanted.”

“Mom! That’s great! Listen mom I-

“Sorry hon, I have to go now, we have brunch with CEOs of the company we want to establish a partnership with. Talk to you later, bye dear.”

“Okay bye mom… good luck.”

Before she finished her sentence the call already ended, despite the fact that she did not get to have any normal mother to daughter conversations with her mom like all her other friends, Gui was overjoyed to be able to spend the first Christmas with her parents and just her parents. Without any parties at their winter vacation home up in the mountains, where almost every owner of a company, some celebrity, and many who were considered important by society were invited to, this was going to be her best Christmas yet. Right when Gui thought that nothing was going to ruin her Christmas, the phone rang once more.

“Gui Gui, honey. We are so sorry. Your mother and I just found out that we are packed with schedules. So we cannot make it home by Christmas. We promise and try to come home before New Years. To make it up to you we got you a present you are going to love! I just had our secretary mail it to you. It will arrive by Christmas day. I have to hang up now. We can’t keep the CEOs waiting. Bye bye, baby”

Without a word Gui put the phone back on the receiver, and went to her room, leaving what was left of her dinner- all of it- on the dining table. Nothing was going her way, the “perfect” Christmas –gone- the little girl who use to be satisfied with just a phone call from her parents every month – gone – even her good partnership with Aaron – gone.

I need some time to be alone… wait I am alone…

The doorbell rang, Gui Gui went to see who could be senseless enough to disturb her already ruined evening.

Hey, maybe it is my parents. Maybe they are actually behind this door waiting to surprise me. That will explain the spontaneous calls.

She opened a door with a big smile, however the only thing that was surprising was the cold wind blowing its way into Gui’s already cold house. Gui picked up the large tin can on her door mat, closed the door and went to the living room couch with heavy steps. Sighing, she set down the gift and sighed some more reading the note that came with it.

Gui Gui Wu,

Loneliness is like having good popcorn without a movie to go with it. Loneliness is having good popcorn with no one to share it with.

~Your Secret Santa~

Thank you very much, Secret Santa; but sorry to tell you I already got this gift for Christmas. In fact, I get it every year. For once, you ran out of ideas to surprise me with.

As Gui was about to go to her room, the door bell rang again.

You’ve got to be kidding me. First the phone, now the door… I don’t care. I will not open the door no matter who-

“Gui! Open up! It’s freezing out here!”

Aaron!? What is he doing outside my house!?

“Aaron, why are you here?”

“I got my Secret Santa gift.”

“You came all the way just to tell me that?”

“No, to show you. It is part of the gift.”

“What? You are not making any sense”

“You’ll see. So can I come in?”

“Yea… sure… make yourself home…”

“Great! Let’s get this party started!”

He sure took that saying seriously… what is he doing… putting a disc in my DVD player… making himself comfortable on my couch… oh look, he found the popcorn too.

“Gui, come on, you will miss the movie!”

“Look Aaron, I am not exactly in the mood to-

“Gui just sit your down and enjoy! Relax a little, its not like you are at my house. This is your own home.”

“Exactly my point Aaron! MY house not yours.”

“Just sit down next to me and I will give you a proper explanation to my madness.”

Reluctantly Gui made her way to the inviting couch and sat.

“Gui Gui, I am sorry about what happened this morning. I did not mean to yell at you like that. I guess I was just a little jealous of that George guy being so friendly with you all of a sudden, and he just so happened to be my competition for number one hot guy at this school, which made it worse.”

“I though you were here because of the gift.”

“Well that is part of it. I wanted to apologize, but did not know how, then this gift arrived and it became the perfect way to make it up to you. Here read the note. I suppose it is related to your present somehow. What was your present anyway?”

“You are eating my present…”

“I figured it was the popcorn, I meant the metaphoric one.”

“Loneliness.”

“Perfect. It makes sense.”

“I do not follow.”

“You will get it if you just read my note.”

Gui gave Aaron a weird look, and after a few seconds he handed over his note with a sheepish smile.

“Oops… forgot to give you the note”

Aaron Yan,

Watching a movie is a great form of comfort when you are sad. Watching it with someone is an even greater comfort. Find some good popcorn and have a comfortable Christmas.

~Your Secret Santa~

“I came to keep you company and I thought that you would have the popcorn. Turns out I am right. You needed company and have the popcorn.”

“Thank you for being here. I was feeling lonely. It wasn’t because of the gift though.”

“Let me guess, your parents?”

“How did you know?”

“I guessed based on personal experience. My dad rather celebrate with his new family, my mother is always working, and my sister usually goes to her boyfriend’s villa for Christmas, hence I'm home alone for the holidays.”

“Its comforting to know that I am not the only one.”

“You don’t have to be. Why don’t we spend Christmas together?”

“Sure. Before that, are you doing anything next Saturday?”

“Nope.”

“Great! Would you like to keep me company then?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, here.”

“The golden ticket! YES!”

“I didn’t know you were a fan of Big Bang. It’s called a VIP ticket. I think you are too absorbed in this chocolate factory movie we are half-watching.”

“I thought you were going with George.”

“No. I had him keep it until you agree to come with me. I was afraid I would lose it. Then today afterschool he gave me lessons on how to ask you out, that is why I could not make it to our meeting.”

“Wait… you wanted to ask me out?”

“Yes. To the concert. Wait- not in that way. I did not mean a date. I mean – I don’t know if it counts as a date and we are not dating so I-

“Its okay. As long as I am the one going with you, it doesn’t matter if it is a date or not.”

“Ok good. I mean you are my friend and all. I didn’t want all this to be awkward if we called it a date.”

“I just got promoted!”

“Yea.. congrats. Can we focus on the movie now?”

“Right. Do you want to start from the beginning?”

“Sure. Wait wouldn’t it get late? Its not safe going home in the dark, even for a guy.”

“Its fine. I can defend myself.”

“No, no you can’t. I mean you probably can, but I don’t want to put you at risk. Do you want to stay the night? Its not the first time anyway. In the guest room of course. Just like last time.”

“Yea that would be great.”

“Okay.”

Aaron and Gui sat in somewhat awkward silence for the rest of the movie, occasionally sharing bursts of laughter, and slight glances at each other. When they caught each other’s eye they would immediately turn their heads back to facing the screen, and reach for the tin of popcorn between them, once every so often their hands would touch while reaching for the same piece of popcorn, and they would quickly take their hands out of the tin, sending a few pieces of popcorn flying. By the end of the movie, they had to clear through the maze of popcorn on their tip toes to get a broom and avoid making a mess on Gui’s living room floor, by trying not to crush any of the many pieces of popcorn on the ground. After cleaning up in silence, and getting washed up, they returned to their rooms. As they shut the door, they both could help but finally let the goofy grin on their face show, as they buried their head’s face first into their pillows, hiding their blush.

When I find out who that Secret Santa is, I really have to thank him/her. This was the perfect apology.

I owe Secret Santa a big thank you. I successfully asked Aaron out to the concert, and will be having a Christmas that will actually be white, not blue.