Friday: December 10th, 2015

I knew I had to solve today's riddle on my own as practice because, come tomorrow, Jasper would be accompanying me to collect the riddle nearly every morning (provided we passed each day of course). I was already waiting in front of the booth on the tenth day of Christmas before 9am ticked over, ensuring I was first in line to grab my riddle.

This time, I didn't head to a cafe to read it. Once out of Winter Wonderland, I unravelled the scroll (this time bound together by a green ribbon decorated in reindeer) and read the riddle.

I could feel my breakfast making its way up as I finished the riddle. Whoever wrote these surely watched too many Rom-Coms. Nonetheless, I threw my judgement aside and focussed on the words.

Last time, Ria narrowed it down thanks to Jojo googling key words. So what if I googled some phrases?

First I tried 'things that fly in London', but that was such an embarrassing attempt I almost considered deleting it from my search history.

So next I tried 'things that go around in London'. Again. Nothing.

I tried reading through the clue again.

"Partner's eye," I whispered. "Make love fly... base of something that goes around. What goes around?" Then my head snapped up as a smile took a hold of my face.

Whipping my phone out, I snapped a picture of the riddle and sent it to Jasper with the message: Heading to the London Eye.

Jasper: I don't know how you figure these out. I'm going to look pathetic next to you over the weekend.

I'd be lying if I said his compliment didn't make me feel a little guilty for being rude to him yesterday. I never even gave him a chance to explain why or how he could possibly date Penny. I mean, we all change with time. Jasper was no longer the guy I knew. I was surely far from the girl he was once friends with. So maybe Penny changed.

Even if she did change, I thought Jasper would always hold my grudge for me. As an oath to our friendship, my mind then countered.

Sighing, I shook the thoughts and headed for the underground.

∘◦ ❈ ◦∘

I made it to the London Eye before Jasper was even out of class. The elf from yesterday was standing there, shock masking her face as I approached.

"Did you figure it out already?" she gasped as I came closer.

"They could make them harder," I muttered back, waiting for her to give me one of the entry tickets poking out of her small bag hanging from her shoulder.

"I thought I made them really hard!"

Of course it was her! Happy go lucky thought she was being super cheery and festive. "Well, I guess I'm great at riddles then," I said.

"Too right! Yesterday it took at least an hour until the next person showed up after you both left. Speaking of, where's your boyfriend today?"

I tried not to flinch at the word 'boyfriend' being used to describe Jasper's relationship to me. "He's in school."

"Ah... Why aren't you?"

"I... um... I have it off. Family holiday thing."

She cocked her head to the side, but brushed it away. Either she didn't care (though she seemed like the type to intrude into everyone's business) or she was too gullible and fell for my lie. "Anyway, here is your entry slip. All the best today!"

"Thank you," I mumbled and began heading off.

As I pulled out my phone, a text was waiting for Jasper.

Jasper: Out and on my way to the London Eye.

Me: Don't bother. I already got it. See you at 3:30 at Hyde Park.

He began replying, the dots forming and disappearing multiple times over the next minute until they went away. Assuming I was in the clear, I began walking towards the underground when my phone rang.

"What?" I asked when I picked up, still making an effort to walk towards the tube station.

"Do you answer all phone calls like that?" Jasper queried.

"Perhaps. What do you care?"

He was silent, probably flinching from my snappy attitude that was certainly over the top. Nonetheless, once he spoke again, his voice was kind and confident. "Can we meet up somewhere to talk about today's task?"

"I'll just send you a picture of it."

"Zara..." He paused though, his end of the line going silent.

"If you have something to say, say it."

"I really would like to meet up."

"There's no need. From what I saw on the challenge description, we don't need to bond or prepare for the task."

"Still."

Heaving a sigh, I replied. "Fine. I'll text you my dad's address. If you really insist on meeting up, you can come to his house because I don't feel like sitting in a stupid cafe."

∘◦ ❈ ◦∘

To my surprise, Jasper had reached the house before I did. Also, I had expected him to head home and change before coming. Yet there he was, waiting on the front steps, still in his school uniform as his eyes warily looked up when he saw me approaching.

Without even a greeting, I walked past him, up the stairs, and unlocked the door, stepping aside to let him in.

Shuffling into the hallway as he shrugged his coat off, he glanced around, taking in the pictures of Clare, Amelia, Hunter, dad...

"Where are you in all this?" Jasper asked.

I shrugged, but couldn't bring myself to make eye contact. "Did you want a drink?"

"Water is fine," he said back, walking into the living room to peruse the other photos Clare had hanging up. "When did your father start dating her?" I heard him call out as I readied his drink and put the jug on for myself.

"He and Clare started dating a year after we left... at least he told us a year after. Who knows how long before that when he didn't say anything."

"I'm sorry, Zara," he said, his voice much closer than before. Alarmed, I turned around and saw him in the doorway to the kitchen, eyes sad as they looked over me.

"It is what it is," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, but as I turned to put the tea bag and sugar in my cup, I could feel the stinging sensation behind my eyes.

"And with your parents... how long was it going on before you left?"

"At least a year. But the separation was kind of just... thrown on me a month before we moved."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I could never bring myself to say it. Like if I voiced it, then it would become my reality," I whispered.

An immeasurable amount of time passed without him saying anything. Enough for the kettle to finish boiling, for me to pour the water in, then to stir my cup. "And what held you back from that?" he asked from right behind me, causing me to jump.

Turning around, I slowly met his concerned gaze as I replied, "Because the Jasper I knew then would have cried at the thought of me leaving. And even though I tried many times to get it out, I couldn't bring myself to wipe the smile from your face. I didn't know how to look you in the eyes and admit that our friendship was going to change forever."

He continued to stare at me as I turned back to my tea, finishing assembling it. Then I shoved his glass of water in his hand, scooted around him, and headed back to the living room.

I took a seat on the couch and Jasper rejoined me not too long after, seeming to be lost in thought while I dug the entry ticket out from my bag. Placing it on the table, I pushed it over his way to read it. This was enough to snap him out of his daze as he picked it up and did his whisper-read again.

"Sounds like we need to save our appetite," I commented when he finished reading.

"Okay... so no lunch. Sorted," he mused.

I breathed a small laugh in response and he curiously glanced my way, eyebrow raised.

"Was that a laugh, Zar?"

"No..." I said, face falling back to a grimace, too conscious of the fact he hadn't called me by my full first name. "Anyway... you can leave when you finish that water."

"Am I not welcome here?"

"Not really. Dad would probably crack it if he knew I had a 'boy' here without him." I shook my head. "He didn't even want to let me go to that party that night."

"No?"

I nodded. "Clare basically interrupted our fight, and it's only thanks to her I got to go. Though I wish he'd just listen to me... It's not like I'm a party person anyway."

"You mentioned that. Why not?"

I waved a hand over my body. "Look at me. Do I seem like the type that screams 'popular enough to be invited to parties'."

"You don't have to be popular..."

I shook my head. "You grew up into this tall and charming Mr Handsome, so you wouldn't understand."

"You think I'm handsome?"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Don't you have Penny to go cry over?"

And that changed the mood. An awkward silence fell around my living room as Jasper's face fell into a frown alongside it. Then he finished his drink and told me he'd see me in the afternoon before making his exit.

∘◦ ❈ ◦∘

Just like yesterday, when we met at Hyde Park, we barely said a word to each other as we headed towards the entrance of Winter Wonderland.

But upon entering the gates, he begrudgingly held his hand out for me while I reluctantly took it. Then we stood in the crowd with the other contestants we recognised from yesterday, waiting for fake Santa to get on stage to tell us about the competition.

"I'm sorry," I eventually mumbled as we watched the rotund man climb the steps and head towards the microphone.

"It's okay," Jasper said, venom still lacing his voice. Yet then he released a breath he seemed to be holding for a while as he glanced my way, eyes warming. "It's just... you weren't here. So you can't judge me for the things I did."

"Well maybe if you explained—"

"You never let me. You always get grumpy and either storm away or say things that make me not want to talk to you."

Shrugging, I looked down to the ground and away from his dark eyes. "I guess I feel like you don't owe me an explanation for anything... considering we aren't friends anymore."

A brief moment of silence passed as fake Santa had some technical difficulties getting the mic to work. And just before his voice finally boomed through the speakers, Jasper whispered, "Maybe we can be again."

"Hello contestants and audience, and welcome to the second day of The Twelve Days of  Christmas Competition. Congratulations for getting this far," fake Santa said. "Behind me you will see an array of stations with piles of cookies. As you may have guessed from your entry tickets, your task today will involve eating cookies. So I hope you all worked up an appetite. I'm afraid my doctor has put me on a special diet, which means I need you all to be my helpers today so that I can get through all these delightful treats the kids around the world have laid out for me."

"This is so lame," I muttered, and Jasper breathed a chuckle before giving my hand a slight squeeze. As he did it, an unexpected reaction occurred within me. My stomach gave a slight squirm. I yanked my hand out of his.

Fake Santa continued to go on about the rules that were clearly stated on the entry ticket—the only addition that we had to ensure we didn't throw up our cookies until after the timer ran out to ensure we weren't disqualified. But as he did, Jasper leaned over to my ear and whispered, "Everything okay?"

"Mhmm. Sweaty palms," I said, avoiding his gaze I could feel burning into my flushed face.

He seemed to be studying me for a while before finally saying, "Okay."

Next I knew, we were being called onto the stage, seated next to each other.

"Hey Zar," Jasper said as we waited for the other contestants and the elves to ready themselves.

"Yeah?"

"No pressure if we don't win. It's okay," he said, concern swirling his gaze.

But in response, I narrowed my eyes at him. "That better not be quitter's talk."

"Oh I'm not quitting. Ever."

Then the bell sounded and we were on our way.

I'm sure you know we at least passed the second round, otherwise what story would this be? But it was close this time. While Jasper certainly had quite the appetite, I struggled to hold up my end of the cookies after the fourth one, feeling the nausea overcome me.

∘◦ ❈ ◦∘

"It's okay if you want to puke now," Jasper said, arm around me as he helped me stumble out of Hyde Park.

I shook my head at him, hand rubbing my belly. I am not puking in front of Jasper. "I'll see you tomorrow," I managed to breathe through the waves of churning in my stomach.

"I think I should help you home actually..."

"I'm not drunk," I snapped at him, a little unwarrantedly. And as he flinched away from me, I mumbled an apology. "I'll be fine. I'll send you a text to let you know when I get back."

"Promise?"

I nodded at him.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Zar. Looking forward to watching the riddle solver in action!"

But then a whole new wave of nausea and nervousness overcame me. 

_____

Tomorrow's Riddle