December 23rd, 2016
Singapore
2:09 PM

Dreamz

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings! Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree!

"I'm really sick of this at this point. Honestly. Now I've received ten men dressed as royalty, 18 chicks doing ballet, 24 girls fucking milking cows- cows. I can't even comprehend how he got those here. On top of that, I've been sent 28 swans, 30 geese- 18 of which are freaking the angriest Canadian geese you could probably ever encounter- 28 calling bird, 24 French hens, 18 turtle doves, and ten partridges!" Dreamz ranted into the phone. John wasn't allowed to leave the house, but his parents hadn't said anything against him making phone calls.

"Wait, you left out the golden rings." John pointed out from the other side of the line.

"Oh, yeah. I'm collecting those suckers. I'll have 40 by Christmas and I'm gonna sell them."

"Nice." Dreamz could almost picture John's head bobbing up and down loosely as he nodded along with the conversation. "So no one is helping you with this anymore?"

"Well, Ryan- the one who gave you your concussion- he won't come anywhere near the freaking geese after they all swarmed him at once. And my friend Cooper did try to help, but I sorta shoved him off a roof."

"Did he die?"

"Nope, he's good. I think. But even though it's really irritating, I think I might try and just ride this one out. There's only two more days of it, and there's no way I'm gonna be able to catch him all by myself." She frowned, not liking the idea. It wasn't exactly giving up... It was more like accepting the circumstances.

At least, that's what she told herself to make herself feel better.

"Dreamz!" Her mother called from downstairs, and Dreamz excused herself from the phone call to see what her mom needed. "This came in the mail for you." An envelope was placed in her hand, and Dreamz returned to her room, ripping open the envelope and emptying the contents.

First was a letter, which she opened with a raised brow.

CONGRATULATIONS

YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ALFRED F. JONES'S 204TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY

THINGS YOU NEED TO BRING: YOURSELF!

IF YOU WANNA BE THERE ON TIME, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY GET ON THE PLANE TODAY

She then spotted the plane ticket for a two-way trip on her bed from where it fell out of the envelope. She regarded the invitation warily at first, being as she was never one for crowds, but then it dawned on her.

Cooper had said that while Alfred was shortening the guest list this year, he had promised Cooper would be there because he was family.

Which meant Arthur would likely be invited.

"Oh, Arthur," the brunette almost sang, "revenge is sweet."