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The honey blonde slowly opened the door and peeked in. The thirteen year old was sitting at her desk, swinging her legs as she hummed a soft melody. She was hunched over her table and doing something Serena couldn't quite place from behind. The door creaked as Serena pushed it open and it made the teen swivel around in her chair curiously.

Bonnie immediately looked down and tugged at the loose chord that hung around her neck, pulling her earphones out and keeping them aside. Serena looked at her sad expression and felt guilt tickling her gut. The honey blonde casually walked in and sat down on Bonnie's bed, noticing that, unlike her own, Bonnie made her bed neatly.

Bonnie always made her bed first thing in the morning after Clemont's intense training which, many times, included fits of anger and outbursts from both siblings. Whenever Bonnie didn't want to do her bed she would always point at Serena and say how she never made her bed. Clemont then tugged at his sister's ear and told her that everyone's chores are their own and one should do them. Even Serena had to agree with Clemont at that and call herself 'a bad person' only to make little Bonnie understand.

Maybe I am a bad person.

The honey blonde sighed and looked at Bonnie. "Bonnie, I am very sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that," she uttered softly.

Bonnie shook her head and smiled softly, "no, I am sorry. Clemont was right. I shouldn't have barged in on you like that and," her voice faded into a whisper, "said all that."

"It's alright. What you said was not wrong. But at that time I was—just out of i-it, I-I th-think. So, I lashed o-out." Serena felt a huge lump of emotions in her throat and forced a cough to try and stop them from choking her.

Bonnie noticed the sudden paleness that crept up on Serena's face and quickly jumped up, grabbed her water bottle from the desk and held it out for her. The older teen gave a weak smile and took a few sips. She then took a couple of deep breaths and tried to calm down another wave of throbbing in her temples.

"Can't believe this keeps happening," she mumbled to herself and closed her eyes.

"Are you okay? Should I get some meds?" Bonnie asked frantically and ran across the room to her cupboard.

Serena heard more shuffling and then a momentary flow of water. Bonnie came back running, out of breath and plastered a cold, wet handkerchief onto her forehead.

Serena immediately shriveled up and threw the cloth away from her forehead reflexively. "It's too cold!" She shrieked and wiped her forehead dry.

Bonnie frowned and grabbed it and held it out to the honey blonde. "Yes but it will help!"

"It works for fevers, Bonnie. Not for headaches. And also it's too cold for this weather!"

"But the cold will ease your nerves. It works for everyone at home!" Bonnie explained and carefully spread it over the honey blonde's forehead.

Serena reluctantly accepted the girl's demands. She flinched at the chilling touch and closed her eyes.

This is Bonnie, can't convince her otherwise.

The chilliness soon subsided and the handkerchief felt soothing on her forehead. Her head still ached but the touch of the cool handkerchief was calming and distracting.

"Now lie down!" She heard the girl order in a flat tone, not taking a 'no, I am fine' for an answer.

Serena opened an eye to look at Bonnie and let her push her down on the bed, keeping her head propped up on the pillow. The honey blonde let out a tired sigh and chuckled to herself. "You should become a doctor, Bonnie. No one will skip their medicines with you hanging around their neck."

The little girl laughed and nodded proudly, "I do that perfectly, don't I? I want to become a doctor but a vet."

Serena smiled and nodded softly, "you'd do wonderfully, no doubt there."

Bonnie smiled brightly and thanked the honey blonde for the compliment. She dragged the chair from her desk nearer to the bed and sat on it.

Serena lay there for a few but long moments before cutting the silence short. "I didn't mean to yell at you."

"I know." Bonnie's answer was curt, short and somewhat incomplete.

Serena slid the handkerchief off her head and sat up, resting against the bed's headrest. Bonnie was about to retort at that but the honey blonde dismissed her with a wave of her hand, much to the younger girl's displeasure.

"There's more you want to say," she prompted, which made Bonnie look down and play with her fingers, a habit common between the two of them.

"No, not really," she mumbled and shook her head.

Serena looked worriedly at Bonnie and felt another wave of guilt gushing over. She didn't want—scrap that, she would not even dare to imagine Bonnie hating her. And if her outbursts scared Bonnie away, Serena would not be able to live with that.

Serena had never yelled at her. Other than the occasional scolding and fights, she had never said anything as venomously as she had today. Bonnie hating her would not come as a surprise but as a major shock to her. She can't lose Bonnie.

Not over some boy who is I don't know where.

The honey blonde shook her head and slapped her cheeks a couple of times before looking back at the girl in front of her.

Right now, Bonnie was her priority. Not him.

"Okay, you know what Bonnie," Serena started, piquing the girl's interest, "I will tell you everything."

Bonnie looked at her confused, bobbing her head to one side as if considering her words. "Everything?"

"Yep. Everything. All that that me, Clemont and Mama never told you or let's say, avoided telling you because I asked them not to."

Serena took a deep breath and was about to continue but Bonnie shook her head 'no'. The honey blonde held the thought and waited for her to say what she wanted to.

"You don't have to tell me. I know that I can't know everything and that you have your secrets—"

"Bonnie, this is not a secret," Serena said. "And if it were a secret, I would definitely share it with you first because you are my sister." She smiled and ruffled Bonnie's hair with her hand. "If anyone should know this, other than Clemont and Mama, it's you. So just hear me out, okay?"

The uncertain expression on Bonnie's face didn't leave at that. "You never told me before and now, after today's fight, you decide to tell me?"

The honey blonde slumped and realized that it sounded like a cheap trick to win Bonnie back.

But it is not a trick.

Serena weighed her words before talking again. "I know this seems like an effort to make up for today. And maybe it is," she admitted and took a deep breath, "but you were right. You are not a little kid anymore. I mean, if I was treated like a grown up when I was seven, even if it was on demand, you shouldn't even need to ask for it. Also~" Serena continued, dragging the 'o' long, "I think I need some contemporary advice on this now. Clemont and Mama are too old school at this point, don't tell them," she whispered quickly.

Bonnie chuckled at the last bit and nodded, easing Serena's guilt. She got up and sat down on the bed, folding her legs and propping her head on her arms which she kept on her legs. The honey blonde chuckled and followed suit, turning to face Bonnie.

"It isn't a very happy story but—"

"It has you in it. It has to be a happy story," Bonnie chided.

Serena shook her head but Bonnie wasn't done. "The story is still incomplete. That's why there is no happy ending yet."

"Okay okay Bonnie. I get it. First listen to it, then tell me what you actually feel about it."

Bonnie grinned and nodded eagerly, "I will definitely do so."

Serena sighed and looked at her hands on her lap. "So when I was seven, I went to Miss Pete's alone for the first time. And there I saw this boy who looked the same age as me—"

Cold was a big understatement. The previous night it had snowed heavily and the weather station had called it a cold wave, she recalled hearing from Mama Grace when she read the morning paper. But that didn't stop her from convincing her mother to let her go shopping for groceries by herself, without anyone's help.

So, with a school bag on her back and a small sling bag hanging around her side, seven year old Serena trudged her way through the thick layer of freshly fallen snow to Miss Pete's—Vaniville's beloved bakery cum grocery parlor.

When she finally saw the parlor's overhanging sign board, a smile crept up her rosy pink cheeks and she quickly hobbled her way to it. To say that Mama Grace had bundled her up was a major predicament—it made her look like a penguin waddling down the streets. And she felt like one too.

"Now look-y here, a mini snowman is visiting."

Miss Pete, a large burly woman in her forties, was chalking down the day's specials on a small board she kept outside her parlor when Serena walked to her with a huge grin on her face.

"I am not a snowman, Miss Pete," Serena started in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone, "I am Serena!"

The parlor owner boomed with a hearty laughter and nodded knowingly. "Where is Grace today?"

"Mama Grace did not come. She let me come for groceries alone," the honey blonde replied excitedly.

Miss Pete feigned surprise, "no she did not." Serena giggled and nodded enthusiastically. The owner pushed the parlor's door open and prodded the girl to go in while saying, much to Serena's pleasure, "this means our little girl is now a grown, independent lady."

Serena's face lit up as soon as she entered and she caught a pleasant whiff of Christmas scent enveloping the place. "That's cinnamon!" She turned to Miss Pete expectantly, receiving a nod and chuckle from her.

"Yes. Cinnamon rolls today. You want to try one?"

The honey blonde's shoulders slumped a bit and she shook her head 'no'. "I only brought money for the things Mama asked me to bring."

Miss Pete patted the child's head and whisked out a cinnamon roll from the display rack, wrapped it in a Christmas themed paper and gave it to Serena. "This one is on the house. Don't tell Grace, okay?" She brought up her index to her mouth and winked cheekily. Serena looked at the roll and then at Miss Pete, keeping her own finger on her mouth, giggling silently.

"Now, I believe you know your way around here and can do the shopping on your own?"

After getting an eager node from the girl, Miss Pete continued, "then I will be in the back, tending to some cookies in the oven. Call me when you are done."

"Yes Miss Pete." And with a smile, she went to the back, leaving Serena alone in the parlor.

Serena took a few minutes, just going around the display racks looking at all the various treats Miss Pete had made for Christmas. The rows of cookies, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, fruity buns, gingerbread houses, and the aroma of cinnamon, lemon, orange and vanilla that filled the air was intoxicating enough to prick at Serena's memory and erase the list of groceries she had diligently memorized.

She shook her head, keeping her own cinnamon roll in her bag, and slowly grabbing all the groceries Mama Grace had asked for.

"Eggs, bread, butter, jam—jam, I didn't get the jam," she spoke to herself, making her way to the last row of shelves and scanning it for her favorite—plum.

She heaved a sigh of disappointment when she located it at the top of the shelf, well out of her reach. Now she could either wait for Miss Pete or drag the plastic chair she saw at the entrance, climb it and get the jam jar herself. After weighing both her options, she decided to go for the latter. She was determined to do everything by herself and not seek help from anyone this time, so she kept her bag to the side and went back to the front. She grabbed the chair and dragged it to the back of the parlor.

Ensuring that it was steady on the floor, she clambered up and stood on it. Exhaling a sigh of relief and accomplishment, she picked her favorite out of the wide assortment of flavors and carefully stepped down. She kept the jar with the rest of the things in her bag and started going through them, cross verifying with the list she had memorized.

"What are you doing?"

Serena jumped back in fright at the sudden intrusion, her leg hitting the chair causing her to trip and fall with a squeal of surprise. She winced at contact with the floor and looked up to see a boy, who looked as old as her, staring at her in surprise.

"I am Ash. What about you, what's the matter?" He said after a short pause and walked up to her, seemingly uninterested in the fact that she fell but curious enough to ask about other things, crouching down to her level.

She looked at the chair and then back at him. "I j-just tripped."

"No, I meant before that. What were you looking for up there?" He pointed to the top of the shelf.

"Plum jam," she mumbled, "I was getting plum jam."

"You should have asked for help—"

"No!" She suddenly exclaimed and shook her head, her cheeks turning red. She grabbed the hem of her jacket and fumbled with it as she continued, "I-I wanted to d-do it alone."

"You," he paused for a slight moment, "came here alone?"

When the honey blonde nodded in affirmation, he grinned brightly and shuffled to stand up. He extended his hand towards her and said—

"So do it. Never give up until it's over."

Serena tucked her hands between her legs, her head hanging low. Her long honey blonde hair covered her face which morphed into a pained expression, which she didn't want Bonnie to see. The fact that she remembered every detail was already bad enough but talking about it amplified every emotion she had locked up.

She hadn't mentioned it but she still remembered how he wasn't wearing any mittens and yet his hand was warm. When he had pulled her up, they had ended up hugging and she had felt a weird yet comforting tug in her gut. Her nose and ears had heated up and it had felt like she was burning up from a fever. She also remembered how she didn't talk much the whole day after that, even after Mama Grace and Clemont's constant nagging, because she felt bad for not having thanked him.

I think I never thanked him.

"Serena!" Bonnie squealed, snapping Serena out of her thoughts and making her look at the younger teen.

Bonnie crossed her arms across her chest and pouted. The honey blonde bobbed her head to the side and shrugged. The younger teen let out a sigh of disbelief and smacked her forehead. This prompted Serena to finally ask, "what?"

"I am hungry," Bonnie pointed out, as if it was obvious. She got up and grabbed Serena's arm, dragging her out of bed. "Let's eat."

"And the story?" Serena asked quietly, bewildered at Bonnie's sudden change of heart.

"You have to continue but first—lunch!" 

The honey blonde submitted herself to Bonnie's orders and smiled.

"Alright."

so today i opened the grave of our story. well, that story is long over, mind you. so basically i talked to bonnie about it and i managed not to cry—achievement of the day, yay! but you know, i came to realize how this seemingly stupid, childish, cliché incident still means so much to me. it's pathetic of me really but it just feels so important. you wouldn't understand. i mean, as far as i can imagine you must be celebrating christmas with mrs. ketchum and all your friends and your girlfriend. you wouldn't be hung up on this like i am. it feels like you were a drug and i got drunk on you and i am still suffering from the hangover.

i really hate you. hate is a small word but the bigger word for hate is meant for me. i bigger-word-for-hate myself for being so pathetic and unbelievably stupid.

i can only blame you to some extent. the rest is on me, right? 

as if you even deserve to answer that.

A/N: So I managed to write, rewrite, edit, then again rewrite and finally publish, after editing once more, this chapter exactly after a week of chapter 2. i am proud of myself and i am also proud of how this chapter turned out. 

I have a few things I want to have your opinion on. So first thing is that Wattpad uses American English, so like in the draft section when you write a chapter, it will show corrections for American English, like parlour to parlor, favourite to favorite and like that it basically prompts me to change everything to American English, which I have no problem with honestly. In fact, it helps me to make my English consistent because I tend to mix American and British English a lot. 

However what is suitable to me is not as important as what you readers prefer. So if you have a problem with this, please let me know. Reader comfort and enjoyment is my top priority. 

Also please do let me know if you feel the chapters are too long or if you would prefer them to be more detailed, less detailed, not so overly exaggerated or whatever you don't like, please please tell me. That would be a huge huge help. 

At some points you might feel that the part just cut off abruptly or it's a blunt end, like especially the ending of this chapter, it just ended. There's a reason to that, I assure you, and I did that on purpose. If you want to know, just drop me a comment or message and I will gladly discuss it. I don't want to stretch this A/N for much longer 'cause I tend to make a fool of myself the more I talk. 

And I have a feeling that with every passing chapter, I am making the little Serena's POV at the end more and more bitter sounding. 

Oh and lastly, do you like the snowflake graphics I put as story breakers? 

I swear this is the last line. I put a song on the top banner, Heat Waves by Glass Animals. Not completely related to the story but not that far apart either. Plus it was on constant loop when I was writing this chapter so I put it up. 

Now I am done.

Happy Wattpading <3