Chương 374: Christmas Eve - Part 3 - Ivy and Bridgette (3)
Part 3 - 'To overcome the hatred!'
For dinner, everyone decides to get something delivered at home, and Bridgette welcomed to place a large order of pizza.
Heartily, they all ate slices after slices, finally getting exhausted from eating.
After a crazy dinner, everybody gathers in the living room to huddle together to watch television.
The channel kept switching to a different one based on who's holding the remote control, and it got seized often in a clash against choosing.
They argued with each other but never fought. No longer was anyone a stranger since it took less time to get acquainted. David sat on the couch, surrounded by his new friends. He often raised his voice as an elder only when the bickering intensified. Meanwhile, Adrienne took hold of an isolated chair to get settled. He and Bridgette sat next to each other, silently chatting through the commotion. Ivy got stuck between two friends who currently debated whether to watch a drama or go with a classic holiday movie. Seeing them changing the channel endlessly, Bridgette excused herself to catch a break.
On her way, she caught a glimpse of the dining table buried underneath the pile of pizza boxes. She volunteered to clean up the mess immediately and began by collecting the empty cases.
Upon tidying the table, Bridgette fished out a box of brownie cake unopened. It was still holding its minimum warmth.
"Guys, we still have a box of brownie cake left! Who wants it?" she announced.
A series of mixed responses came from the living room. A few groaned from full tummies while some covered their ears to resist hearing another word about food. Even amongst those reactions, someone still volunteered to eat.
"I can't take another bite of anything, so pass!"
"Same here!"
"I'm full till my throat!"
"No way! I thought we already finished everything!"
"Then why is there still a brownie cake left unopened!"
"I think we ordered too much!"
"Next year, we should go out. That's much better than suffering right now!"
"Oh dear, I am worried!"
"You should have kept a count on how many slices you were eating. You're going to put on weight!"
"Shut up!"
"I think I can take a single bite, and that's it!"
"What!"
"I will finish the rest!"
"Wow, you guys can still eat?"
"This is normal for her!"
"I am jealous!"
"I have good metabolism!"
"My metabolism is going to suffer tonight!"
"Alright! Jerome can have a bite, and then Melissa, please finish the rest. Thank you for your hard work!" Bridgette praised her friends finally to see the table clean and tidy.
She then carried the cake box to the living room to join with everyone.
Meanwhile, Ivy was feeling tired from the constant battle for remote control. She got up to announce making herself a cup of coffee. While at it, she asked others.
A few placed their orders, crying as they requested Ivy to prepare.
Ivy reassured those exhausted souls to rest easy as she can make a cup for all. A couple of thanks followed her to the kitchen, and she began by collecting things to make coffee.
**
Shortly following Ivy, Adrienne steps into the kitchen to offer his assistance.
"I can do it myself!" Ivy responded wearily.
Adrienne admitted not joining in to place his order back then, and it was already late when he realized that he wanted to have himself a cup of warm coffee.
"Let me at least help you!" he added to volunteer.
Unable to rudely reject his interest, Ivy accepted his help.
"Sure- can you grab the coffee mugs?"
"Sure! I think Bridgette has too many of those! I always wonder why she loves to collect coffee mugs!" Adrienne remarked as he went straight to the place where he could find them.
Ivy realized that Adrienne must be spending a lot of time in this house to pinpoint the locations accurately. Somehow it aggravated her mood, and she tried to show off frivolously.
"It's because Bridgette loves drinking coffee a lot!" she proudly informed, displaying her familiarity with her best friend.
"I know!" Adrienne casually replied to walk back and forth to carry the mugs and finally returned to Ivy's side.
Getting ignored for the displayed effort dampened Ivy's mood. The two waited while the coffee brewed into the pot.
It became awkward for both to remain in silence while watching the black liquid get collected.
Nevertheless, breaking the tension first was Adrienne's deep voice.
"We didn't get a chance to talk?" he remarked.
"Hmm."
Adrienne was expecting more than that, and Ivy's silence added tension in the air. Still, he chose to continue.
"Well! I'm Adrienne!" he greeted himself again.
Ivy can't help but force a smile as she informed him of her already being aware.
"I hear a lot about you from Bridgette!" Adrienne confessed. His face certainly wished his desire to chat, but it made Ivy uncomfortable to withstand. It was contrary to what she felt before, eager to meet this guy. Nonetheless, it is still disrespectful to remain thick-skinned.
"Ah- yes, because we've been friends for a long time!"
Adrienne agreed.
The coffee pot was half full to keep pouring.
Adrienne hesitated to initiate the conversation. He probably went through thousand hurdles before childishly trying to force communication with someone he hasn't met until tonight.
His curiosity got him the best to pry more.
"Does she- ever talk about me?" he abruptly asked.
It was hard to answer since Bridgette had never spoken a word about Adrienne to her.
Ivy was sure that Bridgette would have if it weren't for her unexpected confession. It was bitter revealing the absence of her knowledge about him, but there was no choice.
"I'm afraid! It's my first time meeting you!" Ivy coldly replied.
His glowing face loses its color to frown alone. Ivy felt sorry for Adrienne's sake and chose to appease him with the following explanation.
"But also, we haven't kept in contact lately, so-"
Ivy noticed Adrienne's sigh of relief.
"Honestly, it hasn't been that long since we started going out!" he declared.
"Really?"
"Yes! Just a few months!"
'No wonder Bridgette didn't tell me! How could she when it's has also been just a few months since she rejected me!' Ivy kept the thoughts to herself.
"I'm sorry- I mean, we're sorry! We didn't want to publicize our relationship yet!" Adrienne explained.
"We don't go on dates either! It's only at work do we get the chance to spend time!" he added dejectedly.
"I'm sure it's tough-" Ivy sympathized.
"Yes. It is- We're so lucky that we get to work together!" Adrienne admitted.
He went on to share about the new play they get to work together. Most of his words exposed how the two snuck in between practices to meet and spend alone time. The more Adrienne talked, the more Ivy didn't want to stay there longer. To her aid, the coffee pot was full.
"It's ready!" she announced, interrupting his discourse.
"Ah- I'm sorry! The cups," he said to line up the coffee mugs as Ivy filled them one after the other.
"It still surprises me to think that we're dating!" he declared.
Ivy's steady hand flinched to falter, worrying if he's planning to continue. However, to her surprise, he never spoke another word following.
"Careful!" Adrienne warned.
'Am I hearing the opposite? It should be Bridgette's dialog!' Ivy thought.
"Why- is that so?" she asked out of curiosity.
Out of habit, Adrienne started talking. But, this time, he made sure that his company is in interest to listen to him. After confirming Ivy's nosiness, he then replied to her.
"Oh- nothing! I used to- try to ask her out indirectly a lot of times, but she always finds ways to reject me-" Adrienne admitted with a blush.
"But, somehow, it took me by shock when she agreed."
"Wait- she rejected you before?" Ivy inquired, entirely engaged in the conversation.
"Not directly, but- she would just run away before I get to finish my words."
"She did? Wow!" Ivy exclaimed.
"I knew she was working hard in her job!" Adrienne said.
Ivy confirmed that should be the case.
"I believe so-" Adrienne agreed.
"Hmm."
It surprised Ivy to realize how she was not annoyed or irritated anymore.
Every cup is full to the brim with hot coffee. It was time to deliver now.
"I hope we can hang out together sometime!" Adrienne suggested, carrying the cups along with his own to leave. He stops not after taking a few steps.
"Oh! I almost forgot! I had an opportunity to watch your short film, and it was great! I hear you're making your first feature! Congratulations!"
With that, he left with a dashing smile.
Hearing him acknowledge caught Ivy by surprise and made her happy. She grabbed the remaining cups to leave as well.
Jerome, whose supposed to take a single bite, ended up eating three full large bites before passing it over to Melissa.
Melissa saw that half of the cake was missing and looked thwarted.
"Don't you dare feel disappointed for receiving only half the cake!" someone remarked.
Stacy sighed again to finish the rest of whatever was left.
Bridgette noticed Adrienne carrying the coffee mugs to help him.
"Where were you?" she asked in panic while passing the cup of hot coffee.
"I thought I'd have a cup as well!" Adrienne replied and took his seat next to Bridgette.
Bridgette turned back to find Ivy returning to her spot. She dreaded the two meeting alone and concerned herself with what happened.
"You could have asked me!" Bridgette worriedly informed.
Nevertheless, Adrienne smiled.
"It's nothing!" he said to look away.
After much struggle, it was David's turn to seize the remote control with the help of his friends. While he was randomly changing the channels, his eyes caught an unusual scene, and he paused.
It was a special telecast of the classic Christmas specials.
"Wait- I know this- Ah-" someone in the group regarded to recall the name of this Christmas special.
"Ah- it's- it is- oh! It's The Little Drummer Boy!"
"Ah, yeah! I remember!"
"Me too! Wow! That's old! I remember my parents watching it!"
"Is it that old?" someone asked.
"It is!"
"It is a classic!"
The song based classic tale, The Little Drummer boy, narrates about a poor boy who has nothing to offer to the newborn savior except his skilled beats. The story reveals the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our savior, Jesus, and love that overrules evil every time.
As soon as David chose to watch it, almost the majority of the crowd agreed to his taste. Only some lacked the recognition of this story. To those, David responded by telling them to enjoy the show silently.
The story was halfway over. Still, everyone kept keen eyes on the screen to follow the journey of the poor boy.
As the climax arrived and the baby Jesus was born, the poor little boy, having nothing to offer, confessed to playing his drum. He was allowed, and the boy played as best he can, which made the baby Jesus smile.
"His gift given out of simple desperation is the one favored above all!"
"As all hatred will ever be wrong!"
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God!"
The movie ended, stirring some tears among the crowd.
Throughout the movie, Ivy often glanced at Bridgette to find her smiling peacefully next to Adrienne. Without her grasping, Ivy sensed developing some hatred even though she met him for the first time.
Regardless, when Ivy saw her best friend being happiest, the hatred she might have carried painstakingly began to disappear.
All these years of struggling in between love and friendship, Ivy grew to care about Bridgette's happiness more than that of succeeding in her desire. She would rather see her friend happy than painfully forcing her to return her feelings.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
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