Get Back To You 322 A Worried State

"Why the sad face?" Andy asked.

Lia was lying her face down on the table, also sulking on her own.

"What happened to you too?" Andy directed her words this time at the indolent Lia.

"Why are people around me look like they haven't eaten candy for a month?" she groaned loudly.

Stephanie took a seat next to Andy and tapped on Lia's head to wake her up from her desolation.

"I'm not sad, but tired of all the practice."

Jessica appeared out of nowhere to join and grieve along.

"This is why I tell you girls, not to partic.i.p.ate. Just enjoy like me, in the audience seat!" Andy sternly swaggered.

Ever since the school's holiday festival announcement, the kids rejoiced the cla.s.srooms, and the partic.i.p.ants of various activities practiced every day before lunch. Jessica showed interest in dancing along with a few of her cla.s.smates. Stephanie is a star in singing Christmas carols. Hence her name got listed automatically to the singing performance. Andy and Lia's homeroom teacher suggested putting on a play since the other cla.s.s is giving a dance show.

Lia wished to partic.i.p.ate, but she had her own worries to contemplate before actually signing up for a stageplay. Since they are still considering the story and actors, the homeroom teacher gave Lia some time to think about her decision. Lia agreed.

Meanwhile, Andy cared none to partic.i.p.ate in this event, choosing to stay as an audience, enjoying the program.

They all unpacked their lunches to eat without any delay.

"I don't get why you guys get tired if you wanted to take part in the program," Andy said to take a bite of her sandwich.

"Its because we are not lazy like you, Andy. Why can't you at least join Stephanie in singing Christmas carols, its easy, isn't it?" Jessica fired.

Andy finished half of her sandwich, laidback and calm, ignoring her friend's comments.

"Fine! Do as you like. But, you will be alone in the audience," Jessica snorted to the blindness.

"Look, I am not good at anything right now, and I know that, so we don't want to risk trying only to get humiliated, on stage, in front of people, especially, in front of your parents and friend's parents- all I'm trying to say is-"

"Lia will give me company," Andy exclaimed after explaining her reasons in ditching the school festival.

"You do know that she is willing to take part in the play?" Jessica informed to find Andy's face cringe from a breakdown, but she was aware of Lia's concern already.

"Wait, I heard she hadn't given her name," the worried cla.s.smate cried dry tears.

"YET-" Stephanie stepped in to share.

Andy and Jessica calmed down to find Lia eating her lunch in silence. They knew Lia wished to join the drama but held back for some reason. And since then, Lia lost her usual cheerful self and maintained a gloomy aura around her.

"Don't worry, Lia. I'm sure you will soon hear good news from your mother," Andy quickly jumped in to save her friend, followed by Jessica and Stephanie's consoling nods.

"Hey! If things go wrong, you are stuck with me, and I'm a fun me during festivals. I will take care of you," Andy's energetic words coped Lia to get encouraged and appear lively not to worry her friends.

They briskly returned to chatting while emptying their lunch boxes.

**

Despite her friend's efforts in switching her mood, Lia still carried melancholy. She vaguely listened to her cla.s.ses and rarely appeared focused. Her mind occupied the great worry for the first time, and it bothered her. The rest of the day, Lia's mood did return to its old sloth self, lazily moping in her seat till the school bell rang. The att.i.tude followed until she could hear the door open to find her mother. Following Giselle closely, Lia moved like a shadow.

"Mother!"

"Mother!"

Having returned home from work, exhausted, Giselle had a tough time controlling the child's attention.

"Li"

"Let me sit first!" the mother begged.

Lia gave some s.p.a.ce to continue to follow Giselle. She watched her mother exhale aloud while sinking into the cus.h.i.+on. Resting by her side, the child impatiently waited.

Aware of this dreary presence, Giselle couldn't decompress freely. She sat up straight to bring Lia closer to her. Lifting the girl to let her sit on her lap, Giselle watched little Lia. She studied that blue face.

"You're still sulking! Where is my happy-go-girl?" Giselle snorted from examining the little specimen on her lap.

Lia pouted her lips.

"Did you hear from father?" she asked, concernedly.

Giselle sighed again from defeat, already antic.i.p.ating this.

"No, honey! Your father hasn't heard from his work. It's only a couple of days since we told him about your school festival. I'm sure he is trying his best to visit us early this holiday."

Giselle consoled to find her daughter fall back to melancholy. Her eyes appearing disappointed by the news she heard, the pouting lips returned fat to form wrinkly lines. Giselle hushed the child against her chest and softly patted the head to comfort.

The sad news drained the remaining energy, and Giselle could feel the child weigh on her. Nonetheless, the two rested as such until Lia felt better.

That night, Giselle made Lia's favorite for dinner- Broccoli and Chicken ca.s.serole. It took Giselle multiple trials to get little Lia used to the broccoli, and once the girl began to eat it, it became her favorite comfort meal along with chicken potpie.

Giselle chose to save the potpie later and made the ca.s.serole.

Lia found it satisfying as she savored the meal with every bite mouthful to fill her tummy. Giselle asked about school, and the conversation slid back to about the school festival.

"You should join if you like, Lia,"

"But, I want my father to be there to watch me,"

"You did tell him, right! I'm sure he is working hard to earn that early holiday visit trip."

There was an awkward silence, and Giselle knew she should step in to save both Ethan and Lia.

"Lia, you should join the play, regardless. Your father will hear about it and be proud of you!"

Giselle went on to push the child to listen to her voice. Lia's wish to join the play already softened her grieving heart, and now with her mother's appeal, she could hardly control anymore of her desire to take the stage.

"Okay!"

Giselle had kept a few words in the bank, in case if Lia still feels down, but hearing her agree spontaneously, startled the mother.

"So- you will give your name?"

Lia nodded to request a second serving of the tasty ca.s.serole.

Giselle served another decent slice that could fit Lia's appet.i.te.

"Tomorrow is the last day, and soon the kids will join the practice. I don't want to miss it!"

"Plus, I'll hope that father could come to see me perform. Even if he can't- I- I want you to see me as well-" Lia shyly stated her thoughts and ate the rest of the dinner.

Giselle smiled to see Lia happy with her decision. She made a reminder to pa.s.s the new to Ethan so that he could get motivated to get those early days off before Christmas. Giselle also suggested Lia make handmade invitations to invite her grandparents, which made the child jolly. She fancied a list in her mind about the people she would like to invite to the school festival. However, at the warning of her mother, Lia had to tone down the number of guests. After dinner, she helped her mother with the dishes, drying the clean plates, and earned a sweet fruit pudding as a reward to her uplifted mood. Ever since the invitation idea, Giselle could barely hold Lia in a place. The little one rushed back to her room after completing her ch.o.r.es. She started coming up with ideas for her handmade design and spent her leisure time preparing until going to bed.

Giselle saw the return of Lia's usual cheerful self and got relieved. As intended, she sent a message to Lia's father about confirming Lia joining the stage play for her school's holiday festival.