THE HOLIDAY SUPRISE

I woke up feeling so tired from last night strenuous reading, it was the last semester of my third year in the five years tourism course. Painfully it was exam period the worst season most student dread and I had my last papers today.

After the exam we would be given a month holiday before the next session begins. The thought of how well I would sleep during the holiday was the last strand of hope i desperately held unto as I studied each day.

"Crimson please wake up and turn off tour alarm, its been crying endlessly for attention." I heard my dad shout from a distance and the frustration that lingered in his voice was too obvious to ignore.

I unconsciously knocked off my alarm for my mini drawer to shut it up and the trick worked perfectly well.

"Miss Bold!! you had better wake up and get ready before pour some iced water on you" I heard my dad threaten as he threw a pillow on me from behind my door.

I was not a big fan of hearing him call me 'miss Bold' but I have grown to bear it as there was nothing I could do to stop him.

I am Crimson Bold, 'Bold' happens to be my dad name and Crimson was the name my mom gave me at birth before she gave up the ghost.

According to my dad the name was unplanned but when I was born they took notice of my deep yet bright red hair which I inherited from my great grandfather and decided to name me Crimson.

"MISS BOLD!!!" my dad called again, "I am awake dad, I'm just meditating" well its the common excuse we give when we are caught dozing off but it wasn't completely a lie.

I stretched out my cramped bones and slowly opened my eyes to meet my dad deep blue eyes. His eyes were the only physical feature I inherited from him but mine were in ocean deep blue shades.

"stop being such a slug and go ace your exam. Its your last paper right?" my dad spoke loudly with his husky voice but all I grabbed from all he said was 'last paper'.

"yes its my last paper and I have already packed up" a wild smile crept on my face at the thought of finishing my exams.

My dad came to my apartment at school to pick me up, it was kind of like a tradition we never missed since I entered college.

He would come over on the last day of my exams and take me home to spend the break before the next semester. He was extremely protective but I loved it that way.

I had a quick shower, forced my tiny legs into my skinny jeans and threw a baggy hoodie shirt over my curves.

In contrast to my attention seeking red hair and my bold heritage I always preferred to be away from the spotlight but heaven decided otherwise and nature designed me never to go unnoticed.

Nevertheless my choice of clothing and social exclusion helped me a bit. I took a bus to school after convincing my dad there was no need to drop me off. I got to school and saw Brenna waiting by the hall door.

Brenna was my closest friend, in fact she was practically my only friend and the exact opposite of me.

She stood there waving at everybody that passed by like it was the last Friday on earth, her long braids flipped left and right as her dark skin mirrored the sun rays.

"Crimson hurry up" I finally snapped out of my gaze and ran forward when she called out, "well I hope i'm not too late" arriving late to professor Sandra's class was like getting a first class ticket to hell, that woman was the devils personal advocate.

" Hmmm.... not really, but you are late enough to get about thirty heads snapping at us once we walk through that door" I rolled my eyes at Brenna as she gave me one of those her mischievous grins that made me want to wipe the glossy lip gloss off her pretty face.

*****************************

The exams were over and I dashed home after saying goodbye to Brenna who planned on spending the holiday in school bouncing from parties to clubs.

" Hey darling you are back?" I was tempted to reply sarcastically to his hideous question but I just nodded. " Dad whats that smell?" I quickly asked as I took note of the smoky smell that lingered around, "Darling its nothing, so how was the exam?"

. " Dad it was fine now tell me, did you try to cook again?" well he must have been kidding himself if he thought I would just forget the issue " okay you caught me, I tried okay but I failed yet again so I just ordered lunch".

" we will leave after lunch and I have a surprise waiting for you" He looked so excited that I couldn't help but wonder what the surprise could be, "Dad whats the surprise?" I strained my eyes in a way I felt would be intimidating.

"Well it would no longer be a surprise if I were to tell you now" He replied with a smirk that was handsomely illegal for his age.

We got home after a boring four hour drive from New York to Jersey city, everywhere still looked the same at home, the tall trees seemed to have stooped growing but still appeared more dense and filled with leaves.

The long bungalow building still made me question the architect but the feeling of nostalgia was evoked as I stared at the shapeless structure.

I stepped in oblivious to the strange car that was parked at the carport, I was busy inhaling the familiar fragrance that never left the house when my dads voice pulled me back to reality "surprise!!".

I turned around to see my dad smiling while stretching his hands towards the dinning area and nodding his head as of giving me permission to look at what the surprise was.

I turned to my side to see a tall figure far off near the dinning window with his back facing me, his brown hair was brushed to utter perfection, he wore a dashing navy blue suit that echoed prestige and then he slowly turned his defined shoulders that felt awfully familiar, to face me.

That face was one I could never forget, not in a thousand years to come. I didn't even realize when my phone slipped out of my strong hold and bounced over the leather couch.

"Charles" my eyes were not deceiving my but I still blinked a few times just to make sure, yes it was him.

The one I grew up with, the only one I told my everything to, the one I grew to depend on, my best friend, the one who was like a brother to me and yes the same one who had abandoned me for five years with no trace to find him and no hope for his return.

"What are you doing here" I was forced to ask as anger rushed through my veins, I had envisaged stoning him into a coma state when we finally meet but my body was frozen at that moment.

"Miss Bold, that's no way to talk to your brother" I heard my dad speak from behind me, before any more words would be said I found the strength to unfreeze and quickly dashed into my room.