Nollick Ghennal

The Rose Cottage was alive with activity as four teenage girls ran about the house, preparing for the upcoming event.

Melanie, a short girl with long strawberry-blonde hair and bright green eyes, was covering the kitchen in tinsel, she hummed merrily as she hung silver tinsel up around the door, or tried to at least.

Realising quickly she wouldn't be able to reach on her own (and refusing to get help), she grabbed a chair from the table and knelt on it, granting her the few needed inches.

"Hey Mel, have you seen my cookbook?" a blonde girl asked from the other door that had yet to be covered in tinsel.

"Over there," Melanie grunted, waving at the shelf covered in red tinsel with small pointy leaves.

Melanie had picked it as a joke since the leaves had the same name as her friend. "Holly, is this lined up okay?"

Holly turned with a critical look in her greeny-brown eyes.

"It needs dropping on the left." Holly said, hugging a dusty brown book while Melanie adjusted the tinsel accordingly.

"Perfect," Holy grinned when the younger girl had it even on both sides.

Melanie beamed and got off the chair, then moved it to the other door, grabbing the last of the tinsel from the table in passing.

Holly just watching her quietly.

"There!" Melanie chirped, hands on hips as she admired her handiwork. "What do you think?"

"It's very colorful." Holly admitted.

"It is!" Melanie agreed energetically, bounding under the rainbow tinsel and off in search for her cousin, Holly putting the chair back and following with a smile.

"Lydia~!" Melanie called, running up to the dark haired girl and hugging her from behind.

Melanie peeked over her shoulder at the unfurled Christmas tree on it's side on the floor.

"Aren't you gonna stand it up?" Melanie asked, moving to stand next to Lydia.

"Sapphire's looking for the stand and decorations." Lydia explained.

Holly rolled her eyes and flicked her hand, as though shooing something away, and the tree slowly rose until it was standing on it's own.

Her sister chose that moment to come in carrying a large box, blue eyes peeking around in search for somewhere to put it, then shrugged and dropped it on the living room floor gently.

"Thanks for the help." she said to Holly sarcastically, who just ignored her and turned to the box Melanie and Lydia were already going through, Lydia pulled out more tinsel, while Melanie had an armful of baubles and bead chains... which appeared to be broken.

"Saph, did you drop the box?" Melanie asked.

The brunette shook her head.

"Then how are they broken!?" Holly cried.

"Izzy probably got in," Sapphire pointed out defensively.

"How they broke isn't important." Lydia said, trying to calm them both down before an argument began.

Melanie nodded in agreement. "We can just get new ones,"

"But they've been in our family for ages!" Holly whined.

Melanie fiddled with the beads for a moment, then perked up.

"I've got an idea!" she cried excitedly before running out the door, Lydia chased after her with a quick "We'll be back soon!" and the sisters were left alone.

They glanced at each other.

"Hot chocolate?" Holly offered.

--------

"Melanie, wait!" Lydia called after her best friend, who was running like her life depended on it.

"Stop being so slow!" Melanie called back.

Lydia grunted and began to run faster. "Are we running all the way?" she asked when she caught up.

Melanie rolled her eyes and pointed a gloved finger over her shoulder, back toward the house. "You don't have to come, I bet Holly's making hot chocolate."

"You know that's not what I meant." Lydia grumbled.

"You can fly if you want." Melanie offered.

Lydia didn't say anything, instead waving up at the sky; her powers relied on the moon, and it wasn't even dark yet.

"Must be nice to use your powers whenever you want..." Lydia grumbled.

Melanie couldn't help agreeing.

They may have been born on the island, but that didn't mean they'd always lived there; and for some reason their magic was stronger when they were in their hometown.

"It's nice always being a ten minute walk from the ocean," Melanie admitted.

"Ten minute run you mean." Lydia corrected.

"You're the slow one," Melanie said bluntly, though Lydia didn't deny it.

"No, you're just fast." Lydia said. "We're not all part fish."

Melanie scowled. "That has nothing to do with being fast."

"It does, and it's good my dad's a fisherman." Lydia giggled at the private joke.

Melanie scowl deeply, then relaxed when her 'natural habitat' as Lydia called it came into view.

Before Lydia could say anything, Melanie grabbed the railing and threw herself over, straight into the ocean.