School's out for the holidays which means I've officially completed my first term of 12th grade (which is my last year) at Adelaide. I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. The past four months have been uneventful and stressful to say the least. A lot of changes have happened in my life, some good, some bad, others confusing but I'm taking things one day at a time. There's still someone out for my blood, I still haven't forgotten about that. The threat is still lingering but after that day, there hasn't been any more dead skunks at my front door and no threatening notes.

I look out of my bedroom window and watch as the snow falls from the heavens, hitting my window sill. As the weather man on CNN predicted, the snow came barrelling in today, much to the delight of our neighbourhood because the kids, including Sophie, are outside playing in the snow and throwing snowballs at each other.

''The joys of being a kid,'' I muse lightly and get out a novel from under my bed. I don't know why I stuff my novels under there like a secret stash, but I do.

''The Perks of Being a Wallflower it is then,'' I say. Paris handed the book to me months ago but I haven't had the time to read it. She said it was good, but the movie didn't do enough justice to the book. I told her I'd be the judge of that as soon as I finish the book and then watch the movie.

After I was done with Me Before You (by the way,, I bawled like a baby), I replaced my novels with school textbooks because I have a goal in mind-beat Lee and become valedictorian.

That's two goals but they go hand in hand.

Before I have the chance to open the book, I hear my phone buzz next to me. Picking it up, I tap the message.

''Who the fuck is J.B?'' I wonder.

J.B: Hey, Princess

Jason?

Mel: Jason Blunt?

J.B: No, it's the Boogie Man

Mel: You're hilarious (NOT)

J.B: You sure? Because I've been told I'm quite funny.

Mel: Who lied to you?

J.B: Ha ha ha

My lips tug into a smile and I almost do a happy dance on my bed. Jason Blunt is actually texting me!

''Deep breaths,'' I whisper to myself. ''Bad bitches don't get too excited over text messages.''

My phone dings in my hand again and I peer into the screen.

J.B: Wyd?

Mel: Nothing much. Just about to read a book

J.B: Lame!

Mel: You're lame! Reading would take you far in life.

J.B: Says?

Mel: Albert Einstein, Blunt.

J.B: Lmfao. Burn.

Mel: Wby?

He doesn't respond immediately so I use that as an opportunity to open the first chapter of the book. I read the synopsis on Wikipedia and it's a coming of age, young adult story so it's definitely my type.

''…I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have…''

My phone dings for the third time and I tap his message.

''A picture?''

I tap the picture and a laugh escapes my lips. It's a picture of a hamster on a hamster wheel and it looks like it's exercising.

Mel: Is that a hamster?

J.B: Yea. His name is Buzz. You asked wut I was doing so I'm watching my pet hamster do backflips on his wheel.

Mel: Now who's lame?

J.B: Still you, Princess

Mel: Wh'd you call me that?

J.B: What?

Mel: Princess.

J.B: Idk. I've always thought of you as one.

Mel: I'm not a delicate flower. I exude BBE, ya know...lol.

J.B: Not all princesses are Cinderellas or Auroras. I think you're more of a Merida mixed with a healthy dose of Moana

Jason Blunt watches Disney? The bad boy of Adelaide knows about Disney Princesses? Another thing to add to my list of things I know about him.

Mel: You know you've just given me more ammo tease you right? You watch Disney?!

J.B: Shit. Didn't even think about that

J.B: Forget I said that.

I giggle and shake my head. I can never forget that.

Mel: Already forgotten.

J.B: That's a lie.

Mel: Lol. I'm serious. I've already forgotten that you know all about Merida and Moana

J.B: Ugghh. Blame Ryan's baby sister. She comes over and she's into Disney and shit so we babysit her a lot and unfortunately have to watch these shows with her.

I picture Jason and Ryan watching Brave with a little girl and the image is making me holler. I'm laughing so much, my stomach is hurting.

Mel: That's cute

J.B: If I hear one more Moana song, I'll fkn lose it

Mel: See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me. And no one knows how far I'll go…

J.B: Shoot me. You're just as bad as her!

Mel: I'm a Disney kid. What can I say?

I've been watching Disney since I was a kid. Back then I thought that if you keep on believing, a dream that you wish will come true or whatever Cinderella said but as I got older, I realized that that notion is bogus, ludicrous and misleading. Life is not a Disney movie and all those ideas about Prince charming or finding the perfect guy and living happily ever after in some castle is nothing but horseshit, an idea planted in little girls' head that will fuck with them when they get older and realize that life is shitty.

I thought I found my Prince Charming but he ended up working with Maleficent.

I dreamed and wished my father would come back to the family he abandoned but he ended up being stuck in Neverland.

The fairy godmother didn't salagadoola, mechika boola bibidi bobbidi boo my problems away because they're still here.

But I still watch Disney movies, not because I believe in the ideas they're selling but for my personal entertainment.

J.B: On some real shit, I think you're pretty cool, even when you're insulting me.

Mel: I think my ego has already been stroked

And my heart is bursting.

J.B: As if you need another ego stroke

Mel: Meh. Keep it coming

''Mel, can you come to the kitchen please? I need your help with something.'' Mum yells from downstairs.

''Coming.''

Mel: Duty calls. Brb.

I trudge downstairs and make a left towards the kitchen and see the whole space stacked with gorceries.

''When did you go shopping?'' I ask from the door. It literally looks like she bought the whole grocery store.

''Good afternoon to you too, sweetie.'' she says with a hint of sarcasm. Her knit sweater clings to her body due to the dampness and there's a bit of snow in her dark hair. ''I told you I was going out but you were asleep.'' Her gaze turns to the window. ''It's so cold outside. I wonder how your sister loves this weather.''

''You saw her, yea?''

''She's with Brittany. They're playing snowball or whatever it is kids play these days which is why you are going to help me unpack all these.'' she gestures to the groceries. I pick a bag up and begin putting the edibles in the right place. ''Did you rob Target or something because this is a lot.''

''Very funny,'' she deadpans but I can see a smile on her face. ''I'm just shopping early because I'm off till the 30th and I don't want to leave the house. My goal is to rest and relax.''

''Yea, you need that.''

Mum works very long hours at the hospital and often times when she comes home, usually it's on weekends or if we're lucky a weekday, she always comes back tired and stressed. This is why I don't want to go into the medical field. The hours are long and tiring and I get real cranky when I don't get enough sleep.

It's not like a lawyer's hours are any lesser, but at least I won't have to worry about a patient dying in my hands.

''What do you want to do for the holidays?'' she asks as she passes me the lamb chops and meat.

''I don't know.'' I haven't even thought about it too much. My plan is to relax like her and read as many books as possible. Pretty average, I know.

''Should we still go to Biestro like we usually do?'' Every year, on Christmas day, mum, Sophie and I make an annual pilgrimage to this restaurant called Biestro two towns away. It's a three hour drive from Bridgewood, four if we're counting traffic and there usually is traffic since you know, it's the holidays.

It's a buffet type restaurant where you pay thirty dollars and you can literally eat anything you want: pizzas, samosas, curry and rice, you name it, they have it.

''I don't mind. I love Biestro. We should ask Sophie though in case she wants something different.'' Going to Biestro has been a tradition for us ever since dad left and I don't want it to change. In the Jones household, we're not the type to put decorations all over the house or sing Christmas carols by the fire or whatever it is those families do on TV.

We just do Christmas our way.

''Right. Remind me to bring it up at dinner.''

''Ok.''

''There are three tubs of Ben and Jerry's over there,'' she points to the top of the microwave. ''Put it in the freezer quickly so it won't melt.''

Yum.

''I thought you don't like ice-cream?'' I tease

''I don't, but you and your sister do.''

We do.

''I figured I'd stop the clean eating stuff just for the holidays. You both can eat all the junk you like.''

I do a mini happy dance in the kitchen as I meander to the freezer. ''It's just for the holidays,'' she warns. ''After that it's back to asparagus and egg plants.''

''We'll enjoy the luxuries while we can.''