Gaia Contests - Short Story Contest

This was my entry for the Short Story Contest on Gaia Online:

It is that time of the year again, when the days are shorter, snow is in the air and everyone is in that gift giving spirit. It's also time for the Annual Gaia Winter Festival Party. Anybody who's anybody is going to be there, Moderators, Gaians, NPCs alike, even Santa himself is scheduled to make a guest appearance. This year's party is being held in Aekea.

Although this isn't the kind of party where anyone particularly needed a date, it is more about having fun and celebrating the Christmas season, almost everyone always turned up with one. Everyone that is, except for Liam. The owner of Gaia's premier sports shop, he is known across the lands of Gaia as being a flirtatious girl-chaser. He has been turned down by so many girls on so many different occasions. He knew that everyone would be at the party and knew everyone would have a date, as well. He was unable to get anyone to go with him. Liam was depressed and was considering not going to the party at all, but he finally decided that it would be better for his images if he were to show up without a date than to not show up at all. Besides, he could get lucky and make it with someone who had the problem he had, or even someone who got stood up.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of town at the party hall, Josie and Sam are helping with the party set up the last pieces for later that night when the party starts. "Hey do you have a date to the party?" Josie asked Sam.

"Who me?, I'm far to busy at the shop and setting up this party to even consider finding someone to go with." Sam replied.

"So in other words," said Josie, "no one has asked you yet."

"No." Sam said, slumping her head down in shame.

"Not even Liam? I heard he's asked pretty much every girl in Gaia." replied Josie.

"No he didn't ask me." She answered. "I can't believe he asked everyone but me, he never asks me to anything, the jerk. Do you know if he got a date?"

"I heard he got turned down by everyone." Josie said, "Serves him right, I heard the Von Helson Sisters even turned him down. Why do you care though, you don't like him, do you?"

"What! No!" Sam said while quickly turning her head to hide her huge blush, "I just wanted to know, that's all."

"So are you going to the party, even though you don't have a date?" Josie said, slightly changing the subject.

"I guess," was Sam's answer, "Everyone is going to be there, I don't want to be the only one to not go just because of something silly like not having a date, and besides, I can hang out with all of my friends. Yeah, who needs a date?"

"Ok Sam, whatever you say." Josie replied.


The night of the party has finally arrived, people from all of the land have come for the event, there is a light snow falling tonight and good cheer is in the air. Sam arrived early to help set up the finishing touches and to help get the food ready, feeding the hundreds of people that will show up tonight is no easy task, but it has to be done.

An hour later, everyone has shown up to the festivities and is having a wonderful time. Everyone that is, except for Liam.

"Is Liam here yet? I don't remember seeing him yet." asked Sam.

"He's probably to bummed out about the fact that he couldn't get a date, he probably won't show up tonight at all." answered Moira, who came all the way from Durem.

Then a loud BANG! as the front door of the party hall was forced open. It was Liam!

"I'm here girls! Now don't rush me all at the same time." remarked Liam with a big, goofy grin on his face.

The party guests just turned back to what they had been doing previously, leaving Liam to stand there in utter shame and embarrassment. He slumped his way over to the punch table and grabbed a glass of punch, Sam all the while watching her sad friend mope around like a wet puppy.

"Why don't you go over there and cheer him up." said Josie.

"Ok, I guess." replied Sam who had started to blush.

"Hello Liam." said Sam to her depressed friend.

"Hey Sam, who are you here with?" asked Liam in reply, with out ever lifting up his head.

"Who, me? I'm not the kind of girl to bring dates to big parties like these." Answered Sam, "Besides, I was too busy helping setting up this party."

"So in other words, no one asked y..." said Liam cutting off as he lifted up his head to see that Sam was in a beautiful red ball gown.

"Wow Sam!" remarked Liam, "You look fantastic!"

"Not really." Sam quickly replied while turning her head to hide her blush.

"No seriously, you look great." said Liam.

"Thanks a lot." Sam said, blushing harder than ever.

Suddenly remembering something, she looked up, causing Liam to look up as well, right above them, hanging from the ceiling, was a single twig of mistletoe. They looked back at each other somewhat embarrassed, and then Liam did the unthinkable. He leaned in and quickly gave Sam a kiss on the lips, a short little peck. "Do you want to dance with me?" asked Liam.

"Uh, sure, why not." answered Sam still blushing from the kiss.

So they went off on to the dance floor and spent the rest of the night together dancing and having fun.

"You're welcome Sam, you deserved it." Said Josie quietly as she watched them dancing, for she is the one that put the mistletoe there in the first place. She slowly turned away to go back to the festivities, while the night went on and the snow fell quietly over the roofs of Gaia.