Operation CHOCOLATE COOKIE

"Will Santa visit your house this Christmas eve?" Nisha asked Julie.

- Sarvamitra

"Yes," Julie said confidently, "he visits us every year without fail."

"How do you know for sure?"

"Uff! My mother says that if I have been a good girl all year, then Santa is sure to visit me with gifts."

Julie replied impatiently.

"But you haven't always been a good girl this year. So, maybe he won't come!" Nisha teased.

"Of course I have been a good girl! He will come." Julie said.

"Okay, what about the time when you lied about completing your maths homework? Or the time when you stole Krish's crayons?

And then there was that time when we both lied that we were doing homework, but were actually gossiping about the class bully, Sagar?" Nisha asked.

Julie didn't know what to say.

Nisha continued, "Or the time when we caught a dragonfly and tied it to the lamppost with a thread, the time when we hid Revathy Ma'am's textbook and she had to give us the whole English period off. Or..." "Enough!" Julie closed Nisha's mouth with her hands.

But now, Julie was in a fix. She wanted Santa to get her a bicycle this year. But with all the mischief that Nisha listed, Julie wasn't sure if she would even get a used eraser as a gift from Santa.

"Maybe we could do something to please Santa so he won't be that mad at you?" Nisha suggested.

"Brilliant, Nisha!" Julie held her friend's hands and did a quick spin.

"I know Santa Claus likes milk and cookies. I was thinking of buying cookies, but I'm going to make them myself, so that they are extra-special." Julie announced after thinking for a bit.

"Can I help?" said Nisha, her eyes lighting up.

"Do you even need to ask? You are most welcome. I would love to bake with you," Julie beamed.

As soon as they reached the kitche, Julie thundered, "Time for Operation Cookie!" Her stance mimicked a military officer's.