#Chapter 167: Holiday Fair

I had been peacefully lost in the pages of a book when the tranquility was shattered by the sound of my door slamming open. Startled, I looked up to find Aria bursting into my room, her face flushed with excitement, and her chest heaving with anticipation. "Evie!" Aria cried, her voice tinged with a manic energy that I couldn't ignore. "You won't believe it!" I bookmarked my book, setting it aside, and turned to her, concern etched across my face. "What's wrong, Aria? You look like you've seen a ghost." She didn't bother with pleasantries. "The holiday market is coming back to town this Saturday!" I furrowed my brows, my mind racing to make sense of the news. "Holiday market?" Aria's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she spoke, her words tumbling out in a rush. "They used to set up different shops around town during this time of the year, but they stopped years ago! I guess someone took over the funding because now they’re coming back and we can't miss it!" Her infectious ex