It was dark. I was walking around, not really knowing where i was headed. Suddenly, I hear a voice whisper my name. "Mom?"
I start running towards where I thought I heard it. I see her in the distance.
"MOM!" I yell and start running even faster. But no matter how fast I go, I don't get any closer. I fall on my knees in exhaustion. Laying my head in my hands.I feel someone shake my shoulders and I wake up.
I'm covered in cold sweat. My dad sits on my bed, a worried expression crosses his face. "You alright? I heard you screaming."
I sit up in bed. "Don't worry, it was just a nightmare." I reassure him.
My dad quickly kisses me on the forehead and leaves to let me sleep a little longer.
I wait a while before laying back down. I haven't had nightmares about her in so long...
"You can not be serious dad!" I yell confused.
"I'm sorry kiddo. They really need me there." my dad says as he packs his bag. Trying to fold as much of his nice shirts as he can.
He was called in on a business trip, and he has to leave to catch the plane today.
"But tomorrows christmas, and you'll miss New Years! We always do those together!"
"I know, but..." he stops, he doesn't seem to have a good excuse.
"Look, you can be mad at me forever, but that's not going to change the fact that I have to go. I've asked Miss. Bennet, Jamie's mom, to check up on you once in a while. There's tons of food in the fridge, and if you run out, you can use my motorcycle to go get some more food."
"What? I can actually use your motorcycle?" I ask surprised. "But, my license hasn't arrived yet?"
"Yes it did, it was in the mail this morning." he grins at me.
"YES!" I jump in excitement. "But i'm still mad you're leaving me alone for the holidays."
He laughs and ruffles my hair a bit.
"Try not to open your presents until tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Oh! Before you leave...just a second." I run to our christmas tree. We kind of went wild in decorating it, so we hung ever single ornament we could possibly find in it. I quickly grab the present I got for my dad and give it to him.
"Now, you can only open it tomorrow, okay?" I point my finger threateningly at him.
He laughs and puts his gift in his suitcase.
"Okay, now, I really have to go, or i'll miss my plane."
He starts to walk out the door. "Wait!" I stop him and spread my arms. Dad smiles and understands what I want. He quickly gives me a big hug, giving me a last kiss on my head.
"Love you sweetheart." he yells, before driving off.
"Love you too dad!" I yell and wave until he turns around the corner of the street.
I go back inside, giving the clock a quick glance.
"Crap!"
It's already noon. I run around the house, searching for my jacket and snow boots. I don't put on my gloves though. I want to get a bit used to the cold that Jack produces.
I grab the keys and leave for the park, where Jack and Jamie are already sledding. The other kids are there too. All having tons of fun.
"Hey, thanks for waiting up for me." I say sarcastically.
"Hey!" Jack is surprised to see me, and accidentally crashes the sled into the statue.
All the kids start laughing. I walk over and help him back up. Getting a few weird frowns from the kids.
"You can see Jack?" Cupcake, the biggest of the kids asks.
"Uhmmm, yeah." I say, as if it's no big deal.
"All thanks to me of course." Jamie says proudly. Grinning as if he's the king of the park.
"Yep, kind of breaking the rules though." Jack sigs.
"Huh?"
"Yeah, the other guardians. You know, North, sandman, tooth and The kangaroo. They all don't show themselves because, well, we have to give the kids a chance to grow up, to stop believing. And since you're already like, what, sixteen I guess? I shouldn't show myself in front of you. But, it's kind of too late for that, and I am already on the naughty list so whatever." Jack shrugs.
I laugh.
"You, on the naught list?"
Jack snaps his finger and makes his voice sound all funny. "Girl, i'm the mayor of the naughty list. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a snowball fight to attend to."
He magically produces a snowball in his hand and throws it hard at one of the kids, and the fight begins. Snowballs fly in every direction and I can't help but join them. Running to dodge every snowball, but once in a while I scoop up a heap f snow and throw a snowball at one of the kids. I find Jack again after a while, hidden behind a fortress of snow.
"Okay, you have to show me how you do that?" he says as I sit down next to him.
"How I do what?"
"Dodge all those snowballs of course. Even I can't go thru that without being hit once." he says, a bit annoyed. I think about it for a moment.
"Hmmm, okay, i'll show you someday. But you'll have to do something in return."
"What?" he frowns at me.
"I don't know yet, but in the meantime..."
I surprise him by throwing a large pile of snow in his face.
"Oh you are so dead." he yells.
I laugh hysterically and start to run around as fast as I can.
Ironically, I trip over the same branch as Jack did yesterday. I land hard on my back and hear Jack yell: "attack!"
Snowball after snowball is thrown at me and there's nothing I can do to stop them. "Okay, okay, I give up! You've beaten me!" I yell between fits of laughter. The kids cheer in their victory.
"Now, you have to do something because we finally hit you with a snowball!" One of the boys yells. "Yeah!" They all agree. Oh dear, this can't be good...
Minutes later, I stand in the middle of a circle of kids.
"Stretch your leg." Jamie instructs me.
I do as he tells me and sigh as I let him tie a chain of tiny bells around my ankle. It's the usual agreement, the person who gets clobbered with snow has to wear it for a day. But because it took them so long to hit me, I have to wear it until school starts again.
"And now...you know what you have to do Marie."
I start to walk around the circle, my bare feet freezing in the snow. With every second step, I produce a loud jingling sound. "One day you are all going to pay for this." I say loudly. Jack is balancing on his staff to get a good view "I blame you for this!" I point at him angrily. But all he does is laugh. One by one, the kids leave to their homes. It's already getting dark. It's only me and jack now.
"How do you stand it all the time? Barefoot in this freezing cold snow." I ask, laughing while I put my shoes back on. It's not that easy with the bells stuck around my leg.
"I'm used to it, I don't think i've ever worn shoes actually." he says manner of factually. "And I guess being a winter sprite helps a lot."
"Well, I guess i'd better head home, want to come? My dads not home for the rest of the week so we can go nuts on food and stuff."
"Wait, you're home alone? On christmas and New years?" he asks shocked.
"Yep. I got a little mad at him for it, but I can't blame him. He works hard you know, trying to pay the bills on his own. It hasn't been easy ever since...well..." I sigh.
He takes my hand. The cold feels weird against my hand, but I don't mind. "Come on, lets get you home. It's christmas, remember? We should celebrate."
"Sure, ever tasted fruit loops?"
He frowns and shakes his head.
"Come on then!" I start to run and drag him along. We both laugh as my leg jingles loudly and Jack lets the snow fall. Covering up the tracks behind us.
Yeah, yeah, i know, i said i wasn't going to post soon because i have a test tomorrow! But i started to continue writing at about 4 o'clock in the morning.
That scumbag of a pitch gave me a nightmare so i didn't feel like going back to sleep. Probably did it on purpose because he hasn't had his moment in the spotlight yet.
Marie is going to be alone at home for a while, so luckily, Jack is there to keep her company.
Yeah, i know, a lot of cliché moments.
The whole bell prank i got from my friends. I lost a bet a few days ago, and i have to wear this chain of bells around my ankle at school. Plus, every time someone asks me why i'm wearing it i have to yell "Because ho ho ho, bitch!"
God i hate my friends...
Anyway,
don't forget to review people! If you have questions, feel free to ask.
If you want to send me a personal message for a random reason, knock yourself out!
Wish me luck on that test tomorrow! (Cause i'm going to need it)
Love, Theicecreampirate