Ari was not at all pleased with her situation, in fact if it weren't for the fact she was with her parents right now, she would be losing her shit.
The annoying music her father decided to play was seeping into her ears like a poison. She was about ready to shoot herself. Don't get her wrong, she LOVED Christmas, but she HATED the holiday music with a fiery passion. Now in the beginning she would be okay with the newer songs that came out. It was only when she began to hear those fucking songs over and over, day after day she began to get sick of it. There was no escape from Christmas music for her during this time of year. Even her own room wasn't safe.
Despite her efforts to drown out the music with her, as her father jokingly called it, Satanic screaming music, the cursed holiday music still wouldn't allow her to ignore it. She gritted her teeth, she still had 5 hours worth of this bullshit. She had been cooped up in the family car with her parents for a full day, this wasn't even counting the day's worth of driving they did yesterday.
She was 1000000% fucking done.
But being the respectful and semi patient child she was, she chose to deal with it. That was only because her mother was very content and happy listening to Christmas music as she rubbed her swollen abdomen while holding her father's hand.
The last thing she needed was her pregnant and very hormonal mother upset about her Christmas music being taken away. It was bad enough having to console her when she started to cry about spilling her milkshake.
Witnessing her mother's pregnancy made her lean even more to not wanting kids.
It seemed like a nightmare.
"Zack, when will we make it to Burgess?" Her mother gently asked.
"We still have 5 hours sweet-heart." He smiled. They held each other's hand like they were love struck teenagers. It was sweet and heart warming really.
"Tammy will be waiting for us, won't she?" Ari decided to speak up.
They were on their way to Burgess Pennsylvania to sped Christmas with her Aunt Tammy, Cousin Gina AKA Cupcake, and her grandparents. Since her family lived a few states away, it was going to take 2 days to reach the town.
"Yes, most likely. She's always been a night owl, so even though we'll be getting there about 10, she'll no doubt be awake." Her father explained as he brushed his blonde hair from his face. He looked tired, his green eyes were a bit dull and he had slight bags forming.
"You know if you're too tired you can pull over and let me drive dad?" Aris spoke with a concerned tone.
"It's fine my little firecracker, I've driven longer and further than this before. I'm just bored." He grinned while looking at me through the rear view mirror.
Ari didn't look convinced but let it pass.
It was 5 in the evening and the park was active with the laughs and screams of several children. Each child was either holding a snow ball or throwing one, giant smiles on their faces. Among the small group of children was a teenage boy. His hair was light as the snow with pale skin, his eyes were a striking blue that were alive with mischief and amusement. He held a curved wooden staff with frost on its surface in one hand while the other hand was stuffed in his froze covered blue hoodie. He was watching the kids play while leaning against a tree, his bare feet practically buried in the snow.
"No fair Jamie!" A girl squealed when she was pelted with a giant snowball.
This made the teenager laugh.
"Are you playing dirty Jamie?" He mused causing a brown haired boy to look his way and give him a cheeky grin.
"No!" He denied, but the look on the boy's face said otherwise.
The teenager pushed off from the tree and snatch up a snowball.
"I guess that means I gotta even the score." The silver haired boy grinned broadly.
Before he could throw it, something smacked into his head. A fit of giggling was heard as he slowly turned around to see a young yet tall and lean girl clutching her belly as she laughed.
"So we have two dirty players among us." The teenager mused as his eyes flicked between Jamie and the girl.
"Nice shot Cupcake! She got you good Jack!" The boy named Monty cheered, giving her a high-five.
The teenager, Jack, grabbed another snowball.
"You guys better start running." He smirked as the children gave him mock scared looks and began to run.
An hour later, 6 children were sprawled out in the snow, tired from their play. So rather than having another snowball fight, they all began to share what they were doing for the holidays with the winter spirit, Jack. One by one they excitedly spoke, often times speaking over one another as Jack listened to them. Finally they all finished, leaving only one child.
"So what are you doing Cupcake?" Jack questioned the the girl.
She sat up, a bright grin on her usually gruff face.
"My cousin firecracker and her parents are coming down for Christmas!" She practically exclaimed.
He raised a brow at the name.
"Firecracker?" The children chorused
She giggled.
"It's her nickname, wanna know how she got it?"
They all nodded.
"Ari is her real name, but she gets called firecracker because one day in the summer she bought a big bag of supplies because she was going to make her own roaming candle. Well when the roaming candle was finished she lit it outside, only for it to...blow up in her face." She began to laugh.
"Instead of lighting it just blew black dust all over the place, her face was covered!" She exclaimed as the children laughed with her, but mainly because her laughter was contagious.
Jack chuckled.
"She sounds like a fun person, I'll have to meet her some time." He grinned, and Cupcake nodded excitedly.
"She'll be in tonight, I'll bring her here tomorrow!"
Jack smiled at the girl's excitement, it was rare that the girl got this excited over anything.
"Yeah! I can't wait to meet her! Wait, wouldn't it be so cool Jack if she could see you?!" Caleb exclaimed.
Jack grinned and nodded before turning to Cupcake
"How old is she?" He questioned.
She put on a face of thought.
"Um, 17 or 18 I think?" She mumbled.
Jack slumped along with the other kids.
"She's too old, there's no way she'll believe in me." He sighed.
Cupcake grumbled.
"We'll see about that"