Maia

2

Māori
Whānau = Family
Pāpā = Father
Māmā = Mother

Word count: 2037

☽☾

I rush towards the kitchen, gripping onto the pink paper.

"Pāpā, Pāpā, look." With my free hand, I grip onto the back of his shirt. I tug at the soft white fabric until he turns around. His eyebrow is quirked upwards, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"What is it pipsqueak?" He says. He squats down to be closer to my height. He looks down at my face, and his eyes soften.

"Look at what Mary gave me," I say with a big toothy grin. The pink invitation held tightly in my hands. It's crumpled when I hand it over.

He gently takes it, I watch as his eyes scan over it.

"Can I go? Can I go? Please? Pretty please?" I beg him. He just smiles, "I'll think about it."

My lip quivers slightly and I give him big sad baby eyes. He sighs loudly and shakes his head. "Fine, you can go..." Before he can finish I squeal and hug him tightly. "BUT-" I slowly released him, taking a step back. "You have to take one of your brothers with you," he said smiling. I frowned at that.

"But Pāpā, it's an all-girls party and they'll be so annoying," I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's that or nothing pipsqueak," he ruffled my hair slightly and it was my turn to sigh. "Fine" I mumbled.

My dream soon ended as I was startled awake by a crashing sound below. I quickly shot up, and my eyes widened in fear. A few seconds later there was another noise, this time it was the sound of a door slamming and the walls rattling. I calmed down slightly, knowing it was the door to outside that was slammed.

I frown, thinking of the dream. It felt so real. It was something so desirable, but unrealistic.

I can barely remember the man's face. Was he really my Pāpā? Was that a memory or just a dream?

With all these questions swivelling around in my head, it was hard to notice the screams from below. But I did notice them, I noticed because it was my Māmā's terrified voice. Because I know that cry for help all too well. I shivered at the thought of what was happening.

"Please baby, it wasn't me, it was Maia" I froze as I heard her talking. She's blaming me for god knows what, and Jacob will believe her.

Jacob will do something about it.

Just like the other day, I could hear each step he took, each vibration and rattle of the walls. I saw his boots at the entrance of my door. I slowly cranked my neck up, looking at him with pure fear. He only smirked in return.

"Tsk tsk tsk" Jacob hummed. "Maia, I really thought you were learning. I thought I could trust you not to steal what's mine" he smiled sinisterly.

"Maia, Maia, Maia" he taunted. "I'm very disappointed in you."

He bent down, reaching out to grip my hair. He yanked me up, dragging me closer to his face. I could smell the lingering scent of cigarettes on his breath. I nearly gagged as it was mixed with his body stench. I could see the yellow grime on his teeth as he spoke. I focused more on the movement of his mouth than what he was saying.

He really needs a breath mint.

Slap.

The calloused palm hit the side of my right cheek. Surely leaving a red mark. I hissed, I felt like spitting in his face but that would only create more issues.