Inseparable (RainbowSnowcone)

All grown up

The guardians of childhood
Lunch for work, packed. Kids homework, packed. I zip up my bag and suitcase as I head out the kitchen. I'm 24 now. I have been working as a primary school teacher for half a year now. I like it. I love being around kids, I love entertaining them, setting up games for them, mucking around with them, and most of all being a positive role model and guide for their futures. I guess deep down I'm still a kid myself.

"Jack. Before you leave I wanted to give you something." My step dad hands over a picture book.

"I just had this book published. The kids might like it," my step dad says in his Spanish accent. I take the book and hold it with both hands.

"Thanks Dad."

'The guardians of childhood.' Featuring a silver haired boy named Jack Frost on the front page. This has got to be some kind of joke.

I head for the door. My sister Jamie runs for the car and marks her place in the front seat. She's 14 now. Your stereotypical annoying teenage sister ... I'm joking.

I drop Jamie off at High School and sit in my car. Watching as she greets her friends then skips inside the schools fences.

The elementary school where I work is just next door. I have half an hour to spare. Something catches my gaze. The blue children's book with the photo of a silver haired boy on it. It was as if Dad designed the character based on my features. The name even sounded like mine, without my consent. Is this even allowed or legal. Whatever.

I flip through a few pages.

Jack Frost awakens.

Man on moon

Missing memories

The Easter bunny

Santa Clause

The Tooth Fairy

The name Tooth caught my attention. A hybrid between woman and humming bird. Purple eyes. Just like the one she wore back in High School.

It reminded me of Toothiana Green. She was my first girlfriend in high school. My high school sweet heart. All the way up till college. She broke up with me earlier this year. Something about moving to Canada for her internship as a dentist. We're still friends. I wasn't on the same page at first, but after a while I started to realise if you really love someone you would know when to let them go, whatever makes them happy.

We could have done long distance. I tried so hard to make it work. FaceTime. Yearly, monthly visits. But Tooth never had time. We drifted apart and went our separate ways. Kind of like most friendships after high school.

I started to feel like all she cared about was collecting children's teeth more than our relationship ... no wonder Dad made her the Tooth Fairy in his book. It makes so much sense.

Don't tell her but, I always thought Tooth had a fetish for my teeth. She called them the most pearly whites she had ever seen. When we used to kiss, she would moan under her breath "they sparkle like freshly fallen snow." I laugh under my breath thinking about it. It was so weird, but cute because it's her.

I hope she's doing well. Probably moved on with a new orthodontist boyfriend going on dates to chemists, laboratories with solar systems, historical museums. Bonding over the chemical elements or whatever she's into these days. She was such a nerd. I was the bad boy. Haha. I guess opposites really do attract.

. . .
Last night was a fairytale

Tooth woke with a start. The room was dark and dim and probably past midnight. The room seemed familiar, but it wasn't her room. It was much larger with fancy draws and furniture in every corner. She saw movement, something had rushed past the open window.