The Happiness Thief (TEGSA)

→06. The future you didn't expect←

Happiness breathes in the sweet scent of flowers lingering in the air. She stretches out her arms and snaps her fingers, causing the magical mat that had transported them to vanish. Her gaze is fixed on the entrance of the "Uptown Funk" club, where she waits for a specific individual to arrive. Meanwhile, Maxwell's face contorts in distaste, his nose wrinkling at the overpowering stench of drainage. He repeatedly punches his nose, waving his hand wildly to shoo away the pesky mosquitoes that buzz around him. Happiness's expression suddenly brightens, and she asks, "Dear Maxwell, can you smell that?"

Maxwell's response is laced with disgust, "Ugh, definitely. I can smell the drainage." Happiness laughs, and she clarifies, "No, Maxwell, that smells like teen spirit."

"Huh?"Maxwell's confusion deepens as he looks up, just in time to see a boy around sixteen or seventeen emerge from the club's door, belting out a tune with enthusiasm,

The boy who emerges from the club's door, singing "We will, we will, rock you! Rock you!" with reckless abandon, is wearing a vibrant red hoodie and black jeans that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. His unruly hair sticks out in every direction, framing his energetic face as he throws his hands up in the air. Behind him, a few more boys of similar age followed, each with their own unique style. One had a messy mop of curly brown hair and a bright orange beanie, while another sported a sleek, undercut hairstyle and a black leather jacket. A third boy has a shy smile and a mop of straight, sandy-blond hair that fell across his forehead.

As the two boys join in on the singing, their voices blending in harmony with the first boy, young Maxwell's eyes widened in confusion. He turned to Happiness, questioning her with a raised eyebrow."Who are they?" Happiness's enigmatic smile preceded her answer."The boy with the unruly hair is your elder teen version, Maxwell. And the others are his friends."

Maxwell is suprised before he could ask more questions,Happiness stops him, she winks and instructs him to simply observe whatevers going to happen. Teen Maxwell turns to his friends and enthusiastically puts forward a suggestion,"Hey guys, I heard there's a magic show tonight! I'm pretty sure if we run, we'll definitely score at least four tickets!" Teen Maxwell exclaims, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "We can't miss it! It's going to be epic!"

Conner's eyes darted to the others, and for a fleeting moment, they exchanged a weighted glance that teen Maxwell failed to catch. "I am so sorry, Maxwell, but I really have to run home now. The thing is, I have to look after my little sister tomorrow as my parents are, er, outta town - and it's the weekend, so yeah! Sorry, buddy!" Conner's voice is laced with hesitation and urgency. Teen Maxwell's face fell, but he tries to stay optimistic. "It's alright, Conner, maybe next time! What about you both? Are you guys in?" The second boy rubs the back of his neck, his eyes avoiding teen Maxwell's. "Uh, sorry, I gotta go now, I'm past my bedtime." The third boy nods sympathetically, his voice tinged with apology. "I have to join my dad in the garage as a helping hand for the upcoming weekend."

As soon as Teen Maxwell is out of sight, the trio exchanged a weighted glance, the air thick with unspoken understanding. Conner, the first boy, cleared his throat, his voice low and hushed. "Well, that was...close." The second boy, with the messy brown hair, Ethan nodded in agreement, his eyes darting around the dimly lit club. The third boy,Alax with the black leather jacket, simply shrugs,his expression unreadable.

Conner pulls out his phone, saying, 'Time to head to the magic show!' as he dials Carl's number. 'Hey, Carl, we're on our way. You'd better hurry!' Maxwell's eyes widen in shock, and he grabs onto Happiness's skirt, his voice trembling with urgency. 'Wait, what's going on? Why didn't they invite my other self? And who's Carl? Is he...my brother?"

"Yes Maxwell they are talking about your younger brother,he loves magic shows."Happiness says.

Maxwell's eyes darted back and forth, his mind racing with questions. "But...but I've never seen him show any interest in magic shows before! And why are Conner and the others involving him in this?" He turned to Happiness, his voice laced with desperation. "What's going on, Happiness? You're the only one who seems to know what's happening. Please, tell me the truth!"

Happiness's expression turns sympathetic, her eyes fill with a deep understanding. "Maxwell, Carl has always been fascinated by magic shows. He's just never had the chance to express it, because you've always been so focused on your own interests." She pauses, her voice gentle but firm. "You've always tried to be the center of attention, Maxwell, and that is why Carl was unable to bond with you since a tender age. Tell me Max,back in your timeline how many times have you played with him? How many times have you tried to understand his interests?"

Maxwell's expression crumbles, his gaze dropping to the ground as the weight of Happiness's words sinks in. Memories come flooding back: how he pushed Carl away on his first birthday, demanding their parents' attention and assistance for himself. How he insisted on photobombing every video and picture featuring his brother, making sure he was the center of attention. How he would devour the largest slice of cake and most of the chocolates on Carl's special occasions, never leaving a crumb for his family or brother. How he would hoard all the chocolates he received at school, not even saving a single bite for those at home.

"This behavior of yours has made you unlikable in your house and your friend group. People tend to stay away from you,fearing that you will rob their happiness in some nor the other way. Let's take Rosie's example,you stole her chocolates and if she ever gets to know that you were the one who did that, will she be able to trust you? She is still an outsider though,what about your own younger brother? Do you think you will be able to repair your bond if you continue to behave this way? You won't because once the time is gone. Its gone."
Happiness's voice is filled with seriousness but there is still a certain touch of calm to it.

"So Maxwell,do you realize your mistake? The consequences of your actions?" Happiness asks,hoping to get her desired answer from the child.

[A/N- The sixth musical prompt is used in the form of dialogue said by Happiness to describe the presence of teenagers before they came out of the club. I hope you liked the chapter! Stay tuned.]