Underneath The (Sur)Face

The begining (1/4)

"Mommyyyyy." Saskia spoke with tears in her eyes as she pulled her mother's sleeve.

"Why do you have to leave?" she whined and then furiously wiped her tears on her sleeve of her sweatshirt with a bunny on it which only left her long dark brown hair stick on her face from tears.

My eyes wandered over the trees whose leaves were already colored orange and yellow. I picked my nose and then wiped it on my pink unicorn sweater.

I was more than looking forward to this camp when our parents first told us that we were going to one. I don't like that my parents have to leave, but at least I have my older sister here. Saskia is annoying as all little sisters are so I don't like her that much but mommy said that I have to help her if she needs since I'm older than her and she can't do things which I can.

"Why couldn't Saskia just stay at home when all she does is to whines like this? Nobody wants her here." I said honestly and mom gasped.

"Anastasia! Don't talk to your little sister like that. She'll be more playful once I'm gone and you all will play with kids your age. Right sweetie?" she said, then looking at Saskia who just shook her head furiously.

I rolled my eyes and sighed loudly to make clear my impatience. Saskia glanced at me with her fierce green eyes but still held on to mom like a pincer.

"Come on Saskia, let's go and play!" Katja said with a reassuring smile and grabbed Saskia's stomach from behind and tried to pull her away from mom.

Saskia is the youngest of us and she's short and thin girl, and yet she surprises me with how Katja, who is a head taller and stronger, can't tear her away from our mother. But that's Saskia. If she wants something then she'll be stubborn all she wants.

A girl a little shorter than me with two long pigtails that were not even and with a lollipop in her mouth suddenly appeared in front of me with a big smile. She was fiddling her fingers on the hem of her shirt and leaned her body closer to me.

"Do you want to play with me?" Her high pitched voice said and she looked up at me with her big blue eyes.

I picked my nose and I looked unsurely at my mother, who only now noticed that there was a girl in front of me, according to the way a big smile appeared on her mouth and in a split second she started to push Saskia away from her towards the direction where I and the girl are standing at.

"Oh Anastasia, looks like you found a new friend!" she said happily and came closer to me and the girl while holding Saskia by one hand and Katja by the other.

"What is your name sweetheart?" my mom asked softly and the girl beamed with joy.

The girl pulled out her lollipop before answering "My name is Savannah!" she chirped and blushed as my mom complimented her name.

"So now how about you girls get to know each other and start playing?" Savannah nodded her head and clapped her hands happily. As my mom said goodbye to us she walked away, and Katja managed to hold Saskia so she won't run after mom, Savannah looked over at us with a big smile.

"Are you here for the first time? I'm at this camp for the second time and I haven't seen you here yet." before either of us could answer Savannah started talking again "There is a big playground made of wood and it has a large slide! Let's play there!"

With that she grabbed my chubby palm in her slim one and started navigating us in that direction.

When we arrived at the playground, Saskia stopped crying and all three of us looked at the playground in awe. Some other kids were already playing there and we didn't waste any more time to do that too.