Maven // Calum Hood

one - disappoinment and snow-women

I'm disappointed.

First of all, I thought going on an airplane would be a thrilling experience... It wasn't that exciting. Then, I got hyped because my aunt said it would be snowing in Scotland. And, no... It's just loads and loads of ice. The snow was so thick that we couldn't even go sightseeing.

I thought travelling and chilling down would be a nice thing to do for a change. And now that I'm here, cold, disappointed, and wrapped in three itchy and ugly sweaters, staring at snow through the window and kinda wishing I had stayed at home through my Christmas Break and did my advanced-reading just as I'd planned.

"Did you wanna go out and make snow angels with Toby, Zharah?" My Uncle Anthony asked, tugging my 8-year old cousin along with him to where I was standing.

Toby was already wearing his jacket, mittens, and ear muffs. I could've said no but, who would ever want a crying child in their house? Besides, I could use a bit of fun in my boring life.

"Okay," I said and, immediately, Toby's blue-green eyes lit up. "But can I borrow some stuff?"

"Sure, sure. Your aunt has some stuff in there," Uncle Anthony pointed to a door to my left. "They should fit you well."

I nodded and thanked him before swiftly walking over to the closet, taking the first jacket, pair of mittens, and earmuffs I could grasp, and put on the garments.

"Let's go?" I extended my gloved hand to my cousin and his own reached and grabbed it.

We walked down the porch and Toby fell back into the snow, giggling.

"Look, Ate! I'm making a snow angel!" his eyes disappeared into his eyelid as he helped himself to more giggles. "You should try making one!"

(Tagalog: Ate = Older sister)

"Okay!" And slowly sink into the ground next to Toby. I started to swipe my arms and legs back and forth to make the angel.

Being laid down on the ground makes me forget all of my worries. It reminds me of being a child. A child that likes to play. A child whose eyes gleam at the mention of fun. Like Toby--carefree and innocent.

I sat up from the angel and turned around to see my imprint at the same time Toby did.

"Haha! Look! Yours is the momma and mine is the child ! Then that guy's was the dadda!" He said, clinging onto my neck.

I creased my eyebrows. "Which guy, Toby?" I asked. I did not feel anybody lie down anywhere near me nor did I hear footsteps.

"The guy with the black jacket!" he insisted. "He was here a minute ago." Toby's eyes looked around the area but nobody else was to be seen except my Aunt Mirabelle in the distance, drinking eggnog, most probably.

"Okay... Let's make a snowman, yeah?" I steered the topic away from Toby's imaginary friend.

The boy vigorously nodded and jumped off to gather snow into a ball.

In the end, we made a pretty snow woman. It had a bob and curves. I made sure it would last long and be aesthetically pleasing. Toby gathered up some sticks and begged his dad to give him at least a small carrot for the nose.

"Here's a carrot, Ate!" Toby puffed out fogs. "It would be great for the snow-woman!"

"Thanks, Toby. Do you want to put the nose on?" He nodded and skillfully placed the carrot at the center of the sphere. "Now for the eyes. Let's break some sticks." We broke small twigs and formed a circle with them as eyes and the mouth.

"Here's the arms!" Toby handed me one stick and he held the other. "Let's put it together! One... Two... Three!" I poked the stick into the snow-woman's side torso just as Toby stabbed it through the other end.

"Ta-da!" I said, attacking Toby with a tight hug. He, of course, tried to defy my force and sped through the snow, which made me face-plant into the snow. "Toby!"

I got up and ran after him. "Come back!" I shouted. "Toby? Where are you?"

"Tita! Tita! Tito!" I rushed inside the house. "Nawawala si Toby!"

(Aunt! Aunt! Uncle! Toby is missing!)

"What? How did you lose him?" Uncle Anthony got up from his lounge on the couch to pull on his jacket but Anut Jem just took her phone out and dialed a tone--probably 9-1-1. Which I doubt is available in Scotland.

"Calm down, Ant, He's at the Hood's. He's fine. Just playing with Drea, again," Aunt Jem ended her call before calming her husband down.

"Oh," Uncle Anthony said, sinking back down onto the couch.

"Wait, you're used to this?" I noted how she used the word 'again.' "You've lost him before?"

"Not really 'lost'," Aunt Jem air-quoted. "Besides, the Hoods have been nice and they have a seven-year old named Andrea, Toby loves to play with Drea."

I just nodded, feeling relieved but distressed at the same time. "Can you lead me to their house? I'm still worrying about Toby."

"It's just two houses down," Aunt Jem pointed to her left, indicating the house was that way. "The pink house is theirs."

"Pink?" I asked. "Why is it pink?"

"I dunno," she shrugged, chuckling. "Maybe you can ask them."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Ayooo! (Is anyone there at all lol)

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.

Btw, go check out my friend Jenny's story! It's a Michael fic called Distractions and her user is michaelgtrash. Go support her, please!

Thanks for reading :)

-Mae xo