Everglow

Chapter One : The Muraro Family

Present day...

Rowan's POV

A shiver ran down my spine as I pushed my bed covers off of my body. The cold air in my bedroom hit me way too quickly, and I found myself wanting to curl back up under my duvet and fall into another deep slumber.

But I couldn't do that. It's a school day. And I know that if I didn't get up now, I'd end up with one of my brothers tipping a bucket of water over my head and then I'd be using my hair dryer to dry my mattress off for the next week. Not ideal.

I clambered off of my bed and opened my curtains. It was one of those typical December days, you know where the mornings are dark and the grass is frosty. I could see the light creeping it's way into the sky, a tint of red in the distance which is usually a bad weather warning; although, the light dusting of snow falling to the ground was another tell tale sign that the winter weather was only going to get worse as the day goes on.

God, I hate winter. It's always so cold and damp and I find my mood dropping by the second. I get like it every year. My dad says it's because my mother left around this time of year; he's probably right.

I can't remember much about my mother's departure. All I do remember was the uneasy atmosphere of standing on a doorstep in the freezing cold with my toy dog in hand; a toy which I still have with me to this day. I also have the tiniest scar just under my chin where I had apparently grazed it from a fall during that night; I don't remember that happening but it's become one of my permanent reminders of the night my mother left me. I wouldn't have it any other way though. I love my family the way it is; Just me, my dad and my brothers.

Despite my hatred for winter, I am in love with Christmas. I love the lights, the music, the presents, the food, everything about it really. But maybe that's why Christmas is in the winter - to cheer people up from the seasonal depression; or the winter blues as some may call it.

I leaned forward against my windowsill as my eyes caught sight of my dog, Comet, sniffing around the garden; searching for the best area to do his morning pee. It also indicated to me that someone else must already be awake too, having let Comet outside to do his business.

Comet is my eight year old Husky; named after one of Santa's reindeer. He was my Christmas present from my father and brother's when I was merely six years old. He's my shadow, forever following me around the house and he usually sleeps on my bed with me. But the odd occasion comes along where he decides to sleep in one of the boys' rooms; last night being one of those rare times.

I continued to watch as he cocked his leg up against the fence before jumping around the grass area, trying to eat the snow that was falling. This was definitely Comet's favourite time of the year, he loved the snow. Sometimes we find it difficult to even get him back inside the house when the weather is like this.

I could feel the dread slowly settling within me at the thought of having to go outside in the cold. I'd rather stay home and keep warm under a blanket whilst watching Christmas movies. But no, I've still got two weeks left of school until we break up for the Christmas holidays.

I sighed heavily, pushing myself away from the window. I turned my bedroom fairy lights on, allowing them to create a soft glow around the room and then I made my way towards my wardrobe to pick out an outfit for the day; I decided on my black cargo trousers which were stretchy and comfy enough for sitting in boring classes all day and an oversized black T-shirt with a print of a wolf on the front of it. This'll do. I'll probably chuck one of my plain black hoodies over the top, to keep warm when I'm outside.