𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔

Christmas bonus chapter |1| 🎄(written Dec 2022)

A N A S T A S I A ' S P. O. V
- 7 years old

It's Christmas. Fucki...oops I mean fudging Christmas - dad would kill me if he heard me swearing, even though he swears fifty times a day.

I glare at the shut door as my mom screams again. I cringe, slamming my palms over my ears to block out the screeching noise. Calista nudges my knee again, licking my snow white tights. "Roar!" I gently push her away, eyeing the slobbery mess she's left.

She thinks she's a tiger, more specifically our youngest Draco. I claimed him since I named him when I was 6, but he's started to like Calista more. Probably because she's more fun, she's still a baby, only one, so she gets to spend more time with him, while I have to go to stupid school.

Mom screams again.

Calista tears her attention away from the sparkles on my tights and looks up at me. "Mama?"

"Mama's crazy, Calista. She did this to herself." And I'm angry at her. Very, very angry.

Calista frowns, her cute brows furrowing. "Nevermind." I put a ball in front of her and she forgets everything. I wish I could forget. Being the oldest sucks. Being seven sucks.

I just wish I was four again, or three or two where there were no annoying sisters, or screaming moms, and Christmas was simply Christmas.

All my Aunts and Uncles and cousins left, only my grandma and grandpa are downstairs. Caitlin is downstairs alone. Ever since she turned 15, she's become a real bitch. She said she was happy Christmas is over. How could she be happy about that?

No food! No presents! No charades! My mom promised me she would be my partner, she would act out spiderman with me because I was too embarrassed to do it alone and...

The door suddenly opens. My mom's screams get louder, but it fades again as my dad closes the door.

He smiles as Calista flashes him a toothy grin, throwing the wet ball at him. It lands sadly at his feet. "Grandma's making you cookies. Don't you want them?"

"Cookies!" Calista screams, already making her way towards the stairs. I'm less than enthused. It's a trick, a way to make us forget that Christmas is ruined and mom is in pain.

Dad swoops her up before she can reach them, tickling under her chin until she bursts out laughing. Mom is still screaming.

"I'm not going anywhere." My dad looks at me for a long time. He sighs, glancing between me and the door.

"One second, bunny." He disappears downstairs. I can hear Grandma laughing, trying to convince me that chocolate cookies are better than being with my dad. They're not. My dad is the best, but I don't like him very much right now.

His feet bang loudly as he runs up the stairs. I wait for him to disappear into the room again, but instead, he sinks down beside me. I scowl as his knee hits mine, nudging me again and again.

"Dad, stop!" I finally cracked. His smile falls, probably realising I'm really angry this time, not like last time when he refused to buy me a pony but then lifted me in the air super high and I started laughing. Nothing can make me smile today.

"What's wrong bunny?" Even his nickname for me doesn't make me happy. I feel cold inside.

"Christmas is ruined." I mumble, staring at the floor.

"What did you say?"

"Christmas is ruined!" I scream, finally staring up at him. He heard what I said, he just wanted me to look at him and when I'm angry, I don't think. I just do.