Melting Hearts | ✓

f r o s t ║ii

 f r o s t ║ii

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"Arianna!" My mother chirped in her ice cold voice. Her lavish heels clunked on the hardwood floor and I remained silent as I listened for the usual sound of her dumping her duffle-bag on the floor. She walked to the living room and I could feel her standing right there.

"Did I not call your name?" She snapped. I fluttered my eyes open and pulled a strand of honey hair away from my lips. I sat up a little and lifted my cup.

"Astrid mother." I rose to my feet, "My name is Astrid."

I walked to the kitchen, setting my cup in the top of the pull out dishwasher. My mother stood in the same place sighing to herself. I ran my fingers through the bottom of my hair, knowing she would comment on how dirty it was.

"Oh yes. I can't believe I let your stupid father name you that. I suppose it's my own fault I had a child with a dreamer..." She sighed deeply as if she was in a drama, her thin collarbones rising sharply from her body. My eyes looked her up and down. She wore grey suit-pants, a sheer mint top and her short pixie-style hair was dyed a ripe shade of purple.

"You dyed your hair?" I asked as I switched on the coffee maker to start the coffee I knew she'd ask me for in a moment. She pulled off her black heels and set them beside my faded Tomms. She slumped at our square table in one of the sleek white chairs.

"Yes honey." She rubbed her temples, “Some lady offered it while I was in Italy last week."

Oh yes. The expensive "work" vacations. Last week she'd been in Italy, France this week. I knew we'd never run out of money but there had to be better ways of spending it. I watched my mother scrunch up her face, which was barely hers anymore after various face lifts and a nose job, and begin to make annoyed noises.

"My day at the office was so hard baby; nobody would do what I wanted. I really need a coff-" I set the cup of coffee down in front of her. She opened her eyes and turned her nose down. She sniffed it and smiled slightly.

"Wonderful." She said, waving me off with her hands. I nodded and began heading down the hall to my bedroom. She cleared her throat loudly for my attention; I wheeled around and looked straight into her dark eyes.

"Oh and Arianna." She sipped "Wash your hair, would you?"

I sniffed, there it was. I replied dryly, "Astrid."

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My bedroom was nice, I didn't let my mother pour her money into me much. I had a big sized bed with green and blue sheets covered by a sheer green canopy. My dresser and bedposts where white, along with the cushioned window seat under the big window. I sat there against the wall with my sketchpad on my knees.

I began outlining a ballerina, her feet first followed by little shoes. I twisted the laces up her legs and began making a wispy tutu. Her face was thin and mousy, thick hair in a bun. I ripped the picture from the pad and lay it on the carpet beside me. It was okay, but not good enough for the competition. I pulled the crumbled form from my pocket and read it again. Maybe I wouldn't enter.

I set down my pad and looked outside. It was snowing again and the ground was already covered with a thing flaky layer of snow. I wished to run outside and play in it, but I knew I wouldn't be allowed. I gave up on outside and pulled my attention from it. I settled on taking a shower and picked out a pair of pajama's before heading to the bathroom.