Sand Between My Toes

[Rapunzel Frost]

Ear-piercings shrieks filled the atmosphere inside the large New Zealand home. Jolie and Malachi were fighting like they did everyday. Jolie had stolen Malachi's oatmeal-raisin cookie which lead to Malachi pulling Jolie's hair. Rapunzel was slowly but surely getting used to this daily fighting routine. She snatched the half eaten cookie from Jolie's hand and smacked Malachi's fist, which had a skinny-jean-tight grip around Jolie's dirty blonde sleek hair. Rapunzel dragged the two of them to seperate corners. She was a little too good at this job. It seemed that her busy mother's daycare service was rapidly changing from Elaine's Teddybear Toddlers to Rapunzel's Top Knotch Tower Tots!
Rapunzel's mother served the children their PB&J's then began cooking dinner. Rapunzel ran from kid to kid cleaning up the small messes left behind. While they played for a few minutes more, she packed a small picnic lunch for herself. Once nap time rolled around the kids were relluctant to go to sleep, but once Rapunzel bribed then threatened they all fell asleep. She plopped down on the ratted out couch and sighed. The whole house would have been silent if it weren't for Ella's pop music blasting through the cracks in her door.
Rapunzel waltzed outside where the air was warm but the sky was cloudy and gray. She strolled out to where she had seen a tiny beach. Even though they had been there several months already, Rapunzel just became quick and efficient at her part-time job which meant more time was made for herself. After walking the half mile to the beach, Rapunzel hoped the fence. Her purple-painted toes hit the soothing sand and she instantly fell in love. She wiggled her stunted toes in the heavenly textured beads. She overlooked the clear blue ocean water and took deep breaths. This was her place to be.
"I promise I'll take you to the beach." The unfamiliar voice shot to the front of her mind. These were the words her biological father spoke last time he called, which was a few days after her last birthday. He called once a year if she was lucky. Promises were his way of secretly breaking her heart. Rapunzel knew they were lies but she forced herself to think they true. Tears reached her deep brown eyes.
Suddenly, Rapunzel hated everything about the beach. The water looked a little murky and the sand seemed rough and painful to walk through. She ran as far as she could before breaking down and bawling her eyes out. She fell to her knees and dug her wet face into her hands. He must absolutely hate me! Why did he leave my mother anyway!?! Was she not good enough for him!?! Horrid questions ran through her mind. She was filled with hatred. She sat on the edge of the dirt path until she dried her eyes with her sleeve. Rapunzel stood up and began walking home since the kids would be up in about an hour. But then Rapunzel decided against that because she would have to explain to her mom the story behind her tear-stained face.
She came to a small children's playground and sat down on a squeaky swing. Memories rushed throughout her mind of her stepdad playing with all the kids at the playgrounds that he took them to. He ALWAYS had time for everyone, and if he didn't then he made time. Rapunzel sat almost motionless then slowly came to a back-and-forth rocking. She desired for someone to come by. Just someone to talk to... But on such a cloudy day and right after lunch this was a very unlikely thing to even ask for.

 

[Mai Mizushima]

Mai decided to wander around for the rest of the morning. She thought the neighborhood was too dreary for her. Why, the house itself was making Mai sleepy. And she didn't like feeling sleepy. Of course, just like always, she tried to look for a book to read. It was her hobby--no--bad habit. Ever since she was a child, she deprived herself of sleep and food and play just to read the odd books inside her father's study. Her mother couldn't even stand seeing her reading. Instead of saying "That's a good girl, Mai-chan. You'll be smart when you grow up.", her mother usually says "Just leave those damnable books and go out! I'll burn them if you don't!" That was Mai's life, of course. Not that she hated it. Actually, she got used to it.

As Mai reached a children's playground a few blocks away from her home, she saw a girl about her age alone by the swings. Mai didn't know her, for some reason, although she was quite good with socializing with people. She walked towards the girl, hopping like one of the cartoon characters she used to watch when she was little. When she was only a few away from the girl, she called out. "Hey! He-e-e-e-y!!" Mai waved her hand to signal the girl. After staring close at the girl, Mai noticed that the girl looked like she had just cried. Mai leaned down to look straight at the girl's face and frowned. "Why are you crying?"

 

[Rapunzel Frost]

Rapunzel eyes shot up when she heard a distant voice. Is someone actually there!? Wow! I didn't think anybody would be out here... The girl approached her and must have seen the tear stains because she asked why she had been crying. "Oh, just a few bad memories... I'm Rapunzel Frost. I live a little farther down this road," Rapunzel pointed in the direction of her house, "and you are...?" She smiled brightly and wiped her eyes one last time.
Maybe if she got to know the girl better she would be able to tell her a little more about the "bad memories" but for now she hoped to leave it at that. Rapunzel took a deep breath and let the inner sociable girl pop out!

 

[Mai Mizushima]

Mai was really curious why the girl was crying. She felt a little disappointed when the girl wiped her eyes and talked to her. But she knew some people were like that, leaving things inside their heart. Mai quite understood. She stood straight and stretched her hand for a handshake. Mai smiled her confident smile and introduced herself. "I'm Mai. Mizushima Mai. Don't ask me where I live. It's boring there." she exclaimed and grinned. The truth is, she didn't like bringing her friends in her house. There was a needed protectiveness in Mai that she always placed to her home. "And? Why are you in a place like this, Rapunzel? Well, aside from the--err--cry, maybe you came here for something else?" she sat on another swing and started pushing it so she can start feeling the cold breeze as she swung back and forth. Mai looked at Rapunzel and wondered if she was an exciting person. "I came here because our house is too dull. I wish I can go to Hogwarts sooner."

 

[Rapunzel Frost]

Rapunzel smiled a bit when Mai said her house was boring. Rapunzel's house was quite the opposite, extremely hectic. "Oh, I just needed a little time away from my house. It can get really crazy there, especially after lunch." Mai sat on the swing beside her and swung a bit higher than Rapunzel's rocking. Mai talked about Hogwarts and Rapunzel became excited, "Hogwarts! Yes! Me too! What house do you wish to be in? What do you think will be your favorite subject? Your least?" Rapunzel was swinging high now. She was in a much better mood than before. Hogwarts was the best topic in the world in her opinion.

 

[Mai Mizushima]

Mai tried to imagine how a girl like Rapunzel's house could get crazy. Maybe she has a siblings? Mai didn't have any. And if she did, she wouldn't like it. Mai wasn't at all surprised when Rapunzel told her that she was going to Hogwarts. A lot of the kids Mai met were going to Hogwarts. Too many, actually, that Mai wanted to just go to Durmstrang or Beauxbaton. Wouldn't Hogwarts be too crowded? She didn't like crowds that much. It's hard to read when it's too noisy. "I don't really know. I'm a muggleborn, you see, and I don't have that much idea about how Hogwarts work. I just read some entries about it in newspapers." The joy in reading one. Of course Mai knew about the discrimination they're doing with muggleborns. But she didn't care. If they want to discriminate her, they can come, and she'll crush them like dirt. "Although Slytherin sounds good." Mai said with a smile. "I wouldn't really care about subjects. Hmm... I can live with DADA. It sounds so good too. How about you?"

 

[Rapunzel Frost]

"Well I love friends and I'm very social so I think Hufflepuff would be an excellent house, but Ravenclaw would by far be my absolute favorite because I have many interests in school stuff, if you know what I mean," Rapunzel thought more on this then added, "I wouldn't mind being in Slytherin or Gryffindor though. They all sound wonderful and exciting in their own ways!" Rapunzel was shooting big as for the subject of Hogwarts. She wanted to be the top student and eventually a Prefect then, hopefully, Head Girl. There was a possibility of a strong disappointment for the Prefect and Head Girl deal but she was a determined young girl.
"As for subjects, I'm not sure... My father hasn't been around to tell me anything about Hogwarts. He bailed on my mom and siblings when I was two. My mom explained as much as she knew but she only understands some of what my dad told her," Rapunzel fidgeted. The subject of her dad made her voice crack and tears began forming at the edges of her eyes when the conversation wasn't over quick enough. She changed the subject as subtlely as she could, "Are you nervous at all? I mean about standing in front for the sorting?"

 

[Mai Mizushima]

Mai stared at Rapunzel for a moment, thinking Sorting Hat-like. Of course Mai doesn't know Rapunzel that much yet, but she's pretty good at reading people. It's true that Rapunzel is Hufflepuff-ish. Such a friendly girl... But that determination was so Slytherin-ish, Mai wouldn't be surprised if Rapunzel would be sorted to Slytherin. "I'm going to bet that you'd be in Slytherin." Mai said, though she meant it mostly as a joke. She really doesn't know Rapunzel that much. "And how about me? Do you think I'll be in Slytherin?" Mai chuckled and then looked straight at Rapunzel.

For the rest of it, Mai thought she was having a very fine conversation with the girl. Normal, but fun in its own way. But that was before Rapunzel started talking about her dad. Mai swore she saw tears brimming in the girl's eyes before she changed the topic. But changing topic meant that Rapunzel didn't want to talk about her dad, Mai thought, so she didn't dare bring the topic back. "Nervous? Of course not. I don't see anything scary standing in front of everyone." she said with a grin. "It's exciting, actually. You'd be the center of attention!"

 

[Rapunzel Frost]

"Slytherin, eh? Hm... That was what house my dad was in... or so I was told... I think you could be a good Slytherin! I have a difficult time understanding the difference between the different houses though." Rapunzel laughed a bit. She wondered if your ancestry would determine where you were placed.
Rapunzel loved crowds and the Great Hall would probably be a big one, but being alone with a weird talking hat placed upon your head would be awkward and somewhat embarassing. "I love the crowds but I believe that would feel a little thorny..." Rapunzel smiled at the thought of Hogwarts however, "It'll be nice to live in dormitories with friends though!" The thought of being around her friends constantly was a wonderful thought. NEVER being alone.