Growing Up with the Alpha

“Do you want to go to the park,” asked Colette’s mother, June. “What is that momma,” furrowing her brows, Colette asked. “It is a place just for kids with lots of fun swings and slides and other kids to play with.” June explained. “I make friends! Yes! Let’s go, let’s go momma!” Colette jumped up and down squealing with delight. She was an only child and often begged her parents to have another child. Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears. Her parents kept her in the house or their fenced in yard, much to Colette’s displeasure. Colette never understood why she couldn’t go outside and play with the other kids she’d watch through the windows, but when she’d ask her parents would distract her with a game of hide n seek or toys. After getting her shoes on and walking for what seemed like forever to Colette, they arrived at the best place she’d ever seen, the park. She hugged her mother and ran towards the weird green metal structure she’d never seen before. She stopped towards the stairs on one side, deciding it was the easiest way to board this peculiar vessel. After taking a deep breath, she climbed the few stairs leading to a platform. She stopped, debating which way she would go. To her right was a tube slide, to her left was a firehouse pole, what it was doing there she had no idea, and straight ahead a was bridge that had little planks leading across to another platform. She decided to go for the bridge as she wanted to explore more. Her first step was a doozy. Realizing immediately that this bridge was very unstable, she hesitated taking a second one. “It’s ok you can do it,” said a voice in front of her. She looked up to see a small girl with dark brown hair and green/brown eyes that twinkled in the sunlight. Her suntanned skin gave off an orange glow as the sun reflected off of it. And she had the biggest smile Colette had ever seen. She beckoned for Colette to come towards her. With all of her encouragement, Colette made it across the death trap of a bridge without meeting her demise. At the end she breathed a sigh of relief, vowing to never go across that thing again. “Thank you!” Colette pulled the girl into a hug. Pulling away she asked, “I’m Colette, what’s your name?” “Lizzy. Do you want to be my friend?” Lizzy asked. “Yes! What do you want to do?” “Let’s play princesses!” Lizzy exclaimed. The next few hours the girls pretended to be princesses locked away in towers waiting for knights to save them. They would reenact all of the princess movies they had on VCR. Eventually, Lizzy’s mother came to get her saying they had to go home. She gave June their home phone number and told her the girls could have sleepovers sometime. Colette was ecstatic to finally make a friend. June told Colette she could play a little longer, but soon they’d be leaving as well. Returning to ‘the jungle gym’ as Lizzy described it, Colette decided to go on all of the slides. Greeting everyone she saw and making friends with a bunch of boys and girls, she was loving it. “Come on Colette let’s use the monkey bars,” a boy named Carter grabbed her hand, pulling her in the direction of whatever monkey bars were. Soon, Colette was looking at a latter turned on its side suspended in the air. Confusion took over her mind. She didn’t understand how you could climb something like that. Her questions were answered when Carter turned around showing his toothless smile and said, “watch this.” And hopped out grabbing onto the first bar. Colette almost jumped off the platform to catch him before she realized he wasn’t hurt. She looked down and noticed she was pretty high of the ground and stepped back, her stomach doing somersaults. She watched as Carter effortlessly dangled from one bar to the next, quickly making it across. “Come on Colette! You can do it! It’s fun!” Carter exclaimed. He too beckoned as Lizzy did. He was suntanned too. His brown hair was messy and his green eyes squinted as he motioned for Colette to join him. Colette reached out and realized she couldn’t reach the bar, she’d have to jump. Taking a deep breath she jumped and grasped onto the first bar. She tried to reach for the second one, but had the same problem, she was too short. “Start swinging your legs back and forth, it will help!” Carter yelled. Colette followed his instructions and before long she was able to reach the second bar, then the third, then the fourth. She was doing it! She realized it wasn’t so hard and started to quicken her pace. Fifth, sixth, seventh, andddd her hand didn’t connect with the eighth bar. The sweat from her palms made her hand slip from the previous bar and next she knew she saw the ground getting larger. She blacked out before she’d feel the impact. When she woke up, she found herself staring into deep blue eyes that reminded her of the ocean she saw in a mermaid movie. The boy had black hair spiked up like a porcupine and the tips were white. He showed concern on his face then Colette heard what she though was an angel say, “are you okay? Hello?” In awe, Colette just stared at this boy. He didn’t look much older than her. She wondered if all angels came to you as around your age. The angel tapped her shoulder and waved a hand in front of her face. Snapping out of her trance she looked around and found several kids gathered around her in a circle all staring. Realizing the boy wasn’t an angel, she tried to sit up. She felt no pain, but she could’ve sworn she fell. She’s gotten enough bruises and goose eggs from falling at her home to know she should feel pain. “Hello, are you ok?” The voice said again. She glanced up at the boy. “Yes, I tink, I fell,” she said glancing up at the monkey bars. She remembered how afraid she was on the bridge earlier, she amended her vow to never using monkey bars again. Those were the real death traps. “I caught you, but you fell asleep. I’m Hendrik, what’s your name?” The boy asked. “I’m Colette, thank you for saving me!” She exclaimed jumping to her feet and hugging Hendrik. He laughed. “Do you want to play?” Hendrik asked. Stepping out of Colette’s embrace. “Yes!” So they played, Hendrik came up with the idea of being on a ship with monsters in the area on the ground. All of the kids on the ground were monsters and all of the kids on the ship were the crew. Everyone was involved in the huge adventure he created. Hendrik was the captain and Colette his first mate. She barked out orders to the crew that she had heard in a movie about a big ship wrecking. She never had so much fun. A while later everyone was exhausted from the running they’d done. Colette was suddenly aware of how hot it was outside. She looked at Hendrik. “My momma said we need to leave soon, she might be mad I am still playing,” Colette stated. “Ok, I’ll take you to her,” Hendrik shrugged. They walked towards her mother. “Oh my mom is talking to your mom, they must be friends!” Hendrik exclaimed. “We can play again then!” Walking closer they heard their parents’ conversation. “-people will notice her, but I see your point. We can’t hide her forever,” Hendrik’s mother stated. “Hi momma,” Colette said. Making the two adults jump. Hendrik and Colette chuckled. “Well hello there, you must be Colette. I see you’ve met my son.” Hendrick’s mother greeted Colette, earning a hug from Colette. “Hendrik saved my life, we are best friends now! Can we pweaseeeee play together again?” Colette took a deep breath after blurting that all out. “I think that would be a splendid idea sweetheart,” Hendrik’s mother said with a smile. “Great! Okay Colette, we have to head home now, it was good seeing you Luna Felicity. We will have to set up a play date for the two of them.” June hugged Hendrik’s mother. Colette turned to Hendrik. “I’m going to miss you!” Colette hugged Hendrik tight. “We will see each other soon,” Hendrik said with a smile. Colette looked up at her mother and took her hand. Waving goodbye to the other two, they left. ————————————————— “When when they be here momma,” Colette whined. “Soon, be patient.” “I am,” Colette huffed, sitting on the wooden bench by their door. She stared out one of the narrow floor length windows that framed the front door. While tapping her feet on the hardwood floor. Soon she heard a car door. And jumped up. “Momma they’re here!” “I heard Colette, calm down.” June sighed, opening the door. “Hello Felicity, hello Hendrik. Please come in.” “Hi! Come on Hendrik I have so much to show you!” Colette grabbed Hendrik forcefully pulling down the hallway to her a playroom. “This is my toy room! Now, what doll do you want?” Colette asked. Several hours passed by rather quickly. June and Luna Felicity walked in to find Hendrik and Colette in the middle of a squabble between their dolls. “I want him to be my boyfriend,” Colette motioned with her red headed doll. “No he is my boyfriend!” Hendrik said moving his brunette doll’s arms. The two parents started laughing, causing the two children to look at the door. Hendrik immediately dropped the dolls and stood, blushing. “Oh momma! We were fighting over my boy doll, can I get more? I only have one. How are my dolls supposed to share one boy?” Colette pleaded. “I’ll look into darling, are you two hungry?” June asked. “Yes!” Both children said in unison. Running to the kitchen. After lunch, and a game of hide n seek, Colette had to bid Hendrik goodbye. “I’ll miss you!” Colette hugged Hendrik. “I start first grade next week. Do you start kindergarten?” Hendrik asked. “Yes! I can’t wait! Wait, will we play even with school?” Colette asked. “Yeah!” Hendrik exclaimed. “I’ll see you then!” Colette hugged him one more time, then watched them leave. She sighed, Hendrik was her best friend. He even played dolls with her, although he asked next time there be more boy dolls. ——————————————— “Sweetie, hold still for the picture!” June exclaimed, holding a throwaway camera. It was Colette’s first day of kindergarten, a moment both of her parents had dreaded since she was born. “Say ‘cheese’” “CHEESE” Colette smiled. She was wearing a light blue chiffon dress with a white cardigan, stockings and Mary Janes for shoes. She was so excited. “Now, Colette. Remember to listen to your bus driver and teacher ok? No running-unless they tell you to, understood?” Colette’s father, James, cautioned. “Yes, daddy.” “Good, now have fun and I love you, come here.” James extended his arms and squatted down to Colette’s level. Colette ran into his arms. June then took a photo of the two of them before joining in on the hug. Soon they heard the bus coming down the road. Exiting the house, Colette shared a final goodbye and boarded the big yellow vehicle. Colette’s teacher was Mrs. Durai, a middle aged women with graying hair and a kind smile. When she saw Colette her face lit up. “Hello miss, what is your name?” “Colette! Nice to meet you!” Colette smiled. “You have the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen miss Colette, welcome to school. Let me show you to your seat.” Mrs. Durai said. The rest of the day flew by for Colette. Lizzy was in her class so she instantly had a friend. They made plans for a sleepover. Before long it was time to go home. “School is AMAZING. I love my teacher and I made so many friends!” Colette screamed as soon as she ran inside. “That’s good hunny, I’m glad you like it.” Her father smiled. “Where’s momma?” Colette said looking around. “She had to run to the store, she will be home soon. Now tell me more about school.” James said. Which Colette happily obliged. The door unlocked and in came June with Colette’s favorite, warm tapioca pudding fresh from the bakery. “Hi sweetie, thought you might want something special for your first day.” June smiled. “Tappyocca! I love you momma!” Colette squealed, jumping up to a seat at the table. This was the best day of her life, Colette thought. Life couldn’t get better than this. She had friends, school, and a belly full of warm pudding, life was good.