The Shocking Arrival

I see the world go by without me. I see each ball of snow drop from the roof of my house. I tilt my head to see the icicles form on my roof. I shiver again. 

The dripping of the wet snow is one of the most relaxing sounds I have ever heard in my life.

Drip! Drop! Drip! Drop!

It's the same old people going around and about for the same errands. Mr. Charles is hanging on to his coat for dear life as he is shoveling the snow from his backyard. I continue to stare again from plain sight. 

I sneak on them like it's nobody's business.

I note down what everyone is doing in the neighborhood.

AnneMarie is out and about her fitness routine. Every day in the morning, around 7:30 am, I see her go for a morning run. She wears a duffel backpack. Inside, she keeps her lotions, some fruits, (today, I noticed that she has an apple), extra sneakers, and some Gatorade (today she has the 'G2 Cool Blue' flavor, with the low sugar, it's the worst). Her hair is tied in a big ponytail and a big, bulky headband in order to keep her baby hairs out of the way. Today, she is wearing a black and white, unzipped parka coat on top of her loose purple Adidas shirt and some black yoga pants. Her white Vans are getting a bit dirty now, but I don't she even cares or notices her shoes at all.

Sometimes I wonder why her name is AnneMarie. It honestly doesn't fit her personality and her interests at all. Her name should have been something like, I don't know, Jessie, or something. 

As I continued staring at the snow, and what everyone is doing outside, I see my cat, Higgins climb over me.

"Meow." he meowed.

"I think that you're hungry, right Higgins?" I asked him, not expecting a clear answer back.

"Meow, Meow." he replied.

"Ugh. You want me to get up from bed, don't you? Fine. I'll get you some food." I mumble to him, as I get up from the bed.

"Meow," he said and started to run away from my room. His paws hit my skates.

That's when I remembered a crucial thing about today.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! T—today is my first day of figure skating!!" I yell, and I am pretty sure that my scream could break the house down.

My cat's fur stands up. I guess I can't blame Higgins. He probably got scared by my yell. I make my bed, and open the blinds in my windows. I see the bright sun gleaming from outside, shining in my room. I also see that the bottom half of my window is frozen. I don't really mind and don't care anyway. Today was finally going to be the day I start my figure skating career. 

"Higgins, where's mom and dad?" I ask him.

Seriously, I should really stop asking the cat questions, and expecting it to answer.

"Meow, Meow, Meow." it said, and I just shook my head.

I get out of my room, pick up Higgins, and walk downstairs. I don't see anyone except for the furniture. But I squint my eyes to see a yellow...something.

I walk down even more and hold Higgins tightly.

"Sorry, we had to go honey! =)

Love, 

M&D"

I look disappointed again. I stare at Higgins, and her royal blue eyes glance towards me. His soft, black, and white fur brush against mine. His ears twitch, and his whiskers stretch out like he's getting mad. 

"Hey boy, you mad at them?" I asked, and I finally let Higgins down. I see him nodding again, chewing his squishy mouse too hard. "They left me again, huh boy. Like they forgot that today was my first day of a new hobby." I continued talking as I went to the kitchen to give him some food.

"Meow," he purred loudly. That was his reply to everything. But, I don't mind. Sometimes you get along with people you never expect.

I open the kitchen cabinet and find some "Whisker's Meal" for Higgins. It's the only brand that he actually digests. It's like when you are addicted to only one flavor of Lays chips. You can never have too much of it.

I get his tiny bowl and slowly put some inside. I also get another bowl filled with milk for him. He likes drinking milk in the morning for some reason. I think that is because it energizes him, or something like that. 

"Higgins! Come on boy, come on! Your breakfast is served!" I holler, and he comes running like a marathon racer. 

"Meow! Meow!" his calls are more excited than before. 

I place the two trays in front of him and he gulps them down.

✵✵✵

I'm done with school. I glance down on my Fitbit, the time reads 4:53 pm, Monday, January 11th, 2021. 

I open the door and Higgins comes running at me. I thought that he was very excited to see me coming! Or that he missed me, but instead he collected his chew toy and went back to the hall. Sometimes, Higgins acts like a dog, and sometimes he acts like a normal cat. I never know what mode he is on.

"Wow," I mutter in my breath.

I remove my snow boots and my coat.

"I wonder when they're going to come home. My figure skating class starts in another hour and ten minutes." I start talking to Higgins as he completely ignores me, just for his toy. "Higgins, do you think that maybe—they forgot about my class?" I ask Higgins.

He comes towards me and starts licking my new sweatpants. I think he understood that I was a bit worried and sad now.

I petted his fur, and put my book-bag down on the couch.

I give Higgins his food (if you're wondering, it's 'Whisker's Meal', he likes that for all three courses). I text them, reminding them about my class, and I see no response.

"Oh no Higgins, I think...I think they really did forget." I want to be corrected, said I was wrong, but in the back of my head, I was afraid that I was right. 

✵✵✵

After doing my homework, I check to see if they responded, but still, nothing. 

We were supposed to go on a Figure Skating Fair in another thirty minutes where they take classes for the entire family on how to skate, and then the parents and children skate together. But if there are no parents, then who am I supposed to skate with? I guess I'll just go by myself, and bring Higgins along. Maybe we both can skate together?

My mind was going crazy. Of course, Higgins can't skate! I don't know what was happening to me. I guess I was too upset to even think about anything.

Outside, it was still snowing, and I saw that after Hill avenue (where I lived) many college students and other volunteers were setting up this entire Fair. I was getting upset very quickly. My hopefulness level dropped from 10 to -10. 

Higgins quickly pounced up on my lap, scaring the guts out of me.

"What do you want Higgins? I already gave you your food! Don't tell me your hungry again!" I got mad at him for scaring me like that, but the emotion quickly faded. "Sorry boy, I'm just in a bad mood." I apologize to a cat. 

Higgins continues to lick me and soon when I stood up, he bounced back on the floor. It was almost like he wanted me to follow him or something like that. I told him I didn't want to go anywhere, but he threatened me with his sharp claws. 

He led me to the front door, and I quickly put my coat, gloves, hat, and earmuffs. But Higgins also wanted me to carry something else.

He chewed on the skates and brought them to me.

"Higgins, why the skates? We're not going to the Fair!" I tell him, but it looks like he pays no attention to my words. He orders me to wear the skates and follow him. I do respectively, as he leads me towards the Figure Skating Fair. 

I see the banners and lights decorated all around the skating arena. I see the instructors getting ready and so many people there. Many children laughing, and their parents accompanying them.

"Higgins, why did you bring me here?" I ask him. He makes me follow in the backside of the arena, and I see mom and dad there, already wearing their skates, waiting for me.

"Mom! Dad! You—you came!" I screech as I skate towards them to give a big hug.

"We could never forget about this event! How could we? Now, come on, let's all get skating." my mother spoke, and my father chuckled. 

Higgins was sitting on the bench.

I slowly stepped on the frozen ice and skated along with them.

~The End~