Love and dances - Joel Dawson

Knock on the door

Dear Minnow,

When exactly are you going to explain to me exactly what is happening here?

If she was being honest, having Minnow waiting for her at the entrance of the building wasn't all that surprising. Every once in a while, she tended to do that, waiting for Maple to come back home from Uni so could tell something exciting that had happened to her at school or she could ask her sister to go out with her again so they could pass by the café and buy them some muffins or cupcakes. So, really, seeing Minnow waiting for her at the gate, practically bouncing on her own feet with a huge smile on her face wasn't at all that shocking.

"Hey." Maple giggled a little, a small smile on her own lips as she stepped inside the building but still not as bright as it usually would have been. "What happened?"

"Come on." Minnow smiled, grabbing her sister by the hand and tugging her forward toward the stairs that would take them up to their floor. "Come on!"

"Minnow!" Maple squealed, almost dropping all of her books and papers on the floor as her sister practically dragged her along. "Wait! Stop! What are you doing?"

During their four flights of stairs trip that the two of them had to make, Maple complained about Minnow's carelessness but not once did the younger girl slow down or explain anything to her sister, only actually stopping when the two of them were finally standing right in front of Clyde's door.

"Okay..." Maple rolled her eyes, fixing her books in her hands and the bag on her bag as she cut her eyes at her sister who was pretty much unbothered by her glare. "So... Now that we're here, can you please tell me what the hell is going on?"

Maple made move to walk around Minnow so she could head over to their apartment, instead, but as soon as Maple started to slip away from her, Minnow reached over to her sister and grabbed her by the wrist to stop her.

"No!" She practically yelled, causing Maple to turn around and look at her with a frown on her face. "No, please. Don't go home yet."

"What do you mean don't go home?" Maple asked. "I just got back from ten hours at uni. I need a bath."

"I know." Minnow nodded her head at her words, knowing how much her sister enjoyed her baths claiming they usually helped her calm down. "And you can take your bath. But in Clyde's apartment."

"Why would I take my bath in Clyde's apartment?" Maple's frown only deepened before she suddenly gasped when she turned to look at Minnow again. "Did you break our shower again?"

"What? No!" Minnow scoffed, almost offended by the assumption.

"Is the bathroom leaking down to the neighbor's house again?" Maple groaned, always assuming the worst. "Because I just had it fixed like three months ago and if it started again, I swear to God..."

"No, okay? It's nothing like that." Minnow shook her head then, stepping closer to Maple which prompted her sister to finally stop talking as she took a second to look down at her, curiously. "It's just... There's a surprise for you in our apartment, but it's not done yet."

And, at her words, Maple almost felt like melting. Smiling fondly at her baby sister, Maple reached a hand up toward her face, placing it over cheek as she rested her palm against it and used her thumb to caress her skin gently. Because, ever since their parents died, it was easy for Maple to forget about any and every other responsibility if Minnow ever needed her. After all, there was nothing more important to Maple than her sister so if Minnow needed her to skip uni so she could pick her up from school if she wasn't feeling well or if she needed to pick up a few double shifts at the library a few weeks before her birthday so she could buy her a proper present, she would. And, every day, Maple could see Minnow was appreciative of her and everything she did for her because, as young as she was, Minnow was a smart girl and she knew Maple put up with a lot just so she could have the best life she possibly could. And, in a way, Maple liked that about her, how easily Minnow could pick up on her emotional cues - almost just as well as Maple could to hers. But, sometimes... Times like this when Maple wasn't feeling her best, it brushed off on Minnow and, of course, being the sweet kid she was, she wouldn't let her sister spend a whole day moping about, no matter the cause behind her sudden bad mood. So, of course she had prepared a surprise for her and, as much as Maple appreciated it, she also didn't like the idea of Minnow having to worry about her like that.