Trust Falls

Loser, Take A Snowball

A snowball hit my back and I stood up, searching the snow-covered yard.

"Hey loser. I'm over here."

I moved away from my pile of snow and walked around. Yousuf jumped over the fence and landed inches from me. I shrieked and fell backwards in the snow. He laughed. "Did I scare you?"
I got up and turned to face him. "N-- Ugh!" I spluttered, moving backwards as I tried to wipe the white dust from my face. The snowball he'd just thrown fell through my jacket and I shivered as it melted against my chest. Yousuf laughed.

I coughed and wiped my eyes. "Meanie."

I turned and picked up another mound of snow, getting ready to throw it at him. He snickered and threw another one. I dodged it this time, watching it land two feet away from me.

"Haha! Who's the loser now? You missed!"

I turned and got hit again, this time on my forehead. I stumbled backwards, falling in the snow again as my snowball fell from my hands. I groaned, feeling the icy wetness seep into my clothes. "It's cold, Yousuf."
He stomped over to where I was, snickering. "Come on, Iqra! Get up! Let's have a snowball fight." He stepped away. "Or you know, you could go back inside. Everyone knows girls can't throw anyway."
I sat up and reached for another mound of snow, watching him stomp his way to the other side. Only one good shot. That's all I'm asking for.

I raised my arm and swung, the snowball flying from my hand and hitting him straight on the back. "Yes!" I jumped. "Who said girls can't throw?"
Yousuf turned around. "Yeah, yeah! Lucky shot! I'll--"

He got hit by another snowball on his arm and whirled around. Fatima stood in the doorway, smirking. "Lame. Girls can't throw? I'll show you!"

She picked up another snowball and threw it. Yousuf ducked and I threw another one. It hit his leg and he jumped again. "Hey! Hey! No fair! There's two of you and only one of me!"

I laughed. "Fine then, loser." I turned towards the house. "Dawud bhaiyya! Come out here! Yousuf needs your help!"
Yousuf growled. "I don't need anyone's help."
Fatima trudged over to me. "Yeah? Prove it. It'll be us against you then."

Yousuf shook his head. "That's not fair."

I molded another snowball in my hands. "Yeah? Who just said they didn't need help?"

Fatima yelped and I turned around. Dawud was standing by the doorway, tossing a snowball around in his hands. Fatima got up.

"Hey, you're too old, Bhaiyya."
I jumped. "No, let him come. Yousuf needs help anyway. He's a weakling!"

Dawud jogged over to Yousuf and high-fived him. "Let's show these girls. They're lame, aren't they?"

Yousuf grinned. "Duh. Girls drool!"
I threw another snowball at him. "Yeah right! Boys drool, girls rule. Everyone knows that!"

Dawud threw a snowball at me. "Yeah? Is that right? Come on then, little sister!" He turned to Yousuf, grinning. "There's no way I'm giving up a chance to throw things at those two."

Yousuf laughed and threw a pile of snow at me. It fell apart in the air and landed by my feet. I sneered at him. "Boys rule, girls drool!" I stopped. "Wait! No!"
"Ha! I told you! You said it yourself!"
"No no no! I meant you rule!" I waved my hands around. "No, not that either. I suck! I mean, you suck! Boys drool!"
Fatima threw a snowball at me. "You can do better than that, Iqra! Let's get 'em."
I grinned and turned back to Dawud. Something hit me hard and I fell over, clutching my arm.

"Ouch!"
I looked down. A stone.

"Hey, that's mean! That'll hurt too much!"
Yousuf stuck his tongue out. "Girls are weak!"
I turned to Dawud. "Tell him that's not fair, Bhaiyya!"
Dawud shrugged and glanced at his hands before throwing his own snowball behind him. It split in two, revealing another pebble. "Fine. No rocks, Yousuf. We'll beat them either way."

My eyes widened. These jerks were pure evil. "No you won't. We rock!"

Fatima and I gathered on one side and Dawud and Yousuf paired up on the other side of the yard. I ducked as snowballs flew past.

Ten minutes later I sat down. "I'm tired."

Yousuf jumped around. "Weak! Weak!" He stumbled and fell over.

I let out a chuckle. "Who's weak now?"
I heard mom calling Dawud inside for something. He groaned and walked inside, saying something about coming back in a while. Fatima huffed. "I'm cold." She looked at me. "You go ahead Iqra. I'm going inside."

I nodded and wiped my forehead, watching her make her way back through the door. It shut behind her.

"Hey!"

I turned and was hit in the face with another snowball. I coughed, blinking rapidly.

"Ah! It's in my eyes, Yousuf."

I pulled my numb fingers from my wet gloves and rubbed at my eyes. He trudged up to me and squatted down. "Dang it. Oops. You okay?"
I sniffed, the cold biting at my nose and the tips of my fingers. "No. It's not getting out." I rubbed harder, sniffling.

He grabbed my hands and moved them from my face. I shook my head, tugging at my hands.

"Wait. Lemme see."

I blinked and looked at him. He pulled off his gloves and turned my face upwards.

"Hmm..Mom usually just blows in my eye when I get something in it."
He blew and I yelped, falling backwards, kicking my legs. He lost his balance and fell beside me. I blinked, rubbing my eye with the heel of my hand again. I shivered.

"Nevermind. It's better now."

"It's because I made it better." He smiled.

I shook my head. "Nope. I fixed it."
He rolled over and I squeaked, feeling his shoulder against mine. I turned my head to look at him and scooted over. He was lying face-down in the snow.

"Tch. You ain't dead, Yousuf. Get up."

"I'm tired."
"Then go home."

"No."

"Why not."
"I wanna play."
I laughed and sat up, pushing him until he turned over. "Get up, lazy bum. We'll play later. I'm freezing!"

"Fine."
He dragged himself up and held out his hand. I took it and he pulled me up.

"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." He grinned.

"I'll go home this time, Iqra. But you just wait! Tomorrow I'll be back and you'll lose again!"
"I didn't even lose this time!"

"Yes you did!"
I laughed. "No, I didn't. Go home. You're crazy." I swatted at him.

He made a face at me and ran over to the fence. "Crap. I can't jump over this side."
"Monkey. Go around, then."
He shrugged. "I guess I'm not going."
I laughed. "Go home, Yousuf!"

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Happy Friday Y'all. :) I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'll see you Tuesday! Cheers, 

~October