Pawn (Louis Tomlinson AU)

Prologue

Prologue

Amelia's eyes brightened as she sat beside her younger sister, watching their Mum place little tiny decorations on their tiny-but-mighty Christmas tree huddled off to the corner. Beatrice, in complete star-struck awe, just glanced around the thick leaved tree that glowed in places where lights dangled from. She smiled, her little fists clutching in happiness and excitement.

It was time the family had eaten dinner; and when Janis, their Mum, had gotten up from her kneeling position to fix plates for their feast, the sisters remained planted criss-cross on the carpeted floor.

Amelia, hearing her name been called for minutes now, gasped in realization and hurriedly stood from her spot and ran out the living room, ready to be blown away by aromas stronger than perfumes and colognes; and better smelling ones, too.

"Beatrice!" Her Dad's voice rang from the other room, his foot tapping underneath the table in secret. Impatiently, they all awaited Bea's partake in their annual Christmas Eve dinner, their cutlery grasped firmly between their hands in anticipation.

"Bea, sweetie! Hurry along, dinner's prepared," Janis hollered from her seat, glaring irritably at Amelia who constantly clanked her silverware against the table in a frustrated manner.

Janis pursed her lips, "Don't be so uptight, we're all famished but you know how much Bea admires the lights," and Amelia simply nodded in understandment because she, too, was the same way.

"Can I go get her? I think she's blocking out every call with the Christmas songs on the radio," Amelia chuckled light-heartedly, nodding once her mum agreed. Scraping her chair's legs backwards, she dipped onto the floor and dashed into the TV room.

She watched her little sister gaze at the not-so-impressive tree, mesmerized by the numerous colored lights that blinked a different shade each time- but also slowly fading in brightness and hue as they were years and years old- and the small tiny orbs of gold that were hung from the branch's limp but sturdy arms and legs. Huffing, but managing to smile sincerely, Amelia lowered the volume of the Christmas tunes and jumped behind Beatrice.

She said, "Let's go eat. There's a stuffed turkey screaming in there to be eaten. We can look at the tree later tonight, ey?"

Bea was silent. Breathing slowly, in and out, her little chest rose and her serene expression made it clear she had found nirvana for as long as it could ever last her. However, she finally found the strength to speak after a short while, her voice dry and a wee cracked from lack of hydration. Nonetheless, she spoke. "Amelia, why does Santa leave presents for us?"

Amelia sighed, rolling on her butt as she clutched her knees close to her torso. She shrugged, "He loves us, that's why. Now c'mon!" Amelia sprang up from the ground once more, but this time Bea caught her forearm and held it tightly before gradually bringing it back down, Amelia's body along with. "Sit, please," she said. "Just one more question? Okay?"

Inside her mind, Amelia groaned, kicked, sobbed and whined because all she wished to do was sit down with her family and eat. Well, actually, eat more-so than sit with family. But instead, she nodded, "Okay."

Beatrice drew a breath. It was the million dollar question she thought of previously that day, and it'd been hammering away at her brain all evening. She dreaded the school day, only wishing to scurry back home to have her one demand answered. A few seconds ticked by. The two sisters could hear their parents conversing among taxes and other adult things, knowing their daughters wouldn't be around any time soon. Amelia grew impatient, as always- it was a little factor that made Amelia, Amelia. What made Bea, Bea, was the way she could look never look at someone without softening herself a bit. Bea was a gentle soul. Never bothered, always energetic.

Amelia and Bea were complete opposites; Amelia always the obnoxious, loud one out. But they shared a bond every family member of their history could see. They were inseparable. Spreading love around one another, even if Amelia was a bad kid most times. She always has had a heart as big as Bea's, especially around Bea herself.

"I just- I needed to decide on how to ask this so I don't sound so.. so.. so mean! And all throughout recess I couldn't decide! It's such a mean question and you might think I'm a meanie afterwards, but- but-"

Amelia giggled, her rows of teeth showing, all but her left front tooth that was pulled out a week prior so she could get a bonus quarter added onto her Christmas gifts. Patting Bea's shoulder, she smiled. "Don't worry. You're my little sister, you'll always be annoying, not mean."

Bea gaped wildly, pushing her sister aside roughly. She crossed her arms tight over her chest while Amelia chuckled with humor.

"I'm serious this time, Amelia!" Bea pouted, slurring her 'S's.'

"Okay, okay, shoot."

Bea nodded, dropping her arms into her lap and straightening her posture to remain poise and proper as she preferred to be. Once settled in her natural self, and not her occasional violent, sister-pushing persona, she struggled to get past the slushy feeling gurgling and roaring inside her tummy- and then it finally came out:

"Does Santa love all kids- even the naughties? People around school say that Santa came early for them, and, well, they're not the most polite kids I know of! Not to sound impolite, but they're.. mean!"

Amelia looked down at the ground, twiddling with her thumbs to quickly muster an explanation on why and how Santa's gives to those who don't. She didn't quite know.

Amelia was at the age when she knew Santa was just blubber. All talk, no game. So coming up with ridiculous excuses to tell her little sister is just as cruel as the meanies who Bea thinks shouldn't receive presents at all. She sighed again, patting her knees rhythmically.

"I think.. I think Santa does it out of kindness," Amelia spoke uncertain, still gathering the right words to say. "Santa gives more to ungrateful children because he's sort of hoping they'll morph, in a way.. Become, I don't know, kinder. Because generally, everyone's warm-hearted in the beginning. Some more than others," she winked at Bea playfully.

"And at the end of the day, everyone alive still has a beating heart that's capable of love and tenderness, even if you are the most corrupted spirit."

"Oh." Beatrice nodded, doing one last look over of all the flickering neon lights that curved along the tree's outline. She sighed in satisfaction and pure bliss. "I understand, a lil'. You used many big words, though, I got a bit lost."

Amelia rolled her eyes jokingly. "You'll see. When you get older you'll understand what I'm saying. But for now.."

Bea hopped from her warmed seat and vigorously bobbed her head to Amelia's squeals and little happy kicks. This, she understood crystal clear: "Let's eat!"

-

Greatest person ever award goes to yours truly because I didn't even wait for a decent amount of comments to come on the Summary before I updated. Am I a Goddess or what? OK well now I expect at least like 3 comments AT LEAST because this actually took more time to write and, yeah, bye. 

p.s. I read through this twice, but am still going to proofread some more, add corrections, etc., so sorry if there's any small mistakes!

p.p.s. Sorry for the rather boring beginning, a good action book/movie is always a bit boring in the start, eh? Hope you'll stick around to when it does move at a faster pace!