Externalizing [mxm]

Chapter 11

“What is that?” It was probably a question that he shouldn’t be asking, but Marc had to.

“It’s nothing,” Ariel answered simply.

Marc didn’t know how to reply to that, so he just nodded like he understood. He didn’t really.

“Mr. Brendan says it’s called abstract,” she elaborated a little bit more.

“Ah,” Marc got it then. “Well it looks cool. Is it a project from school or just fun?”

“It’s for fun, but Mr. Brendan said I could show it to him anyways,” she said. “I want to take his class again next semester.”

“I think you get an art class every semester anyways,” Marc figured. He remembered it being like that and not really picking classes until he got into his high school years. “Did you want to invite Eric over for another movie tomorrow? Maybe he can pick the movie this time.”

Ariel groaned in complaint. “All he ever talks about are the Lego movies!”

“I’ll tell Alice for him to pick something other than a Lego movie, then,” Marc said, laughing.

He stepped aside to call Alice and set up another playdate for the next day after school. He was half wondering what the chances were of Alice watching them both, and going out to do something with Brendan. But then at what point was spending this much time with Brendan questionable?

He didn’t really see it as a bad thing, though. They stayed inside the rest of the night, with Ariel watching movies on re-runs and Marc half-watching, half-working with her. He didn’t notice when she fell asleep on the carpet, and he wasn’t far behind as he conked out on the couch.

He woke up to the faint sound of his alarm going off upstairs. He groaned and rubbed his eyes and glared towards the light coming into the window. It seemed brighter than usual. He shuffled up towards the window and pulled the blinds open just enough to be blinded by the glare.

“Shit,” he hissed, pulling back quickly. He should have known it was almost snow season—apparently now it was snow season. He hadn’t been planning on snow. He wasn’t even sure where their winter coats were.

He nudged Ariel up with his foot and eventually rolled her over. “Come on lazy bones, we have to get going early this morning.”

She groaned and threw an arm over her eyes. “Not now,” she complained.

“Yes now,” Marc insisted. “It’s snowing outside, and we don’t want to be late.”

That made her pop right up with a grin on her face. “Snow?”

“Yes, snow. Get upstairs and get in your uniform, then start looking for some of your winter clothes. Jacket, gloves, hat, so on.” Marc got her going towards the stairs, and he followed up behind her.

He took a quick shower and got dressed before going on the search for his gloves and coat. He found the coat in the back of his closet, and found one glove but not the other. Then he found his scarf, and the other glove mixed in with his socks.