"Go away, you dummy! Go away!"

I shooed Santa Claus away. I really do not want to see him. He has a big tummy, a long white beard, big spectacles. He is also wearing a red coat with white fur collar and cuffs, white-fur-cuffed red trousers, a red hat with white fur, and a black leather belt and boots, carrying a bag full of gifts for children.

But little did they know, I believe, that the bag he is carrying contains gifts for the terrible children.

He is just so scary that I wouldn't dare to get closer to him.

"Listen, Haelynn Adelaide, you shouldn't shoo Santa away. He is here to give you a gift, honey," Mummy said, smiling as she held my right cheek.

"But, Mummy, he shouldn't give me a gift, I am not a terrible child," I pouted.

She was about to speak when Daddy stopped her. "Let her, Love. I know you are worried about her, but she can overcome her Clausophobia by herself, hmm?" Dad held Mum's hand.

The latter sighed. "Okay." Then, she knelt down to face me once again. "We will just get your gift," she kissed my forehead before they went out of my room.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I am wearing a black dress and black boots. We will go to a party, but unfortunately, out of nowhere, Santa Claus showed to me here in my room, saying he would give me a gift. But I shooed him away. Thus, he went out through my window.

I got my camera, looked at myself in the mirror for one last time before following my parents outside. They were wearing red and green clothes, significant to Christmas colors.

"Let's go, honey," Mum held my hand while Dad waited for us inside our car.

I am Haelynn Adelaide Becker, 14 years of age, an Australian resident. I prefer to be called Haely or Ade. Only my parents are calling me Haelynn Adelaide. I have this so-called Clausophobia,ㅡeven though I am already a teenㅡmeaning I am afraid of Santa Claus, and yeah, I am so much aware of that.

Mum told me it started when I was 5 years of age, Santa Claus startled me once, and I cried. Since then, I used to shoo him away from me before I could cry.

"We're here, honey," Mum opened the door for me. I sighed before going inside the event place, inside a hotel. Dad told something to Mum before they bid farewell for a while, saying they would go somewhere and I should go around meeting other people.

I was looking at each person whom I passed while walking when the television above the large clock was turned on. A man in his thirty's showed up, wearing a smile.

"Good evening, citizens of Adelaide, Australia!" he greeted.

Yes, you're right. My second name came from this city I lived in, Adelaide City.

"Are you ready to start this Christmas party?"

"Yes!" most of the people here who were children shouted in unison. I smiled. I really like children so much, I just hated the fact they are into Santa Claus when it's Christmas.

I saw my parents; I went towards them saying I would go out for a moment. "Of course, you can go, honey," Mum told me.

I wore my coat and went out. The cold breezing wind greeted me. I closed my eyes, feeling how cold it is. It's not winter season here, but the wind is freezing, especially now that it's evening. When I opened my eyes, I saw Christmas lights around me.

I got my camera and took a picture of the Christmas lights.

I wandered around, trying to reduce the cold I was feeling. "Hey!" I almost got a heart attack when a man in a red coat showed up in front of me. "What gift do you want, child?" He did his famous 'ho-ho' after it.

I winced. "Go away!" I pushed him.

"Why?" Santa asked me.

Out of all Santa Clauses I met before, he was only the one who had the courage to ask me. "I don't like you!" I shouted, trying not to look at his face because it might trigger my phobia and I might cry here.

I heard him sighed. "Okay, okay, child, I gotta go anyway."

"And please! Don't. Call. Me. Child," I told him.

"Until I see you again next time, Haelynn Adelaide, good night and goodbye!"

I slowly turned to him. But he's nowhere to be found already. My forehead twitched. How did he know my name?

I held the collar of my coat as the wind gets colder, and suddenly, my finger got pricked by something. When I looked at it, I saw a pin and a nameplate, with my name written on it.

I sighed. I wonder where did he go. I was about to continue my walk when my head got hurt.

"Haelynn Adelaide Becker?"

I looked at the woman who called me. "Yes?" I asked our teacher.

"It's your turn to take a picture with Santa Claus," she smiled. I got out of my chair excitedly, clapping my hands.

I gave my camera to my teacher before I sat beside Santa. I smiled at the camera as well as Santa Claus. After taking a picture, I stood in front of him. "Hey!" I greeted.

"Hey!" he greeted back, smiling. "What gift do you want, child?" he asked.

I thought of it for a while before exclaiming, "I want a black coat, Santa!"

"Why?"

"Because it's freezing when it's Christmas," I explained, frowning a little.

He laughed. He got something from the bag he was carrying. When I saw what it was, my eyes twinkled in joy. It was a black coat neatly folded. I thanked him. "I wish I can see you more, but my time with you already ended and my teacher surely is waiting for me now, Santa."

"Okay, okay, child, I gotta go anyway."

Santa Claus and I bid farewell to each other.

"Until I see you again next time, Haelynn Adelaide, good night and goodbye!"

I held my head. It hurts so bad. I slowly opened my eyes and the same Christmas lights I saw before I hurt my head showed in front of me.

I looked at my black coat. I don't remember putting a name plate on this, but I guess I already know the reason. It was because of the Santa I met when I was 4 years of age and the Santa I met earlier.

My head hurt once again when I remembered what happened when I was 5 years of age and how I got Clausophobia.

"Mum! Mum!" I called her.

"Yes, honey?" I pointed at the Santa Claus who was with other children while taking pictures. "Do you want to take a picture with him?" I excitedly nodded.

We went near him, but I got disappointed when I saw his face. It wasn't the same as the face of Santa Claus I saw last year. I was about to go when he suddenly startled me, making me cry.

And that's how I got Clausophobia. Now, I understand it. I was hoping I would see the same Santa Claus. I frowned as I remembered how I shooed him earlier. He was the Santa I was waiting for, but I just did it to him. How unfortunate.

But at least I got to meet with him even just for a while. And I was kind of happy I got to know the reason of my Clausophobia. I know now how to overcome it.

I put my hands in my coat, smiling before I went back to the hotel.

"Until I see you again, Santa Claus."

~Clausophobia~