A Locket
Confetti was everywhere. It covered the floor, the couch, the coffee table, the bookshelf, the TV, and the lamp. The colorful bits of paper should have given the room a cheerful vibe, but the girl in the middle of the room was crying all over her pink party dress. Her name was Jasmine and she had just turned twelve that day. She had black hair cut into a bob, pale blue eyes, and a handful of freckles. She was cute when she smiled, but she almost never smiled, just scowled until she got her way, then scowled some more just for the fun of it.
“Why ya cryin’ Jaz?” Jenny asked, pulling on her long, blond, braids under her baseball hat.
“It’s her party and she’ll cry if she wants to,” Ray grinned, her dimples showing.
“No one gave me a golden heart locket,” Jasmine sobbed.
“Ummm… No offense, but that’s no reason to flood the house.” Jenny pointed out. Ray shook her short auburn hair out of her dark brown eyes. “Even I think that’s shallow,” She agreed.
And that was Jasmine’s breaking point. “Neither of you gave me a locket! You knew I wanted one! Why didn’t you buy me one?! Jenny! You didn’t get me anything! Ray! You gave me a stick of gum!”
“Jaz! You asked for it!” Ray snapped, her dark eyes flashing with anger, which didn’t happen often. Jenny was silent, and when she finally spoke, calmly and quietly, it was to Ray, “I don’t think we should give Jaz her surprise present, do you?” “No.” Ray said in the same emotionless voice as Jenny.
“What surprise present? Is it a golden heart locket? Because if it isn’t, you can take it to the landfill.” “Guess you’ll never know,” Jenny replied. “And unless you want to apologize, we will leave and never come back.” Jasmine stayed silent. They marched out. Jenny didn’t look back, but Ray did. But she didn’t look angry, just… sad.
Jasmine angrily knocked a bunch of books off the coffee table, and one of them fell open. It was the Bible. She read one of the verses. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” She took a deep breath. And another. And another. She made a promise to herself “I will never be so selfish and mean again. Ever.” But that wouldn’t fix her friendship. Not now. Maybe eventually. Once she learned to be a good friend. Until then her best friend would be the Bible. She curled up on the floor and flipped through the pages. She didn’t have her friends anymore, and she wasn’t sure when she would, but for now? Jasmine had everything she needed.
Confetti was everywhere. It covered the floor, the couch, the coffee table, the bookshelf, the TV, and the lamp. The colorful bits of paper should have given the room a cheerful vibe, but the girl in the middle of the room was crying all over her pink party dress. Her name was Jasmine and she had just turned twelve that day. She had black hair cut into a bob, pale blue eyes, and a handful of freckles. She was cute when she smiled, but she almost never smiled, just scowled until she got her way, then scowled some more just for the fun of it.
“Why ya cryin’ Jaz?” Jenny asked, pulling on her long, blond, braids under her baseball hat.
“It’s her party and she’ll cry if she wants to,” Ray grinned, her dimples showing.
“No one gave me a golden heart locket,” Jasmine sobbed.
“Ummm… No offense, but that’s no reason to flood the house.” Jenny pointed out. Ray shook her short auburn hair out of her dark brown eyes. “Even I think that’s shallow,” She agreed.
And that was Jasmine’s breaking point. “Neither of you gave me a locket! You knew I wanted one! Why didn’t you buy me one?! Jenny! You didn’t get me anything! Ray! You gave me a stick of gum!”
“Jaz! You asked for it!” Ray snapped, her dark eyes flashing with anger, which didn’t happen often. Jenny was silent, and when she finally spoke, calmly and quietly, it was to Ray, “I don’t think we should give Jaz her surprise present, do you?” “No.” Ray said in the same emotionless voice as Jenny.
“What surprise present? Is it a golden heart locket? Because if it isn’t, you can take it to the landfill.” “Guess you’ll never know,” Jenny replied. “And unless you want to apologize, we will leave and never come back.” Jasmine stayed silent. They marched out. Jenny didn’t look back, but Ray did. But she didn’t look angry, just… sad.
Jasmine angrily knocked a bunch of books off the coffee table, and one of them fell open. It was the Bible. She read one of the verses. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” She took a deep breath. And another. And another. She made a promise to herself “I will never be so selfish and mean again. Ever.” But that wouldn’t fix her friendship. Not now. Maybe eventually. Once she learned to be a good friend. Until then her best friend would be the Bible. She curled up on the floor and flipped through the pages. She didn’t have her friends anymore, and she wasn’t sure when she would, but for now? Jasmine had everything she needed.