Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I fought back tears as I placed the roll of Haribo sweets into the box which I had paid for with forty cents of my recess money.It reminded me fondly of the times where James and I would sit at my front porch talking silly about our little fantasy to own a sweet shop with every possible colour of Haribo sweet in a wide variety of flavours.And how we would stuff our faces full with sticky goodies when all the customers had left.
A tear fell onto the cold hard marble,upon the realization that it was never going to come through.
I scanned my room till my eyes fell onto Abigail who was lazing comfortably on my bed grinning right back at me with her lop-sided smile.Abigail was my stuffed bunny which I had owned since I could even remember.I got up from where I was and made my way slowly towards her,my eyes still focused on her.
Memories of James and I came flooding back to me as I remembered how we had combed his entire living room when I realized one of Abigail’s eyes was missing while we were playing Monster Invasion.How,he had comforted me by wanting to give me his J.I. action figure after a failed search.Abigail was now sitting on my lap as I touched the sticky patch on her tummy where I had dropped my ice cream cone on her when James’ dad bought ice creams for us after picking us both from school.The two of us dissolved into giggles at the back-seat with the thought that Abigail wanted an ice cream for herself too.
I gave Abigail a tight squeeze,tears started to stream down my face.Softly I whispered, “I’ll miss you” choking back on my words.Before gently dropping a soaked Abigail into the box along with the roll of Haribo sweets.
Next,I grabbed my magic markers and crayons and drew a picture of James and I eating Haribo sweets together out faces beaming with joy.Beneath it,I scribbled “You are my best friend. I will never forget you.Will start our sweet shop when we are bigger. Love,Katie.” Next to my name, I stuck my favourite purple unicorn sticker.After placing my drawing into the box I sealed it with the yellow lid and wrote with my green marker “To: James. Good Bye. From: Katie” before drawing little heart shapes and stars around the box.
I took the box outside to my porch and saw my next door neighbour watching his parents place their suitcases and furniture into the lorry stationed in front of his house.His black crop of hair blowing irritably in the wind, a scowled look on his face and arms crossed as he stared at his parents.
“James!” I called out after him.His face immediately brightened as he waved at me from where he stood.I climbed down my porch and found myself standing face to face with him.I forced a smile, and handed him the box in my hand. “This is for you,I hope you like Australia” tripping on my words.
Suddenly,I found James hands tightly around my waist.
“I’ll miss you”he said quietly. “Me too” I said between sobs.
“James! Its time to go” his mum hollered after him.He picked up the box and ran towards the taxi in front of the lorry. “ Bye Katie!” the family of three shouted before bolting the door. I stood there until both vehicles turned into a speck of dust and faded into the distance.
A boy,a roll of Haribo sweets,a stuffed rabbit and a scribbled picture. Was on a one way trip to Australia. ~Kimberly.
12:13 AM
Bridget
