It's Friday! :) Doing anything over the weekend? I am! I'll be busy with play practice and Spring Choir performances! But it will be fun.
Hope you enjoy this post! I sure did.
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Week Four: a photo of a person (or people)...
Hope you enjoy this post! I sure did.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Week Four: a photo of a person (or people)...
...write fiction characters based on it.
August was coming to a close, as was summer. All the happy, carefree memories of mine were being replaced with thoughts of a new season. No one had time to go the beach anymore, or read in the shade of a tree in their backyard. They were too excited or nervous about another first day of school. Including Beth.
But one day, while I was at her house, we got the chance to say a proper goodbye to summer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Could you hand me that binder?" Beth asked, pointing at the green one.
Dutifully, I did, and she immediately went to work. She had color-coded all her binders so she knew which ones were for each subject. So far, she had finished organizing her red English binder, the orange math binder, and the yellow history binder. The other colors of the rainbow still waited for their turn. I sighed, bored as can be. All afternoon, I had watched her hang up shirt after shirt and fold skirt after skirt. She had gone shopping the day before with her Momma to buy new school clothes and new school supplies. I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit jealous as I surveyed her pretty, tidy room. Her own room, too. Why can't I go shopping with my Momma? Because, Alex, your Momma's not a business woman like Beth's. She's a farmer, and farmers don't make as much money.
"Oh, Alex, aren't you so excited? We're in middle school now! This year is going to be so much better than last."
"I suppose so. But I don't see what's so different about this year and last. Everything will stay the same, right?"
"Of course not! Seventh grade is where we become teenagers. Everything changes when you're a teen! We get older, more mature, and have more freedom and responsibilities. Like, this year, Momma's gonna give me my own phone and let me wear makeup!"
I frowned at this turn of events. Why would you want your own phone? The house phone has worked just fine for us. And makeup? You're already beautiful, Beth! With her soft, curly, brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and porcelain skin, she already had the attention of lots of our classmates. But I didn't say anything, and instead let her ramble on about the glories of middle school.
"Oh, Alex, there is so much we have to learn! And, no offense, but especially you. Why do you always wear those faded shorts and plain T-shirts?"
"Because they're comfortable and perfect for summer," I replied, confused. Beth had never questioned my outfits before. "You said so yourself you liked them."
"Yes, but that was during the summer. Now, it's fall, so you'll need to wear hoodies and yoga pants like me. They are really in style."
It sure doesn't feel like fall, though. It's far too warm still.
Even though Beth was still organizing her purple binder, I had had enough of sitting and watching for one day. I wanted to go outside and play with her, like we used to.
"C'mon, Beth! Let's go outside while there is still light. You can finish this later."
"But--"
"Pretty please with sugar on top?" I pleaded, standing up.
She looked at me, uncertain at first, but she must have realized how patient I've been so she said yes. I smiled, grabbed her by the elbow, and pulled her down the hallway and into the kitchen where I grabbed an apple for a quick, healthy snack.
I led the way into her sloping backyard. It wasn't very big, but she did have two swings and a treehouse which I loved.
I quickened my step, but Beth continued walking behind me. She probably wants to make sure she doesn't slip and fall, I thought angrily. But I pushed my thoughts to the back of my mind. I didn't want them to ruin our friendship!
Eventually, we made it to where the swings hung. It was as if they had been waiting for us. I grabbed the farthest one and immediately jumped on it, pushing myself from the ground. I swung through the air, getting faster and faster with each swing, and laughed with delight.
"Wahoo! Come on, Beth! Swing with me!"
Beth stood next to her swing, checking for spiders. "Oh, Alex," she smiled, sitting down. "You're one crazy girl!"
And so we continued, until it grew too dark for us to see. Right before we went inside, I turned to Beth and said, "So I guess this means summer is officially over, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess it is," she replied, looking almost unhappy. But then her face brightened. "There's always next summer, though. And the summer after that."
I nodded, and she turned away as if saying goodbye. I reluctantly did the same. But then I remembered: there's always next summer. And I smiled.
August was coming to a close, as was summer. All the happy, carefree memories of mine were being replaced with thoughts of a new season. No one had time to go the beach anymore, or read in the shade of a tree in their backyard. They were too excited or nervous about another first day of school. Including Beth.
But one day, while I was at her house, we got the chance to say a proper goodbye to summer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Could you hand me that binder?" Beth asked, pointing at the green one.
Dutifully, I did, and she immediately went to work. She had color-coded all her binders so she knew which ones were for each subject. So far, she had finished organizing her red English binder, the orange math binder, and the yellow history binder. The other colors of the rainbow still waited for their turn. I sighed, bored as can be. All afternoon, I had watched her hang up shirt after shirt and fold skirt after skirt. She had gone shopping the day before with her Momma to buy new school clothes and new school supplies. I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit jealous as I surveyed her pretty, tidy room. Her own room, too. Why can't I go shopping with my Momma? Because, Alex, your Momma's not a business woman like Beth's. She's a farmer, and farmers don't make as much money.
"Oh, Alex, aren't you so excited? We're in middle school now! This year is going to be so much better than last."
"I suppose so. But I don't see what's so different about this year and last. Everything will stay the same, right?"
"Of course not! Seventh grade is where we become teenagers. Everything changes when you're a teen! We get older, more mature, and have more freedom and responsibilities. Like, this year, Momma's gonna give me my own phone and let me wear makeup!"
I frowned at this turn of events. Why would you want your own phone? The house phone has worked just fine for us. And makeup? You're already beautiful, Beth! With her soft, curly, brown hair, sparkling blue eyes, and porcelain skin, she already had the attention of lots of our classmates. But I didn't say anything, and instead let her ramble on about the glories of middle school.
"Oh, Alex, there is so much we have to learn! And, no offense, but especially you. Why do you always wear those faded shorts and plain T-shirts?"
"Because they're comfortable and perfect for summer," I replied, confused. Beth had never questioned my outfits before. "You said so yourself you liked them."
"Yes, but that was during the summer. Now, it's fall, so you'll need to wear hoodies and yoga pants like me. They are really in style."
It sure doesn't feel like fall, though. It's far too warm still.
Even though Beth was still organizing her purple binder, I had had enough of sitting and watching for one day. I wanted to go outside and play with her, like we used to.
"C'mon, Beth! Let's go outside while there is still light. You can finish this later."
"But--"
"Pretty please with sugar on top?" I pleaded, standing up.
She looked at me, uncertain at first, but she must have realized how patient I've been so she said yes. I smiled, grabbed her by the elbow, and pulled her down the hallway and into the kitchen where I grabbed an apple for a quick, healthy snack.
I led the way into her sloping backyard. It wasn't very big, but she did have two swings and a treehouse which I loved.
I quickened my step, but Beth continued walking behind me. She probably wants to make sure she doesn't slip and fall, I thought angrily. But I pushed my thoughts to the back of my mind. I didn't want them to ruin our friendship!
Eventually, we made it to where the swings hung. It was as if they had been waiting for us. I grabbed the farthest one and immediately jumped on it, pushing myself from the ground. I swung through the air, getting faster and faster with each swing, and laughed with delight.
"Wahoo! Come on, Beth! Swing with me!"
Beth stood next to her swing, checking for spiders. "Oh, Alex," she smiled, sitting down. "You're one crazy girl!"
And so we continued, until it grew too dark for us to see. Right before we went inside, I turned to Beth and said, "So I guess this means summer is officially over, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess it is," she replied, looking almost unhappy. But then her face brightened. "There's always next summer, though. And the summer after that."
I nodded, and she turned away as if saying goodbye. I reluctantly did the same. But then I remembered: there's always next summer. And I smiled.
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