Story of a Memory

A memory turns into a child's favorite story as a mother reminisces about the past.

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who was always alone. She did not have any friends, nor did she want any. She liked to be alone, but she was constantly teased about it at school, and the neighbors around town wondering if there was something wrong with the girl.

Suddenly, one day the girl was not so alone.

The girl had met a boy, the grandson of the old man next door to her. The boy wanted to become her friend, but the little girl refused to be his friend, saying she did not need friends when she had her dolls.

“Aren’t you alone?” the boy had asked, curiously. “If I were you, even if I did have dolls, isn’t it lonely having no one to talk to?”

The girl was left speechless by the boy. The boy made a declaration that he would come everyday to meet her at the stream, and that one day he would make her want to be friends with him. So, the boy did just that.

The boy tried everything he could think of: asking questions, giving flowers to her, he even gave her his favorite stuffed bear. No matter what he did, the girl never gave him the time of day. She paid no attention to him.

Until, one day, the little girl was getting picked on at school. The girl’s books had been thrown on the ground from the bullies and they continuously pulled her hair, laughing at her.

That was when the boy came to her rescue, like a knight in shining armor.

“Quit picking on her!” the boy shouted, holding out his arms protectively. “If I ever see you pick on her again, you’ll have me to deal with!”

The girl was surprised that someone would stand up for her like that, and she felt in wrenching at her heart. The girl had finally opened up to his kindness, and decided to become his friend.

The two were inseparable. They got into trouble with the grocery store owner, chased the boy’s grandfather’s dog across town, and played in the stream during the summer. On days after school, the girl would show the boy her book collection and read the book he had asked her to read. Their time together felt never ending.

But like all fairy tales, there’s always an ending.

The boy’s mother and father were moving, and his time living with his grandfather was growing shorter. The boy told the girl, and she couldn’t stop crying.

“But I don’t want you to leave!” the girl shouted. “Who’s going to protect me from the bullies? If you go, I’m going to be alone and get teased again!”

The boy’s heart was breaking looking at the face of the crying girl. He did not want to leave, but he knew he had no choice.

“We’ll meet again!” the boy declared. “Wherever we are, no matter how old we get, we’ll meet again! Promise!” The boy then gave the girl a small pendent that he had gotten from his grandfather, and hugged the girl for the last time before he left.

The end.

“Mommy?” the little girl said, tilting her head curiously. “Did the girl and boy ever see each other like he said.”

The mother of the young girl laughed and smiled caringly. “They did, and do you know what the boy said when they did?”

“What did he say, Mom?” the little questioned.

“’I told you so’.”

The mother looked over her shoulder and her smile softened at seeing her husband leaning against the door frame.

“Daddy!” the little girl shouted, running over to her father.

“Hey there, Darling!” the father said, embracing his little girl. He kissed his daughter on the cheek and held her in his arms as he gave a light kiss on his wife’s cheek. “You’re telling her that story again?”

The mother crossed her arms and pouted.

“But I love the story, Daddy!” the little girl said, wrapping her arms around her father. “Mommy tells the best stories!”

The mother and father laughed lightly, glancing at each other.

“It’s best if we get going,” the mother said, “we don’t want to keep Grandpa waiting any longer.”

The little girl cheered gleefully and ran out the door after her father set her down. The father and mother looked at each other, smiling with their hands clasping together. The two soon left, leaving behind the old childhood memory.

Reviews

[QuantumPlateShone]

Did you mean, "and the neighbors around town wonderED if there was something wrong with her"?
I think the ending is cute ;)

[D. Martin]

Wow, that was really really sweet. Also very creative.