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Imogen Halstead (age 13)
Word count: 1054
Imogen's POV
Why are the kids in my grade so god damn petty? Why do they feel the need to pick on people because they're different to them? Do they get high on the feeling of making people cry? Or do they have a bullying fetish? I find it preposterous! That was a big word...
I'm stood at my locker watching poppy, a girl in my class who has Down syndrome, pushed up against her locker and trying to avoid eye contact with Zack who's currently headed right for her. Poppy is one of the nicest girls I know, and she has the sickest braids in the whole school, I don't get why anyone would want to pick on her. As I see Zack approaching her I wander over to her much faster than Zack could ever move, "hey pops! Wanna grab some lunch?" I smile. She looks up at me, "together?" She gasps. I nod and smile, "of course" I lead her down the hallway with my arm interlocking with hers. She lets out a giddy laugh as I look over my shoulder to see Zack and his morons stood in the middle of the hallways like idiots.
"Do you like the boys?" She chomps into her sandwich as I do the same. We decided to sit in the corner for some well deserved quiet, "not at all, they stink so bad" I groan. She smiles and nods, "yes" she sighs, "Zack doesn't like me, he's a bully my mom says" she adds. I nod, "Zack is a bully, a very mean one. Which is why we're never gonna speak to him, deal?" She holds out my outstretched hand. She nods, "you're my friend?" She frowns. I nod, "of course I am, under one condition..." I sigh. She frowns, "what is it?" She sits up. I smile weakly, "you have to show me how you make your paper unicorns" I point to the origami she has in her lunch box.
She gasps, "yes, I'll do it right now!" She scoots closer and hands me a piece of paper. I smile as she shows me her talent, "i need a cool name..." I sigh as I look down at my paper unicorn. She nods, "I have a unicorn name list" she grabs another piece of paper and holds it out for me, "that one's taken" she points to the third name. I skim the list, "I like pop tart the unicorn, do you?" I nod. She gasps, "yes!" She grabs the list back as I chuckle. I haven't smiled this much since summer...
~
Wills POV
I'm currently sat on the couch, when I hear the front door open. I look up to see Imogen strolling through the door, "hey" she smiles. I smile back, "good day at school?" I nod. She nods, "yeah, it was alright" she shrugs, and for once I can read a bit of truth in her body language, "I passed my final exam" she nods. I smile, "well done, I told you there was no reason to panic" I shrug. She smiles before jumping onto the couch too, "top gun? Again?" She groans. I smile, "you have a TV in your room, go watch your own films" I raise an eyebrow. She scoffs a laugh, "and be on my own? I think not" she folds her arms. I shake my head and chuckle, "I pick the next one though" she adds and I nod, "deal" I sigh.
~
It's now around 7:45pm, and I'm sat on the couch browsing my laptop as Imogen sits at the kitchen table completing her homework. Jays currently undercover so he hasn't been home in a few days, however we're expecting a call from him today.
Almost as if on cue with my thoughts, the landline begins ringing and I reach over to pick the phone up. This must be jay now...
Will: "hello?"
Caller: "hi, hello. Is this Halstead?"
Will: "yes, this is Will"
Caller: "I'm sorry if this seems very strange but I was hoping to speak with the parent of Imogen?"
Will: "I'm her brother, she lives with us"
Caller: "oh, well have you got time to chat?"
Will: "uh sure? Who is this?"
Caller: "I'm poppy whaleys mother, poppys in Imogen's class and I was just calling to let you know that your sister has a very kind soul. You should be extremely proud of her"
Will: "uh thank you. Do you mind me asking what she's done?"
Caller: "oh yes, sorry. You see my daughter doesn't exactly fit in with her classmates, and she gets picked on daily. But today poppy came home with the biggest smile on her face, telling me that your sister sat with her at lunch and spent time with her. Poppy's just very excited to have a friend"
Will: "I- wow, thanks for calling. I'm glad that Imogen could make poppys day. If poppy ever wants to come over, just let me know. We'll be more than happy to have her"
Caller: "you have no idea how much this means to us both, so thank you for raising her the right way"
Will: "thank you"
As I put the phone down I see Imogen cracking on with her homework through the hatch in the wall, I'm so proud right now. I always knew she has the purest heart, this just proves it. I decide not to bother her and let her fire away. I can't wait to tell Jay about this.
~
"Someone's mother caller me today" I wrap my arm around Imogen's shoulder as we sit down on the couch. She looks up at me and nods, "yeah? Who's?" She enquires. I smiled, "poppy whaleys, she called to tell us about what you did today" I tilt my head. She furrows her brows, "what did I do?" She shakes her head, assuming she's in trouble. I sigh, "invited poppy to sit with you at lunch, became her friend..." I shrug. She nods, "oh, that. Yeah that was nothing. I saw poppy in the hall and she looked sad, so I made her happy" she shrugs as if it's no big deal. I smile, "never change..." I plant a kiss on her forehead. You're going great places Imogen...
