Gracie Freaking Hall

Brianna

"I don't remember the outfits being so hideous," Sydney complains to her dad as we all stare at our reflection in the small duck pond. The ducks splash around, splattering us with some of the freshwater. I can see the ripple of a small rainbow in the water and can't help but admire it with a small smile. I kneel down and run my hand over it, making the rainbow tremble.

"I didn't know you were such a softy for a rainbow in the water," Belinda says as she kneels next to me.

"I'm just admiring it. It's not like I'm writing a poem about the beautiful arrays the sunlight must have gone through just to make something so simple and delicate that will disappear without it." Belinda lets out a small chuckle at my attempt to say something deep and meaningful.

"No, poetry was Gracy's thing," Itzel laments as she crouches down as well, holding out a piece of bread for one of the ducks. However, all the ducks instantly flutter and approach us in a swarm that knocks us down to the ground with a thud.

Sydney's laugh is heard amidst Itzel's yelp as she throws the piece of bread away from us. The ducks instantly chase after it, biting each other in the process. "They really are a vicious kind," Itzel says as she watches them.

"They have nothing on our dear Brianna," Sydney gives me a fake smile.

"Sydney," Earl warns her, "play nice."

"Yes Dad," she says as she looks down in resentment. I look up at her and stick out my tongue as she flicks me with her middle finger. Her dad had been thrilled to see her, but having learned she wasn't getting a divorce, it only dampened his mood. He seemed to avoid eye contact with her, trying to hide the teary eyes he held under his hard gaze and stern demeanor. Earl was the opposite of Sydney and her mom with a lighter skin tone, brown eyes, and a bald scalp.

"Well, I'll be off then," he grunts and begins walking away. He had handed Sydney a list of things to do around the farm and guided us to the extra spare clothes for such an occasion. After 15 minutes of arguing with each other about who got what undershirt color, he eventually had enough and placed them in our hands. No further argument about who got what. Then we were left to dress in black rubber work boots and rubber-type overalls, over different color shirts underneath, and beige straw hats with black strings tied to them.

"Thanks," Sydney raises her hand to wave before bringing it down and biting her lip, clearly rethinking the idea.

"So what's first?" Belinda says as she stands up and places her hands on her hips.

Sydney narrows her eyes at me, "we kill a bitch," she spits out.

I give her a wide smile. "Been there, done that. Not as much fun as you think. Getting the blood stains off my clothes was a pain."

"Funny," Itzel comments as she grabs the list from Sydney's hand.

I shrug, "what can I say? I'm naturally charming."

"Oh- you sure are something," she says.

I shoot her a wink and blow her a kiss. "Don't flatter me."

"Wasn't trying to," she says, already ignoring me.

I roll my eyes and stand up, rubbing my hands together to get rid of the dirt. I walk next to her and peek over the paper, managing to cast a small shadow onto the paper since I loom over her.

Noticing it, she gives me a side glance and says, "could you scoot back? You're not letting me read the paper."

I give her a smile, "I can read it just fine."

"Well, I can't with your giant figure."

"Well, who told you to be so short, shorty."

Izel's grasp on the page tightens, managing to wrinkle it slightly on the edge, as she grits her teeth. "Well, who told you to be such a tall giant?"