Strawberries And Crows (Canceled, For Now)

Part 8- Picnic 1/2

" Hmm. " I chew on my thumbnail, glaring intently at the two dresses hung on my mirror.

One is a pale blue and the other is pink fading down to white.

I want to wear the pink one, but I wore it only a few days ago.

I sigh, taking the pink one off it's hanger and slipping into it.

They're my friends, they shouldn't judge me for wearing my favourite dress.

I pick up the basket off my table and slip out my door.

I skip down the hallway, slipping through the garden door.

I skip over to the tree, pulling the blanket out of my basket.

It's pink gingham, and its extremely soft.

I smile as I lay out the various foodstuffs on the blanket and lower myself down onto it.

Tom is the first to arrive, and waves with his one hand.

I help him onto the blanket, to stop him struggling with only one arm.

" Hello, Tom! " I say.

" Hello Kalese. "

We look up as Alice and Moss arrive, arm in arm. " Hi guys! " Alice says, flopping down on the blanket.

She sits crosslegged, and I lower myself so my head is in her lap.

" Hey Moss. " Tom says, reaching out a hand only to pull Moss down onto the blanket.

Moss laughs, rubbing the back of his head.

We're an unlikely group, but I love every single one of us. A rich girl who loves getting dirty, her dressmaker, a disabled gardener and a theif.

I smile as Alice picks at my hair.

" Why is there so much mud in your hair? " she asks.

" I'll start from the start. " I say.

" You've all met Elizabeth... " I pause, " Well, Moss hasn't, but oh well... " I can barely talk with how much I'm smiling.
" She's such a good friend, I had so much fun with her the last two days! "
I go on to explain all the fun we got up to, a grin on my face. " I thought she'd hate getting dirty, but she didn't even care when we went jumping in Muddy puddles for like, an hour! " I'm aware how crazy I sound and look right now, but this is normal for them.

" Seems like I'm being replaced. " Alice jokes, and I slap her knee playfully.

" Your not being serious? " I hiss.

She laughs, " Of course not. " She pauses,
" I'm surprised you didn't invite her to the picnic. "

" I didn't want to without your permission, " I lazily wave a hand at them. " Besides, I barely got any sleep last night I didn't think that much about it. " I yawn, and before I know it my eyes close and I'm asleep on Alice's lap.

My eyes slowly open.

" Pass me a sugar cake, could you? " Alice says.

" Oi " Miss says, and I can tell she just slapped his hand.

" Not that one. It has grass on it. "

I close my eyes, ready to go back to sleep, but my friends are still talking.

" So what's the deal with Elizabeth? " It's Moss. " Ar' we sure they are just friends?" He asks.

My cheeks flush, but I don't move.

" I don't know, you'd have to ask Kalese that. " Alice says.

" See, Alice and I have both met the girl, and she just... Doesn't seem like Kalese's type, you understand? " Tom says.

" We all saw how happy she was talking about her, right? " Moss counters.

My cheeks are bright red now and I don't know what to do.

" You'll see for yourself when the next picnic comes, I'm sure Elizabeth will come to that one. "

" Is there something wrong with that? Elizabeth is a nice, nice girl. " Alice says. " And if she wants to like her like that, that is up to her. "

Alice shifts her leg slightly and I take that as a cue to wake up.

I yawn, sitting up.

" Oh, I must've passed out there. " I laugh awkwardly, " What did I miss? " I ask.