Riptide

Soggy Lie

"What were you thinking?! Do you realize what you put me through?!" Ms. Sandy paced back and forth, the end of her nightgown was bunched up tightly in her hand.

Maria sat quietly on the stairs, listening to her headmistress' lecture.

"You know good and well that you can't just go off with people..."

"Why not? It's only eight! It's not like I was out past midnight or anything." Maria argued.

"It doesn't matter! What if he'd spilled water on you, or knocked you into the pool. From what you've told me, a swimmer is certainly someone you shouldn't be interested in."

"It's not like that Ms. Sandy! We're partners for an art project and that's it! Besides, he already has a girlfriend."

Ms. Sandy sighed. From the above the ceiling creaked as tiny feet crept from their room.

"Ms. Sandy? Maria?" A tiny voice called out from a darkened room.

"I'm home Della, I'll be up in a minuet." Maria said, forcing a smile to the yawning girl at the top of the stairs.

Maria turned and started to go up but Ms.Sandy reached out and gently grabbed her wrist.

"I know you want to be like the other kids, but you just aren't. Do you understand? I'm worried you're trying to be someone your not in order to fit in."

Maria smiled and kissed her headmistress on the cheek.

"Good night Ms.Sandy." She whispered.

Maria met Della at the top of the stairs and took her hand.

"What are you doing up this late, Sis?"

"I wasn't sleepy." Della said with a yawn while rubbing her tired eyes. "I was waiting for you."

"Well, let's get to bed now." Maria said quietly walking the sleepy girl back to her room.

They snuck through the dim, the moonlight shining a beacon on the empty bed by the window. Maria picked up Della and laid her in the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She turned to leave but Della suddenly sprung up as if she was wide awake.

"Telly!"

Some of the other girls stirred at the harsh whisper.

"Shhh." Maria hushed. "I'll find her, just lay down."

Maria blindly searched the ground, sweeping her hands along the cold floor. After painfully knock her head against the nightstand, Maria found Della's tiny plush toy lying halfway under the bed.

Though it was an old, ragged stuffed turtle, it's big doe-eyes and little gentle smile made it hard not to hug. Della had slept with Telly since she was two, since she was still living in Oklahoma. If she didn't have Telly, it would be a long night for her and everyone else in the house.

Della snuggled the toy close to her and began to drift off to sleep. Maria pulled the covers back over the little girl's shoulder. She stood there for a few minuets, watching Della slowly fall into the warm embrace of her Minnie Mouse comforter. Once she was sure she was asleep, Maria kissed Della on the cheek, quietly snuck out of the room, and down the hall to her's.