Box of Memories

Chapter One

With tears threatening to leave my eyes, I sit down next to the box. On the side, it was labeled Mitch Hughes, with a heart aside it. I scoot it closer and open the flaps. Memories rush through my head. The smell of Mitch fills the surrounding area. I smile. I take the first item out of the box. A small friendship bracelet. I think back to the day he made this.

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It was a sunny day. Summer. I was five, maybe six years old. I kept running through the house, so my mother kicked me outside.

"Go play with the boy across the street." She told me. I nodded and grabbed my whiffle ball. I giggled and left. I looked bother ways, then ran across the road. Mitch was waiting for me outside.

"Hi Katie!" He called out. He opened the fence gate and let me in.

"Let's go to the clubhouse!" I exclaimed. He nodded excitedly and went to the backyard. I quickly followed. My yellow dress fluttered through the wind. Mitch climbed the ladder.

"Hurry up!" He yelled down. I took hold of the ladder and slowly climbed up. It was a treehouse. Our treehouse.

I reached the top and sat down. I rolled the whiffle ball over to him. He rolled it back. We continued this for a few minutes.

"What do you want to play?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Let's go see if Mom knows!" We hurried down and went through the back screen door.

"Mommy!" He screamed. His mother came running down the stairs.

"Yes dear?" She replied in her sweet voice.

"What can we do?" He whined.

"Well, you could play catch, soccer, a board game-" She was interrupted by Mitch's sister.

"It finally came!" She was much older than us, maybe by three years. She sat a colorful box on the table.

"Want me to open it?" Mrs. Hughes asked. Sarah shook her head yes. After a couple of moments, she was able to get it open with scissors.

"What's that?" I asked curiously. She grinned and opened the box. "It's a jewelry kit. You can make little bracelets and necklaces."

"That's too girly." Mitch scoffed. I ignored him. "Can I try?"

"Sure!" She responded. I pulled a chair closer. Mrs. Hughes got out bowls to put the different beads in.

Mitch got bored and decided to try. "I want mine to be blue and white! Like my soccer ball!" We spent a few hours making all sorts of fun things.

For lunch, Mrs. Hughes gave us sandwiches. As we ate, I glanced over at Mitch.

"Whatcha making?" He looked over his shoulder.

"None of your business!" I was curious, but I let him be. I finished my lunch and continued to make a pink and purple bracelet. I was tying the string together when Mitch tapped me on the shoulder.

"Here." He grabbed my hand and put something in it. I looked at it. A small bracelet with pink and blue beads. There was also a K and M on it.

"Look! They're friendship bracelets." He explained. He made the same thing, but with more blue than pink. He put it on his wrist and motioned for me to do the same.

"Let's put it on forever! Only take it off when our friendship ends. Promise?" I extended out my pinky. We pinky swore we would never take it off.

"Aw! You two look so sweet! Say cheese!" Mrs. Hughes said. I hugged him and smiled very big at the camera.

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I look into the box again. Under the bracelet was the picture. I pick it up and smile. This picture is maybe fifteen, twenty years old. It was nice to see us so young and cute. I sit the bracelet on top of the picture and begin to make a pile on my right. There is a lot more to go through.