Wishes and Kisses || COMPLETE

The Maroon Crayon Part IV

Kids went up one by one to display their barbies or action figures or teddies for show and tell. Nice girl went up and showed her necklace, took it off, and held it in front of our classmates to show the class more closely. For some reason as we jumpy five-year-olds marveled at it, we were completely fixated and still. Even Ms. Darcy was enchanted by it. It definitely was a special necklace in some fashion. After she was done explaining about how her mom said she wore that necklace during her pregnancy to make Jean born and she's had it ever since, she sat back on the floor criss-cross applesauce.

A few kids later, it was my turn. I went to the front and showed the class my fire truck, and my artwork of the firetruck in maroon form.

"I like this toy because when I grow up, I wanna be a fireman because firemen are brave and strong like heroes. Even though fires are scary and they can get hurt, firemen still save people and cats. I like cats too," I explained.

"Very nice," Ms. Darcy said.

After show and tell it was play time. I searched for the nice girl that let me borrow her crayon because I promised I would give it back, and my mother told me that nice people kept promises. I also wanted to know if she'd like to make sand castles with me. She was talking to the tall boy that was mean to me before.

"Can I see your necklace?" Tall boy asked.

"No," nice girl said. "My mommy said I can't let anyone else have it."

"Please? I just wanna see it. It's really pretty like you."

"I don't want to."

He pulled out a little book from his pocket with a picture of a princess on it. "I know you like to read. You can borrow this if I borrow that."

"You can only see it for five seconds," she said.

"Okay."

Nice girl took off her necklace and handed it to him slowly, a questioning look on her face. Tall boy immediately ran off with it. "It's mine now!" he excalimed.

Nice girl chased him. "Hey, give it back!"

Tall boy ran up the play structure, but when he went down the slide I was there waiting for him.

"Give it back," I said.

"Make me."

I attempted to grab the necklace from him, but he held it up to the sky and had me jumping up and up trying to get it. "You're too short," he said.

It was then I remembered the story about the rabbit and the turtle. The rabbit had all the physical advantages, but I realized that it was because of his physical advantages he grew too cocky and lost the race. Nice girl said I didn't get the real moral of the story, but here was the story presented to me placed right in front and my initial thoughts were true: bigger was better. I couldn't win. In defeat, I stopped jumping.

Tall boy dangled the necklace just within my reach again. "Giving up so soon?"

I jumped again, but he moved his arm up high and it was out of my reach once more. He laughed in amusement, and lowered his arm again to have me jump for it.

"I give up," I said.

He smirked and turned away. While his back was turned, I jumped on him and grabbed it just short of him putting it on. He was crying on the ground, but I honestly didn't care at that point. I ran over to nice girl and returned it, and she quickly put it back around her neck.

"Thank you," she said.

"And here's your crayon." I handed it to her.

She clasped her hand in front of her mouth and gasped. All the kids stopped playing and turned in the same direction she was looking in. I looked in that direction too, and Ms. Darcy was consoling tall boy who was still crying, and he pointed at me. I was in trouble.