Edmund waited on the steps of his house early in the morning. A brown paper bag filled to the brim sat beside him. His parents soon came out to leave. His dad ruffled his hair, bringing Edmund out of his daydream.
“I’ve never seen you this still, shouldn’t you be getting to school?” His dad said.
“I’m waiting for Blaire...I thought she was always early to school” Edmund said, resting his chin in his hands.
“You sweet little thing” his mom said, gesturing to the bag.
“She the one with the white hair right?” His dad asked.
Edmund cringed as he remembered the stories he told them of her when he was younger. The first day of kindergarten. Ugh. Right on cue Blaire walked past his house.
“There! Love you guys! Bye!” Edmund sprang up. Hugging them both, he grabbed the bag and ran off after Blaire. His parents smiled then walked down the opposite way to their jobs. Blaire heard him coming.
“Hi” she muttered.
“Hey! How are you? I got you something” Blaire turned her head to look at him.
“Really?” Her eyes growing wide in excitement. He held up a brown paper bag. Blaire’s mouth opened.
“I’m sorry about last night. I thought I could help you and give you a lunch. I noticed you don’t really have one most days.” Edmund said and handed her the bag. She opened it up and looked in. “Fresh bread from the bakery, apple, oranges, a glass of chocolate milk, eh eh, and of course five count em FIVE COOKIES!” Edmund said, jumping around as he did. Blaire pulled out a bun and ate it cautiously, savoring the bite.
“Thank you so much Edmund” Blaire said with her mouth full.
“I also got some tuna cans. Ms. Smith told me you took in a kitten a while ago so I wanted to give the little guy something” Edmund said, pulling the cans from his bag. Blaire looked at him with what hinting at a smile. It quickly disappeared.
“Why are you being so nice to me suddenly?” She asked. Edmund looked down.
“I uh don’t know...I want to make you happy?” Blaire looked up at the sky, thinking. She didn’t say anything for the rest of their walk. Once they reached the school house Blaire walked over to the tree she had been reading under the day before. Edmund, not knowing what to do, walked over to his friends.
They were making fun of Blaire. Edmund hadn’t noticed how much the kids had done this to her. He thought back to that day in kindergarten.
It was their first day.
Edmund had been playing with some other boys he found when Blaire appeared. She had her white hair cut to her shoulders, shorter than he’d seen other girls have their hair. She wore a bright red dress that stopped at her knees with a white collar. It wasn’t as fancy as the other girls. Her mother ran off, leaving her all alone. Young Blaire stood awkwardly, all alone. Edmund had the great idea of going over to her. He said the first thing that came to him. Face to face, eye to eye only a few inches apart.
“You look like a witch from my story book! Do some magic!” He had yelled in her face. Blaire stumbled back and tears sprang to her dark eyes. The boys he had been playing with came over, surrounding her.
“A witch?” Mike asked.
“Yeah do something!” John yelled.
Blaire tried to get away, her tears falling. Timmy reached out and pushed her. She fell, dirtying her new dress and hair. Edmund bent down and held a chunk of her hair, observing it.
“You must be some kinda stranger, your hair is weird." Edmund said. A few girls giggled at her, all dirty and crying.
“I’m not! I’m normal!” She yelled.
She pushed Edmund down and elbowed her way through the crowd. She ran into the school house in tears. She didn’t talk all week. Edmund had gone home and told his parents of the strange girl and how rude she was, saying he was in the right. Edmund grimaced as he remembered.
Maybe he had made Blaire like this.
The teacher rang the bell and they all ran into the school. Blaire at the back of the line. Edmund felt completed to watch her. A little girl stumbled and fell beside Blaire. She quickly got to her knees.
“Are you ok?” Blaire asked for only the girl to hear.
The little one screamed and scrambled to her friends, leaving Blaire stunned and almost getting trampled from the moving line. Her ‘legacy’ continued to the younger ones. Blaire quickly hurried into the school house. The kids all went to any desk they pleased, the younger kids in the front, older in the back. Edmund broke away from his friends and went to the desk Blaire was at. He pushed his way next to her, squishing her against the wall.
“Hey buddyyyyyyy” he said in the weirdest voice. Blaire promptly pushed him off and onto the floor. Mike help him up and they both sat at the desk besides Blaire’s. Edmund closer then Mike.
“Trying to get on the psycho’s good side? What she planning?” Mike whispered to him. The boys glanced at Blaire. She was reading a book, right in the corner with her bag hogging the other spot of the desks bench. She looked normal.
“She not crazy. I’m trying to make it up to her”
“for what?”
“I don’t know” Edmund admitted.
The teacher smacked her ruler across her desk and the class began. She set the older students up with work and then began to teach the other ones numbers. Blaire scribbled in her notebook while Edmund began to daydream. After an hour or so in the teacher taught them some history and it was time for lunch. Blaire snuck out before Edmund could find her. She went out to the field, made sure no one was looking and climbed up the tree she loved to read under. He can’t find her if she’s hidden. She pulled out a worn out copy of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and read in peace. Meanwhile Edmund came running out with all his friends. He looked this way and that for Blaire while Mike began to pick who was it.
“Hey Ed! What are you doing?” Mike asked.
“Blaire...can’t find her” Edmund answered distantly.
“Why? Do you like her?” Amaya asked. She fiddled with her long black hair and smoothed her blue dress. The other girls giggled and pretended to pretty themselves up.
“No Amaya! Gross” Edmund yelled. Blaire looked down at him, unnoticed. The whole group laughed at him loudly.
“Edmund likes Blaire!” A few little kids chanted.
“WHAT!? NOOO!! WHY WOULD I LIKE LIKE HER? THE WITCH?!” Edmund yelled. He’s hand smacked over his mouth.
Edmund heard branch on the tree behind him move. Something light landed behind him. He turned slowly and saw Blaire staring at him. The whole schoolyard seemed silent.
She didn’t glare.
She didn’t look sad, mad, happy.
She wore no emotions. Blaire’s grip tightened on the strap of her satchel. The sky seemed to darken. She turned and walked. Not sparing a glance at anyone. As soon as she stepped off the school yard the sky was a dark grey. She continued down the street. Edmund had stood frozen the entire time. As soon as she was out of sight it began to pour. The kids ran to the school house but Edmund remained.
He looked up and closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around his already soaked body.
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