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Licorice Bruises

Monday, July 14, 2014

"they called me names again today."
he pushed up his round glasses.  "and did they hurt you?"
she bit her lip. 
"elsa."
tears swimming in her ruby eyes, she looked up.  "yes." she said.
he put his hands on his knees and smiled at her.  "then let's have a look at it."
hesitantly, she lifted up her pant leg and watched as he puckered his face.  "it's bad today." he finally said.  she showed him her bloody hand too, and he shook his head.
"am i scrawny and ugly, johnny?"
he dabbed cream on her leg and shook his head vehemently.  "nope.  not one bit."
she considered.  "ben said i was."
he pressed hard on her knee and she whimpered in pain.  "i'm sorry!" he dabbed more gently.  "i just don't like it when they call you names."
"they called you names too."
there was no answer.  finally; "what names, els?"
she frowned.  "bad names. about your color.  i told them they were all poop-heads, and that's when they pushed me."
he unwrapped the bandages and gently laid them over first her bruised hand, and then her leg.  "there you go."
she tested it out by swinging her leg in and out.  "why do people call you names?"
"same reason they call you names."
"because- because it's true?"
"no, elsa.  when they call you ugly, they lyin to make themselves feel better. and you know why they're lyin?  cus the truth is that you're right pretty.  pretty as a licorice stick."
she looked down, smiled.  "you reckon?"
"i reckon." he closed his eyes.  "you kinda look like one. all long and pretty and red."
she giggled.  "and you look like a nice yummy chocolate bar, johnny."
he nudged her. "you makin fun?"
she blinked.  "nah-ah.  chocolate is my favorite candy."
"okay." he smiled.  "you wanna go get some?"
she smiled and placed her bandaged hand in his warm black one.  "yah." 



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3 comments

  1. This was adorable and I love it. <3

    Also, I love your blog quite a bit. It's lovely. :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. OHMYGOSH ALL THE CUTENESS.

    I loved it. <3

    ReplyDelete

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