Brianna Japos
August 01, 2013 9:02 PM
An owl for Michael by Brianna Japos
Brianna wasn’t completely oblivious to things around her. She might have, on occasion, been lost in her own world due to some wonderful things that were happening for her, but she was not completely lost. She noticed that Eris hadn’t returned this year to Sonora. After all the chaos and drama that girl being around had caused for Brianna two years ago, she thought it was somewhat her luck that the girl had vanished and left Michael a lost puppy in her wake. It was clear to anyone who saw him that it was exactly as she claimed it. He looked morose. It was sad to see him that way.A year ago, Brianna had not been able to be around Michael. He had hurt her in such a terrible way that the idea of being near him was too much for her fragile mind and heart to bear. But that had been a long time ago to Brianna and she had healed from her broken heart. Although she didn’t know if they could ever return to being friends since the distance they had forged was long and wide. But, she didn’t like to see him so alone either when he was clearly hurting. Even when they had stopped speaking, Brianna had Josh, Valerie, and Linus to keep her afloat.
A letter and small package arrived in Teppenpaw and was addressed to Michael. He might recognize the handwriting if he paid it enough attention, but she hoped that if he did, he didn’t toss it aside.
Dear Michael,
I have noticed how down you have been lately with the departure of Eris. I am very sorry that things have become so difficult for you this year. I know that we have had a parting of our own a couple of years ago, but I never stopped hoping for the best for you.
This may not mean much, but when I was feeling upset about something, chocolate always made me feel better. I hope that you like it, I wasn’t sure, but if you don’t, maybe the thought will do something to help.
Share these with your friends and I’ll see you in class,
Sincerely,
Brianna
In the package were various types of fudge, some with nuts, some without, some with fruit, some without. She had bought the fudge during Christmas break when her mother had taken her shopping. There was so much of it that she would never be able to eat it all, so giving half of it to someone who needing the cheering up seemed like a small sacrifice. Brianna honestly hoped the he enjoyed it enough to understand that it took a lot for her to reach out to him.
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Brianna Japos
An owl for Michael
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Michael Grosvenor
August 06, 2013 2:21 PM
To reply or not... by Michael Grosvenor
“Thanks,” Michael nodded at the post owl, relieving it of its package and note. He borrowed an owl nut from a packet that was lying around the dorm as he didn't have any of his own and chucked it to the bird before sitting down on his bed to examine what he'd been sent. He pulled the paper off the parcel first. Fudge. Cool. He popped a bit with dried cherries into his mouth as he turned the note over. The writing was familiar but then that was to be expected from someone who liked him enough to send him sweets. He was about to tear it open when a thought struck him about the writing... But it couldn't be... The piece of fudge suddenly seemed to take up his rather small, dry mouth, and have turned sort of sickly. With difficulty, he swallowed it, opened the letter and read.He sat still for a moment, the letter at his side. An awful lot of thoughts were racing around his head and competing. He took a few deep breaths, trying to make them go into a logical order, and preferably lead to a conclusion. He had taken a lot of time packing up all his feelings about Brianna, and about everything that had happened, into a little box, putting the lid on tight, and burying it deep, deep down inside. He wasn't sure what would happen if he opened it... But then, did this have to mean opening it? Maybe it could mean changing what was in it... But he couldn't know that that would be what happened. Things had been bad and he'd made them mostly better. He really didn't want to risk going back there, especially when so much else was so crappy right now. But then, surely he could do with all the friends he could get. But she wasn't his friend any more, and he didn't think he trusted Brianna not to be hurtful. Even though he knew she might not have really meant the hurt – that it had come from her hurting... But that meant he had to know she felt better to know she wouldn't be like that again. She'd sent him fudge. That kind of showed she had feelings other than lashing out in relation to him. And it had been a nice thing to do... He picked up the note again.
I never stopped hoping for the best for you.
He hadn't known that. He'd felt like she wanted him to go die in a pit of fire. That... that made his throat go tight and funny in a different way to the initial panic he'd experienced on seeing her writing. He blinked hard. Obviously a boy his age wasn't going to cry over a letter but... Well, it was really dusty in there. He initially felt guilty, wondering if he had thought less positively about Brianna than she'd thought about him. But he'd wished her well, he realised. He'd been cross and hurt and a lot of other negative feelings but he had never wished her ill as a person.
Dear Brianna, he wrote,
Thank you for your gift. That seemed wholly inadequate, but the right words had never been his strong point. It's very thoughtful and I appreciate that you did it even though things haven't been great between us.
I hoped things were going well for you too and was glad when I could see that you were getting better, at least on the outside. I hope you feel better inside too.
This may not count as following your suggestion entirely, but I hope it's not too far off the mark to make you mad. He selected a couple of pieces of the fudge to put back with the letter, hoping she would remember her own wording and understand his.
from
Michael.
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Michael Grosvenor
To reply or not...
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