Sparlotte.
Spencer sat in the playground alone, kicking her feet against the stones below the bench she sat on. She looked up as some of the other kids from her class played on the slides and monkey bars together, laughing happily. She sighed and ate her sandwich slowly. She pulled out an exercise book and started writing in it.
"Why are you working, it's play time," one of the girls called over, snickering.
"She's always working," one of her friends rolled her eyes, "because she has no friends."
"What a nerd!"
Spencer tried to ignore them, staring down at the page she was working on.
"Hey, sis!"
Spencer looked up and saw her big sister, Charlotte running up to her.
Spencer waved.
Charlotte looked at the girls, who were still whispering behind their hands and back to her little sister.
"Are those girls still being mean to you, Spencey?"
Spencer shrugged, "They say I'm a know it all."
Charlotte huffed, "It's such a stupid insult. Who wouldn't want to know everything?"
"Exactly!" Spencer giggled before biting her lip and looking at the girls across the playground, "I don't know why they don't like me. I didn't do anything!"
Charlotte smiled and put a hand on her little sister's shoulder, "Some people are just like that. They're bullies and they want to make other people sad."
"Mission succeeded," Spencer looked down at her feet.
Charlotte sat next to her, "Don't be sad, Spencey. I'm your friend."
"You're my sister! You have to be my friend!" Spencer sighed heavily.
"Nah ah!" Charlotte shook her head, "Lots of sisters don't get along! I'm your friend because I like you, silly."
Spencer smiled a little, "Thanks, Charlie."
Charlotte smiled, "Cheer up, little sister," she pulled her bag onto her lap and unzipped it, "We don't need these stupid kids," she pulled out a doll and handed it to Spencer, "See? Dolls can be your friend too," she pulled out another one for herself.
Spencer grinned, "Mommy always gets us the best dolls!" she exclaimed, playing with her doll besides Charlotte's before hearing laughter.
She looked over to the playground and saw a bunch of kids pointing and laughing.
"Even her sister is a loser!" they giggled, "They even wear the same black hoodie!" they laughed louder.
Spencer stopped playing and her eyes began to well up. Charlotte watched her little sister verging on tears and stood up, stalking towards the playground angrily.
"Charlie!" Spencer stood up and ran after her, "Charlie! Don't!"
Charlotte stopped in front of the girls, "Hey!" she yelled at them.
"What?" one of them asked, the others sniggering behind her.
"Don't you ever," she stepped closer to the younger girl, "tease my little sister. She's the nicest and most smartest girl in the world…except I might be a little bit smarter, but anyway, smart people end up running the world so you should be careful not to mess with them or…" she ran a finger across her neck slowly, threateningly.
The little girls stopped laughing.
"You're a freak," one of them muttered, stepping back.
Charlotte shrugged, "Don't ever come near my little sister again. Don't tease her. Don't even talk to her. She just reads and does works all the time because you guys are so boring, why would she want to be your friend anyway?" she stepped forward and shoved one of the younger girls, not hard enough to make her fall over but hard enough to make her stumble back.
The girls all shrugged and muttered before walking away.
Spencer wrapped her arms around her big sister, "Thank you, Charlie!"
Charlotte hugged her back tightly, "It's okay. Let's go play with our dolls, okay?"
"Okay!" Spencer beamed, "Charlie, do you really think you're smarter than me? I got a gold star in class today!"
Charlotte laughed, "I'm a bit smarter," she teased, "But when you're my age, you'll get smarter but I'm older so I'll always be a little bit smarter."
Spencer pouted, "That's not fair!"
Charlotte giggled, "I'll teach you stuff, okay? Then you can get smarter even quicker!"
"Yay, thanks Charlie," Spencer stood on her tiptoes and kissed her sisters' cheek, "I love you big sister."
"I love you more, little sister," Charlotte nudged her gently before sitting on the grass, "Grab out your doll! Let's play!"