53. Keeping A Secret

Danny had a problem. Aurora's birthday was tomorrow, and she was going to have a party. A party that she didn't know about.

He'd been keeping this a secret all week, since his job was to keep Aurora distracted. And he'd been really successful too, right up until tonight. Tonight, Aurora had gone to bed crying.

Earlier that day, Aurora and Danny had been playing by the edge of the woods when a girl neither of them really liked came up to them. She then proceeded to talk, which, really, just made her more despicable.

"Your father is the Ranger, right?"

Aurora had nodded warily, not entirely sure where this was heading.

"You know, he got his mentor exiled once." The girl smiled, expecting Aurora to burst into tears.

Five minutes later, it was the girl who was crying.

However, Aurora's bad luck didn't stop there. Throughout the day, she and her brother were chased by a dog, splattered with mud by a passing cart, and picked on by at least three more kids.

Danny looked over at his sister, thinking about all of the times he'd almost told her about her party today, just to cheer her up.

Closing his eyes, he hoped that keeping that secret was worth it.


Was supposed to be fluffy, and turned out kind of angsty. See kids, this is what happens when you make almost nine-year-olds cry.