Chapter 3: Baskets
Here's your next chapter!
RR:
BooksAreBetterThanTheMovies: thanks! I will try to update often.
RedP (guest): yeah, it was sad. Your doing a pretty good job typing, though!
ProjectMoonlark: oh, that's so sad! My group of friends is drifting, and it's really hard. I can understand. Does it get better?
Here's your chapter!
—
Stress was one thing I hated.
Like, really, really, really hated.
I am a definite worrier and I basically worry about everything, every. Little. Stupid. Thing. It sucks.
Anyway, I really hate stress, so the next few days were some of the worst in this whole Friendship ordeal.
The next day, I didn't want to go to school. I was afraid something awful would happen. So when I got a text that morning from Kim, I freaked out, wondering if I should read it.
Finally, I took a breath and looked at the text.
It read:
KimHurni : Hey, are we still on for Easter baskets 2morrow?
I stared at it. Finally, I replied:
Marellatheunicorn : ya. R we still fighting? What were we fighting about in the first place?
KimHurni : We were fighting because Dessie didn't get what she wanted and she stormed off and you took her side but we did nothing—
I stopped reading. I knew I would just get more upset if I read ever detail of Kim's overdramatic story that makes me and Dessie look like the bad guys.
Instead I replied:
Marellatheunicorn : well, I'm sry. Forgive me? Plssssss
KimHurni : ya :). See u at school
I sighed with relief. It was over. We were fine.
I walked to school with a little less weight on my shoulders, still trying to shake of the slight feeling of sickness in my stomach.
I got to school and greeted Kim, who was in my class. Dessie and Seren were I the class next to ours, and Kendra was down the hall.
The day went fine until lunch. We all sat together. I was a little nervous about how our next group talk would go, especially when I saw the grim look on Dessie's face.
"What is it, Des?" Seren asked.
She looked at us strangely. "You didn't get my text?"
Kendra piped up. "I did. You said you had something to tell us that was too much to say over text."
"Oh," I said. "Sorry, I didn't see that. Spill."
Dessie took a breath. "You know Easter is still weeks away, right?"
I sighed. I heard Kim's intake of breath.
"Dessie, we've been over this. We are not switching the date for the Easter Basket Exchange!" Kim said, frustrated.
Dessie looked at us seriously. "We have to."
"What?" I asked.
"I'm not finished with my basket," Dessie said. "We need more time."
"What?" Seren said. "But—"
"You said you were going to go shopping last night," I said nervously. "Everyone else is done."
Dessie looked frustrated. "My mom couldn't take me last night. I'm going shopping on Saturday."
Saturday.
Saturday.
No.
We had waited so long for this! This was our big plan! I had been so excited!
"What? No." Kim said. "Dessie, we're exchanging tomorrow."
"You could just wait." Dessie shot back. "We could do it next Thursday, the day before Spring Break starts—"
"No." I said. "I'm not waiting that long!"
"It's not too hard. Put it out of your mind."
"Thursday is too far away. Monday." I said.
Dessie shook her head.
I racked my brain. Who was Dessie's gift for? Kendra. Yes, Kendra.
"But Kendra won't get a gift!" Seren said as I opened my mouth to point this out.
"That's why we should wait." Dessie said.
"I'm not waiting." Kim said.
"Me neither." I said. "Kendra, how about you? It's your gift."
Kendra shrugged. "I don't mind waiting, but..."
I sighed.
"Dessie, I'm not going wait." Kim said angrily. "We had a due date. You were supposed to finish it!"
"I didn't have time!" Dessie said.
"Look, Dessie—"
Our class started to leave the lunchroom. I stood up and dragged Kim out before she could say anything else.
We spoke in low voices about what we should do all the way back to the classroom. Kim was mostly ranting angrily. I was trying to find a solution.
I couldn't decide. Could I wait? I didn't want to. But then Dessie wouldn't have a basket.
I couldn't concentrate. My teacher noticed. She looked concerned as I asked to go to the bathroom.
I rushed out of the classroom. I needed a quiet place to clear my head. I slammed the bathroom door shut and slid down to the floor.
Deep breaths.
Common sense. Common sense says we can wait. It's just a basket. Yeah, it's just a basket. Kim can see that.
I went back to class and left her a note:
It's just a basket. I can wait. Can you?
She scribbled back and dropped it on my desk.
I said:
She had a deadline. She missed it. I'm not waiting.
I sighed and crumpled up the note. She sent me a new one:
We need a plan. To convince her to bring something. She must have something.
I wrote back:
Really?
Kim: yeah. Let's tell her we are all bringing our baskets whether or not she is or not.
Marella: what will that do?
Kim: it will convince her she has to bring something. She has no choice.
Marella: I don't know. She might just get mad.
Kim: it'll work. But we can't give up.
Marella: fine. But she's just gonna get mad.
We managed to tell Seren the plan.
At recess, Dessie had a quick bathroom break before coming out.
"Remember the plan," Kim said. "Stick to the plan—"
"What plan?" Asked Dessie, standing behind us.
"Nothing." Kim said.
"Seriously? You guys have some secret plan without me?"
"No!" Seren said desperately.
"Yeah, you do."
"Okay, fine." I said. Kim gave me a look.
"Our plan was...to all bring our baskets tomorrow." I quickly said. Kim smiled. "We're going to do whether you like it or not."
I winced at my own words. Her face went grim.
"Well, then...we'll try as hard as we can to get a basket ready." She said.
I grinned and nodded.
We started discussing plans as Kendra came outside. After school, I told my mom what was happening. Me and mom tell each other everything.
She thought it was good, but she reminded me not to get carried away.
"Your friendship does not rely on a basket," she said.