[Original: Drabble] "Ice Cream After School" [as-yet-unnamed-magical-little-sister 'verse, G]
Title: Ice Cream After School
Prompt: writerverse challenge #14 original short story
Word Count: 700
Rating: G
Summary: Something a little strange happens on the way to get ice cream, but for Kelly, it’s a little normal.
Note(s): originally posted to the writerverse wv_library
Ice Cream After School
Kelly Ritter dodged through the crowd of students rushing out of St. Benedicts’ Private Elementary School, some headed for the line of yellow busses, some toward the parents waiting in their SUVs.
“See you tomorrow!” called Leanne, one of the other girls from Kelly’s first grade class.
“Bye!” Kelly called back, blonde pigtails bouncing as she waved. She headed toward the front side of the school building, where a tall, redheaded girl leaned against a ‘no parking’ sign, reading a thick book. “Hi, Penny!”
“Hi, Kel.” Kelly’s oldest sister, Penelope, shut her book with a snap. “How was school?”
“Good,” said Kelly. She held out her hand and Penelope took it. “We’re learning about the solar system.”
“Neat,” said Penelope.
Kelly had six brothers and sisters- all of them older- but Penelope was her favorite. She never treated Kelly like she was dumb for being a little kid, and she always had time to spend with her littlest sister, even though she was ten years older. So, as much as Kelly loved Arthur, Veronica, Lavinia, Wendell and Warren, she also loved the days when they had clubs after school and she could walk home with just Penelope.
“Hey, P.J.,” said a new voice. “Hey, Kel.”
It was Bernardo Santini, who had been Penelope’s best friend since before Kelly was born. He was in eleventh grade, too, but he went to the public school.
Penelope smiled. “Hey, Bernie.”
Kelly held out her other hand for him to take as he started to walk with them. Bernardo’s family lived a block down from Kelly’s and he walked home with them a lot.
“So,” he said, swinging their joined hands. “Who’s up for ice cream?”
“Ooh, me!” said Kelly.
Penelope frowned. “I’d love to, Bernie, but Mom’s got some errands to run and I said I’d watch the shop.”
Kelly and Penelope’s parents ran an antique shop, which took up the whole bottom floor of their apartment. They all helped out there, but only Penelope was responsible enough to be in charge while Mom and Dad were gone.
“That’s okay,” said Bernardo. “It’s Friday, and I’ve got the late shift.” His parents ran an Italian restaurant, where Bernardo was sometimes a waiter, and his grandma made the best canolies ever. “But I could take Kelly, and let you get home.”
Penelope checked her watch. She was responsible and wanted to help Mom, but Kelly knew how much she loved ice cream. “We have time for a small dish,” she said, and Kelly and Bernardo both cheered.
They walked another few blocks, toward the little ice cream place they always went to, when suddenly, Kelly felt very cold.
She stopped, letting go of Bernardo’s hand to pull the pendant out of her shirt. The crystal was warm in her palm, and she felt a little better.
Penelope pulled her out of the way, then crouched in front of her, looking worried. “Kel, you okay?”
Kelly nodded. “I’m okay.”
Bernardo frowned. “Is this one of those…?” He wiggled his fingers and his eyebrows at the same time, which always meant ‘magic’. Bernardo was the only person outside the family who knew that Kelly could sense magic, and when things like this happened, she felt a little safer having him around, too.
Kelly nodded again. “Yeah. But I’m okay. Just cold.”
“We can fix that,” said Penelope. She took her sister’s backpack, then pulled off her uniform blazer and draped it over Kelly’s shoulders. “Better?”
The wool was warm and smelled a little like Penelope’s shampoo. “Better. But…” Kelly added, looking sideways at Bernardo.
He sighed, dramatically. “Okay, okay,” he said.
Kelly grinned. She stuck her arms into the sleeves of her sister’s jacket, pushing them up until she could use her hands. Bernardo handed Penelope his backpack, and leaned over so that Kelly could throw her arms around his neck.
He straightened again, and she hung on tight for one of his famous roller-coaster piggy-back rides. “Faster!” she called, grinning. “Faster!”
“Hey!” said Penelope, but she was laughing. “Hey- Guys!” She tugged them out of the way of some passing tourists and aimed them back toward the ice cream shop. “Come on. My treat.”
“Yay!”
THE END
Current Mood:
frustrated
Prompt: writerverse challenge #14 original short story
Word Count: 700
Rating: G
Summary: Something a little strange happens on the way to get ice cream, but for Kelly, it’s a little normal.
Note(s): originally posted to the writerverse wv_library
Ice Cream After School
Kelly Ritter dodged through the crowd of students rushing out of St. Benedicts’ Private Elementary School, some headed for the line of yellow busses, some toward the parents waiting in their SUVs.
“See you tomorrow!” called Leanne, one of the other girls from Kelly’s first grade class.
“Bye!” Kelly called back, blonde pigtails bouncing as she waved. She headed toward the front side of the school building, where a tall, redheaded girl leaned against a ‘no parking’ sign, reading a thick book. “Hi, Penny!”
“Hi, Kel.” Kelly’s oldest sister, Penelope, shut her book with a snap. “How was school?”
“Good,” said Kelly. She held out her hand and Penelope took it. “We’re learning about the solar system.”
“Neat,” said Penelope.
Kelly had six brothers and sisters- all of them older- but Penelope was her favorite. She never treated Kelly like she was dumb for being a little kid, and she always had time to spend with her littlest sister, even though she was ten years older. So, as much as Kelly loved Arthur, Veronica, Lavinia, Wendell and Warren, she also loved the days when they had clubs after school and she could walk home with just Penelope.
“Hey, P.J.,” said a new voice. “Hey, Kel.”
It was Bernardo Santini, who had been Penelope’s best friend since before Kelly was born. He was in eleventh grade, too, but he went to the public school.
Penelope smiled. “Hey, Bernie.”
Kelly held out her other hand for him to take as he started to walk with them. Bernardo’s family lived a block down from Kelly’s and he walked home with them a lot.
“So,” he said, swinging their joined hands. “Who’s up for ice cream?”
“Ooh, me!” said Kelly.
Penelope frowned. “I’d love to, Bernie, but Mom’s got some errands to run and I said I’d watch the shop.”
Kelly and Penelope’s parents ran an antique shop, which took up the whole bottom floor of their apartment. They all helped out there, but only Penelope was responsible enough to be in charge while Mom and Dad were gone.
“That’s okay,” said Bernardo. “It’s Friday, and I’ve got the late shift.” His parents ran an Italian restaurant, where Bernardo was sometimes a waiter, and his grandma made the best canolies ever. “But I could take Kelly, and let you get home.”
Penelope checked her watch. She was responsible and wanted to help Mom, but Kelly knew how much she loved ice cream. “We have time for a small dish,” she said, and Kelly and Bernardo both cheered.
They walked another few blocks, toward the little ice cream place they always went to, when suddenly, Kelly felt very cold.
She stopped, letting go of Bernardo’s hand to pull the pendant out of her shirt. The crystal was warm in her palm, and she felt a little better.
Penelope pulled her out of the way, then crouched in front of her, looking worried. “Kel, you okay?”
Kelly nodded. “I’m okay.”
Bernardo frowned. “Is this one of those…?” He wiggled his fingers and his eyebrows at the same time, which always meant ‘magic’. Bernardo was the only person outside the family who knew that Kelly could sense magic, and when things like this happened, she felt a little safer having him around, too.
Kelly nodded again. “Yeah. But I’m okay. Just cold.”
“We can fix that,” said Penelope. She took her sister’s backpack, then pulled off her uniform blazer and draped it over Kelly’s shoulders. “Better?”
The wool was warm and smelled a little like Penelope’s shampoo. “Better. But…” Kelly added, looking sideways at Bernardo.
He sighed, dramatically. “Okay, okay,” he said.
Kelly grinned. She stuck her arms into the sleeves of her sister’s jacket, pushing them up until she could use her hands. Bernardo handed Penelope his backpack, and leaned over so that Kelly could throw her arms around his neck.
He straightened again, and she hung on tight for one of his famous roller-coaster piggy-back rides. “Faster!” she called, grinning. “Faster!”
“Hey!” said Penelope, but she was laughing. “Hey- Guys!” She tugged them out of the way of some passing tourists and aimed them back toward the ice cream shop. “Come on. My treat.”
“Yay!”
THE END
Current Mood:
frustrated