A Forgotten Friend (CONTEST ENTRY by Ashley)

“Casey, are you still picking flowers for Jared?” my 18-year-old sister Elisa shouted teasingly from the back pouch. It was a beautiful day, and I couldn’t help but to run through the field that lays only a couple steps away from home.

“Ew, Jared!” I yelled back, unamused, “Why would I be getting flowers for that jerk?”

Elisa rolled her eyes with an unconvinced smirk. “All I hear about when you come back from school is”—she did an imitation of a high pitched, girly voice—“ ‘Jared this! Jared that! Jared here, Jared there!’”

I gave her a hard look. “I never put something positive in the same sentence as the word ‘Jared’!”

She laughed as she went back inside. I let out a frustrated groan. Elisa was always like that; just plain old annoying. Mom always compares me to her for getting the Southern Belle award for simply being kind to teachers and popular among the other students. To me, Elisa is mean, and a suck-up to everyone but me.

I suppose it’s rather natural for people to compare us though. Elisa is so pretty, while I’m rougher by appearance. Then, she’s real sweet and gets great grades, while I keep my distance from classmates and don’t get great grades.

But it’s not like I care for the least; I just want to explore places. I love being outside. Mother Nature has always been fascinating to me, and in return she’s been very kind. When I wanted to stay home and skip school near or during the winter seasons, sometimes there’d be a blizzard and everyone would get snowed in. Then when I felt like jumping in water puddles, sometimes it’d rain real hard.

My good luck with Nature started last year, when I was having some bad family issues. I threw crazy, mad fits about how my parents loved Casey more than they did me. I felt like nobody understood me, or what I was going through; always pressured to be Casey, and not me. Then, one day, I could catch a glimpse of something gleaming in the sun. It was lying on the ground.

When I went to check it out, it was the most beautiful glistening rock I’ve ever seen. Its surface was a pearl white, yet the texture was a little rough like any normal rock. When I picked it up, I felt a refreshing sensation pulse through my body. I decided to take it home, and ever since then, I’ve always held it tight when I felt like I needed it.

Back to the present, I skipped along the fields, happy as a clam. Then, all the sudden, the ground beneath me disappeared, and I fell into a deep ditch my dad was making for a well. As I landed on the hard dirt, I heard a snap coming from my calf, and an excruciating pain surged through my entire leg. I cried out in agony.

Tears flowed from my eyes as I hopelessly thought of what was to become of me. I’d have to wait until tomorrow for someone to find me; an estimation from how far I went into the fields. I remembered that I had my rock in my pocket, and got it out. Even though it was dark, I could still see some of its beautiful glimmers. I held on tight to it, and thought how much I wanted to get out of the ditch, even if it meant getting saved by Elisa. But later, I could have sworn the rock was definitely magical.

Perhaps twenty minutes passed, maybe less, for the time was slow, when I heard a familiar desperate voice call out, “Casey! Casey!!”

I quickly shouted in reply, “Elisa!! Over here!!”

Elisa’s head emerged from the ditch’s top opening. She smiled in relief, “Thank you, Lord! I’ll get a ladder right away, Casey!”

“I think I broke my leg,” I yelled before she could go, “You’ll need to get Papa to help!”

“Casey, I may be little, but I am not weak,” Elisa replied with a little irritated sass, “I can get you out myself.” And she left to get a ladder. I sighed in relief. I was going to be okay, and it felt so good to know it.

A rope ladder was thrown down, and I grabbed a hold of it. I saw Casey come down, and she wrapped her arms around me as she slowly went back up. I didn’t realize how strong and big she was until now. But of course, I’ve never watched one of her sports games either.

When we reached the top, Elisa and I laid down on the soft grass for a minute to rest. I looked at her, and she looked at me.

“Thanks, Casey,” I said quietly.

She smiled, “No problem. I couldn’t let Jared down.”

“Ugh!” I let out and looked the other way. She laughed whole-heartedly. I murmured angrily, “You’re so annoying.”

“Aw, don’t be like that,” Elisa said, “I’m just kidding you know.”

“You kid too much.” There was silence, and then Elisa sighed.

She said in sorrow, “I’m sorry. I know I irritate you. It’s just that I don’t know how to talk to you.”

I looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve always wanted a little sister since I was three,” Elisa started, “and I was the happiest little girl you’ve ever seen when you were born. I was planning to help you with your homework, groom you, and watch you grow up like I did. But I forgot that you could have turned out different, and you did. You’re so independent to the point that I couldn’t get the chance to help you do your homework, you don’t care the least about your looks, and, in the end, you most definitely aren’t the mini-Casey I thought you were going to be.”

“Well, sorry for spoiling your hopes and dreams,” I replied sarcastically. She gave me a hurt expression and I felt a pinch of guilt.

Elisa stood up and said, “Come on now, we should go.” Elisa picked me up and we started walking toward the house.

I thought about what Casey said. If I were in Elisa’s place, I probably would have dreamt of the same thing. It would be fun to have a best friend always there with you, always there to talk to. That’s what, even now, I’ve always wanted, but in my book, Elisa didn’t fit the bill. Or at least, what I’ve usually thought.

I grasped onto my sister’s sleeve. “I’m sorry… I’ve always wanted a big sister too.” She smiled and kissed my forehead.

“Well, I’ll do my best to get you the best big sister in Georgia.”

I finally smiled back at her. Then, I felt my special rock break in two in the palm of my hand. I felt scared at first, but then I calmed down. It’s alright, I don’t need it anymore, I thought.

My special rock was carrying me home.