“This brooch kind of looks like that one from Titanic” Skye held up the pin against the light of the window.
The sapphire had been cut roughly into a heart shape. Around it, small diamonds studs created an outline to make its deep blue color stand out. At the top, it had another heart shape. This time made of silver strings molded together.
“Oh” Alexandra looked up from her coloring book. With the way the light shone behind it, the gemstone glittered like the starry night sky.
“Is the same one from the movie?”
“No, I don’t think so” the young miss tilted her head. The brooch was old but it had been in the family for a long time—probably even older than the real Titanic.
Skye glanced over at the dresser’s mirror, placing the brooch over her chest, “It’s so beautiful.”
She waited for Xandra to say anything. When she didn’t hear anything, she glimpsed at her. The young miss had already gone back to coloring a picture of a fairy. She chose blue for its dress and black for its hair. At the moment, she colored in its wings, switching crayons in between to make it pretty.
The girl sat beside Alexandra and watched her color, “Xandra, is it okay if I take this brooch? My mother’s birthday is coming up and I know she’ll love it.”
The young miss’s hand froze. She was quite generous when it came to gifts but the gemstone… didn’t belong to her. She snatched it off Skye’s hands, “I’m sorry but I can’t give you this one.”
“Why not?” Skye pouted.
“It’s not mine. It’s my mother’s” Alexandra explained. She figured her mother must have left it at her dresser when she came by last night. She did have that kind of habit.
“Well, why not ask your mother for it? Then, you can give it to me.”
The young miss shook her. She also liked the brooch so she understood why Skye was attached to it. Her mother wouldn’t give it away—not even to her—since it was the only thing left to remind Angeline of her grandmother.
“I’m sorry but you really can’t have it. My mother treasures it a lot” Alexandra apologized. She pocketed the gemstone to return it to Angeline when they’ll see each other at dinner.
Skye stood up abruptly and stomped her foot. Her hands clenched into fists and her eyes glared at the young miss, “This is why nobody likes you. You’re being selfish.”
Alexandra blinked her innocent eyes at her, “I’m not—”
“Then, why wouldn’t you give it to me?”
“I really can’t do it!” She pleaded. The power to hand over the gemstone didn’t belong to her but her mother. It wasn’t something she could just give away without permission, “You can have something else.”
“But I want that stone” Skye whined, “Am I your friend or not?”
“You are.”
“Then, prove it!”
Alexandra stood up slowly, gaping at the girl before her. Gone were the pleasant smile and gleaming eyes. Skye stared at her like how the other kids did. Her heart squeezed inside her chest to see it. Small tears pooled at the corner of her eyes as she shook her head.
This only made the girl angrier. She bared her teeth and grabbed her things, “I’m going home.”
“Wait—” Alexandra called out to her but Skye kept walking away until she reached the entrance where a chauffeur would escort her back to her house. The young miss watched as it drove away from sight, her tears streaming down her cheeks. She just made her only friend upset. Guilt and helplessness leaked into her veins.
Her cries only stopped when she fell asleep.
The next day, a knock came from her bedroom door.
Alexandra sat on a chair near her bookshelf. She thought that reading might help but her mood didn’t feel like it. When the door opened, her eyes left the pages and shifted in its direction.
A small girl with glossy black hair stepped inside.
The young miss sprang to her feet, the book falling onto the floor. She ran across the room and stood in front of Skye.
The girl bit her bottom lip and stared at the carpet, “I’m sorry about our fight. Can we be friends again?”
“Of course” Alex breathed out without hesitation. Her heart raced at the rush of happiness that surged through her.
Skye smiled and hugged her, whispering in her ear, “I wish the other kids knew how nice you are.”
Those words carved themselves into Alex’s mind along with Skye’s other statement about how nobody liked her. When she coined them together, it gave her an idea. She hid a smile. It would be her secret.
Weeks passed by and the estate had been covered by a blanket of snow. The young miss sat on her study table with a pen and a notebook. Her list was almost complete. She just needed to think of one more. Winter break was almost around the corner. She wouldn’t see her class for a few weeks. New Year had gone by before she’d see them again.
She glanced around her room and hoped for some inspiration. Her eyes landed on a new toy her parents got her. She quickly wrote it down on her list and called Jeffrey.
“Yes, young miss?” The butler greeted her from the bedroom door.
Alexandra ripped off the notebook’s page and skipped towards him, “Can I please have these? Preferably wrapped and labelled? I’ll be bringing them to school tomorrow.”
A crease appeared between Jeffrey’s eyebrows. He glanced over at the list handed to him. He blinked once and nodded his head at the young miss, “Most certainly. I’ll see to it myself.”
He gave her one last smile before instructing the chauffeur to prepare the car.
Alexandra slept with a wide smile on her face that night.
It felt like it never went away since she also woke up with it the next day. From the moment she hopped out of bed and got ready for school, her feet had a light spring to them. She couldn’t wait to hand over the presents.
It had taken longer than she expected but she did it. She listened and observed the students in her class for anything they might like for Christmas. Some had been easy and some took more time until they could mention something of interest. She purposely didn’t let Skye know so she’d be part of the surprise.
A fake Christmas tree had been added into the classroom. Since Alexandra arrived first, she and Jeffrey had been able to fill it with gifts before anyone but the teacher could see. She immediately handed her teacher a gift who thanked her.
The students buzzed about the presents under the tree. Their teacher politely informed them that if they behaved well, Santa might have left a present for them to open by the end of the day. As classes went by, the excitement in the air didn’t die down. During break time, their teacher guarded the tree so no one could take a peek.
When the last class ended, all of them asked loudly if it was time.
The teacher couldn’t help but beam at their energy, “Yes, go ahead and take your gift.”
Students flocked around the tree in an unorganized manner. They read off the names and handed it to the rightful. For the people that already received theirs, the teacher warned them not to open them yet.
Once everyone sat back down in their respective seats with their gifts, the teacher finally allowed them to open.
Yells and cheers of merriment filled the room. A boy gasped at his new toy set. A girl squealed when she saw her favorite Disney princess in doll form. Another received the game he wanted for his Nintendo Switch. More and more chatter escalated as the more gifts were opened.
“Did you like your presents?” The teacher laughed in front. She got screams of resounding confirmation. It only made her laugh more, “Alright. Then, please thank Santa Alexandra for them. She brought them here so you could have a wonderful Christmas season this year.”
The young miss wanted to slide off her chair and bury herself under the floor. Sure, she wanted to see the students happy but that would have been enough. She wouldn’t need anything else like gratitude.
Thankfully, it didn’t last long since the parents were waiting.
On her way out, a girl came up to her. She hugged her new doll closed to her chest and stepped closer to Alexandra. Her eyebrows scrunched and her lips pressed together, “I’d like to apologize. We were wrong about you.”
The young miss quickly shook her head, “It’s alright.”
“No, it’s not okay!” her classmate exclaimed. She checked their surroundings in case someone was nearby. Then, she whispered, “Please stay away from Skye.”
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