“I’ll ask you again, Meiling. What have you done?” Her mother’s sharp tone brought Mei back to reality. She was pointing to the evidence on Mei’s dress – the jam that Mei had been secretly eating at Leila’s house. Looking up, Mei shrugged her shoulders. She wasn’t a liar! And she knew it was wrong. But she just couldn’t tell the truth; she didn’t want to get into trouble; she didn’t want anyone to know that she had done the wrong thing.
“Very well then, Meiling.” Looking at her daughter one more time, Mrs. Carter turned and headed to the stairs, then stopped and said, “Your father will come up to tuck you in.”
Mei took a deep breath, still feeling a little shaky. Phew! Hopefully that was over!
But, as she switched the bathroom light off and walked to her room, Mei couldn’t help but notice the funny feeling that had begun in her stomach. She walked into her room and saw Ginger sleeping soundly. Not a care in the world.
“You’re just as guilty as I am, Ginger,” she said out loud, feeling a little angry. It wasn’t fair that he got away with it. She glared at him and stormed to her bed.
She stood at the foot of her bed, debating whether or not she should kneel to pray. She didn’t really feel like praying.
Finally, with a loud sigh she kneeled. “Dear Jesus, thank you for the day you have given us. Be with those who are sick and please help me be a good…” Suddenly stopping, she opened her eyes and scurried into bed. She couldn’t concentrate. No use praying.
A few seconds later her father walked in. “Ready for your bedtime story?”
“No Daddy, I’m too tired tonight.”
Dad looked surprised. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“OK, goodnight honey, sweet dreams.”
“Good night Daddy,” Mei whispered as he kissed her on the forehead.
“Did you pray?”
She gulped and pulled the blanket higher and under her chin, then nodded slowly.
“That’s my girl. Love you honey, see you in the morning.”
Mei’s stomach flip-flopped. She felt really uncomfortable and sad deep down.
“He said I was a good girl, Ginger,” she moaned, sitting up on her bed and looking at Ginger’s furry body breathing deeply. She flopped back onto her bed and closed her eyes to sleep away the terrible day.
However, sleep didn’t come. She twisted and turned, wriggled and squirmed, and that funny feeling in her stomach was only getting worse. Finally in the early hours of the morning, Mei fell asleep.
At 7 O’clock the next morning, Ginger jumped into her bed. He licked her face and meowed softly. Mei moaned, grumbled and turned over, pulling her warm quilt over her head.
Ginger purred louder as if saying, “Come on sleepy head, get out of bed!”
Mei was not happy! She felt tired and cranky and did not feel like playing that morning.
“Go away Ginger!” she pouted, giving him a little push.
Ginger purred softly, stared at her face and then jumped off the bed, his head down and tail limp. He was sad.
Mei grumbled under her breath and decided to get out of bed. She might as well start her day.
At school, Mei went to her bag rack and as she started to unpack her bag she realised she didn’t have her hat.
“Great,” Mei mumbled under her breath.
Then she realised she’d left her homework folder at home.
“Grr!” She growled under her breath.
Her best friend Isabel stared at her. “What’s wrong Mei?”
Mei ignored her and kept rummaging through her bag until she saw Toby and Anna holding their show and tell items. Oh no! It was show and tell day and she’d completely forgotten.
“Grr!” She pushed her bag and stormed off to the toilets until the bell rang. She didn’t want to talk to anyone about her bad, horrible, awful day.
When lunch time came, Mei was in such a bad mood that she didn’t even want to sit with her friends. She was hatless, angry and feeling sorry for herself.
“Mei what’s wrong?” Isabel asked, her big brown eyes full of concern.
“Nothing!” Mei snapped.
“I know you’re angry,” Isabel said, “you’ve been like that all day. I’m your best friend and I know you.”
Mei sighed. What could she say? Not the truth.
“I had a really bad night and didn’t sleep.” Well at least that was half the truth.
“OK, well here, this will cheer you up.” Mei looked over curiously and watched as Isabel pulled out a paper bag from her pink polka dot lunchbox.
“Ta-da!” Isabel took out a big fat, soft, sugary doughnut.
“Your favourite in the whole world – jam doughnut!” Isabel announced proudly.
Mei almost fell off the chair. JAM AGAIN!
Her mouth watered and she wanted to take a huge bite into the gooey softness, but she couldn’t. She felt sick in her stomach.
“No, no thanks.” Mei swallowed hard, she couldn’t stop staring at the jam doughnut.
“Ok, suit yourself. I’ll have it.” With that, Isabel took a big bite of the doughnut. Gooey, juicy, jam goodness stayed in the corners of her mouth. “Hmm…yummy.”
This was too much, home time couldn’t come quickly enough……
What do you think will happen next? Comment below.