The Perfect Present (2 page)

He shrugged. “We'll stay up all night long on Christmas Eve. If Santa is real, we'll see for ourselves. If he is, I'll take your chores for a week. If he isn't, you'll take mine.”

That made me smile. “Deal.” We shook on it and I was ready to prove him
wrong.

I had been really sad because I kept thinking, today it was Santa, tomorrow, my brother wouldn't want to hang out with me. He'd find different things he liked, different friends and we'd no longer be the M and M twins.

My mom once said being a twin isn't just on one person, it's on both and that's what makes you unique. But still I knew if my twin and I grew apart, I would miss him so much.

But now, I'd get him back. He'd see Santa was real, and we'd stay close. It would be a perfect present!

Christmas Eve came and I could barely keep my excitement down. It was just seven o'clock, but I had my new PJs on, my hair was flopping in a big ponytail on top of my head and we'd just finished making cookies. Max was even in the Christmas spirit, helping me and Mom with the cookies. Every time I brought up Santa, he just gave me a ‘we'll see' look.

Yes, we would soon see!

We begged Mom to let us sleep in the game room, next to the huge, stinky fireplace. At first, she said no, but then my dad came home and convinced her to let us stay. So we snuggled in our sleeping bags and waited. And waited. We laughed. We told jokes. And then, when the clock on the wall struck midnight, I started thinking, maybe, I could just rest my eyes like Max was doing over there.
He'd said he was going to rest them just for a minute. Since I was his twin, I needed to do the same.

The next thing I knew, I heard Mom call out from the living room, “Guess daddy and I will just have to open these presents ourselves!”

I jumped up. The clock now said 7:36 am. Aww man!

“Max! Wake up! It's Christmas!” I yelled, shaking him.

“Huh?” he said, yawning.

“It's Christmas. And we missed Santa.”

That made him sit up. He was just about to say something when we both noticed the piece of paper on the coffee table in front of us. I picked it up first and started reading out loud.

Dear My Little M and M Twins,

That's it! All that crazy fighting doesn't make me happy. And it's during the holidays. Miss Mickey, I should've put you on the naughty list for lying and causing all that trouble but I'm a nice person (and those cookies were good, mail me some). But since I know you have a good heart, I'm going to let it slide. This time. But just so you know, you're never going to get what you want for the wrong reasons. Mickey, if Max said he didn't believe in me, that was on him, but you
can't force something that doesn't go. Life is like a puzzle. If it's the wrong piece you can't force it in.

And for you Max, it's okay if you don't believe in me anymore, I'm still going to bring you gifts because I know you have a good heart and care about people.

Both of you need to realize though, that this holiday isn't about me and the gifts I can bring. It's about the gifts you bring. Not stuff, but gifts of love, time, things from the heart. It's not about celebrating me. Always remember that.

Both of you have the best Christmas yet and may love and joy be with you.

Love, Santa

PS – Mickey, stop looking for your Christmas gifts early.

When I finished reading, Max just sat there staring at me. “So, I guess he is real?” he finally said.

I looked at my twin brother and smiled. “You know, I don't think it really matters. I have you and you have me and we have our family. That's what's really important.”

He nodded. “Yeah, you're right. So does that mean we don't open our gifts?”

I stood up. “Boy, I didn't say all that. Come on, let's go open our presents!”
I grabbed my brother and all but dragged him into the room to open our gifts.

Friending the Grinch

By Jackie Lee

Chapter 1

I knew Jayla Wilson was going to be trouble the first time I laid eyes on her. My Grandma Bessie had invited her friend Lois and Jayla over for dinner.

“Jasmine, you be sure to treat Jayla nice when she gets here,” Grandma Bessie told me before they arrived.

I had been eavesdropping on my parents and grandma's conversation earlier, so I knew that Jayla had some problems. Mrs. Lois had just gotten custody of Jayla. I didn't get to hear the entire story because I had to move from the door before I got caught. But I did hear Grandma say that Jayla's parents had to get their lives together.

“Jasmine, you and Tionna need to make sure you help that baby fit in,” said Grandma Bessie. She was talking about my cousin and best friend, Tionna Washington. Tionna and I were eleven and in the sixth grade at Monroe Middle School. We both played the clarinet in the band and we were both hall monitors, which meant we got to tell other kids what to do! I guess my grandma thought since Jayla was eleven also we could all be best friends.

“You girls need to be sure and introduce Jayla to a few of your friends at school. Maybe she could join the band,” Grandma Bessie said.

“Yes, Ma'am,” I said.

I knew that Jayla would also be attending the same church we did, Bright Star Baptist Church.

I was told that my great grandfather started the church in a rundown shack. He would be proud of the church now. The mostly brick building had a huge fellowship hall and classrooms downstairs. There was fluffy, deep pink carpet upstairs. It was a long way from a shack.

My mother, Darlene Star, and my grandmother worked tirelessly preparing the food for the dinner. The smell of fried chicken, roast and cakes drifted throughout the house.

“Girls, we'd better get moving,” my mother said as she stirred something in a pot. “You two have to clean the living room, bathroom and family room.”

Tionna's daddy, my Uncle Tony, was stationed in Kuwait. He was big time in the army. Her mother left both of them a long time ago. She calls Tionna a few times a year. She always promises to visit but never does. I once overhead my momma on the phone talking to Uncle Tony. I could tell from the conversation that they were talking about Tionna's mom. I heard my mom say that she heard that Tionna's mom was living with a man named Earl in Richmond, Virginia. I was trying to get all the dirt so I could tell Tionna. But I accidentally banged my head on the door when I leaned in to listen closer. My momma caught me in the hallway. Man, she put me on punishment for a week. She also told me not to
mention it to Tionna. She said I would be in more trouble if I did. I kept my mouth shut.

“You think this new girl will be nice? We sure are going through a lot of trouble,” Tionna said as she grabbed the broom.

I shrugged. “I guess we'll have to wait and see. Be sure to dust the curio cabinet. I don't want Grandma Bessie yelling at me.”

It took us about an hour, but we got the house spotless. I sure hoped Jayla appreciated all that we were going through.

Tionna and I had just gone outside to look at the pretty Christmas decorations that lined our street when Grandma Bessie stuck her head outside. “You girls done with your cleaning?” she asked.

“Yes, Ma'am,” we said at the same time.

“Wash your hands and help us set the table.”

We both let out a long sighs, as if on cue, then got up and went back in the house. As soon as we had the table set, my mother came back in the living room.

“Girls, Lois and Jayla are here,” my mom said. “Make sure you're smiling. We want Jayla to feel welcomed.”

I put on a big, fake smile and went to greet our guests. Both of them were sitting in the living room. Mrs. Lois was talking to grandma. Her niece was looking around the room. Grandma Bessie liked old stuff, so our living room was
full of old but nice furniture - the kind of furniture you would see in fancy magazines. She also liked figurines and paintings. Some of my friends said that Grandma's house looked like a museum.

Momma gave Tionna and me the eye. That meant we had to move closer to Jayla. Grandma smiled and said, “Jayla, I want you to meet my grandbabies, Tionna and Jasmine.”

We all smiled at each other. But when the grown folks turned their heads, Jayla rolled her eyes at me. I was shocked, but I quickly rolled my eyes right back at her. Of course, Momma caught me and pulled me to the kitchen.

“Young lady, I don't know what has gotten into you, but you'd better fix it,” she warned.

I wanted to protest, tell her that Jayla had started it, but I just said, “Yes,, Ma'am.”

My mother was not happy. She shook her head. “I raised you better than to be embarrassing me in front of company. That poor child needs a friend, not a bully. You don't know what she has been through.”

Now, I had to speak up. “But Momma, she did something to me first.”

“I don't want to hear it. Just do what I said.”

“Yes, Momma.”

OMG, this girl just got here and I am already in trouble. I didn't do anything wrong!

We went back in the living room and Jayla had the nerve to look at my mom with a sad expression on her face. But when she looked at me, she was smirking.

“Girls, take Jayla to your room. Jayla, the girls have iPads, computers and phones you can play with,” Momma said.

I did not want this girl using any of my stuff! But I knew I didn't have a choice. Tionna knew something was wrong because she kept giving me these crazy looks. I didn't say anything as I stomped up to the room Tionna and I shared.

We walked into our bedroom and Jayla immediately turned up her nose as she looked around. Tionna and I had matching white canopy beds with black, ballerina-themed bedding. Jayla looked at the two iPads on our dresser, then our laptops and Wii.

Jayla dropped on Tionna's bed and looked around the room, glaring at our pink painted wall, which was covered with Mindless Behavior, Bruno Mars and One Direction posters.

Tionna spoke first. “Do you want to play the Wii? We have some fun games.”

“Wii is for babies. I haven't played the Wii since I left 4
^th
grade,” Jayla snapped, rolling her eyes again.

I crossed my arms and turned my back to Jayla.

“If I were you, I wouldn't let your momma catch you with an attitude. You don't want her to come in here and yank you off again.” Jayla actually laughed.

I'd enough. I was about to go off. Luckily, Tionna stepped in.

“It's okay, Jasmine. We only have to put up with her for a little while longer,” Tionna whispered.

I stared at Jayla. Yeah, forget my grandma's plan for us to BFFs. That wasn't gonna happen. I stomped over to my bed, plopped down and grabbed my pink, frilly pillow.

“So we have the Simms app on our iPads. You wanna play?” Tionna asked.

“Well, I guess I could play your little game,” Jayla said.

“If it is so little, you need to go play your own game,” I huffed under my breath.

“So what do you girls do for fun here in the whack town?” Jayla asked.

I had to squeeze my pillow tighter. I was just going to ignore her, that's what I was going to do.

“Well, sometimes we go skating with the youth group at church. We also go to the library with our friends for afterschool activities,” said Tionna.

I couldn't see her, since I was ignoring her, but I could tell she had her nose all turned up just by the way she sounded. “Church group and the library? Please.
You are as whack as this town. I am going to have to liven you girls up!” Jayla said.

Okay, that was it. My momma and grandma was just going to have to be mad at me. I'd had enough.

“We are fine just the way we are. We don't need any help from you!” I yelled.

“Obviously, you do!” Jayla screamed right back. “You whack. Your town is whack! And you can have all the nice stuff in the world, and you still gonna be whack.”

“Then why don't you get out!” I shouted.

“Girls, are you okay? What is all that noise up there?” Grandma Bessie yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

Tionna stuck her head out the door. “Nothing, Grandma. We're fine.”

“Well, come on down so we can eat,” Grandma called.

Jayla and I stared each other down. Finally, I said, “Let's just go downstairs and get this fake dinner over with. The sooner she is gone, the better.”

I pushed past Jayla and headed downstairs.

Chapter 2

I had tried to put Jayla out of my mind. I knew my first reaction to her was right on the money.

We were back at school and Tionna and I were excited because some of the kids in our youth ministry went to Monroe Middle School. Teresa and Valarie James were twins and the coolest seventh graders at the school. They were very popular. Both of them were cheerleaders and on the dance ministry at church and lived on the same street that we lived on. They also were Tionna's and my best friends.

“How are you chicks enjoying your first day of being hall monitors?” said Teresa after hugging me and Tionna.

“There are so many people here. I hope I don't get anyone lost,” said Tionna, looking around the hallway, which had students running everywhere.

I was just about to say something when I was distracted by another sight - Jayla. I hadn't seen her since that day at my house last week. My grandmother had asked me if I'd called her, but I kept making up excuses.

Jayla came walking through the door wearing a black tutu skirt and pink glitter Toms that matched her shirt.

“Hey, isn't that the girl that is staying with Mrs. Lois? She is rocking that outfit,” Vanessa said.

“Yeah,” Tionna said. “That's her.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.

“Girl, what is wrong with you?” Vanessa asked.

Tionna said, “Jayla and Jazz don't like each other.”

“Who is Jayla?” the twins asked at the same time.