it was a normal day, until someone (one of your mom’s friends or a coworker she was impressing) had bumped into you and made you drop your lipstick. It had been a gift from your father, who was never around. He was always traveling. The gifts were the only connection you had to him. You wished he were there more, as he was more understanding than your mom. Your mom believed everyone had to be a straight Christian, but your dad supported anything. He had even let you start soccer, which your mother would’ve never approved. It was especially good when he was there because you could have Petunia over then. She was your best friend, but your mom would never approve of her. Petunia was a huge tomboy, the one who got you into soccer, and she was Jewish (not a traditional Jew, mainly just with Jewish heritage and practiced multiple gods) and proud of that. And she always said “oh Gods”, and not “God”. She never said it singular, unless referred to a specific god that she believed in. It was great when you could have her over too, cause you’d be lying if you said you didn’t have a crush on her. You didn’t know how she felt back though. So you simply stayed silent

when it broke, your heart did too. He hadn’t sent anything in so long. And she hadn’t even apologized! So you were sitting at the edge of the pool, looking into the water with your feet dipped in. Petunia was next to you, standing with her arm on top your head like you were an armrest. She was just chewing on a carrot while you stared at the broken bits you could salvage of the lipstick.