My favorite item Part 2

 A simply case of envy.

Roscoe O'Malley and Jayden Prince were sitting outside during their break. It was a sunny day. "What do you have for lunch?" Jayden asked. "Don't know. Daddy wanted to surprise me. What about you?" "Mommy has made me a ham sandwich. Look she gave me some cherry tomatoes and a carrot cake." Roscoe said: "That's yummy." "Let's see what your Daddy has packed." When Roscoe opened his lunch box, Jayden was envied as always. Jayden thought Roscoe's lunch looked more appetizing, was tastier and more varied than his own.

There was a small tub with a red liquid, a double decker sandwich, star shaped, filled with cucumber and mild cheddar cheese, two little fruit skewers and another small pot with a berry coulis. There was also a plastic spoon, a napkin and a small folded paper. Either Roscoe's mother or stepfather left a note for Roscoe. Sometimes it was joke, a drawing or just to tell him they loved him.

"Oh, it's gazpacho." Roscoe was delighted. "Want to try?" Roscoe offered. Jayden refused. He was piqued.

Jayden was still feeling jealous, when they returned to their class room. Knowing Roscoe's weak points, Jayden was going to push all the right buttons to upset Roscoe. "You are a big story teller. My Mommy would say a liar." "I haven't been lying!" Roscoe protested. "Oh, I don't believe you were to Spain. No American is there. They all make vacations in the Caribbean or Mexico or maybe Canada, if they are not in America, but not Spain. And your step daddy is not really a writer. Come on, tell the truth!" Roscoe bit hard on his lower lip. "But..." "And your step daddy doesn't care or loves you. He simply pretends. All step daddies and stepchildren have bad relations. Step daddies don't like their new wife's kids, because they aren't their real ones." "My Daddy loves me. I'm sure." Roscoe replied stubborn, but sounded insecure. "Ah, you're such a baby. He doesn't." Jayden laughed. Roscoe saw red. He had his experience with violence. His biological father had smacked him a few times lightly and once really hard in the face. Roscoe had also seen his father threaten to kill his mother and seconds later punched her in the face. Later he witnessed a fight between his stepfather and step uncle. It was about Alyssa. Roscoe's stepfather explained afterwards it had been wrong and apologized to his brother in front of Roscoe and Tina.

Based on what he had experienced, he tackled Jayden; both were rolling on the floor and trying to gain the upper hand. Jayden had been surprised, how Roscoe reacted and how strong his friend was. Their class mates weren't a big help. They fired on their favorite, until the teacher arrived and separated the two little boys. The teacher was lecturing them both. Roscoe and Jayden found themselves waiting in front of the principal’s office.

End of Part 2.

©2011