8
439words
I glance at the director.He rumbles, “Most balls wins.”
I tell Ryan to hug the wall,take a deep breath,and dive.
Three seconds later,Lily screams, “What—what are you doing?Left,go left!”
Ethan,spooked: “Something’s grabbing my ankle!”
In the chaos,I yank Ethan,nearly splitting him,toppling Lily into the water.
Life vests had them up floating,Lily’s balls are scattering.
I yell for Chloe to grab them.
Chloe hollers, “Whoa,you can play like that?”
Lily”s livid.
I sweep balls toward Chloe with my arms.
Then I mess with Ethan and Lily.
They’re no match for me in water.
Comments clash:
[Pearl!My sister just broke your basket.You know how hard she worked for those balls?]
[Sure,you lost a leg,but she lost love!Way less effort than breaking a basket!]
[Why mess with Ethan?He can’t swim!]
[He’s got a life vest.Ever heard of teammates?]
[Pearl didn’t keep any balls herself.Why target her?]
[That basket can hold anything?]
[Who broke it?Got nerve?]
Chloe and Jake’s team wins.
Ryan and I,and Ethan and Lily,get zero balls.
We share fast food on a hilltop.
Chloe and Jake dine amid bulbs,flowers,and candles,sipping wine,eating steak.
Ryan’s down since losing,poking at his burger: “Sorry,girl,no lux dinner.”
I was busy chewing,barely responding.
Burgers?Heavenly!Worth it!
I finish,still hungry.
Ryan’s still down.
I cut in: “Still want your burger?”
He shakes his head.I snatch them,devouring.
“Girl,I’ll make it up with the biggest dinner!”
The next days go smoothly.
Guest stars come and go.Final day arrives.
System pesters me,but I shut it down.
What a stupid choice of target.Sacrificing pride to suck up to someone, just so they could like you?
Why bother?
Final day’s free time.
I slip away to where we started.
Lush grass,blue sky,white clouds.
Pelican pals pecking left and right,chilling.
Footsteps stop behind me.
"Girl, what’s on your mind?”
I answer seriously: “Wondering if being a pelican or human’s better.”
Ryan sits down beside be: “Pelicans and humans live about the same,but humans eat way more stuff.”
“Like bacons.”
“Like pasta.”
“Like fries.”
I was drooling again.
Ryan’s hands start trembling.
“Will you let me share these foods with you?”
I nod wildly: “Yes,yes!Call Chloe—she’s always bragging about how rich she is.She pays!”
Ryan clutches his chest,collapsing: “Go back to being a pelican.”
Post-show,I see Lisa again.
She hugs me,thrilled: “Pearl,your rep’s flipped!Tons of comments online praise you!”
“Fans are growing,projects are rolling in.Pick one!”
I push the tablet away,gazing deep: “I’m...eating bacon first!”
I dash to Ryan and Chloe,waving.
Lisa,about to roll her eyes,spots Chloe and beams: “Bacon’s great...bacon;s great!”
That night,after much learning,I manage post on Twitter:
“Staying human for now.It’s pretty good.”
