I: No problem.
M: You said she’s seven now?

T: Yep! It’s kind of sad.
B: ...sad?

T: She couldn’t find any kids at her school to invite so she invited you guys.

I: Hey! Don’t say that! Especially not about your own sister.

B: You shouldn’t say that at all.

M: And we’re her friends, too. And I think she does have friends at her school.
T: I didn’t say anything wrong! I said it was sad and it is sad! If she had friends, they’d come to her birthday. Friends come to birthdays.

B: We’re going to her birthday now, so that makes us her friends then.

“You can start grading the feta, sweetheart.” I went to the kitchen island and grabbed the cheese sitting on a chopping board. I began to grate the cheese.

“Honey, you need to be gentle. The cheese isn't going anywhere, I promise.”

I felt like I was suffocating next to her, waiting for an insult to come rushing out. Once I was done, I ate a piece of cheese.

“Sweetheart, please wait to eat when the salad is done.”

“Mom, it's not like we don't have a whole block of cheese grated. I'll be fine.”

She put her knife down.

“It's not the cheese I am concerned about, it's you. Did you wash your hands before coming down?” I stared at her and realized that she was serious. 

“Of course I did mom. Do you need me to wash them again in front of you?”

“ Honey, no need to be sarcastic with me. I just asked you a simple question. Sanitation is important, especially in the kitchen.” She was irritated with me now.

“Next time, mother, don't ask me to cook with you,” I snarled. “Actually, don't ask me to do anything with you, since you can't seem to keep all the judgment away. “
- lauren

“Of course, anytime!” He replied. “So where are we headed?”

“Down 4th street next to that run down building on Willow road, you know it?”

“Yeah, I drive by there on my way to work.”

“Good,” she says, tossing him the keys.

“Oh, I’m driving?” He raises his eyebrows and nods slightly.

She rolls her eyes, “obviously.”

Once they get to Willow road, he saw the graveyard next to the dilapidated house. 

“What are we doing here?” He questions.

“Just follow me,” she hops out of the car and walks over to the gate. 

Hesitant, he treads behind her as they walk up to a rather large gravestone.

“You know this guy?” He jokes, laughing under his breath, fear on his tongue.

“Yes.” She ignores the joke.

Taken aback, he says “um, I don’t know about this.”

“C'mon it'll be easy. Just one thing and we’re outta here,” she shrugs him off.

She pulls out a shovel and he backs away, starting to run out of the graveyard.

“Hey! Where are you going? I need a ride back home!” she yells after him.

He stops and watches her as she takes flowers out of her back pocket and starts digging a small hole near the edge of the gravestone. She plants the flowers and pats it down, getting out her water bottle and giving the plants some water. He lets out a huge breath of air as she runs toward him and claps his back. 

“You were so scared,” she laughs. “Cmon, let’s go!”

“Oh, nothing. Just some beans I bought the other day.”

Jane paused. She grew pale, and a panicked expression slowly crept onto her face. “Wait… they weren’t magic beans, were they?” 

I was taken aback. “Why yes, that’s what the guy told me. How did you kn-”

We were interrupted by a loud cracking sound in the distance. I spun around, only to face the largest plant I had ever seen in my life. 

Its stem was the width of five tree trunks, its leaves were the size of a human head, and it sprouted curly tendrils that seemed to stretch out for miles and miles. Its giant roots had nearly split the ground in two, and as I gazed at the beanstalk, I realized it was growing right out of the spot where I had buried my treasure just days ago.

- Sophia