{"id":35419,"date":"2021-05-28T21:07:49","date_gmt":"2021-05-28T21:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jaimirahulkrutipatel.com\/blogs\/?p=35419"},"modified":"2021-05-28T22:00:24","modified_gmt":"2021-05-28T22:00:24","slug":"family-story-by-kruti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/jaimirahulkrutipatel.com\/blogs\/?p=35419","title":{"rendered":"“Family” Story by Kruti!!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Family<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

By Kruti Patel<\/b><\/h3>\n

Chapter 1<\/b><\/p>\n

Art. The thing that makes me feel better. I stroke my paintbrush on the canvas gently. I dip it into the red paint can and mix the red paint with the navy blue paint. I apply my beautiful blended color onto the canvas as the sky and color in strokes of green to resemble the green grass on the meadows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When everyone finishes painting their pieces, Ms. Art, the art teacher, announces, \u201cAlright, everyone! Now, we shall present our paintings that we did today!\u201d Lexi sneers and says, \u201cThis time, Katsina, <\/span>I <\/span><\/i>shall win that art award for today!\u201d I just shun her comment. Lexi does this ALL of the time, but the surprise is that she never wins it. At all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ms. Art first calls on me to present. I grin with pride and proceed to the front of the art class to show everyone my artwork. \u201cThis,\u201d I gesture to my painting\u2019s meadow. \u201cThis is where my mom, Dad, and I used to go to have a relaxing picnic.\u201d I sigh. I painted my mom to remind me of the fun we used to have,\u201d I continue. Then I talk about the sunset and how it reminds me of my mom\u2019s clothes she used to wear.<\/span><\/p>\n

That day, I win the art award for most creativity, and Lexi gets-you guessed it-zip awards. None at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I come home from school by bike, I greet Sophie, my fun, humorous babysitter. She always finds ways to calm me down when I am angry, cheers me up when I am sad, and tells the best jokes in the world! Seriously, they are better than my dad, and his jokes are a hoot!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sophie says, \u201cHey! I fixed up some lunch for you!\u201d Oh, and did I mention that Sophie makes the best food in the universe? Yep. Her food is so good, everyone who eats it always asks for more. When I take a bite of her salad she prepared for me, my eyes light up. \u201cWow, this is amazing!\u201d I gobble her delicious salad in a few minutes. \u201cWow, either you were hungry as a bear or you couldn\u2019t <\/span>bear <\/span><\/i>my food! Get it?\u201d Sophie jokes, and I giggle.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I go to bed that night, I dream about my mom walking toward me, hugging me, embracing me, and telling how well I\u2019m doing in school. Then she disappears, and I cry in my dream. Don\u2019t even get me started on what nightmares I\u2019ve had about my mother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The next day, I wake up, eat my breakfast, brush my teeth, wash myself, and comb my hair. I go outside the door and say goodbye to Dad and Sophie. \u201cBye, pumpkin!\u201d Dad exclaims after me. I rush to school by foot. I do this usually because school is very close by, like it\u2019s actually next door to me! Like the school is my neighbor! Well, it technically is, because when I walk out of my house, I literally see it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In art class, my teacher says, \u201cToday, we shall paint an underwater scene!\u201d I glance at Lexi, who is sneering. Again. I give her the Are-You-Serious-? look. \u201cHey, paint-girl, just wanted to let you know, <\/span>just <\/span><\/i>because you won that dumb award yesterday doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019ll win it <\/span>today<\/span><\/i>!\u201d Lexi laughs. My face turning red, I grab a canvas from the shelf and start painting a beautiful ocean with people on a cruise ship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Those people weren\u2019t anonymous. They were my family and me. I love to give my paintings a little touch of expressiveness and style in a loving way. It\u2019s just how I do things. I peek over at Lexi\u2019s painting. I hate to admit it, but the fact that her painting is definitely beautiful and elegant is too obvious to notice. Her shining coral looks so bright, not even the sun could beat them in a glitter race!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I look at my painting before she notices me glimpsing at her painting. When everyone is finished, I stare at my work. I could have done better, but I haven\u2019t seen the ocean often. I still remember when my mom and dad were prohibiting me from going near the water. The only times I went near water were when taking showers, going on picnics with Mom and Dad, and on cruises, which we only went on, oh right, zero times. So never mind cruises!!!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I grumble at the end of the day, because guess what? Ms. Perfect-at-Painting-Oceans, A.K.A Lexi, receives the Creativity Award, which is the only one. I can\u2019t believe it! My whole head is filled with negative thoughts, like \u201cYou\u2019re bad at drawing oceans.\u201d When I come home, Sophie is there. She says, \u201cWhat\u2019s up? You look like you had a bad day.\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d I sigh, sitting on the sofa. \u201cThat\u2019s <\/span>exactly <\/span><\/i>what happened! Lexi beat me in art and got the award!\u201d Sophie plops down on the couch with me. \u201cAnd you didn\u2019t?\u201d I shake my head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cListen, I\u2019ll get you ice cream today, \u2018kay?\u201d Sophie offers.<\/span><\/p>\n

I grin a wide smile. \u201cOkay! Oh, and, um, can we please go to Applegate?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmmm\u2026.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?\u201d I plead eagerly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHmmm\u2026.\u201d Sophie jokes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, Sophie!!!\u201d I exclaim.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay, kiddo! Let\u2019s go, then!\u201d Sophie finally shouts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYay!!!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeep! Beep!\u201d My alarm sings.\u00a0 Another new day. I push a button, but it still doesn\u2019t turn off. I sit up in bed and then push the correct button to shut it down. I rush downstairs and quickly eat my breakfast, which is cereal with cold milk. \u201cSlow down!\u201d Sophie, my babysitter, exclaims. \u201cI can\u2019t!\u201d I exclaim. \u201cI have school today!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re soooooooo early! How could you want to go to school right <\/span>now<\/span><\/i>??\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I do.\u201d And with that, I take another big gulp of my cereal and swallow it down. I finish much earlier than I usually do and walk to school. (Not that I have to do much walking!) I open the door and go inside for reading class.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkayyyyy, class! Today, your novel study was due. Sooooooooo…let\u2019s go over that,\u201d the teacher announces. Someone asks, \u201cAre we doing it on <\/span>From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler<\/span><\/i>?\u201d \u201cRight-oh!\u201d the teacher confirms. \u201cNow, who would like to tell us the characters?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

My hand shoots up, but then I see her: Lexi. She is looking so beautiful in her fine dress. Ugh. Such a show-off! She\u2019s <\/span>still<\/span><\/i> not over that winning-the-art-trophy-thingie?! Lexi\u2019s hand raises as well, but luckily, my teacher, Mr. Beningwell, calls on me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I say, \u201cThe characters in this story are Claudia, Jaimie, Herbert, Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid, Steve, and Kevin. Here is my plot summary.\u201d And I tell them all about Claudia\u2019s plans to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and all the other stuff that happened in the first two chapters. \u201cVery good!\u201d Mr. Beningwell compliments. \u201cNow, we <\/span>will <\/span><\/i>have a test on these two chapters, okay? So, study, study, study!!!\u201d Everyone groans, including me. Okay, I like reading, but art is my favorite subject of all time. And when I say <\/span>all<\/span><\/i>, I mean <\/span>all <\/span><\/i>all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When all of us get out of the classroom, it\u2019s music. I grab my instrument case with a violin inside from my locker. I rush to music class immediately and sit next to my bestest best friend, Zaira. \u201cWant to have a sleepover at my house tonight, Kat-Kat?\u201d she asks when I sit down next to her.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSure! I\u2019d love to come!\u201d I whisper. \u201cClass! Pay attention! Please shush and stop talking!\u201d the music teacher, Ms. Concerto says. \u201cKatsina, would you like to play some violin pieces that you learned?\u201d \u201cOf course!\u201d I exclaim. I like music as well as art and reading.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I grab my violin and bow and walk to the front of the class. So many people. It\u2019s like I\u2019m on a stage, with a spotlight on me. I close my eyes and start playing. Before I know it, my fingers and bow start moving rapidly on the violin, and I am playing a festive song. When I open my eyes again, I see everyone clapping and cheering. I blush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter 2<\/b><\/p>\n

After all of my other classes, lunch, and rude notes from Lexi, it\u2019s art class. \u201cToday,\u201d Ms. Art says. \u201cToday is the day that we\u2019re going to paint the scenery of the land!\u201d Lexi looks nervous. I wonder why\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

I start right away and paint some grass, an elegant sunset, birds chirping and tweeting their songs, and tall trees with their leafy branches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I look over at Lexi\u2019s, however, I see she is drawing…people on boats catching mermaids with nets?? I continue with my painting anyways. When Ms. Art says it\u2019s time to present our paintings, Lexi gets a <\/span>I-hope-I\u2019ll-get-the-best-painting!<\/span><\/i> look on her face.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Lexi presents her painting, everyone stares at it, a bit confused. Even Ms. Art, who says everyone\u2019s art is unique in its own way, looks skeptical about its magic. Her face says, \u201cNo, that is the worst painting. Get it out of my face!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUhhh\u2026\u201d Lexi stammers. Her face is as red as a tomato, but not out of anger. Out of embarrassment. That\u2019s the first time Lexi Larrington is embarrassed. I shall never forget this moment. \u201cUmm, sooooo\u2026.this is the painting I drew\u2026\u201d She stares down at her feet, looking nervous. Finally, after what feels like forever, Lexi clears her throat and says meekly, \u201cUmm…so, I, um, painted this, uh, picture, and I, like, used my brush.\u201d She uses a pretend paintbrush and pretends to paint with it. She dips it in imaginary paint. No one speaks. (Insert cricket sounds.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Then Ms. Art speaks. \u201cExcuse me, Ms. Larrington, but <\/span>please<\/span><\/i> don\u2019t waste time. It\u2019s almost time for you to be dismissed from class and picked up by your parents.\u201d That just makes ole Lexi <\/span>more<\/span><\/i> anxious and worried about what she was going to say about her painting. So she blurts out something even <\/span>I <\/span><\/i>don\u2019t understand, and I\u2019m used to nonsense! Lexi blabs, \u201cReeeeeeeeeeeee!!!\u201d Ms. Art says that it\u2019s time our parents pick us up from school, and so Lexi\u2019s speech is over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone, including me, rushes out of the art room. Ms. Art calls for Lexi. Lexi stops and goes into the art room, forgetting to close the door. I hide so I can\u2019t be seen and press my ear against the wall. This is what I hear:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLexi, <\/span>what <\/span><\/i>is the matter today? First you write mean notes to Katsina, and now\u2026\u201d Ms. Art sighs. \u201cI just don\u2019t get it! Am I going to have to call your parents, Lexi Larrington?!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, no! You can\u2019t!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not? Is there something wrong that you\u2019d wish to tell me?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUhhh…nope! Everything\u2019s fine!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Ms. Art asks, being skeptical.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYep!\u201d Lexi gives a thumbs-up and a super duper fake smile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOkay\u2026\u201d Ms. Art sighs in defeat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I hear Lexi walking out, so I quickly hide where the door is going to close. Lexi closes the door, and I decide to spy on her to see what\u2019s going on with her. I follow her secretly and find hiding spots to watch her. Lexi goes out of the school building, and I follow her.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And she leads me to a…pond? I hide behind a thick tree. Lexi looks around to see if anyone is eavesdropping or spying on her, but she possibly approves that no one\u2019s here. (Well, except for me, but she doesn\u2019t know! Probably…)<\/span><\/p>\n

Lexi dives into the pond. Wait, what?! I try to restrain myself from shouting, \u201cWHAT ARE YOU DOING? Are you CRAZY?!!!\u201d Then, trying to hold in a gasp, I look and catch sight of a sparkly mermaid tail. <\/span>So, <\/span><\/i>I think inside my head. <\/span>Either Lexi\u2019s a mermaid, or that\u2019s <\/span><\/i>my <\/span>Millie the Mermaid.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Chapter 3<\/b><\/p>\n

I figure that I wouldn\u2019t possibly have imaginary friends at age 10, so the logic shows right there: Lexi\u2019s a mermaid. I just cannot admit the fact that mean old snobby Lexi would actually be a mermaid. Not thinking twice, I jump into the pond. (Yeah, maybe I should\u2019ve thought more about that move.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know how I\u2019m not dead…because it\u2019s not logically possible for me to be breathing underwater!!! Unless I\u2019m a mermaid…which I am not. Oh, hold on, I stand corrected! I try to flip my legs, which aren\u2019t limbs anymore, but they\u2019re in the form of a tail. A mermaid tail, to be exact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Okay! I know I\u2019m a mermaid, who can happen to run into anything,<\/span><\/i> I think inside my head. <\/span>But if I\u2019m a mermaid…can I have special zappy powers?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

I wave my hands. Nothing happens. POURQUOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII???? \u201cI just need to find Lexi,\u201d I say. I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m actually <\/span>saying <\/span><\/i>this, but I am concerned about Lexi right now. I swim around for a short time, and then I notice a little cottage. Huh? I knock on the door, and Lexi comes out…as a mermaid. She looks very surprised when she sees my mermaid tail and me. \u201cKatsina?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s me!\u201d I exclaim. \u201cHow. Are. You. A. Mermaid?\u201d Lexi\u2019s mouth hangs open wide. I dunno. I guess I\u2019m just related to a mermai-\u201c \u201cListen, I didn\u2019t tell you this before, but\u2026\u201d Lexi pauses. \u201cYour mom is a mermaid, and she\u2019s still alive. In fact, she\u2019s ruler of the sea!\u201d Now it\u2019s my turn for my jaw to drop. My mind is literally blown. \u201cHow could that be?? Didn\u2019t she…pass away or something?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lexi gives me an obvious look that that\u2019s <\/span>not <\/span><\/i>the case. \u201cWell,\u201d I respond. \u201cLet\u2019s go find her!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Chapter 4<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I can lead the way,\u201d Lexi then blushes and blurts out quickly, \u201cI\u2019m-sorry-for-teasing-you-all-these-years-it\u2019s-so-hard-to-keep-a-secret-about-being-a-mermaid!!!\u201d \u201cIt is okay. I know you\u2019re envious and jealous of me because my mom, apparently, is the queen of the sea,\u201d I reply. \u201cSo, can we become besties again?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeahhhhh\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c…what did you do?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook…don\u2019t be mad\u2026.but I, um, when you played that piece on the violin, I kinda…sorta\u2026.cut the strings.\u201d She takes a violin out of her bag with broken strings. \u201cOh no\u2026\u201d I cry. \u201cThis…THIS WAS MY FAVORITE INSTRUMENT!!! My mom owned this and then passed it down to me!!!!!\u201d I perch on a nearby rock and flip my tail rapidly, causing a lot of bubbles floating around us.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWait! You didn\u2019t hear me out!\u201d She gets another violin from her bag. \u201cI got this…for you,\u201d she says sweetly. I immediately hug her and grasp the violin and bow. \u201cThank you,\u201d I reply. \u201cNow, shall we proceed?\u201d Lexi nods.<\/span><\/p>\n

We swim as fast as we can, Lexi leading the way. Surprisingly, now I\u2019m a bit fond of Lexi as a friend. It doesn\u2019t feel weird or strange. At all!!!!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/span><\/p>\n

We reach Mom\u2019s castle. \u201cOh my gosh, it really <\/span>is <\/span><\/i>fancy and fit for a queen!\u201d I exclaim. \u201cBut…no security.\u201d \u201cExcuse me?\u201d a voice asks, causing me to think that there <\/span>is <\/span><\/i>security. \u201cOh, welcome Lexi! And who is thi-\u201c he pauses. \u201cOh, are you the queen\u2019s daughter?\u201d \u201cYesssss\u2026\u201d I reply. \u201cCome with me!\u201d the guard answers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We swim with the guard, and he leads us to a room with my mom sitting on a throne. \u201cMom!!\u201d I cry. \u201cKatsina? Is that you?\u201d she asks, getting up from her throne. \u201cHiiiiii!!!\u201d I hug my mom. I finally am reunited with my mom!!!! \u201cHow did you find me?\u201d Mom asks. \u201cWith the help of a friend of mine,\u201d I answer and pull Lexi into the conversation. \u201cHi!\u201d Lexi waves. \u201cWait, you two know each other?\u201d I ask, confused. \u201cOf course!\u201d Lexi explains to me that her father knows the queen since they work together in a jewelry shop called \u201cMermaid Magic\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat explains <\/span>soooo<\/span><\/i> much,\u201d I say. Mom says that we should devour lunch in her private room, and we do. We feast on cakes, milk, and seaweed sandwiches. I ask, \u201cWhy did you leave home, Mom? I mean, didn\u2019t you enjoy life there?\u201d \u201cWell, Katsina, I wanted to leave home on land because I was getting homesick. I was missing my family in the sea,\u201d Mom replies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut don\u2019t worry,\u201d Mom assures me. \u201cI can, and will be, there for you.\u201d \u201cI have <\/span>one <\/span><\/i>more question before I go, though,\u201d I say. \u201cWho said anything about going?\u201d Mom asks. \u201cAnyway, I wanted to ask: why is my name Katsina?\u201d I question.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOhhhh, that? It\u2019s just…you are named after the kraken!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut wh-\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

“We can\u2019t go into discussion about it. But anyway, Katsina, I wanted to ask if you and your dad would like to live with me. You could go to a mermaid school!!!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I suddenly feel <\/span>so <\/span><\/i>happy! Mermaid school?? A dream come true, that is! \u201cYes, I\u2019d love to!\u201d I exclaim. \u201cGreat, I will enroll you at the greatest school in the sea: Mermaid Miracles Academy!\u201d I grin.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..<\/span><\/p>\n

When I get back to land, I sit on the ground and think about life, family, and art. In some way, art is like love. It gives a spark to you, and it allows you to connect with others and share interests. \u201cMermaid school will be awesome,\u201d I say to myself. And I am positive about that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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