So, the morning started with someone new joining our little group at nursery, a girl called Emily. She was around our age, but honestly, she stood out quite a lot. Her dress didnt quite fit right, full of visible patches, and her auburn hair was pulled back with a tired old ribbon. Emily had these huge green eyes that always seemed somehow sad. Later, I heard that she came from a tough homejust her dad raising her, her mum nowhere in the picture, and life was definitely not easy for them.
Among us were the twins, Sophie and Chloe. Sophie was always pretty normal, but Chloe she was honestly a nightmare. Shed shamelessly break other kids toys and not even care. Being the daughter of the nursery manager made her feel untouchable, and she absolutely loved it. Chloe targeted Emily almost every dayshed kick her, spoil her lunch at snack time, and even pull her hair. Emily would just quietly suffer, tearing up now and then and keeping to herself in the corner. Some of us tried sticking up for her, but it usually just ended in us getting told off by the teacher, because Chloe was never in trouble.
But then, on Emilys birthday, she came in wearing the most beautiful brand-new dress. It was this delicate shade of pink that made her look absolutely radiant, shimmering with different tones as the light hit it. The hem of the dress was decorated with tiny gems that glimmered every time she moved, and everyone couldnt help but compliment her and admire how wonderful she looked.
The twins watched all this unfold from the corner, their silence revealing just how annoyed they were. Emily was glowing, her green eyes sparkling happily for once. While playing outside, she did her best to avoid the sandpit so her dress wouldnt get dirty. We all got so caught up in our games that we lost sight of her for just a moment. Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out, snapping us to attention. There was Emily, drenched and with her new dress torn to pieces. Chloe stood over her, cackling spitefully. Emily broke down in tears, completely inconsolable, already imagining how disappointed her dad would be about the ruined dress. Youre just a beggar, not a princess! Chloe sneered.
Watching this happen really hit me hard. I saw the pain of this small, vulnerable girl whose special day had been destroyed. It stuck with me ever since, and made me promise myself never to be the cause of someone elses pain.
