Poisoned Lips

14: Anger

“Don’t be silly!”

“I’m telling you, Freyja, I can hear the ants talk,” Zarra whispered, yanking Freyja to sit on the humid grass. “Listen.”

Freyja strained her ears to the tree bark, hearing nothing but the buzz of bees above. She adjusted her face mask. “There’s nothing.”

“There is.” Her friend gasped dramatically, the wind tossing her hair around. Her green eyes shone with laughter. “They say you stink!”

“Zarra!” Freyja exclaimed, shoving her friend. 

Zarra laughed loudly while Freyja huffed angrily.

“I’m telling your dad!"

“Fine, fine! You don’t stink. You smell.” A screeching sound left her mouth as Freyja pounced on her.

She pinned Zarra’s shoulder to the ground and narrowed her eyes. “I do not stink.”

Zarra wiggled out of Freyja’s grasp, the laughter gone from her eyes. The girls scrambled to their feet, imitating the fight stance they’d seen their parents do. Freyja placed one of her legs forward and balled her fists in front of her face. Zarra did the same. 

Freyja screamed as Zarra landed a punch to her stomach. With tears threatening to spill, Freya shoved her friend with all of her energy. Her breaths were short, and her vision blurry with tears. Anger blinded her as she attacked Zarra with closed eyes, her movements rapid and child-like. 

“I hate you!” Zarra screamed.

Just then, their parents rushed out of the small house. Winn grabbed Zarra and Cozbi, Freyja. The latter snatched her wrists from her mother’s grasp and walked to Zarra, scowling. The adults watched with a hawk gaze. Freyja whispered in her ears, “I hate you too.”

She brushed past her and stormed away. But her mother dragged her back to the scene of the fight.

Panting, the girls glared at each other.

“What happened?” Winn asked.

“She started it!” They exclaimed.

“You girls are only seven. You should not be throwing punches! Winn, see, this is what I warned you about... Now, what happened, girls?”

“She pushed me and held me to the ground. It’s her fault.” Zarra cried.

“You told me that I stink!”

The adults sighed. Cozbi crouched in front of her daughter, looking tired. “How many times will I tell you to control your temper, Freyja? Look at what happened. You hit your friend. All for what? Because you were angry?”

Freyja stared at the grass, the wind carrying her anger as it passed her. She crossed her arms.

“Apologize to her.”

Freyja shook her head.

“Okay,” Her mother said. She grabbed her arms and took her to a room, closing her inside. 

“You’re not coming out till you both apologize to each other!” Winn yelled from outside.

Freyja turned her back to Zarra with a huff.

They sat in silence for minutes until Freyja sighed. She should not have attacked her friend.

“I’m sorry, Zarra.”