The TimberWolf Effect (Book I)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Childhood Memories

"I think you look like you're swimming in it," said Xianna. "Orion said the white makes the race more fun."

"I don't understand, but whatever," said Ashley. "Oh my goodness! Gina!"

Gina was coming over to them with her hair in fluffy pigtails instead of the cornrows that Timber and the rest of them were used to seeing her with.

"Wow, Gina!" cried Timber. "You look fantastic!"

"Can we touch your hair?" asked Xianna and Gina laughed and nodded.

"They're so cute!" said Ashley. "Your pigtails look like giant pom-poms!"

"I love it!" said Kendra.

"Thanks, guys!" said Gina.

"Why did you get rid of the braids?" asked Timber.

"Do you remember when Dad and I had dinner with you and your family?" Gina asked Timber.

"Yeah."

"Your aunt showed me the oldest picture she had of one of my ancestors," said Gina. "She was my age and she looked so much like me. She wore her hair like this. It took me a while to get brave enough to try it."

"Well we love it!" said Kendra. "Oh, I brought my jump ropes. My extra-long ones."

"Double Dutch anyone?" challenged Xianna.

"Show me how and I'll play," said Timber.

"It's just like regular jump rope but harder because there are two ropes," said Kendra.

"Alright, I'll jump with Xianna," said Timber. "Are we doing it to Cinderella?"

"Absolutely," said Gina.

So Gina and Ashley each grabbed an end of the ropes and began. Timber watched the ropes and waited. She found the rhythm and jumped in at the same time as Xianna. They skipped, clapped their hands together, and chanted.

"Cinderella, dressed in yella, went to the ball to kiss a fella. Made a mistake and kissed a snake. How many doctors did it take?"

Xianna and Timber skipped and twirled between the two ropes. They had gained a small audience. The pair made it up to thirty before Timber tripped over a rope. The crowd cheered and laughed. Timber grinned and Xianna laughed.

The bell rang loudly and everyone on the playground made their way to where they needed to be. When Timber walked into the classroom, she was surprised to see it decorated as though they were having a party. Colorful streamers were stretched and twisted from every corner of the room, and Timber's nose picked up chocolate chip cookies from Mrs. Gibney's desk. The student desks had even been moved to form a circle encompassing the entire room. She could not hide her smile even if she wanted to.

"Good morning," said Mrs. Gibney. "I hope everyone is looking forward to Field Day. Now, you're not going out to the field until 9:30 so we have some time to spend here before then."

She grabbed a stack of white paper and set it on her desk. Then she pulled out a boom box.

"I'm going to give each of you a sheet of paper. Your job is to start drawing anything you want. When I change the song, give your paper to the person on your right. They will continue working on what you started how they want. In the end, we'll see how every creation turns out."

Timber got out her box of crayons and waited for her sheet of paper. After everyone had crayons and paper in front of them, Mrs. Gibney turned on the music. Timber started to draw the first thing that came to mind; a portrait of a happy five-year-old with bouncy blonde pigtails. Timber had just finished Emily's face and hair when the song changed and she passed the bodiless portrait to her classmate Whitney and received a drawing of a car from her classmate José.