HOME | DD

Description
Tahira's steps were purposeful as she headed down the sidewalk. A foot of snow covered the town and still more fell, but she didn't mind the cold or the wet. No, she was safer in it than she was at home.

She clutched the carefully wrapped gift tighter against her chest. The two of them had never spoken, but she knew that he was worse off than her. Hers was not what a home should be, but she had parents, and she had a friend. Now he would have a friend too.

The orphanage came into view, and her blue eyes landed on it with a sad smile. Children's home—a nicer name, but Tahira knew what it actually meant. She paused on the top step, her bare hand posed in the air. What would the other kids think if he received a special gift from her and they didn't? But she did not have means to give gifts to them all, and he needed this.

The young girl, a teen behind her innocent appearance, knocked on the door, and then waited for the space of a moment before the door opened up to reveal a plump woman whose hair was just starting to turn grey.

"Oh, hello," she said with a start as she looked down at Tahira. Then she looked past the girl, as if searching for an adult, but Tahira had come alone.

"This is for Thomas," she said as she held up the small present, wrapped in soft blue paper with yet softer snow falling down it, landing around the skating penguins. A large red bow, slightly smooshed, rested on the top left corner. "It's not much, but I think that he needs it."

The woman's eyes widened, and then she hurriedly stepped back, gesturing for Tahira to step in out of the cold. "Come inside. I'll warm up some hot chocolate for you and you can deliver the present personally."

The young girl smiled as she stepped inside, making sure to slip off her ragged tennis shoes at the entrance. She knew how mad it made people, for tracking water and mud all over, and then she was dashing after the woman.

"I don't want anybody else to be there, though," she said as they made their way to the kitchen. "I don't have gifts for the others, and I don't want them to feel bad."

"Of course."

With the hot chocolate warming up her stiff body, she was ready to greet Thomas with a smile when the timid boy walked inside.

"I have a gift for you," she said as she slid off of the chair and grabbed onto her small package. She held out the gift, and he flinched back. "Don't worry," she said to him. "I know what it's like, and I won't ever hurt you. I want to be your friend."

For the first time ever, she saw him smile, and she smiled as well.

"Merry Christmas."

Description
Tahira's steps were purposeful as she headed down the sidewalk. A foot of snow covered the town and still more fell, but she didn't mind the cold or the wet. No, she was safer in it than she was at home.

She clutched the carefully wrapped gift tighter against her chest. The two of them had never spoken, but she knew that he was worse off than her. Hers was not what a home should be, but she had parents, and she had a friend. Now he would have a friend too.

The orphanage came into view, and her blue eyes landed on it with a sad smile. Children's home—a nicer name, but Tahira knew what it actually meant. She paused on the top step, her bare hand posed in the air. What would the other kids think if he received a special gift from her and they didn't? But she did not have means to give gifts to them all, and he needed this.

The young girl, a teen behind her innocent appearance, knocked on the door, and then waited for the space of a moment before the door opened up to reveal a plump woman whose hair was just starting to turn grey.

"Oh, hello," she said with a start as she looked down at Tahira. Then she looked past the girl, as if searching for an adult, but Tahira had come alone.

"This is for Thomas," she said as she held up the small present, wrapped in soft blue paper with yet softer snow falling down it, landing around the skating penguins. A large red bow, slightly smooshed, rested on the top left corner. "It's not much, but I think that he needs it."

The woman's eyes widened, and then she hurriedly stepped back, gesturing for Tahira to step in out of the cold. "Come inside. I'll warm up some hot chocolate for you and you can deliver the present personally."

The young girl smiled as she stepped inside, making sure to slip off her ragged tennis shoes at the entrance. She knew how mad it made people, for tracking water and mud all over, and then she was dashing after the woman.

"I don't want anybody else to be there, though," she said as they made their way to the kitchen. "I don't have gifts for the others, and I don't want them to feel bad."

"Of course."

With the hot chocolate warming up her stiff body, she was ready to greet Thomas with a smile when the timid boy walked inside.

"I have a gift for you," she said as she slid off of the chair and grabbed onto her small package. She held out the gift, and he flinched back. "Don't worry," she said to him. "I know what it's like, and I won't ever hurt you. I want to be your friend."

For the first time ever, she saw him smile, and she smiled as well.

"Merry Christmas."