Behind the Lilac Bushes

  Anne pouted as she stormed from her house and towards the fence, it was her hiding spot just behind the lilac bushes. Her mom was being unfair again. She always took her stupid baby sister Kitty's side. Sure usually Anne was the one who started the fights and caused mischief but like ten percent of the time she was innocent.  The five-year-old huffed hugging her knees to her chest and glaring at her green mary jane shoes. 

   "Whatcha doing?" A soft voice inquired, startling Anne from her thoughts, she frowned in confusion to see another little girl kneeling on the other side of the fence. She looked smaller than Anne, her hair was combed into two curly pigtails neatly held together by blue ribbons. She held a worn baby blue teddy bear in the crook of her elbow and her big brown doe eyes blinked curiously at Anne through the other side of the fence. 

  "None of your business! Since when did you move in? Last I member the mean old man lived over there?" Anne snapped sitting up slightly to put her hands on her hips and pout petulantly at this stranger.

   "I dunno, my mama bought it I guess." She whispered fiddling with the bear's ear nervously as she avoided eye contact. 

   "Oh well, I'm Anne what's your name?" She demanded pressing her face against the fence. The little girl mumbled something unintelligible then scooted back slightly.  "What?" Anne questioned tilting her head.

     "Uh um...I'm Cathy." She whispered softly with a shy smile.

    "What's its name?" Anne asked pointing at the bear in Cathy's arms. 

  "Her name is Lizzie." She whispered fondly as she nuzzled the stuffed creature against her face. 

  "Cool, I have a stuffed dog named Butch," Anne exclaimed brightly. Cathy's smile grew at the information as she shuffled closer to the hyperactive girl. 

   "Can I meet him?" She asked hopefully and Anne smiled about to agree when she remembered her mommy and Kitty were inside and she was very much, mad at them both still.

  "Sorry maybe another time, he's inside my room." She whispered with a shake of her head. Cathy frowned somewhat confused by  Anne's answer. 

   "Well can't you go get him?" She questioned and Anne scoffed.

   "No." She snapped and Cathy frowned sitting her bear in her lap and crossing her arms.

   "Why not?" She probed scooting slightly closer. Anne shook her head sighing slightly. 

   "Cause my mommy is mean," Anne complained flopping dramatically backward onto the grass. "And she only loves my baby sister Kitty." She whispered dejectedly as she pouted up at the bush. Cathy scooting up against the fence reaching between the wire to place her hand on Anne's. 

  "Well I love you, Anne," she said with childlike respect and Anne smiled brightly as she sat up facing her newfound friend. 

   "Really, you mean it?" She asked ecstatically, and Cathy nodded seriously. 

   "You're my new best friend." She proclaimed merrily and Anne beams.

   "Friends forever. "  She confirms making Cathy smile as they lock pinkies. 

  "Cathy, mama says you can't play in the front yard!" An unrecognizable voice calls out and Cathy drops her pinkie from Anne's grip and glances back. 

  "Who's that?" She questioned and Cathy sighed.

   "That's my big sister Anna." She whispered dejectedly. Thankfully both children were hidden from view in the lilac bushes. 

   "Anne Boleyn Seymour!" Anne's mommy Jane called out sternly and Anne scowled. 

  "Dumb mommy." She whispered bitterly and Cathy giggled slightly, hiding her smile behind her bear. 

   "Yeah…" she giggled having never even thought of calling her mama that, even in privacy.  

 "Catherine!" A stern voice called out and they shared a look before bursting into giggles.

  "That's my mama!" Cathy whispered as if it were a secret once they stopped giggling.

   "Why do mommies always ruin our fun?" She asked rhetorically as she crossed her arms. 

  "I dunno must be fun for them or something. " Cathy reasoned rocking on her knees. 

  "Catherine you come here this instant!"  Her mother snapped and Cathy sighed moving to a crouched position. 

   "She's sounding mad, better go." She mumbled sadly. Anne winced hearing her name being screeched again. 

   "That's okay. " she reasons curling her arms around her knees again. "See you later," she murmured forlornly. Cathy nodded seriously before waving.

  "Bye, bye Anne." She whispered fondly before scampering from the bush and towards her mama. 

  Anne watched her go and sighed heavily when she felt a familiar hand latch onto her ankle. 

   "Noooooooo!" She exclaimed dramatically as her mommy pulled her from her safe place. 

   "Anne, why didn't you come when I called you?" Her mother demanded sharply as she scooped the little girl up and started for the house. 

  "I want to be lonely. " Anne grumped with a deep pout, Jane sighed rubbing Anne's back gently. 

   "Well Trouble, no more outside for a while." Her mum reasoned kissing the side of her head. "Especially when you don't listen to mommy."