A Brother's Love Prequel

Word Count: 275

Written for the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge on 5/29. Prompt: use the words glass jar, fan, and pen somewhere in the story.

Max took one look at Jamie and reached for the glass jar of licorice that their mother always kept on top of the fridge.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, joining her at the kitchen table.

“Nothing.” Jamie continued staring at her book bag, which lay unopened in front of her.

“Come on. Tell me about all about it.” Max offered her a licorice stick.

Jamie took a bite out of her treat and started fiddling with a blue pen that had been laying on the table. It was hot for the beginning of September. An electric fan whirred in a corner of the room, blowing Jamie’s brown bangs off her forehead.

“You know it always helps to talk about your problems, Jamie.”

“Nobody at school likes me!” she burst out, flinging the pen across the room and turning to him, her eyes filling with tears.

“What about Lisa? I thought you two were friends.”

Jamie looked down at the table. “Not anymore. Today, during lunch, she told me she didn’t want to be friends anymore. I had to eat lunch alone.”

“Oh, honey.” Max reached out to give Jamie a squeeze.

“Sometimes,” her muffled voice said, “I think everybody would be happier if I just didn’t exist.”

“Hey! Don’t ever say that! So you and Lisa aren’t friends any more. Big deal. You’ll make more friends, Jamie. Better friends. You have so much to offer people.”

“I’m too smart,” she complained.

“That’s not a fault,” Max said with a grin as he released her. “Now do your homework, smartie.”

He watched her for a moment, confident that she was going to be all right.