A Lonely 14-Year-Olds Life

Teddy Bear Picnic

2008

[ FLASHBACK ]

"Class remember to bring your favorite teddy bear with you to school next &$*#&^! We are going to have a teddy bear picnic a the park!"

[ END OF FLASHBACK ]

It's the night before the teddy bear picnic party and the little girl was so excited. 

She had been dreaming of this day and all the fun she would have. 

She sat the kitchen table eating Papa Johns with her family, smiling brightly as she chewed. Her little sister played with her food eating the tiny little cut pieces with her small hands. 

"Are you excited about tomorrow Payton?" her mother asked from across from her, her dimples popping out slightly as she smiled at her. 

The little girl's eyes gleaming and sparkled with excitement. "YES!!! Mommy, I'm so excited! Especially since your going to be there!"

The little girl's mother was her chaperone for the event as well as a classroom helper with parties and events, so she was invited to join them at their picnic. 

"We're going to have so much fun!" the little girl cooed dipping her pizza in the garlic sauce before taking massive chunks out of it. 

"Payton," her father said. "Slow down or you'll choke or get sick."

She just swallowed before grinning back at her father widely a mischievous glint in her eyes. 

"Yeah right daddy. I'm not going to get sick," she cooed forcefully shoving more food into her mouth. She looked like a pig, with bits of pizza scattered across her chin and sauce too. 

"Suit yourself he said sipping his water quietly as they continued to enjoy their meals together as a family. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mommy," the little girl said standing beside her mother in bed casting a long shadow over her torso. Her mother shifted to look at her daughter who held tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong sweetie?" she asked wiping away her daughter's tears with her thumb gently. 

"I got sick," she replied looking down with disappointment.

"You what?"

"I got sick, mommy, I threw up." 

"Come on let's get you cleaned up." 

{ A few minutes later }

The little girl's mother stands next to her daughter's bed tucking her for the 2nd time that night. A "barf bucket" as they called it sat next to her bed in case she did do it again in the night. 

"Well," her mother said sighing slightly in disappointment. "You won't be going to the Teddy bear picnic tomorrow."

"What?! Why?!" she cried sitting up abruptly her eyes filling with tears. 

"You're staying home tomorrow since you got sick." 

"NO! You have to let me go!" she whisper-shouted to not wake her sister sleeping across the room. 

"No buts, Payton. You're staying home and that's it," she said her voice stern. Tears streamed down the little girl's face, her throat closed up, and her heart broke with those words. 

"Now, good night." Her mother says kissing her forehead lightly before walking out closing the door behind her. 

The little girl faced the wall facing her Disney Princess poster hanging there letting the endless tears stream down her small chubby face, as she thought to herself. 

I don't get to go to the Teddy bear Picnic tomorrow. 

I frickin' hate her, how could she not let me go?

And it all happened over some pizza and garlic sauce.

I'm never eating garlic sauce ever again. 

And with that, she fell asleep hiccuping and crying as her heart broke.

...

And her vow to never eat garlic sauce remained true until 9 years later.