AN: Hello. So you won't get confused when reading, majority of the fic is going to be a flashback. When it's being narrated in first person by Jessica, that's the present. When it's being narrated in third person, it's a flashback. The italics are thoughts and the bold italics are Jessica either fading into or out of a flashback. So yeah. Here's chapter one hope you enjoy!!

People say that sometimes you just have to let things go. You have to cut off the dead branches in order for the entire tree to grow again. Let something good go to make room for the something better.

I always thought you were something good.

“Excuse me,”

A young girl of age ten looked up from her coloring book to find the source of the voice. She was on the verge of greatness, so close to finishing her Totoro character when a loud obnoxious voice shattered her concentration. The young girl’s eyes traveled from her masterpiece to a giant ball of…pink? The young girl furrowed her brows as she stared at the large mass of blinding hot pink in front of her. Not only was it hot pink, it had bedazzled butterflies and flowers on it that glittered in the sun every time it moved. The young girl stared at the blob in confusion, wondering how something so flamboyant could exist.

“Excuse me,” the voice rang out again, this time much louder than before. The young girl winced at the rich volume and immediately snapped her head up to where the noise was coming from. Squinting her eyes in attempt to avoid the piercing rays of the sun, the young girl looked up and found that atop the mound of pink was a face. It was not a head for the top of the head was also covered in a pink beanie with bedazzled flowers and therefore was part of the pink mass below it. The face above her was round and chubby, with pink flushed cheeks from the cold. Two wide eyes sat upon the face, and a mouth in which was slightly ajar displaying the breath of the blob against the cold atmosphere.

The young girl’s eyes traveled across the face until they landed on the pair of wide eyes. The young girl glared at the eyes, hoping to scare the blob off. But as the young girl stared deeper and deeper into the pair of eyes, the more frustrated she became. The pair of eyes stared back, with unwavering determination to the cold stare before her.

The young girl gave one last cold glare at the blob before her before returning to her coloring book.

“Hey, excuse me,”

The young girl ignored the voice and continued to focus on her picture.

“Heyyyy!”

“Yah! Why did you poke me?”

“You didn’t answer me.”

The young girl hissed as she rubbed the spot where the pink mass had violently poked her.

“Hey!”

“Stop poking me, you big blob of pink!”

“Then answer me!”

“What?” the young girl cried out exasperated. All she wanted to do was to color her Tortoro picture. Yet this annoying pink pest kept bothering her.

‘The sooner I answer her question the sooner it will leave.’ the young girl thought to herself

“What are you doing?”

The young girl blinked once. Twice.

‘Are you kidding me right now?’

“What?”

“What are you doing?”

“You’re bugging me because you want to know what I’m doing?”

The pink blob nodded its head.

The young girl let out a frustrated sigh.

“I’m coloring.”

“Oh,”

For a while there was silence and the young girl was at peace.

“Do you wanna be friends?”

“What?” the young girl looked at the blob as if it had sprouted another head. First it had disturbed her coloring, then it violently abused her, now it wanted to be friends with her? The young girl mentally scoffed. She would be friends with the blob when pigs flew.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re loud and you made me mess up on my coloring page. And you’re annoying.”

“What if I be quiet and not be annoying?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Pleaaaasssssseeeee?”

“No. Leave.”

“Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplea-”

“STOP!” the young girl yelled. She had never lost her temper at anyone before yet this annoying pink blob had managed to make her annoyed and angry all in a span of five minutes.

The blob looked at her with its wide eyes again before it opened its mouth again.

“Please?”

“Fine!” the young girl cried out. She was willing to do anything to make the blob stop talking. “If you can be quiet for five minutes you can be my friend.”

The blob then let out a wide grin and suddenly its wide eyes crinkled into crescent moons. The young girl froze for a moment as she stared at the blob. For some reason her heart began to beat faster and her breath began to hitch.

‘What’s wrong with me?’

The young girl shook her head and turned her attention back to her coloring book. She doubted that the pink blob would last the five minutes. The young girl decided that once the girl failed her test she would tell her to leave and then she would never have to see her again.

For a while it was quiet, and the young girl found herself slightly impressed with the progress she was making on her picture. After a while she found herself once again deeply engrossed in her picture.

“Hey, that’s Totoro!”

The young girl let out a dolphin scream as she jumped about a foot into the air. Clutching her chest in attempt to calm her racing heart, the young girl turned her head to find the face of the pink blob incredibly close to hers. She took a quick scan at the face from the long eyelashes, to the pink nose-due to the cold she concluded-and the pink lips which were now shaped into a surprised “O” shape. The young girl felt her face heat up as she continued staring into those large warm brown pools, filled with innocent wonder, awe, and curiosity.

“YAH! What are you doing?”

“That’s Totoro! I love Totoro. Where did you get this coloring book? Does it have more pictures of him? Does it have the picture of him in a chibi form? I love Totoro in a chibi form! Have you see him in a chibi form? Have you seen the movie? You probably have ‘cause you’re doing a coloring page of him, huh? Did you like that movie? I loved it! How many times have you seen it? I bet you haven’t seen it as many times as I have. What’s you’re favorite part? My favorite part is-”

The young girl hastily covered the blob’s mouth in order to stop the words-and spit-from spewing out.

“Stop, just stop.” The young girl let out a breath before glaring at the blob. “First of, why are you sitting my bench?” the young girl demanded while mentally reprimanded herself for not paying attention to the invasion of her personal space.

“Iphs bwuoring jurzst sdantin hur guring nuhtring.”

“Huh?” the young girl looked at the blob in confusion. ‘What gibberish is this thing saying?’

The blob then pointed at the young girl’s hand that was muffling the blob’s explanation. Flustered, the young girl hastily removed her hand and scooted away from the blob to create space between them. Clearing she tossed another glare at the girl before asking in her sharpest tone, “Why are you sitting on my bench?”

The blob tilted its head to the side slightly and spoke with an innocent tone, “I said: It’s boring just standing here doing nothing.”

“Then how is that different from you sitting and doing nothing?”

“Cause I’m sitting with you.”

The young girl stared at the blob unable to fully understand its train of thought. The young girl then closed her eyes and felt her face contort into one of discomfort. This blob was making her head hurt.

“Whatever, I’m leaving.” The young girl announced before hoping off the bench. She readjusted her yellow beanie and started to walk away.

“Wait!”

The young girl winced once again at the loud voice that called out. She let out another sigh and turned back to the blob.

“What now?”

“So we’re friends now right?”

The young girl stared in disbelief. She was nothing but cold to the blob and yet it still wanted to be friends with her? No one was ever this persistent in trying to befriend the young girl. Usually her cold demeanor scared off any prospective companions.

The young girl hesitated before responding

“No.”

“Whyyyyy?”

“Because you made me mess up on my coloring, you were annoying me, and you talked before the five minutes were up.”

“But, not talking for five minutes is so hard!” the blob wined as it scooted off the bench and waddled over to the young girl.

“Not my fault. I said I would be your friend if you were quiet. You didn’t follow the rules so you can’t be my friend. Besides you’re really annoying and loud. I hate those things the most.” The young girl gave one last glance at the blob before walking off.

After walking a short distance, she turned around to see if the blob would be annoying and follow her, asking her to reconsider. However behind her was nothing more than the fallen leaves on the path. The young girl let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She convinced herself that it was a sigh of relief. Yet she didn’t understand why there was a slight pang in her chest as if she was disappointed.

The young girl continued to walk down the path until she reached the playground. The loud screams of children and the cries of babies filled the air, and the young girl sighed as she walked over to the edge of the sandbox. She would never have any peace and quiet to color now. The young girl looked around, eyes scanning the playground before she found what she was looking for. She stood up and walked over to the other side of the playground, trying to avoid the other children running around chasing each other. She finally stopped when she reached a woman bent over a stroller cooing with her baby.

“Umma, can we go now?”

The woman looked up and glanced at the young girl a worried expression on her face.

“Why, what’s wrong sweetie? Did you get pushed by one of the kids again?”

The young girl shook her head. “No, I’m just really tired now. Can we go home now?”

The woman smiled gently at the young girl before patting her head. “Okay, sweetie. Just let me strap your sister in properly and then we can go.”

The young girl nodded her head and turned her gaze towards the playground. She made a disgusted face as she watched the children run around. She didn’t understand why anyone would run. It was a waste of energy and you ended up sweating. The young girl vowed to herself that she would never run: ever. Unconsciously the young girl found herself staring up at the bench she was sitting at to find the pink blob still standing there.

The young girl felt her face contort into one of confusion. Why was the blob still there? Why wasn’t she leaving?

“Jessica!”

The young girl turned her head to the sound of the voice to find her mother and her sister already at the car.

“Jessica, come on! Time to go!”

“Okay, Jessica remember the rules. You can’t go any father than that bench. And when I call for you, you have to come right away.”

Jessica nodded her head before taking off. She began to walk along the path that would take her to her bench. As she was walking she began to remember the pink blob that had ruined her quiet time last week. Yet in all her annoyance, Jessica found that she actually missed the loud and obnoxious blob. Perhaps it was because the blob was the only one who had not run away and actually stuck around long enough to have a conversation with her.

Jessica let out a sigh. Either way, that was last week. The blob had left and was never going to comeback. As Jessica rounded the last twist of the path she looked up and found her bench just as she had wanted it: empty. Just as she was about continue to her bench, a loud obnoxious voice echoed throughout the entire area.

“You’re here!”

Jessica turned her head in surprise to find the pink blob running up the trail. The blob looked the same with the bedazzled hot pink jacket, but had opted to go without the matching beanie this time, letting her black locks flap in the wind as she ran.

When the blob had finally reached the Jessica, she looked at her and gave her a large smile causing her eyes to disappear completely.

Jessica stared in confusion at the blob confusingly. Why was the blob here? Didn’t she scare her off last time? Did the blob have mental issues or something.

“I was hoping you’d come today.”

“Today?”

“I kept coming back everyday to see if you were here. It was getting to be a little lonely when you didn’t show up after the third day.”

 ‘This blob has persistence I’ll give her that’ Jessica thought to herself.

“Why’d you keep coming back?” Jessica held her breath. For some reason her heart began to beat erratically as if it was anticipating her answer.

“Cause I wanted to see you.”

Jessica stared at the girl in awe, at lost at how to react. This blob came back to try and talk to her again. She came back willingly to try and befriend her. She kept coming back trying to meet up with her.

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to ask you a question. Is it okay to ask you now?”

Jessica nodded her head slightly, curious as to what the blob would ask her.

“Can I try again?”

“Huh?” Jessica looked at the blob confused.

“Can I try again? Can I have another chance? I promise I won’t mess up this time.”

“Another chance for what?”

“To try and be your friend?”

“What?”

“Please? I promise I won’t talk for five minutes! I’ll make it six if you let me! I promise I won’t annoy you anymore, and I won’t make you mess up on your Totoro picture, even though you colored him wrong. He’s not a charcoal grey but more of a light grey mixed with regular grey. And his stomach isn’t supposed to be-”

“Why?”

“Huh?” the blob stopped mid rant and for the first time since their encounter looked lost for words. Jessica couldn’t help but snicker to herself at the sight. For once the blob had nothing to say.

“Why do you want to be my friend? No one else likes to hang out with me ‘cause I’m too cold to them. So why do you want to be my friend?”

The blob paused for a moment, thinking to herself before responding, “Because you interest me. You’re always sitting here alone, and you never come down to the playground. I want to be your friend ‘cause no one really likes being alone. My mommy says that everyone has a special someone to make sure that we are never really alone.” The blob paused before smiling at Jessica.

“So let me be your special someone. Let me be your friend.”

Jessica found herself in daze. This girl wanted to be her friend just because she didn’t want her to feel lonely? She didn’t know why, but suddenly she felt her heart beat erratically as if she were ecstatic about the situation.

She turned away quickly before speaking.

“I guess you can try again. But I don’t think you’d be able to do it. You’ll probably mess up again.”

“I can do it! I swear I can!”

Jessica let out a small laugh.

“It’s been five minutes and all you’ve done is talk. You fail.” She stated before she began to walk away.

“Wait, that’s not fair I wasn’t ready! Let me try again! Hey, wait up!”

“Be quiet you blob! I can’t concentrate with you yelling!”

“I’m not yelling! I’m using my outdoor voice! And my name is not blob, it’s Stephanie but you can call me Tiffany! I only let my close friends call me Tiffany. My daddy chose the name Stephanie for me, but my mommy wanted to name me Tiffany. So my mommy calls me Tiffany or Tiff sometimes. Everyone else calls me Stephanie, or my Korean name. But this one time when I got in trouble in class for coloring the wall pink-”

Jessica quickened her pace to try and make distance between her and the megaphone of a girl. Yet as fast as she walked, the bubbly girl followed closely behind.

“-so then they called my by my full name but now I know that when they call me by my full name it means I’m in trouble. Hey, what’s your name? Everyone at the playground calls you Ice Princess. I know you’re name is not really Ice Princess cause that’s a long name. But is it really Ice Princess? Cause if it is, you’re so lucky! I wish my name was Princess! I mean my daddy calls me princess all the time but that’s not the same as my real name being-”

“Jessica.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not going to say it again. You snooze you lose.”

“So you’re name is Jessica? I knew it wasn’t Princess! Wait, so how did you get your name? Are you Korean? If you are do you have a Korean name like me? What is it? What does it mean? Do you like your name, Jessi? Hey Jessi sounds nice! Can I call you Jessi? Or do you want me to call you Jessica? But since I’m going to let you call me Tiffany can I call you Jessi? I like Jessi, don’t you? It sounds sweet like caramel. I like caramel especially caramel apples. Like this one time at a fair I asked daddy if-”

“Tiffany, huh?” Jessica said to herself.

The two continued to walk up towards the bench, and unknown to the bubbly Tiffany, Jessica walked to the bench with a genuine smile on her face.

Even when we were little kids, you always treated me well. When others shunned me and feared me because of my cold appearance, you came right up to me and became my best friend. Even though I pushed you away many times, you always came back to me with your bubbly personality, calling my name with your loud distinct voice, and taking my breath away your bright and contagious smile.