I Love The Way She Said Balloons

• Mollie Pedley, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

I loved the way she said balloons.
I’m not really sure what it was about her, but it was amazing. The way her lips were glossed over, the way her teeth sparkled in the sunlight, was just pure ecstasy. I didn’t just love it, I loved her. She’s just perfect
She’s sitting across from me, asking every child over and over if they would like a balloon, what animal they would like it to be shaped into. Her golden brown hair formed into perfect ringlets, each one exactly the same. Her olive skin, a trait throwback to her Italian heritage, making her chocolate brown eyes sparkle. I always wonder why she’s so perfect. She just is.
Working part time at her Mum’s party entertainment and catering business seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it seems like torture. Every single morning, I see her walk into the kitchen in her pyjamas, yawning away while I stack tubs of orders, different to each occasion. Being as broke as I am, signing up for every day of the holidays except Sunday’s and other small occasions seemed smart, but now I despise it.
For weddings, I get to see her dressed up in a short cocktail dress with her face caked up in makeup. That has to be the worst of all occasions. She looks so sad as we watch the bride and her father walk up the aisle, knowing she won’t ever get that experience. When the dad-daughter dance comes on, she goes missing, probably hiding in the bathroom or van. Seeing her so sad hurts me so much, and knowing that I can’t do anything hurts more. Her dad walked out on them when she was born. He apparently couldn’t deal with having a child at sixteen. Even a perfect child like her. I just reckon he’s a coward.
But birthday parties are fun. We don’t have to get dressed up, unless we’re pushed into clown duty. Right now, we’re on balloons.
‘’Could you imagine being a balloon? How awesome would that be!’’
‘’Yeah,’’ I reply, distracted by her voice. Kind of light, fairy like.
‘’I just love balloons.’’
I look at her, like actually look at her. I notice every imperfection that I don’t see when she’s wearing makeup. I see the scar right above her left eyebrow, the freckles on her cheeks and the small pimple on her nose. Every single imperfection. And then I realise, that’s why she’s perfect.
Especially when she says balloons.