The flower You brought

23rd, September

23rd, September 2014

Dear Diary! Today is my birthday! Wish me a happy birthday. Thank you! Let's be friends forever. I am going to tell you everything. Let's start our friendship without lies. Today I made a new friend. My first friend. Do you know that you are his gift? Together with my family, we decided to spend the whole day at the beach. You must know, I love the sea. It was a hot day. We decided to go sunbathing. You must have seen the sea. It was so calm in the morning, so blue and green. It wasn't even cold. I was building my sandcastle when I saw a kid dancing with the waves. Dairy, so don't worry about my language. My teacher says that I am gifted. I am just laughing. Anyway, I smiled so broadly, so he came to me. We became friends. His name was Bien. He has curly, short blond hair. We built a giant castle. His grandma even took a photo of us. He told me about dolphins and how cool they were. He told me how much he loved his grandma. She was his only family member. I told him not to be sad. At least he could eat candy every day. He laughed so hard that he fell on the sand. It doesn't sound so funny to me, Dairy. Anyway, he was shorter than me and a little plumb. He looked just like me, except for the hair and the eyes. He had blue eyes like the sea. They were more like the sky. I can't decide. Maybe if you see them, you can help me decide. We went together for lunch. Diary: his grandma was my mother's first teacher. My mother recognized her at once. Even his grandma did. Isn't it great, Diary? We had ice cream together. We have the same taste: forest fruits. We went swimming together. I don't know how to swim, but he could jump in and out of the water like a fish. I was jealous of him. I think I made a best friend. At noon, when we were leaving, he gave me you as a gift. He told me to write there so he could hear from me. It sounded pretty weird, Dairy. I didn't ask too much. We waved goodbye to one another. Write to me about your summer, Yara.

23rd, September 2015

Dear Diary! I turned eleven! Are you happy for me? I know you are. I have just entered secondary school. I am the youngest of all. Today is cold. So I am celebrating my birthday in the park, near the lake. You won't believe me, but I met Bien. I couldn't believe it. It has been one year since I haven't seen him. I met him just on my birthday. He was the same. He was taller than me but still plumb. We had fun Dairy. You should've come. His grandma bought me a colorful lollipop. I couldn't finish it. We bought some big, transparent balloons and let them go in the air. Dairy, I don't know, but my birthday is the most beautiful day of the year. Bien told me about his birthday. He went to see his parents' grave. He missed them. I couldn't ask him what happened, but his father was a fisherman. I was about to cry, but he smiled and said that he was happy. He was sure that they were proud of him. Then we had a picnic in the park. Her grandma brought fish. I love her cooking. She also brought a lot of sea fruits. I must say, my mother was amazed. We eat a lot. We played catch and go. Bien was really fast. I was surprised how he didn't sweat at all. We went to the lake. It was so shiny. Even though it wasn't the time of lotus, I saw one. Bien entered the water and brought it for me. It was so beautiful. I have read a lot about lotus on the internet. They grow in very deep lakes, but Bien was able to bring them to me without any problems. He just got wet. His grandma laughed so hard seeing him so wet. I must say, my mother would be super mad at me if that happened to me. We were leaving, when Bien came to me and gave me a beautiful hairpin. It looked like a lotus. It is so beautiful. Dairy, you must see it. It is white and pink. He told me that the stone in the middle would turn pink and I was overjoyed. Like when I wear fluffy dresses, read fairy tales, or when playing with my friends. I believe him. Maybe it is a magic stone. What do you think of dairy? Someone took a picture of us all. It was a happy day, Dairy. See you tomorrow, Yara

23rd, September 2016

Dear Diary! I love the forest. I love the sea. I don't know which one I love the most. They are both mystics. Oh, thank you. You remember my birthday. It is true, I turned 12. Today was a sunny day, so we had a nice picnic in the forest near my house. There were so many butterflies and so many different colors. I put my lotus on my head. My dad and I climbed a tree together. Still Dairy, I guess I wasn't happy. The stone didn't turn pink like the night before. I thought maybe I would meet Bien again by chance, but no. He was my first real friend. Mum also lost the number of his grandma. What if something happened to him? Let's think positively Dairy, shall we? My mum cooked us a great lunch. We even stayed till it got dark. I was surrounded by fireflies. Like they were hugging me. Waves hug like that too. Bien sent me a present. I mean his grandma. He doesn't have any money. It was a giant shell in light pink. It says " put it next to your ear, you will hear the sound of waves. Have a happy birthday my friend." Dairy, it was true. I could hear the sea. How is this even possible? I live near the forest. You know what is looking at you right now. A big Vannesa butterfly, 'cause I am in my garden. I am in the middle of some almost dead roses, which strangely don't look as dead as in the morning. This was a happy day, Dairy.

Bye,

Yara

23rd September 2017

Dairy! I turned 13. I am a big girl now. I made a new friend today. Her name is Orna. Well, we went to the beach to celebrate my birthday. I saw Orna hiding behind a pine tree. My parents told me she came and hugged me without calling her, but I remember asking her to come close to me. Weird, but anyway. Bien sent me a letter like every year at this time. He wished me a happy birthday. He also drew a heart next to my name. Well, Diary, I felt my cheeks turning red. I usually write to him at Christmas time. He sent me five starfishes in different colors inside a small tank of water. He is a genius when it comes to gifts. Funny thing, these starfish changed color like the stone of my hairpin. We had a lovely afternoon all together: me, my parents, Orna and her sister. Something weird happened, though. I was folding the last piece of clothing before leaving the beach when I saw the sea waves moving in reverse. A bright, pink light reflected in the sea and was mirrored on my skin. I saw my hands and my body covered in a shiny pink color. I couldn’t feel the sand on my feet. Like I was in awe. No one was watching me except Orna. My mother called us. Orna came close to me and hugged me again. She then said to me: “Let’s be friends forever”. Isn’t this crazy? No one knows, but I think magic exists, right? There must be an explanation! That’s all Dairy. Have a good sleep.

Yara.