19. Dolls Belong in Dirt (1/2)

ruhlsar000 here! sorry for last week's

eak. i had homework. anyway, you all know i don't own rebels by now. so let's go!

fajr sits on the swing looking at the human fashion doll. even if it was dressed as a "doctor" it was still primarily for fashion, as the pink pants would suggest. now, i am not going to harp on the doll or the company. fajr loves creating stories with her dolls, about adventure and treasure and scenes she learned in history class. i do want to harp on the girls at her school who try to be "grown up" and pretend fashion should be their main priority and make her feel like she is weird for not thinking like that. she's seven. fashion shouldn't be a priority now, if ever.

"hey," i say. "mind if i sit here?" i gesture to the swing next to her.

"no." she shakes her head.

"so, how was school?" i ask, setting down my bag as i sit.

"good." she says.

"you know, i almost didn't recognize you when you came home," i say.

"what?" she looks at me confused.

"you came home green, normally you're covered in dirt." i reach over and pat her head with a chuckle.

"jody says playing in the dirt is gross," fajr says, sounding a little more deflated.

"what do you say?" i ask her with a smile. "cause the fajr i know would say 'a little dirt never hurt anyone'."

fajr rolls her eyes and gives me a look that she picked up from her mother. "she'd also say she's not good at making friends and these girls are willing to be friends with her."

"well, if they're really you friends they'd respect your interests. if not they are worthy of your friendship." i say. fajr shakes her head as if to say i don't know what i am talking about.