Short Story: "Alice" (Submitted to the 2nd 'Those Who Lose Everything' Literary Award)
January 20th
Today is my birthday.
If you're wondering how old I am, I'm 14.
I keep a diary.
I mostly write about what happened today.
Things that happened at school, at home, and so on.
I also write about things I've thought about.
This means I write down my thoughts.
Since I sometimes write about things I thought about yesterday or even earlier, not just today, it's not limited to just today's thoughts.
I wouldn't call myself a literary girl, but I quite like reading books. So, I think I like writing a diary too. These days, writing a diary in a notebook feels a bit old-fashioned, but filling up the pages by writing and feeling a sense of accomplishment once I finish a volume is a great feeling.
What's fun is when I reread it from time to time and remember things from when I wrote them.
For example, in my diary from around last summer, I wrote about going to a fireworks festival with my friend Hinata. Reading this makes me remember that time.
By the way, Hinata is read as 'Hinata'.
Hinata is my friend.
I became friends with Hinata when we were in the same class in the 6th grade of elementary school. Hinata's house was relatively close to mine, but we had never hung out together. Luckily, Hinata and I went to the same junior high school and ended up in the same class. We were so happy and celebrated that we were together.
And last summer, the two of us went to the fireworks festival.
I go to the fireworks festival at the Yuhibashi riverbank every year, but it was my first time going with Hinata. The fireworks were beautiful, but since junior high students from other schools I didn't know were shouting 'Whoa!', Hinata said, 'They're like idiots,' and I said, 'I know, right.'
In my diary, it's funny because there's more written about the junior high students from other schools being noisy than about the fireworks. I often remembered the sound of those students shouting 'Whoa!'
The reason I started writing a diary is because I read a book called 'The Diary of Anne Frank.' Anne was pitiful, but the book was interesting. The diary Anne wrote later became a book.
I started writing a diary thinking that maybe if I wrote one, it might become a book someday too. That was when I was in my first year of junior high.
At that time, I was writing in a regular notebook, so those notebooks increased quite a bit. When I tried writing, I was surprised myself that I could actually do it. The notebooks kept increasing until there were about 10 of them.
I told my mom I was writing a diary. My mom said, 'Oh, that's nice,' but her eyes lit up at that moment. Since I started junior high, my mom hadn't really come into my room without permission, so I had let my guard down. My mom had read my diary.
But I'm not angry. Because she gave me a diary as a birthday present.
In the diary I was writing in the notebook, I had written many times, 'I want a proper diary.' My mom must have secretly read that when I wasn't there, told my dad, and bought the diary.
I was happy, so I decided to forgive her for reading my diary in secret.
The diary has a sturdy, hard brown cover and is very stylish. I'm happy because this is exactly what I wanted.
I immediately imitated 'The Diary of Anne Frank' and gave my diary a name. I hesitated for a while, but I decided on the name Alice. I chose the name from Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'.
That's why I was so happy that I ended up writing five pages.
Alice, I look forward to working with you from now on!
Dear Alice - my diary
*
January 23rd
I'm glad I gave her a diary for her birthday.
Her smile made me happy.
Today, while she was at school, I knew I shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself and opened the diary I gave her.
She kept the diary in a locked drawer at her desk, but she hadn't actually locked it. She's always a bit careless about things like that.
When I read it, I couldn't help but mutter to myself, 'How cute...' At the same time, I also thought, 'So she knew after all.'
She had told me herself that she was writing a diary, so I didn't think it was unnatural to give her one for her birthday, but I guess she had figured it out.
My husband suggested a scarf or some jewelry, but if she was that happy, then the diary was the right choice. She did want one, after all.
Thinking back, I started writing a diary when I was in middle school, so I guess it runs in the family. Now, I write in two diaries at the same time: a ten-year diary and this main one. As you know, I write in them sporadically, though.
But the most surprising thing was... and I'm sure you feel the same way, that she had given the diary a name.
It was a surprise, wasn't it? For me too.
We look forward to having you in our lives, Alice (lol)
(The End)
1922 characters
*) I came up with this idea and decided to submit it. Thank you for the likes and follows. It really encourages me.