Jessi’s lunchbox

It was the first class of the morning. On other days, Jessi would be grouchy, her cheeks bloated like two ripe tomatoes, brows scrunched, and eyes dozy. But today she looked like a tiny human version of the sun, her face gleaming with a naughty smile. She was unusually active, though least attentive.

Two rows away, her besties, Tia and Ziva, could barely sit still. The three fleetingly locked eyes and gulped some giggles. Miss Wormwood, their class teacher, had caught the mute exchanges. Peering over the glasses placed on the bridge of her nose, she thundered: “Attention girls!” Jessi, Tia and Ziva promptly straightened their shoulders and looked at the blackboard, their thoughts bobbing all over.

By the end of the third period, the girls could barely contain their excitement. When would the bell go off? Why wasn’t it break time yet? “Don’t forget to eat well, sleep well and finish your homework. Right, class!” Miss Diaz’s honeyed words wafted into their ears. Miss Diaz always spoke with affection and her class was Jessi’s favourite 45 minutes in school. But today she wished for even this to fast-forward.

And, finally, after what seemed like an unending hour, the bell rang. Today, Jessi didn’t mind the ear-ripping 10-second shrill trill. As soon as the other kids trooped out of the classroom grabbing their lunchboxes, Jessi, Tia and Ziva rushed to form a huddle.  It was time for the big reveal and out came Jessi’s minion-print lunchbox. She carefully unclipped the box and placed it at the center on the floor. A heart, a dinosaur, a bunny, a monkey, and a fish, all stared back from the container! For a few seconds, Tia and Ziva gaped in wonder. And then, without a word, the three spilled over with laughter.

“See what else I have got here,” whispered Jessi. “Mummy's cookie cutters. I grabbed them when she wasn’t looking and pressed them over the sandwiches she’d prepared for me,” she chuckled and picked up the heart. "This, I will take home for mummy."

The box was emptied in the next ten minutes, the bunny in Jessi's tummy. 

(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge)