The Bad Influence - A photo story (part 1)

"Thanks for letting me borrow your dress, Em. It's so pretty and comfy." Molly sighed, thanking her friend. She forced a smile.

"Don't be so silly Molly, you can wear any of my clothes, we share now, remember?"

Emily smiled. "I have to go back to the shop now, I don't think that Miss Jeneca is done sewing, and I have to get these itchy modern clothes back to her right away, they're for a future release in her Etsy shop.

"Oh. Right. Okay. I'll see you later, I guess" 

She stood for a moment, all alone in her bright, cheery room. The sunshine shone down on her. Molly let out a great sigh and trudged over to her bed, pulling back the covers and tucking herself in. 

She pulled up her little doll, Samantha, and began talking to her. "Samantha, I just don't know how to go on. Why did they have to retire me? I'm plenty American, and since when am I not cool enough? I guess... I guess I'm just an old, boring, dusty thing. They probably took me off the shelves because I wasn't pretty enough. Oh I wish I could be back on the main lines. I am an American Girl, if there ever was one."

She turned her face away and looked at the wall. A tear slipped out of her eye and crashed onto the covers. Within a few minutes, she had fallen asleep. 

A little while later, Mia stepped into the room. 

"Emily?" She called loudly, looking around. "I need you to fix my shorts!"  She spotted Molly behind her and went to see what was wrong.

"Hey, do you know where Emily is?" 

"At the shop. Can't you see I'm napping?"

"You never take naps. I've always known you to think that's babyish. I was going to ask you what's wrong, so I, as the loving sister I am, could console you."

"Nothing's wrong."Molly snapped. "I'm taking a nap, just like an old, retired person should do!" She spat bitterly

"You're not an old, retired Person." Mia stated, pulling Molly up.

"Yes I am. Why else would I be retired? I'm ugly and boring, and apparently, I'm not American enough either."

"American girl just wants money, that's why. You've never been ugly and boring, and, oh my gosh are you American. Have you looked around your room recently? And you know, being retired isn't that bad. Sure, you don't get new clothes, or new stories, but you get a chance to be free. To be modern."

"To be modern?" Molly asked curiously, dropping her angry expression.

"Yeah, modern. You've been retired. Why are you still doing all this historic stuff?"

"I-I-I've got a time period to up hold." Molly sniffed. "Theres rules, and a way about doing things and--"

"Not anymore. You're free! You've been at this for 25, no, 27 years now. Come on, I'll show you."

Mia drug Molly upstairs to the little dormer she shared with her cousin, Kanani.

"Where's Kanani at?" Molly asked. 

"Oh, volunteering at some animal shelter for the rest of the day. She won't be back till about nine tonight. Sit here." She said, putting Molly in her bean bag. 

"So, modern GOTY, what are the great joys of being Modern?" Molly asked, making herself comfortable.

"Here," Mia grinned.

Mia turned around and, reaching quickly into the bookshelf behind her, grabbed a book from the front of it.

In her hand she place a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerors Stone.

Molly squealed with pure joy. 

"You mean I can read these again?! I read the first few before being complety historical was a rule, and I can't wait to read them again! I missed these books so much they were amazing, I love all the charectors, but esciaplly Sirius Black, but I really like Hermione she's so smart an-"

"You're welcome to read now," Mia interupted.

She quickly shut up and opened the book eargerly. A smile filled her face as she flipped through one page and the next, until she had devoured the first few chapters like a tub of vanilla ice cream at a birthday party.

"It's even better than I remember. Can I borrow it?" Molly asked eagerly. "I haven't had anything to read lately, I mean, I've already read all the Nancy Drew books, and the mysterys aren't as mysterious the second time around." 

"Of course. I've got a few other books you should read, Divergent, Percy Jackson, The Hunger Games... oo, maybe we could read the falut-"

"Um, no thanks. So what else does modern have to offer?" Molly asked, clearly interested in what else Mia 

had to offer. 

"Come with me..." She grinned.

((Part two will be up in a few days time! What do you think so far, and what do you think might happen next? I'd love to hear your predictions! :)   ))