Love at First Sight & That Smile

Two Flash Fiction pieces

by Kalpana Mudambi (age 11)

A February 2024 Monthly Story Challenge Winner

Love at First Sight

When I saw her face, I knew she was perfect. It was a crisp fall
afternoon, and a Saturday, so I decided to go for a walk. I was
strolling down the road when I bumped into her. I glanced down
in time from my wandering to see her look up at me. Soon, we
were walking side by side, our feet falling in step. We went to a
doughnut shop, ordered and sat at a free table. After the
delectable doughnuts, we went to a park and sat in the shade
under an inviting tree when I started to really notice her
features and personality. She was slim, wearing a cream fur
coat, and had silky soft hair that flowed around as she walked,
skipped, pranced, or ran, and I noticed her nails were so prim
and perfect I wondered for a second if she had a robot to clean
her. Also, she had a peculiar smile, with her tongue sticking out
just a bit, but it was adorable. Her eyes were loving and kind.
Unlike me, she seemed to be talkative and always had
something to do, whereas I was just constantly feeling shy, much
to people’s disappointment. After a while, I invited her to come
to my house for dinner and she politely, yet excitedly, accepted.
After dinner, we sat at my bed, and I spoke up, saying, “You are
probably the best puppy I’ve ever seen in my life!” She just
looked up at me and smiled.


That Smile

I am walking home from school when a stick pops out of
nowhere and I come crashing forward- pencils flying, books
falling, papers and notes soaring. I stifle a cry and realize I’m
bleeding. I want to curl up into a ball, safe from sticks and
school and failing tests, but then I hear a voice, saying, “Here,
the books you dropped, and most of your notes and pencils.” I
get up slowly, hoping for the worst. Instead, I find probably the
prettiest girl I’ll ever see. It doesn’t matter that she is wearing a
stained shirt, or that her teeth are crooked, no, but her smile will
make the coldest heart melt. That smile. I grin, replying, “Thank
you so much!” “My pleasure,” she says, “You are in Ms. Lily’s room,
aren’t you?” “Yes,” I reply, my heart soaring. Does she know me?
Does she know I like her? “You’re in...” I fumble to think straight as
I suddenly remember. “Mr. Yee's class, right?” “Uh-huh.” She nods.
SHE IS TALKING TO ME!! I almost squeal, but it comes out as a
snort, which I cover up by fake coughing. “Are you all right?” She
asks, concerned. “Yeah..” I say, “Oh, I’m Jake...” “I’m Ivy,” Ivy says.
“Oh, I’ve got to go. Want to meet sometime after school?” She
scrawls a number on a piece of paper, probably for her phone. I
grin at her. “Sure,” I say. She grins back. As I am walking home, I
think, ‘That smile.’