It was fairly obvious to anyone that Tressa was having trouble. She’d been pretty confident about opening the gift -- curious, even. Imagine what treasure could be inside! There was nothing she wanted more than to find the most incredible treasure in the world!
Or so she had thought. Sitting on a fence while kicking her legs, forehead creased and mouth in a fierce pout, she'd gotten more confusion than delight. A letter clutched tightly in her hands, she lifts it up and squints at it closely for the tenth time. She must be misreading it -- there really was no other explanation. And yet, those words, by now, echoed around her head by heart, ever so familiar. It was almost as if she heard her voice.
Dearest Tressa... I hope you’re well.
She’d seen better days, but she’d also seen worse. In this moment, though, feeling that girl was almost close enough to touch, yet in another world entirely -- no matter how red her cheeks were, it felt like a low point. “Uuuuuuu... this kind of gift is really unfair.” What was she getting for the holiday season, after all, aside from an irresolvable heartache? With a sigh, she continues lamenting to herself, before realising, once more, another girl was listening to her keening. Immediately, she sits up straight, hiding the letter behind her back. “Don’t peek! This letter is all mine! From someone back home, you know!”