Friendship is a Piece of Cake

Marigold waved enthusiastically from her seat on the bus as Pauline stepped on, green eyes wide and ponytail flipping as she looked around quickly to locate her friend.

“Pony, Pony – here!” Marigold giggled as she gestured to the seat she saved for the two of them in the mid-section of the bus. The oldest kids sat toward the back, the youngest in the front for dropping off first to the elementary school, which left the middle for the pre-teens. “Hi Mare! Thanks!”

Pony and Mare are the names they had called each other since meeting in First grade, becoming instant best friends. Pauline always wore her curly, auburn hair pulled into a tight ponytail to keep it under control. Mare’s short, strawberry-blonde locks were always free. Marigold’s name was just easy to shorten to “Mare.” Besides the nicknames being suitable to their personalities, the girls liked that they were both clear reference to their shared passion – horses. But today, the only thing on their minds was the excitement of the new school and fitting in with all the new kids.

The bus stopped in line with several other buses in front of the two-story brick building. Pauline and Marigold lined up with the other kids to exit the bus and go into the school. They had been here for orientation several days ago in order to get their schedules, find class rooms and lockers, and meet some of their teachers and new classmates. The girls deposited their things in their assigned lockers, then went to “homeroom.” They had first period together, then were separated by a different class schedule until lunch.

Pony and Mare were excited to meet up in the lunch area, bursting to tell each other all the details of the day so far. They giggled, grabbed their trays of food, walked to a table and sat down. Mare and Pony both spoke at once. Pony gave the space to Mare first, grinning as she contained her own stories to add after Mare’s.

They got together for a sleepover at Pauline’s for the first weekend after school started. They dashed down to the barn together to mingle delightfully in their Equitopia. After dinner, they watched a movie, enjoyed popcorn, then retired to Pauline’s bedroom to rehash the week’s events before sleep overtook them.

By Monday, things between them started to change.

Pauline got on the bus, as always ecstatic to see Mare’s enthusiastic wave. They got to school, went through their classes and met up for lunch as usual. A new crowd also made room at the lunch table, sitting next to the two of them and sharing their own stories. One of the girls was in a couple of Pauline’s classes.

“Hey, Pauly!” she started “Did you notice Mason staring at you during English?”

“No, I didn’t see him! Was he really?” She glanced at Mare, who was silently watching the girl, Emma. She knew who Mason was, too. She tried to interject, reminding the new girl that her friend’s name was “Pauline” NOT “Pauly,” but was cut-off by Emma’s enthusiastic response. “Oh, yes! And I think he even drooled a little!” giggled Emma. The rest of the group followed suit, adding their own giggles. Pauline blushed. She finished her lunch so that she and Mare could hang out together outside for a bit before the afternoon bell rang, sending them back to their separate classes.

On Tuesday, the lunch interruption continued, but Pauline seemed unperturbed. She was interested in discussing Mason with Emma.

Wednesday was the same, by Thursday Emma and her groupies were meeting them inside the entrance doors to the school, with squeals of “Pauly! Pauly! Over here! I need to tell you something!” On Friday, Pauline wore her hair loose, the auburn curls cascading down her back. Mare waved her to her seat on the bus, promptly asking “Pony, what’s up? Your hair!”

Pauline responded “Emma said I should try it. I like it. What do you think, Mare?"

“Lovely,” Mare replied in a somewhat sarcastic tone.

“Mare, what’s up?” asked Pauline, taken aback a little by Mare’s undertone.

“Nothing. It looks nice, Pony – er, I mean Pauly.”

“It’s okay Mare, I like Pony.”

This behavior continued throughout the following week. Pauline continued to wear her hair down. Marigold asked if they could have a sleepover together that weekend.

“I’m sorry, Marigold. Emma asked me to stay over at her place. Maybe next weekend?"

“Sure. OK.” Marigold sulked outwardly.

Pauline showed up on Monday with her hair flowing and also wearing make-up.

“Mare!” She exclaimed excitedly, while seating herself next to Marigold on the bus, “Emma showed me how to wear make-up this weekend. Maybe if you come over next weekend, I can show you, too!”

“No thanks,” said Marigold “but a sleepover would be fun. We can see the horses!” Grinning at the thought, Marigold’s attitude perked up a bit.

So on Friday, Marigold stayed at Pauline’s and they hung out in the barn, then proceeded with their evening just like before. Pauline even wore her ponytail and removed her make-up.

This was the last weekend they spent together until their birthday celebration. Pauline got more-and-more caught up with Emma and the popular crowd, while Marigold felt more-and-more like a third wheel.

Their Birthdays fell over Thanksgiving break, Marigold’s one day before Pauline’s. They had celebrated them together since first grade, always at Marigold’s house in suburbia, and always with their mutual friends, cake, ice cream and presents! It was always just them and a couple of other kids, their parents and Marigold’s brother, of course. This year, Pauline decided to invite Emma and her three groupies. This was the last straw for Marigold. The green-eyed monster of jealousy finally overtook her soon-to-be twelve year old brain. She started devising a plan to get back at her friend and Pauly’s new followers.

Marigold knew that Pauline was severely allergic to nuts, and from the overbearing lunch time conversation, she knew Emma was, too. They both religiously carried their med-pens for emergency exposure.

Pauline liked chocolate cake with fudgy frosting, Marigold preferred a white confetti cake. For their Birthday celebration, they always had both at the party. Large slices served with ice cream and soda, everyone chiming in to a round of Happy Birthday before opening gifts. This year, the routine was expected to be the same. Marigold also chose not to invite any other friends.

Emma’s group showed up at Marigold’s house with gift’s in hand for each of the girls, at the same time as Pauline, carrying her gift for Mare. They set the presents on the table next to the cakes, then sat in the livingroom area at Mare’s invitation, chatting politely and sipping sodas. Emma had already turned twelve in late summer, just before the start of the school year. She was the eldest of all of the girls there, and an only child just like Pauline. Marigold had a younger brother.

After a satisfactory time allowed for “girl talk,” Marigold’s Mom summoned them out to the diningroom for cake. They all sang Happy Birthday and smiled as each Birthday girl received the first slice of their respective cakes, before the rest were served pieces of their chosen flavor with ice cream. Pauline could barely wait for her first delicious bite of the slice of chocolate cake!

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That morning, before the party, Marigold’s Mom made both layer cakes from scratch, as well as the frosting. She was a talented baker!

“Mom, can I help frost the cakes?” Marigold asked. “Of course!” her elated Mom answered. She loved her daughter’s help always. When her Mom left the kitchen to see what Marigold’s younger brother was carrying on about, Marigold took the small plastic bag from her pocket and sprinkled the walnut dust she had prepared secretly onto the middle layer of frosting on the chocolate cake.

By the time her Mom returned, Marigold had stashed the remainder of the walnut dust back into her pocket and placed the top layer of the cake over the deathly layer of frosting. They continued decorating the Birthday cakes.

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The next day, Pauline got back from the hospital. She strolled down to the old barn and walked through the big door. There were no gorgeous stalls filled with beautiful horses, or the sound of welcoming nickers. It was just an old dairy barn filled with dust and old hay.

It turned out not to be the death of Pauline, nor Emma, but it was the death of the friendship of Pony and Mare. Pauline went back to school after the Thanksgiving break. Marigold did not.

Click here to read the first part of this story!

See Part 1 here.

See Part 3 here.

See Part 4 here.