An Unlikely Hero
“So will you?” repeated Lily.
“Will I what?” Damien replied, oblivious to the stress of the six-year-old standing in front of him.
“Please, pretty please,” said Lily.
“Lily, what are you asking me to do?”
“I want you to take me to the big kid dance,” Lily finally explained, while sucking her thumb, and awkwardly staring at the floor.
“WHAT?” Damien screamed at the top of his lungs. “Jonathon,” he shouted, “your little sister is trying to ask me out again. Please explain to her that I already have a girlfriend!”

A third figure bounded down the stairs and into the living room, “Man, I tried, but she doesn’t seem to get it,” Jonathon apologetically shrugged.
“She’s freaking me out, dude… I’ll see you later,” and with that Damien stormed out the door, leaving an innocent child in a pile of shattered dreams.
“Lily”, Jonathon said through clenched teeth, “this is the fourth time this week; you have to stop asking Damien out.”
“But…But…,” Lily began to blubber, “I wuv’ him.”


"So?" Jonathon spat, “Did you think he would sweep you off your feet onto a magical unicorn, and into a fantasy land filled with rainbows and butterflies?"


Lily frowned, tears welling in her already sorrowful eyes. "Yes... It was going to be my happily ever after."

“For the last time, there's NO such thing as a 'happily ever after'. Everybody dies, is that happy? Everybody you love leaves you, is that happy?” growled Jonathon.
"Why can't I believe in fairy tales and happy endings? Just because you’ve stopped believing in everything ever since dad left?” she said.
"Don't bring dad into this," Jonathon murmured, suddenly quiet and thoughtful. "Just... ... Stop being such a bubble-headed idiot. Happily ever after’s don't happen in real life."
"LIAR! What about Snow white, and Cinderella, and The Little Mermaid? Are those stories made up, or something?! Because there are happy endings, Jonathon, and I'm going to find one!” sobbed Lily while sprinting up the stairs.


Once in her room, Lily slammed the door, and threw herself onto the bed. Rivers of grief flowed down her cheeks, and she could barely see as she reached for her bin of stuffed animals and dolls. Having been in these troublesome situations before, Lily knew exactly who, and what, to turn to. That said, maybe this problem was too big for a bunch of plush toys, and a tea party.


After pouring the make believe tea, Lily began the conversation. "My big brother was just very mean to me. Should we forgive him? What's your opinion, Mr. Bear?" She turned to her furry friend. "Oh, so you think he’s a poopyhead-meanieface, and should be thrown out the window? I'll have to think about that. What about you, Barbie?" Lily looked to her gorgeous, yet unrealistically proportioned role model. "Ahh...He should be forgiven for his mistakes, as long as he takes me out for an ice cream sundae with a cherry and sprinkles on top. Thanks Barbie, but do you think, Gracie? You haven’t said anything.”


Gracie was Lily's favorite doll. She was a rag doll, and had been a gift from Lily's father on her fifth birthday. Although practically in pieces, Gracie seemed to always steer Lily on the right track, and no matter how many times Jonathon tried to convince Lily that Gracie was “just a doll", their bond remained stronger than Superman.


Lily leaned over to Gracie and shared her newest idea. "All right everybody," said Lily, "If Jonathon says he's sorry 67 gazillion-bazillion times, promises me his allowance, and gives me tons of piggy-back rides, I'll forgive him. If he doesn't, I'm not inviting him to my birthday party."


Just then, as if he was summoned by a cosmic force, Jonathon burst through Lily's door. "I'm so sorry," he declared, clearly overcome with guilt from his unsightly behaviors.


"It's okay, but you owe me big time, mister" whispered Lily, "And… Jonathon? Do you think you could ask Damien to take me to the dance? Maybe if you tell him to..."
“Lily, I know for a fact Damien won't take you to the dance, even I gave him a million dollars. But who cares about him, he's a poopyhead-meanieface,” Jonathon softly said, his eyes smiling like the Cheshire cat, “I’ll take you to the dance this Friday.”

Lily merely looked up, a mix of wonder, amazement, and awe filling her bright blue eyes.
“Would you like that?” asked Jonathon.
Lily nodded and as she did a humongous smile stretched its way across her entire face. A smile that only grew bigger, and bigger, and wider, and wider, as her brother enveloped her in the largest hug ever known to mankind.
"And they both lived happily ever after," she whispered.
"Forever and ever," added Jonathon.