Once there was a girl named Georgia. She was twelve years old and had a dog named Snowball. She also had a little sister, who was nine, named Lia. Georgia’s dad was the mayor of Washington D.C., and her mom was the president of the United States. They lived in the White House together. Everyday, her dad and mom spoiled her with jewelry and taught her to be very ladylike. Her mother spent all her time on Georgia, teaching her ladylike manners.

“Georgia, you shouldn’t be spending all your time just exploring in the wild! Just for that, I’ve asked Miss Divine to come over and teach you tea party manners! We’re going to a fancy party tonight, and you have to know all your tea party manners, and other manners as well.”

“But, Mom, I don’t want to go to a party tonight! I’m not ready to learn all these dumb manners!”

“Well, young lady! Don’t talk to me like this! Where are your manners? There will be some major consequences to this! You know what, go into your room right now and start thinking how you’re going to act at the party tonight. And pick your party clothes while you’re at it!”

“Fine!”

“Honey,” her dad said as she stormed off.

“Well, what has gotten into Georgia?” asked her mother.

“I don’t know,” said her dad, carelessly.

Meanwhile, up in Georgia’s room, she was thinking, If Miss Divine comes and teaches me manners, that would be as boring as my mother teaching other manners at school. What should I do? I could just go with the flow, but I also want to explore and not be stuck inside all day doing stupid, dainty, lady stuff. I’m clueless!

“What is wrong with me?!” Georgia yelled furiously.

“Georgia, is everything okay?” Georgia’s mother asked while flicking her fingers.

“Y-y-y-y-yesssss.” Georgia said, stuttering, afraid her mother would come and see her stuffing her dresses in the back of her closet, even the beautiful jewelry her father gave her.

“I don’t want to go to the party!” Georgia finally blurted out.

Georgia was trying to fit her biggest, and most beautiful dress, in the closet when her mother walked in and spotted her.

“Missy, I am very disappointed in you! I’m sorry to say this, but you’re grounded!” Snowball barked twice at Georgia’s mom. “And as for you, Snowball, don’t go against me too, mister!”

“What’s happening up there?” said Georgia’s dad.

“Georgia stuffed all her beautiful dresses you gave her into the back of her rusty, old closet!”

“Say what now?!” her dad said, storming up the stairs like an angry giant. Georgia’s dad rushed into her room and said, “What did you stuff into the back of your closet, miss!”

“U-u-u-u-u-ummmm,” Georgia stuttered. “I-I-I-I-I-I just had some dusty rags, and I didn’t want to spoil my beautiful dresses!” she said nervously.

“Then where are your beautiful dresses?” Georgia’s parents said furiously.

“I must have misplaced them,” Georgia said shaking with fright.

“Well, well,” her parents said. “What is that black, shimmering, rag, in the back then?”

“It’s-It’s-It’s.” she started. “Ummm, what is that dress doing there?!”

Her parents said, “You’ll pass this time, but we better see that dress properly hung up in her closet, or you will not go to the party!”

Not go to the party?  Georgia thought.

“Okay!” she said cheerfully.

“Okay then, come and get some pumpkin pie with us.” her parents said. “And by the way, Miss Divine will be coming over very soon.”

“Ugh, whatever.” Georgia said, shrugging

“Excuse me, what did you just say, girly?” her mother said.

“I-I-I mean yayyy!” Georgia said sarcastically.

***

Ding-dong.

“Miss Divine is here!” Georgia’s mother said.

“Yaaay, so awesome,” Georgia said, lumping her back into a stone-like arch.

“Come greet Miss Divine like a lady would,” Georgia’s mother called.

Georgia came down with her pretend smile and slowly opened the door.

“Oh, Miss Divine, I’m so glad you came over,” Georgia said politely. “To teach me all these dumb manners.” she mumbled.

“Excuse me, what did you say, dear?” she said in a posh-like British accent.

“I-I-I-I-I just said how great you are at teaching young ladies manners,” she said. “Noooottt,” she mumbled quietly.

“Okay then, dear, how about I start teaching you right now?” Miss Divine replied.

“Oh that’s just great. Here, I’ll show you the way to my room!” Georgia said, annoyed. “Before you mess anything up,” she whispered, angrily.

Now that Miss Divine was up in Georgia’s room, she asked her, “What is that shiny, glittering ‘thing’ doing there?!”

“It’s just, uh, you know, a rag!” Georgia answered quickly.

“Okay, then what is that glittering, shiny, rag doing there?”

“Will you excuse me for a second?” she paused. “MOOOM!!!”

Georgia ran downstairs, and Miss Divine questioned,  “What in heaven’s has gotten into that girl?”

Georgia’s mother, Mrs. Lucia, was picking out a beautiful gown for the party when Georgia rushed in.

“What is wrong with that Miss Divine??”

“Good heavens, Georgia, mind your manners. This is not what true ladies do. Go back up and apologize to Miss Divine, and don’t run into my room again. I was picking the most beautiful, black dress, and I suggest you wear yours too.”

“But, Mooooom,” Georgia shrugged.

“I don’t want to hear, MOOOOOM,” Georgia’s mom said louder.

***

After Georgia left, Lia came storming in Georgia’s room saying, “GEORGIA!!! Mom said she’s taking us to a party tonight! You better pick your party clothes, or Mom will not be happy! Plus, she’s the President, so she can ground you. Ha, ha, ha!”

“LIAAAA!!! Stop it right now! Mom could ground you too, you know! Tell mom I’m not going to the party!!!”

“Okay,’’ said Lia. “MMOOMMM!”

“Shut up!!” yelled Georgia.

“Blegh,” said Lia, as she fell head-first on the floor, quivered up her body, put her hands on her face, and stuck out her tongue.

Georgia said, “Grow up, Lia,” and walked over her, leaving the door shut. “And get out of my room, by the way.”

“Girls! Dinner time!” Georgia and Lia’s mom said.

Now, the White House chef said, “Potato fries for everyone!”

“Yum!” Lia and Georgia said at the same time.

“I said it first,” said Georgia.

“Did not,” said Lia.

“Did to,” said Georgia.

“Okay, okay. Break it up, girls,” said Mr. Lucia.

“I bet I can eat more potato fries than you can!!” yelled Georgia.

“Girls, stop fighting over a little thing!” said Mrs. Lucia. “And Georgia, I canceled the party for next week.”

“Great!” said Georgia sarcastically.

“And by the way, it’s her fault,” said Georgia and Lia as they pointed at each other.

Mr. and Mrs. Lucia looked at each other and slapped their foreheads, as if they were aching.

“Okay, girls, it’s time for bed,” said Mr. Lucia.

“But we didn’t even eat dinner, and it’s not even our bedtime!” yelled Georgia.

“Fine. Just go relax on the sofa and turn on the TV.” said Mr. Lucia.

Georgia and Lia sat on the big, white, fluffy couch, facing away from each other. They felt like they were sitting on a cloud. They’ve had many fun times on the couch, but this time, they were angry with each other. Then Georgia spotted the remote. She stretched her arm out to get the remote and fell off the couch, face first.

“Ouch!” she yelled, not realizing she fell on her ultra soft carpet.

Lia giggled.

“LIA, IT’S NOT FUNNY!!!”

“Heaven sakes, girls, is everything okay?” said Mrs. Lucia, coming down the stairs.

“LIA WAS MAKING FUN OF ME. LIA WAS MAKING FUN OF ME. LIA WAS MAKING FUN OF ME.,” Georgia chanted.

Lia tried to squeeze herself behind the cushion of the couch, to hide from her mom, but she was too big.

Georgia threw herself on the couch, pulled away the cushion, and said, “You can’t hide from me. I’m three years older than you.”  

“So what?” said Lia as she jumped off the couch, sticking her tongue out at Georgia saying, “Na-na-na boo-boo, you can’t catch me.”

Then she ran off.

“Oh, I can play that game,” said Georgia.

Georgia jumped off the couch and ran twice as fast as Lia, tackling her.

“Boo yeah, in your face, Lia-patia!”

“Hey, that’s my baby name,” said Lia.

“Well, you’re a baby to me,” said Georgia, laughing, with happy tears running down her cheeks.

“Hahaha, who’s the baby now,” said Lia.

“You crying,” Lia teased.

“Shut your mouth,” said Georgia.

Their mom just stared at them, shaking her head, saying, “They’re dead.”

The two sisters had fought until it was time for bed.

“Moooom,” Lia groaned. “We don’t want to go to bed yet.”

“Shut it,” Georgia said again, dragging Lia into Lia’s room, locking the door behind her.

Before Lia could make another peep, Georgia sprinted to her room and locked her own door. She wasn’t actually tired. She just wanted Lia to go way.

Georgia’s room was incredibly big. In the corner of the room, she had a bunk bed where the bottom was a desk. She kept her stuffed animals on the desk chair, and a plate of warm cookies were resting on the table. No one was allowed in, especially Lia. In the center of the table was Georgia’s favorite journal. It was bought by her parents when she was born, and it’s been her most prized possession since.

Georgia grabbed the most beautiful gold pen and wrote in her journal:

Dear Journal,

Today my mom spent all her time teaching me lady like manners. Doesn’t she know I don’t want to learn those manners! I want to be wild and explore new places. That’s who I am, and she can’t change that. Don’t you believe me, journal?

Love,

Georgia

Georgia sighed. “If only someone believed me.”

Georgia looked at the clock, and it was way past her bedtime. She brushed her teeth, put her PJ’s on, read some of her book, turned off the light, and slowly closed her eyes until she was fast asleep.

When she woke up, she could hear birds tweeting out her window. She got up and brushed her teeth, changed her clothes, brushed her beautiful, brown hair, put on her beautiful, silver sandals, and left her room, taking Snowball with her. Snowball had been sleeping next to her, snuggled up together in bed.

“Breakfast time, kids!” Mr. Lucia yelled down the halls.

“Coming!” cried Georgia.

“Ruff ruff,” barked Snowball.

“Wha- what time is it?” Lia mumbled.

Georgia ate all her pancakes as Lia stumbled down to the gigantic dining room.

“Lia Walker Lucia, what are you wearing?!” said Lia’s mom. “Go back to your room and change.”

Mrs. Lucia was not happy and wanted Lia to do it faster.

“Ugh, okay.” Lia said to the floor, eyes still closed.

When Georgia had finished her breakfast, she opened the door to allow fresh air in.

“Hello,” a voice said politely.

It was Jeanette, Georgia’s friend.

“I heard you last night, you seemed sad.” Jeanette said. “I believe you. My mom tries to teach me manners too. I don’t listen though. No one can change that. It’s who I am. That’s why I’m asking you to sneak out of the house with me at noon. I’m going to show you something very special.”

***

Ding-dong.!

“Jeanette’s here, Mom,” Georgia said. “We’re going to go for a walk. Is that okay?”

“Go ahead,” said the mom. “Just be back before sunset, please.”

“Okay, bye,” Georgia said, hurriedly, and she ran out the door with Jeanette.

“Can you climb?” Jeanette asked Georgia.

“Of course, but why?” said Georgia, curiously.

Then, Georgia looked up and saw a great stone wall. She was not supposed to go over.

“Is this the wall to the woods?” Georgia asked.

“Rrruufff,” Snowball barked.

“Where did you come from, Snowball?”

“Yeah, you were supposed to stay home,” Jeanette added.

Snowball just stared at them and wagged his tail.  

“Snowball, you’re so silly. You can’t climb,” said Georgia.

Snowball saw a small tree nearby. He jumped on a twig, shot over the wall, landed on the other side, and let out a satisfied “Ruuuff.”

“Well, how do you explain that? You obviously have a very talented dog,” Jeanette told Georgia as the two started climbing.

As soon as they made it over the wall, Jeanette covered Georgia’s eyes.

“One, two, three, open,” Jeanette said, releasing her grip.

“HHUUUGHHH! It’s beautiful!” Georgia let out. “Look at that beautiful deer!”

“SURPRISE,” said Jeanette.

“What should we name it?” Georgia asked.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Jeanette said. “We don’t name wild animals… until now!”

“How about Bushy?!” Georgia said excitedly.

“Perfect,” said Jeanette.

“Ruff,” said Snowball.

“Okay, little guy. Let’s go explore some more. Our moms won’t even know we’re here!” said Jeanette.

Both friends giggled.

“Ruff ruff ruff ruff ruff,” Snowball added.

Sunset came faster than they would have liked, and the two friends climbed back over the wall and went back to their houses.

“See you tomorrow afternoon,” Georgia said, smiling.

“See ya,” Jeanette said.

The End