Prologue:
“Run, Olivia, run!” Rowan “Roy” Choi yelled, as Aaron ran past her. “He’s coming!” Eight-year-old Olivia screamed as Aaron reached out to grab her, but she got away just in time. The three children were playing Aarons favorite game “tickle run.” Though the girls thought it was the worst game ever invented, Aaron enjoyed playing it, so they decided to play. Roy stood there watching them, until Aaron turned and started chasing after her.
Little Olivia laughed as Aaron caught Roy and began tickling her. Daringly, Olivia ran up behind Aaron and started tickling him.
Surprised, Aaron turned around. Laughing, Olivia ran away, running in circles around the tree, then bolting for the stairs that led up to their house. Running a little too fast, she tripped, ripping her favorite dress.
She started crying.
Aaron stopped to help the sobbing girl up. Roy ran over, wondering what had happened. The two looked at each other, wondering what to do.
A smile spread over Olivia’s face as Roy started singing,
“Pickles, Pickles, Pickles, up and down, side to side, left to right, now do the pickle slide!”
Aaron joined as Roy started again.
“I’ll go and get my mom. Be back in a bit.” Roy said, then ran towards the door. As soon as Roy was gone, Olivia started crying again. Aaron tried to cheer her up, but he couldn’t.
Just as Roy ran in, her mom following, Olivia smiled. “Alright, Olive,” Roy’s mom always called Olivia that, “what happened?”
“I-I,” Olivia started crying again, “I tripped on the stairs, when Aaron was chasing me.”
“Sorry, Olivia.” Aaron mumbled.
Roy elbowed him hard, “Sorry doesn’t cut it, Aaron. Go get her a teddy bear or something!”
“Ow! Okay, okay!” Aaron left, glancing back at the commanding and sarcastic young girl. “I’ll be right back!” he said, as he ran off. When he came back, he held in his hand a teddy bear bigger than Olivia. “Ah!” she screamed. “A teddy bear!”
She ran over and grabbed it from his hand. “I love you!” she said.
“Love you, too.” Aaron said.
She glared up at him. “I was talking to the bear.
He placed a hand over his heart. “Ouch.”
“Oh, but I love you, too,” then, grinning at Roy, Olivia said, “I just love Mister Fluffs more. “Double ouch.” said Aaron.
