The navy blue sea of cotton. The black, yellow and white letters speak. “Mighty Mighty Bosstones,” the beautiful creature exclaimed. 

The smell of Sol De Janeiro number 40 perfume lingers through its soft veins. The scent of Dad whispers through the perfume, sending messages of love, warmth and presence through to the owner's ears. Reminding her of her dad on the days that he was gone, he goes to the far away places with mountains high of plastic, paper, phone calls and meetings. 

She walks to the bus stop with her snuggly creature. Holding hands to make sure that they are connected at the hip at all times. The beautiful creature's hand feels like the lining of the skin of the beautiful creature had balled up into little clumps and fuzzes. 

The friends climb up the steep stairs onto the bright yellow bus. The stairs that crutch users loathe. But these friends usually love them, but today was different. This day was special. This day was the day of the final math exam. The girl was previously failing so she needed to pass this taste.  

“Beautiful creature friend, can you give me luck to pass this test? It will make the decision if I pass to go to 10th grade or not, I need you by my side” The girl pleaded. 

“You will be okay! I will always be by your side, it does not matter if you pass or fail, I will still be proud of you!” the beautiful creature reassured the girl in the calming and familiar voice of her father. 

The bus gets to the particularly busy parking lot. Kids rush into the classroom making sure that they can get started right away. Ms. Scary looks at the kids with her lazy eye and her snaggle tooth that is peaking through her piercing smile. She was especially happy because she could hand out this test form of gut wrenching anxiety to all of these fearful kids. 

“Here you go kids, it won’t be that hard, haha” her wicked laugh escapes from the acrid smell of her breath. 

“You will be okay!, I am right here” the creature whispers to the girl as she begins the test. 

The clock ticks, “tic tick tic tick”. The time ticks away. 

Minutes pass. The 90 minutes disappear like a speck of dust into a ray of sun. The 90 minutes turn into 30 seconds in a flash. 

RING! The bell makes that shocking noise, freeing the class of this misery. 

“Hand in your tests! Haha, I am so excited to use my F stamp” the evil teacher exclaims to the class. 

Tears flood the room. But the girl does not cry because she had her best friend right next to her the whole time. 

She reaches into the pocket of her Mighty Mighty Bosstones Sweatshirt that had stains and rips and the smell of her dad and grabs the note, 

“You will be okay! - love Dad”

Even though her dad was off to the kingdom of staplers, sharpies and post-it notes, her beautiful creature was right next to her the whole time.