(THE ALPHABET SERIES) BARBARA GETS A BARBIE

"Thank you, Annie," said Mrs Zanted, as Annie took a bow and sat back down. "Who's up next? Barabara, I believe it's you."
I sighed. I didn't want to share my story, everyone was going to laugh at me.
But Mrs Zanted was looking impatiently, so I hgad to go to the front of the room, and read it out:

You're gonna think this is pretty silly. I'm supposed to like what I'm going to talk about, because I'm a girl. But over the summer, I got a Barbie.
It was my birthday in the middle of August. My mum had arranged to have the whole family in the bark yard for a barbecue. We had a laugh, and I soon got full up on cheeseburgers and coke.
"Barbara! It's time for presents!" Mum called out, towards the end of the evening.
I bustled together with the rest of my relations. My mum was up first. She'd given me the new "Pirates Of The Carribbean" DVD. I thanked her, and then gave her a massive hug, which must have surprised her, because I'm not the hugging type usually.
Next up was my brother, Bart. He gave me a book of the human body. He informed me that it told you about the hows and whys of the human body. On the front cover, was the inside of someon's stomach.
"Looks gruesome!" I'd laughed. "Thanks Bart!"
And then it was my Auntie Bree's turn. Now Auntie Bree wasn't the best at giving presents. She always got you something you didn't like. Not because she was being mean, but because she doesn't seem to know whaty you do like, even when you tell her enough times!
Anyway, she came forward with a box shaped present, and I started thinking: 'What is it? Could it be the full set of Roald Dahl books I'd begged for?"
Thinking it was that, I stated to unwrap the present enthusiastically. However, when the last of the paper fell away, I saw it was a Barbie.
Now, I really hate Barbies, and the sight of them makes me want to puke, usually. So obviously, when I opened the present, I must have had a look of pure disgust on my face.
Everyone started whispering, and I could hear things like: "She doesn't like it." and "She's supposed to, they share the name, almost."
My mum stepped forward. "Now, Barabara. Your auntie's gone to a heap of trouble to get your present, it was very expensive. And you know how poor she is," Mum hissed in my ear.
I tried to whisper back: "But I hate it, Mum!" But it came out in an audible shout.
Everyone started talking, and I could hear things like: "Well, I never!" and "What an ungrateful child."
I looked at Auntie Bree and I could see she was trying no to cry.
"Now look what you've done!" said Mum, angrily. "Apologise to your auntie at once!"
"Sorry, Auntie Bree," I mumbled.
Then my younger sister, Becky, said: "Can I have her Barbie?"
"No," said Mum.
"But why? She doesn't want it!"
"No. Barabara's keeping her Barbie, and she will play with it every day." I knew Mum was doing it to punish me, I felt like crying now.
It was the worst birthday ever.

The End by Charlene Samm