Shiny

Teacher didn’t notice when Chloe filched a sheet of gold stars. She clutched her prize as she darted out of the classroom and onto the playground.

Lunch was over, and even the lunch monitors had retired for the day. She didn’t have to compete with anyone for the highest position, and she posed, hands raised and fisted, stickers glittering like a flag from her hand. She sighed, suddenly aware that she was alone, and began to climb down.

Halfway down she stubbed her knee on a bar and tumbled, scraping across handholds and rolling through the splintery bark that cushioned the playground. She sat up and stared at a thin cut on her knee. She peeled off a sticker and covered it. She kept going, spotting another bruise or splinter and covering it with another gold star.

When she finally stood, the adhesive pinched a bit. But the sun shone against the gold foil and threw little reflections over the blacktop. She was radiant.