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The Short Series. Episode 1.
Copyright A. L. Junid 2009
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Book 1.
Little Aida and a diamond ring.
It was still drizzling when a little girl wearing blue school uniform entered the school
compound.
“Ha, ha… there she is. There’s Aida,” exclaimed Imi to her two friends who were with her. They walked hurriedly towards Aida their closed-bossom friend and a brilliant classmate.
There were many students at the balcony and some walking into their classes.In all the total pupils
in the mixed school for boys and girls has around two hundred students, with fifteen teachers and a
School Principal.
“You look very pretty today,Aida. Yellow shirt with blue long skirt,” exclaimed Wendi.
“Yeh…” exclaimed Imi and Roya.
“You all look pretty too!” said Aida back trying hard to impress them.
The four eight-year old walked hand in hand, and together they entered the school canteen which is a distance away from the school gate.
They choose the table near to the stall catering coffee and tea.They each ordered their coffee, pieces
of cakes.
“Let’s sit near the entrance,” said Roya.They all agreed.
Aida said,”Do you know that Mrs. Asma got a new car, and that she drove me here! I do hope we all could get a ride home with her when she pick me up after school…”
“That would be nice,” said Roya who have often tried to impress her bosom friend, Aida.
“I want to tell you something, and its very important that you all must keep it as a secret!” she said.
It is quite often that the four ten year old girls have among them many secrets, small secrets
or a big ones.Aida looked very determined, and said in low tone. Her three friends bend their bodies closer together less someone might overheard.
“Well, come on tell us what it is,” said Wendy who sat next to Fidah.
“It”s like this,” whispered Aida softly even though the canteen was half crowded. Roya little cousin
Mimi, seemed very excited. She gave a quint smile whenever she felt excited about something.
“Its all right you can take your time, because none other than us would know,” said Roya.
“Its a secret among us four,”said Mimi.
“Its like this……I found a diamond ring. And, its very pretty too and expensive too I think.”
“A diamond ring!” exclaimed her three friends together.
“Really!” uttered Fidah followed by Mimi and Wendy.
“Lets have a look could’nt wait!” said Wendy who bended herself closer to Aida.
“Its not with me,” replied Aida.”I hide it….. I hide it in my room’s closet.”
She was hesitant awhile but then said, “Well…. After
school then. And I would surely show you the beautiful
diamond ring and I tell you it’s the most beautiful ring I
ever saw.”
Mimi interrupted-“I guess we are all really excited.”
“Yeah….we all are,” the three others conveyed.
It was two in the afternoon when they reached Aida’s
home. Her mom was in the kitchen.
“Good afternoon Aunty!” the three of them greeted
Aida’s mum as they entered the kitchen.
“Well, what a surprise! I see you decided to bring you
friends too Aida.There must be something, something exciting
going on. Have all of you taken your lunch yet,” she
asked.
“Lunch! Yes mom. And so have my friends,” she replied.
“I want to do something. You can send us tea if you want
to. We have to hurry to my room.There’s something we all
have to do,”said Aida.
“Yes my child,” said her mom, “I’m sure there are
many things young girls of your age have to discuus things
out for eight year old.I’m sure of that.”
“Thank you mom,” Aidah replied and her three
friends followed to her room.
“Here it is,” said Aidah as she shows the ring to
them.
The three girls were too surprised to say a word, although
it was just a ring, but it did shine like a star. The white
coloured diamond seems to glow.
Aida hold it a second or two and then passed it to her
three bossomed friends. They were all very excited and eager to
hold and have a closer look.
“Careful now,” said Aida. Of course the three were
excited with mixed feelings.
“Diamonds are girls best friend,” exclaimed everyone.
Their voices sounded loud enough that Aida’s mother
came to investigate.
“Are you girls all right! Your tea and also cakes are at
the table…Better drink them now…I’m going to the
market soon. And remember to lock the door and gate when you
are going out Aida!” she said.
Aida whispered to her friends to go to the hall as she
quietly wrapped the ring and kept it. She hurried to join
her friends. They have already finished up their last bits
of cakes.
“Its very lucky that your mom did not know about the
ring. Otherwise there would be trouble and…,” said Mimi
who asked if her mother knew about it.
Aida replied,”No….not the least Mimi.And by the way I found a large bag too, but I hid it by big tree where we always frequented.”
“The playground,” the three of them yelled together at once.
“Correct….and there’s a a lot of things and documents
too. I wonder if we should report to the Police. But I’m
afraid because they would ask so many questions.And my
parents would be upset.So I left it, hidden at the bush near
the big tree, that no one could see it. And that its safe
from the sights of anyone…”
“There would be trouble if things get wrong…” said
Roya and continued, “My uncle is a Policeman. He sure could
help us.”
Mimi interrupted: “We are all together with you, no
matter what.”
They were very excited and began to discuss a plan what to
do next. It was almost five twenty five that afternoon that
they decided to go out to the field. They felt excited and
very curious and was ready for any misadventure so to say.
But the other two decided to go home instead, and excused
themselves as their parents would be worried. Or that if
anything bad events might have happened.
Aida and Roya braved themselves even though both of them
felt they should inform their parents first.
The park was half crowded that afternoon.
There were often people who frequented the park and Aidah
felt a queer feeling that someone present was following
them.
He was a stranger,a strange man much like castawawy,
untidy and unwashed. Roya advised them not to be
frightened for she often foumd him wandering in the park,
that he was a homeless man who slept by that corner at
the far end of the park.
It never occurred to them that anything bad would happen.
Nevertheless they were quite frightened even though the
field that late afternnon was half full.
“It’s over there! I hide it under the bushes near to
the big tree,” exclaimed Aida. They hurried to the spot.
Sure indeed the bag was still there hidden from view
of passers by. They were amazed that the bag was still
intact.
“Let’s check what’s in the bag,” suggested Aida.
But Roya was frightened and said, “Are you sure! I don’t
think so. We better don’t cheched on things like
that..Let’s just go back home. I think it is better to
leave it there and let my uncle come to check on it.He’s
the Policeman, he knows what to do.”
Roya was a bit hesitant but then said probabaly it was
better to leave it there.
The two girls hurried back home and on reaching the bus
terminal they both went their separate way as Roya had to
board the bus. They both felt relief and promised to discuss
the whole matters again by sms, or called by handphone if
necessary.
The next two days were as busy as ever for Aida and her
three friends.The day they met Roya’s uncle they felt
relief especially Aida. Now that they could count on the
Authority since Roya’s uncle is a vigilenty and a
volunteer in the Police Force who was very keen to help them.
“I found the big bag. Just as I was finishing my first
round at the park. It was not so heavy. And as there was no
one around so I thought of hididng it. I mean I placed it
among the bushes, beside the big tree’ said Aida to
Rizdzwan.
“That’s very clever…”announced Rizdwan and said:
“Do you know that you should have reported to the Police
two day ago or someone in charge at the Park….because it is very,
very dangerous, because we do not know whom it belongs
to.”
Aida apologized for the mistake “I am sorry I did not
know..”
“Yes Uncle, please forgive Aida. And please don’t tell
the Authority or she would be in jail” said Roya
apololizing for her good friend.
Ridwan gave a smile and laugh at that expression.
“It’s not like that at all…no harm will come toboth
of you,’ he assured them both.
“In fact there is a reward for both of you for finding
lost belongings and from the Police too would give an
assurace that you both have done good service to society for
reporting it to the Authority. Because if some others might
just ran away with found belongings.”
There was a big relief when they heard his explaination.
“Yeas.. we do want to know if there is any rewards for
both of us’” asked Roya eagerly.
“Hold on a mainute and don’t get carried away!’Ridwan
took out a file and read out the article about lost items.
“Yes there is a reward about this lost bag and in fact
the owner announced to us that whoever found his bag would
be rewarded with $1,000.00.”
There was a glimmer of happines from both faces of Aida and
Roya and the thought of receiving rewards excited them
tremendously.
Ridzwan continued: “And not only that,the man said that he
would personally want to meet the person who returned his
belongings to the Police. And also he would give a dinner
party to him or her and their family at the best
Restaurant.”
“Who is he Uncle?” both of the girls asked
simultinously.
“The owner of the lost aritcls is a Professor from
Australia. His name is Professor Andrew Nigel of Sydney.
Both of you are very lucky girls indeed”.
“Actually there are four of us.The others are friends of
ours who do not wished to be mentioned because they were
afraid. Or that their parents would scold them. Anyway now
that we know there is a reward so we don’t think that they
would become frightened of anything’” said Roya and
seconded by Aida who noded her head.
“Okay then…all’s well that ends well,” said
Corporal Ridwan and said hurriedly, “Could you girls
mentioned my name to the owner and that maybe I too would be
invited to the dinner!”
Both girls said “ Don’t worry uncle we will!”
That Sunday they attended the dinner Party hosted by Prof. Nigel
and for the first time the four girls with their parents were
tremendously jubilant.
Aida moved forward to meet Nigel and handed to him the Diamond ring which she had brought along,
Nigel was very thankful but said to her, " Well my good girl, you can keep this ring anyway. Its not a real
Diamond Ring but a fake one at that, I bought in Kuala Lumpur for a Dollar or two. I was supposed to
give to my wife, but you can keep it as a gift from me."
The rest of the girls were happy at that, and they all exclaimed - " Diamonds are girls best friend," and
heard Ridzwan laugh at that.
They have a great wonderful night with all the delicious food to eat for dinner.
"It was all worth the good effort", said one of the guest whom Roya recognized to be the stranger at the
park. He introduced himself to Roya and the girls. The girls felt very happy at all the surprises that
wonderful night.
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Story 2.
Rich Girl,
Aida, Wendy and Mimi were cordially invited by their friend Michelle to her Mother's 35th. birthday party.
The girls attended the same school and were classmates and good, closed friends for years since
primary One.
