Gift. Exchange. Elex was really smart- maybe because he was old? Giulia wasn't sure, but as she clutched the conch in close to her chest, her cheeks flared bright pink with a bashful joy. He was such a nice boy. She hadn't gotten anything like this before as a gift- something someone had actually made her and given spur of the moment. Cookies and stuff, but that was different.

"I'll take real good care of the shell," Giulia promised Elex. "I'll be real careful with it and treat it gentle. It is so pretty." Tiny fingers stroked it, but blue eyes didn't look at it, instead memorizing the face of the boy who had given her the gift.

As he walked towards the water, she watched him go, curious. Turned her blue eyes to the boat, and the mean daddy who worked there. Maybe she was not so unlucky in her lack of a daddy after all. As she turned her attention to the women walking the beach, and heard her name called, she turned and races towards them, her heart light and happy, her gift safe and secure.

Strickenized
And FIN