Finders Keepers

"Look what I found '' Sophie said picking up a bracelet around her wrist. The pink beads sparkled into the sun. She tried to put it on, but the clasp was broken. ''We should turn it in to the office after recess,'' Veronica said. Sophie thought for a minute. Dad would know how to fix the clasp. The bracelet would match most of her clothes. Maybe it didn't even belong to anyone from school. Maybe it had been lying in the grass for a year and the owner had forgotten all about it. It was just a homemade bracelet anyway. " Finders keepers," Sophie said and slipped the bracelet into her pocket. Veronica made a sour face. Sophie shrugged " Losers weepers." The next day, Sophie noticed Maggie digging through the lost-and-found box in the lunchroom. During recess, Maggie searched all over the playground for something. Sophie started to feel funny inside. One time, her baby brother, Jack had lost his favorite toy. It was a floppy leopard. At bedtime Jack cried for the leopard, and Sophie kept wishing someone would call and say they'd found it. Jack had cried a lot of tears that night. Sophie walked over to Maggie on the playground. " What are you looked for?" Sophie asked hoping the answer wasn't what she guessed it was. '' A bracelet," Maggie said. '' My sister made it before she left college so I wouldn't feel so sad. Whenever i start to miss her it reminds me that she'll be home soon. And now it's gone too.'' Sophie felt her face get hot. '' Is this it?'' she asked, stretching out her arm. '' Your wearing my bracelet! '' '' I''m really sorry.'' Sophie said. She quickly took it off. '' I should have turned it in before.'' " Thank you," Maggie said softly. She ran her fingers over the pretty glass beads. '' Why are you giving it back?" " It's yours," said Sophie " It never belonged to me. Want me to help you put it on? My dad fixed the clasp." " Yes thank you " Maggie turned her hand over and said, " When I wear this, I think of my sister. Now I'll think of you too." The bracelet was sparkling on Maggie's wrist, right where it belonged.