jerrylee@writingsamurai.

com

Topic: A Touching Moment

Pictures given: A slice of cake, Two hands cupped together, A hug.

“How dare you kick me?” I hissed like a wild cat as I tried to grab his hair. His
elbow jabbed my stomach in retaliation, making me howl in pain.

We had been fighting day and night for what seemed like an eternity. I could
not remember the last time we actually enjoyed each other’s company.

There was once when there were only two pizza slices left in the fridge, one
being larger than the other. My brother quickly snatched the bigger slice. I acted fast
and managed to tear the crust, his favourite part of the pizza, off. A tug-of-war
ensued until my brother smacked me so hard across the cheek that I dropped the
crust. Tears stung my eyes as he wolfed down the pizza in front of me.

Every fight chipped away at our relationship until nothing was left between us
but animosity.

One day, as usual, I was walking home alone. I was wondering why I had not
smiled the whole day in school even though my friends had wished me a happy
birthday. It was not typical of me. Loneliness gnawed at my gut and I felt empty
inside. Weird, I thought.

As I strolled past a playground, I noticed two children playing catch merrily.

Suddenly, the younger sister tripped and fell. She wailed and wailed until her caring
brother comforted her and gave her a hug. As I stared from afar, envy gripped me
and I chewed on my bottom lip. Was this what a healthy sibling relationship looked
like? How I wish my brother could be like him! Upon thinking of him, I frowned and
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shook my head to dispel my fantasy. Who knows what nasty tricks could be up his
sleeve today?

When I reached home, I cautiously opened the door, only to find myself in
pitch black darkness. I sighed. It must be part of my brother’s plan, I thought. I stood
at the entrance, waiting for his next move. Holding my breath, I did a mental
countdown. Three, two, one…

“Surprise!”

“Ack!”

I jumped up in shock despite having braced myself for the worst. There was a
click, and light flooded the room just as my brother jumped out from behind the sofa.
My mouth was agape as I scanned the house. It was decorated with many colourful
balloons and a banner hung from one end of the house to the other. It read, “Happy
Birthday Jaime!” There was even a cake on the table with blue icing, stars made
from white chocolate, and a heart cut out from my fruit, mango. The very sight of the
house made me choke back a sob. My brother had remembered after all!

“Do you like it?” my brother asked with eagerness in his eyes.

“Yes! Thank you!” I replied, my initial surprise giving way to delight.

It was the first time someone ever celebrated my birthday since my parents
were too busy working. My eyes welled up with tears and I quickly rubbed them
away. He then asked me to try the cake. It was perfect! The sweetness on my
tongue paled in comparison to the sweetness in my heart. However, doubt soon
crept into my mind. Knowing my brother could be a menace, I eyed him with
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suspicion. Why is he being so nice to me? As if he could read my mind, my brother

wrung his hands and spoke.

“Jamie, I am so sorry for treating you badly the past few years. After our
grandmother passed away recently, I realised that life is precious and I should
treasure my loved ones. Please forgive me for everything I have done to you.”

It was true that he had been playing fewer tricks on me since her funeral a
month ago. However, I had not expected that her passing had affected him so
profoundly! I could sense the sincerity in his apology. A lump formed in my throat and
I dabbed away my tears for the second time that day. I nodded vigorously and let
myself be wrapped in his warm embrace.

Since then, my life has changed completely. I was completely showered with
love from my beloved brother and today, I cherish him more dearly than anyone else
in the whole world.

Jamie Tan, P5