Stories

Aleksa’s Scrunchies

By Katherine Pebley O’Neal

Aleksa loved to wear ponytail holders around her wrist. She had about 50 scrunchies, in every style and color. Sometimes she would wear one, sometimes she would wear them all! They might match her outfit, they might match her mood, or they might be in rainbow order. It was her own personal scrunchy style.

“Are those bracelets or hairbands?” asked her brother Hayden.

“Both,” Aleksa replied confidently.

“Are you going to put those in your hair or keep them on your wrist?” asked Rob, her science partner at school.

“Both,” Aleksa answered with a smile.

“Are you going to wear a red scrunchy on Friday, or a yellow one, for School Spirit Day?” asked her best friend Kathy.

“Both!” laughed Aleksa.

And she did.

Friday was a big day. Not only was it School Spirit Day, but Aleksa’s science project was due, her class was having a pizza party for earning the most reading points, and her team was playing an important volleyball game after school against Bear Creek.

That morning Aleksa dressed carefully, pulling her hair back with the red and yellow scrunchies, and lining up as many more as she could fit on her wrist and up her arm.

“A big day like today calls for lots of scrunchies,” she told her family at breakfast.

“They might get in your way, dear,” suggested her mother.

“They might distract you from your school work,” offered her father.

“They might look stupid,” teased Hayden.

“You’ll see,” Aleksa said confidently. “They’ll come in handy. Plus, they’re my own personal scrunchy style.”

Her mother and father exchanged glances, and her brother rolled his eyes.

Aleksa and Kathy walked into the classroom to find everyone decked out in school colors of yellow and red. The room was filled with excitement. Mr. Ting, their teacher, suggested they do science first, so the projects would be finished and they could enjoy their pizza party. Everyone broke into groups and headed for the science tables.

“Aleksa, Kathy!” called Nidia from a few tables down. Nidia was the captain of the soccer team. “Good news! Our soccer T-shirts are here! Just in time for the big game!”

“That’s great!” answered Aleksa.

“I just have to remember to pick them up before 2:00,” said Nidia.

“I’ll help you remember,” offered Aleksa. She looked at her wrist and found the scrunchy that was decorated with soccer balls. She pulled it off and handed it to Nidia. “Wear this!”

“Great idea!” said Nidia, slipping the scrunchy on. “Thanks, Aleksa!”

“Now they’re hair bands, bracelets, and reminders?” laughed Rob. “Do they do science projects, too?”

“I wish,” said Aleksa. “Let’s get to work.”

They were building a bridge from craft sticks, and they had to keep track of how many they used.

“You know,” said Rob, “this would be easier if we could keep our sticks in groups of ten. Then we’d know exactly how many we’re using.”

Aleksa smiled. “That’s easy!” she said. She quickly divided the sticks and put a scrunchy around each group. “There,” she said.

“Hair bands, bracelets, reminders, and stick holders,” said Rob in amazement. “What next?”

When it was time for the pizza party, delicious, hot pepperoni pizza was delivered to their room along with ice cold cans of soda.

“I think that’s my soda,” said Kathy.

“I left mine over here,” Rob claimed.

“Hey, where’s my drink?” said Nidia.

Aleksa thought for a minute. “Wait,” she said. “I have an idea.” She pulled her scrunchies off and slipped them around the soda cans. “Just remember what color scrunchy is on your can,” she explained. “And remember to give them back when you’re finished.”

Rob looked at Kathy. “Hair bands, bracelets, reminders, stick holders...” he began.

“...and soda markers!” laughed Kathy.

Nidia remembered to pick up the soccer T-shirts. But when the team met in the gym after school, they were disappointed.

“They are way too big,” moaned Kathy.

“They hang below our shorts!” added Nidia.

“They sure will be hard to play in,” agreed Aleksa. “Unless...”

She pulled the tail of her T-shirt over to the side and twisted it tight. Then she secured it with—what else?—a scrunchy.

“Hey, that might work!” said Nidia.

“It’s cool, too,” chimed Kathy.

“It can be our team’s scrunchy style,” said Aleksa with a smile.

After the big game, which they won easily, Aleksa, Kathy, and Rob started to walk home. Hayden came running up awkwardly, trying to carry a huge art project on poster board.

“I saw your team wearing your scrunchies,” he said, panting. “They looked almost as dumb on their shirts as they do on your arm,” he teased. But he was smiling.

“Need some help with that art project?” said Aleksa. She took the poster, carefully rolled it up, and slipped a scrunchy around it.

“Oh, no!” cried Rob. “Another scrunchy to the rescue!”

They all laughed, even Hayden. “Thanks, Aleksa,” he said.

“No problem,” said Aleksa. “I knew they’d come in handy,” she added. “In my own, personal, scrunchy style.”

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