«A Pluffy Day». Part 2 We'd made it maybe ten paces when Mia stopped, looked at me, lost in some thought:

— You know what, Lily? I want that plush teddy bear.

My eyebrows shot up:

— You do?!

— Don't, Mia, you're only saying that for my sake!

— No! — she said, and stamped her foot. — We're buying him! — And she tugged me back toward the bear stall.

— Are you sure, Mia?

Her lips slowly tugged upward. I couldn't hold back a smile either.

— Sure, — she said, and we walked over to the teddy bear stall.

— How much? — I asked, pointing at the bear.

The seller looked at me, then at Mia, crumpled up the bear's price tag and said with a smile:

— One silver.

«I could have sworn the tag said 5»

— Are you sure? — I was surprised. — Just one silver?

— Well then, are you buying or not? — asked the seller.

— We're buying!

I put the silver on the counter, picked up the bear and pressed him to my cheek:

— Mia, he's so floofy!

Mia giggled. I looked around: the seller and the passers-by were all watching me, smiling. Blood rushed to my cheeks. I handed the bear over to Mia. She hugged him:

— He's huge!

Then she looked at me:

— Listen, Lily, he's too big, it'll be hard for me to carry him. Couldn't you carry him yourself?

It didn't take much persuasion. I slung the bear over my back, and off we went to buy our food.