Marisol and the Golden Heart Award

Marisol wears the same darned blue sweater three days a week at Larkspur Elementary, where Sloane Whitaker decides what counts as cool.

A girl in old clothes wins the school’s kindness award, and the “fashionable” kids learn what really matters

Marisol Vega wore the same blue sweater to school three days a week.

It was soft from washing, with a small darned patch on one elbow and cuffs that had once belonged to her older cousin. Her sneakers were scuffed white at the toes, and her backpack had a zipper that stuck unless you jiggled it just so.

She didn't mind much. Her mother worked long shifts at the hospital laundry, and the family counted every coin carefully. Marisol knew that clothes were for keeping warm, and she was thankful to have them.

But at Larkspur Elementary, clothes seemed to mean something more.

In Marisol's fifth-grade class, a group of kids led by a girl named Sloane Whitaker had made themselves the judges of what was cool. Sloane arrived each morning in brand-new jackets with famous logos, glittering hair clips, and shoes so white they looked like they'd never touched a sidewalk. Her friends, Preston, Delaney, and Quinn, dressed almost the same way and walked in a little cluster, whispering.

"Is that the same sweater again?" Delaney would murmur when Marisol passed.

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Quick answers about Marisol and the Golden Heart Award

What is Marisol and the Golden Heart Award about?

Marisol wears the same darned blue sweater three days a week at Larkspur Elementary, where Sloane Whitaker decides what counts as cool.

Is Marisol and the Golden Heart Award free to read?

Yes. Every story on RapidTale is free to read in the browser, with no sign-up and nothing to install.

How long does it take to read?

This story runs 1 chapter — most readers finish in one sitting, and you can stop and return to any chapter using the contents list.

Who wrote it?

Nimra Khan — original fiction published on RapidTale.