Just a Stone (300 words version)

When Molly was a little curious girl, she found a perfectly round stone. She tried to use it like a ball. But nothing happened. The rock didn't bounce off the ground. It just fell. Molly didn't give up. She kicked it. The stone didn't become a ball, and the girl hurt her thumb.

Molly turned to her father for help, "I want to know what's inside of this stone. Outside, it's useless."

"Honey Boney, it's got the same inside as the outside," said the father, "the stone."

"No." Molly replied, "There must be something else!"

"Sometimes a stone is just a stone." answered the father.

However, he sawed up the stone. There was a stone inside.

Molly burst into tears of disappointment, "It was so beautiful, and now it's broken!"

She threw the halves of the stone on the ground with annoyance.

Many years later, Molly found Charles.

Charles had a motorcycle. Molly dreamed of him buying a minivan.

Molly thought about a big family. Charles wanted no more than one child.

Charles liked horror films and pasta. Molly cooked vegetables for him and watched dramas.

Molly wanted Charles to open his store. Charles preferred to repair motorcycles.

Charles loved Molly. Molly loved his love for her.

One day, Charles asked Molly to marry him.

"I explained to him I needed to think," Molly told her parents.

"But Molly, what's there to think about?" exclaimed her mother, "You told me that you and he are too different. You don't even love him! You just like him! David," she turned to her husband, "say something!"

Molly's father looked at the two women over the newspaper.

"Perhaps Molly just wants to know what's inside that stone. Yes, Honey Boney?"

That evening, Molly told Charles no.

Sometimes, a stone is just a stone.