"Thanksgiving Flair"

                                                                  "Thanksgiving Flair"

                                                                   By: Jodi Rath

"Girls, you are all acting like teenagers. You are out of high school, so act like it! Jolie, you know better!" My grandma scolded us.

Ava, Lydia, Betsy, and I had been friends since diapers. Even so, we had our ups and downs. Today the four of us were arguing about where to have Thanksgiving dinner. We made a pact when we were juniors in high school to always find time to celebrate one holiday a year together no matter what was going on. We all chose Thanksgiving as that special holiday. I wanted to have the gathering at the restaurant I co-owned with my best friend, Ava.

"No, we always do it at Cast Iron Creations." Lydia glared at me.

"It's an eatery, which makes it easy to cook and serve," Ava said.

"Yeah, well, whatever we decide, it's got to be better than our junior year in high school," I said, stomping away to grab some hot tea. I sat down angrily, thinking about that year:

"Oh man, we outdid ourselves this year!" Ava exclaimed, grabbing the pot holders and picking up the pineapple upside down cake and smelling the sweet aroma.

"I hope we make a ton of money at the talent show today," I said. I picked up the food warmers to transport the cakes to our high school.

"It's all becoming a reality; Jolie, you and I are going to have that cast iron restaurant up and running within three years. I can't wait!" Ava bellowed.

It was the annual Thanksgiving talent show and Ava and I were going to run a booth selling our cast iron creations, in anticipation of opening up our restaurant one day. My mom helped us open a joint savings account to put our earnings into as we saved up for the big grand opening. Ava and I had been planning our restaurant venture since we were little kids.

Walking into Leavensport High, we sat our food warmers with the delicious fixins at the booth we had decorated the night before.

"Hey, Jolie, I don't suppose you'd let me have a taste test?" Keith, the boy I had a crush on, asked with a delicious smile.

"Sure—" I started to say before being cut off by Ava.

"Get out of here, Keith. Wait your turn and make sure you have money to spend. Don't go trying to flash those pearly whites at Jolie to get your way." She pushed him off in another direction.

Ava had always been the bold, pushy one, while I was more laid back, quiet, and shy.

"Real nice." I crossed my arms.

"Hey, Ava, how are you doing? Love that color on you!" Bradley eyed Ava up and down.

"Oh, hey Bradley, thanks," Ava said, turning to begin putting food out and working to avoid Bradley.

"Let me help," he said, sidling up next to her.

"Nope, we got it; see you later," Ava said.

Bradley fiddled with his camera and reluctantly moved into the gymnasium.

"Boy, you really are doing a great job of scaring all the guys away," I said as Delilah, Bradley's sister, walked up.

"Wow, did you make that tie-dye shirt?" Ava asked, feeling the sleeve of Delilah's shirt.

"I did; I can make you one too if you want," Delilah said, smiling big.

"Could you show me how to make one?" Ava asked.