The Summer of My Life

19.

YOOHOO plot twist I'm not dead. Sorry if you hate me and my stupid story by now. 

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAYAYAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" My parents burst into the room screaming and singing. They jump on my bed and yank back the covers. 

"Go away, it's only eight." I mumble, pulling the covers back over my head and attempting to burrow into my mattress. Still, my parents relentlessly hack away at my covers, until it's impossible to ignore them further. I quite literally flopping onto the floor and sprinting away on all fours with my parents laughing behind me. I lock myself into my bathroom and begin to tackle my hair, not sure what to do with it. I'm about to consider something ridiculous like pigtails when  I realize I forgot to ask Becca if she was coming over today. I cautiously peek out the door, in fear of my partying parents, but they're no where to be seen. It's oddly, almost creepy. I snatch my phone and lock myself in the bathroom yet again. No texts from Becca. 

hey are ya comin over today

I sigh and do my makeup while contemplating the mess that is my hair. And then my clothes. And yet, I still didn't know what to do, so I went, screw it, and put it in some loose pigtails. No one important to see anyways. I leave the bathroom feeling strangely accomplished. Still, the house was oddly quiet.

"GUYS I'M SLIGHTLY SCARED THAT I CAN'T HEAR ANY OF YOU PLEASE DON'T COME OUT AND JUMP ON ME."

Eerie silence. I shrug, creeping down the stairs. There was a waffle topped with corn flakes plated on the table, untouched. Guessing it's mine, I take a bite. It was still warm, slightly crunchy, and drizzled with just enough syrup, spred with just enough butter. It was so many of my favorite things compiled into one stack. Yet, it still lacked something. I took another bite, washing it down with a gulp of water. Ice cream.

I skip to the freezer, hoping and praying there's mint chocolate chip left. I kinda dig a little into all the unhealthy frozen goods we have before I uncover a brand spanking new tub of mint chocolate chip. I let out a little squeal, because this was about to become a five star meal. I take a generous scoop and plop it on top of the rest of the irresistible goodness and inhale it, ignoring the sting of my teeth reacting to the immediate old of the ice cream, for it was well worth it. It then occurs to me that I should maybe, just maybe, check to see if my parents were okay, so I send a text to my mom.

hey where are u and dad bc im home alone 

It was odd that everyone would abandon me on my birthday. My parents had been abnormally happy today too. Now they were all ignoring me. Becca wasn't answering her phone either. I sigh, determined to still make today a positive day, considering I hadn't had one in a while. I sit around for half an hour wondering what I could possibly do besides watching Dancing With the Stars reruns for the day. I finally settle on a long penny board ride to nowhere and am about to leave the house when I finally get a text back from Becca. Rather, three.

sorry, slept in

stayed up watching the office a little too long oops

meet me at the park in ten

Did she forget it was my birthday? She acted as if nothing was new. This was odd, considering last year, she just short from broke into my house and started blasting screamo in my room. Somehow my parents were okay with it all. They're cool I guess. Ten minutes... I had some time, so naturally, I played with my hair some more. I started feeling the pigtail thing. 

"Okay, fine, I dig it," I say out loud, grinning to myself, " I look about ten with a 15 year old's  face." I bounce out of the house, happily racing to the park. Maybe I would beat Becca for once. She always seemed to be waiting for me. Well, I guess today was no different. She was sitting on the same park bench again, next to the big tree she liked for shade, holding a little box tied with a ribbon bigger than the box itself. Okay, so maybe she didn't forget. 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOSER!" She screamed  when I got a few steps away from her.

"THANKS LOSER!" I scream back louder. She hands me the box, and I know it's a cupcake because she gives me one like this every year. I tackle her in a hug. She gets a bit jumpy, which makes me suspicious. 

"So," she begins, "I know you're probably gonna be all like HEY BECCA WHY DIDNT YOU GET ME ANYTHING COOL FOR MY BIRTHDAY I HATE YOU BECAUSE ALL I GOT WAS ONE TASTY CUPCAKE? I know, I know, but before you say that, I actually do have an extra surprise for you. I'm just too weak to carry it, or, rather, it's too fat." She giggles a little, bouncing giddily. She then proceeds to scream something like "potato." From behind the tree, there's a sudden movement and I scream at it in fear. 

"Hi." The figure is clutching a squirming puppy, smiling from ear to ear.

I immediately tackle the whole thing in a hug.