by Cecilia Diaz

Created on: June 11, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2008

At last! My invitation! I had been waiting for this invitation for over a week. I had just been invited to the greatest party on the planet. Andrea Jane always had the best parties with the best decorations, the best food, the best games and the best party favors. Last year she gave away the newest communicators on the market with access to five planets. Not only that, but she had the most popular kids from school at her parties. Now, I had a chance to hang out with them.

Suddenly, a scary thought popped into my mind. Would I fit in with them? I shuddered and tried to toss that thought out of my mind.

What kind of gift would I give Andrea Jane? It had to be something really cool if she and her friends were going to let me hang out with them.

Andrea Jane sat in front of me in communications class. Her long blond hair occasionally brushed across my electronic notepad. Had it been any other girl in school, I would have pulled her hair and told her to keep her nasty hair off my desk. But this was Andrea Jane, the prettiest, most popular girl in the whole school. She had never even spoken to me until one day when she didn't understand one of the questions on an assignment. She turned around and looked at me with her big sky blue eyes and spoke in her smooth silky voice, "I don't understand number 8. Can you help me?" I sat up straighter and with my matter-of-fact voice explained the question to her and showed her how to find the solution. After that we became friends, not close friends, but friends. She even told me that she loved oldies music and that her favorite band was "The Hawks". It was very difficult to find recordings of them.

What was I going to get her for her birthday? It had to be something really cool. I had to call my mom right away. My allowance was almost gone, and I wouldn't get any more money until after the party.

I called my mother. "Mom, I need some money! I just got invited to Andrea Jane's birthday party! What? Ok. I'll hold for just a minute." How could she put me on hold? This was an emergency! The party was in four days!

"Yes, I'm still here. Where are you? On the planet, Zimm? How long before you get off from work? Mom, I can't wait. You have to come home now!"

How could she put me on hold again? Can't those tourists ever find their way around by themselves? It's not like it's hard or anything. You go to Planet Orrow, bounce around its two moons, swing by Planet Grainwold and hop across its three moons. Then you swing back to Planet Zimm, eat at a fancy restaurant then hop on another transport and come home. What is so hard about that! Where is she? What's taking her so long?

"Hello, Mom? When is the party? Saturday afternoon. Why can't I go? It's the party of the universe! I don't want to go see Aunt Helen. We see her every weekend. I want to go to the party. No, no, no; I have to go to the party! Oh, ok. Bye."

Every time she says we'll discuss it when she gets home, it means bad news. I won't get to go to the party! I may as well go live in a cave.

How long have I been asleep? Mom's calling! "Hi, Mom. Aunt Helen called? She has to work this weekend? So, does that mean? I love you, Mom! Can we go shopping today? What? You won't get paid until next week? This bites! I can't go to the party without a gift! Mom! Ok, I'll see you when you get home."

"Hi, Mom. What's in the box? Can I look? These look really old. Mom, do you know what band this is? It's 'The Hawks'! This is Andrea Jane's favorite band! These recordings are very difficult to find. Can I give these to her for her birthday? She's going to love this gift. Mom, you're the greatest!"

Learn more about this author, Cecilia Diaz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.