No, I'm Not Ready For Finals

Phone a Friend

Finally! I think. I sit down at my desk. I always have felt at home here. My desk is large with many drawers and organizational trays. My favorite thing is the deep dark color of the stained wood. I open my back pack. "Lets' see. History next," I talk to myself. I heave my heavy textbook on to my desk. CRASH. My lamp slides off my desk.

"UGH!" I complain. Getting down on my knees, I inspect the damage. Everything seems to be OK. The bulb is intact and the green glass of the lamp does not even appear chipped. I set it back up on my desk and turn the switch. Nothing. The bulb must have broken inside, I realize.

I cross my bedroom. Above my bed and covering most of my sky blue walls are dark wooden cabinets that match my desk. From my hiding place in one of my smooth cabinets, I grab a new light bulb. Closing the cabinet doors, I head for my lamp. Once I switch the bulbs, I try turning it on again. Nothing.

My phone goes off. Loud. I check my pockets with no luck. I quickly look through my back pack. The sound seems to be coming from way back against the wall, almost behind my desk. On my hands and knees again, I look back behind my desk. I smile to see that my lamp has gotten unplugged. My phone is just behind my gray power strip. I answer it on the last ring.

"Hello?" I say.

"Anna Beth" The girl on the other end says. "I thought sure you wouldn't answer."

I could recognize my friend and team mate Clara's voice even through her panicked tears. "What's going on, girl?" I ask.

"I'm in charge of the cookies for the fundraiser tomorrow. But I'm out of sugar. Like out out. I know your mom bakes. Do you have any?"

The fundraiser, I thought. One more thing that's not studying. "I assume so. Come on over. We can look. I would come to you but I'm stuck babysitting Lilia." I explain.

"I heard she is settling in well, given how her parents were." Clara comments.

"Yeah. I would say so. She met this girl down the block. That helped." I agree.

"OK. So, when should I come over?" Clara asks.

"Now is a good a time as any." I offer.

"Cool. I'll be right over." with that Clara hung up.

I look down at my history book and my overflowing backpack. Sighing, I realize that my studying will have to wait. I walk down the stairs. "Lilia. My friend is coming over. She needs to borrow some sugar." I call. No answer. "Lilia? Lilia? Can't you hear me?" I walk into the living room. The T.V. is off and Lilia is gone. I began to panic. Mom's going to kill me if I lost Lilia I thought. Taking a deep breath I holler "Lilia!"

"What Anna Beth?" came a voice from the kitchen. I rushed in and found my panic becoming worse. The floor was covered with mud. From the sink down the carpeted hall and out the open back door, Lilia's bare feet and the knees of her jeans were coated in mud.

"What did you do?" I ask letting my anger show.

"I'm making lunch for Karla." Lilia says completely confused by my anger.

"Out of mud?" I question.

"Yes. And flowers." Lilia states proudly.

"You mean mom's tulips?"

Lilia looked at me puzzled. "If you mean from the fairy garden, then yes. Don't worry they said it was okay."

I look out the window to find only a few flowers removed. Hopefully mom won't blame me for that I thought. I take a breath and collect my thoughts. "It's wonderful that you're making us a mud dinner." I say. But after we cook we have to clean up. That's what big girls do. You want to be a big girl don't you?"