You Are My Life

Chapter 1: Saturday

Light filters into my eyes. I fight desperately to keep it out, wanting to go back to sleep. I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was my Michael Jackson calendar, I squinted as I read the date, August 3rd, 1988. IT’S A SATURDAY THAT MEANS SLEEP, I told my brain. But then, I remembered. it's my birthday. ASDFGHJKL;. Collective sigh. I looked back at my Michael calendar, from the first time I heard him on the radio, I melted to my core from the angelic embodiment that was his voice. Knowing I had to be somewhere later, I got up and begin to stumble my way over to my vanity; I grabbed my brush and began to comb the knots out of my long dirty-blonde hair. I looked deep into my sleepless blue-green eyes. I hadn’t been able to sleep for days now because of the date I was dreading in my head so much…….today.

My life had always been kind of a disappointment. I never had my mom around, and when I needed her most; she never came. Luckily, I had a dad who even cared enough to try to rough it out on his own none the less be both mother and father. But still, I wonder about her sometimes. She walked out on my dad; I don’t know why, but I suspected she didn’t really exactly want me. It also helped that I had amazing friends all throughout school; Raquel Rodriguez and Abigail Pauley. The distinctive hyena laugh of Abby and the spazzy instincts of Raquel will never allow me to forget the wonderful memories I have had throughout my childhood, even if one of the most important figures of my life wasn’t there to enjoy it with me.

I blindly stepped over the piles of clothes in my bedroom as I gathered the needed crap to take a relaxing shower. As I hopped into the shower half-awake, I turned it to the familiar setting I always used. Dang Crap!! Ughhh stupid shower went cold as soon as I turned the shower head on. I was forced to retreat to the back of the bathtub to escape from the cold. I began to wash my body as my mind started to race; the thoughts of what I was to expect today took over my mind. My dad always trys to do something amazing for me for my birthday, he’s always made sure I at least had that much. Every birthday I can remember consisted of my dad throwing a party with all my friends and what family I had left. I finished up the shower and begin forcing myself out of the warm and into the cold room. I searched trough the piles of clothes in my room looking for some of my more comfy pieces of clothing, I’m not a dirty slob I just like putting my clothes out to choose from :). Finally I found some jean capri’s, my favorite t-shirt, and then I threw on my old vans. I looked over at the clock, crap it was already 10:30 and I was supposed to be on the road by 11:00. I quickly blow dried my hair and put on a simple layer of eye liner and mascara (because I’m a blonde, if I didn’t you wouldn’t even know I had eyelashes) and ran down stairs. I grabbed a banana and my keys and headed out the door. I had a two hour drive to my dad’s house ahead of me, great. I got into my car and headed out, as I begin to drive the radio came on with ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ by Michael Jackson, god I love him and his music. I find it funny though because all my friends and even my dad give me crap about Michael cause they think I’m obsessed with him, if only they saw the actual hardcore dedicated fans he has. I’m nothing compared to them. I love his music and I admit he is fine as hell, but I’m just not the kind to freak out about someone, he’s just another person like everyone else, he just has a god-given talent like no one else. I finally made it to my dad’s house after what felt like the longest drive of my life. I got out and headed towards the huge front door. My dad had always lived life pretty well, when I was younger he spent a lot of his time with me, but when he was working he was in the studio. No, he’s not a recording artist, he's a studio technician for those artists. He’s always done that and worked with some pretty big names, but he doesn’t talk much about his work. I knocked on the huge oak door and waited for someone to answer, nothing. I waited and knocked again, still nothing. I opened the door and walked into a dark entryway, I begin to look around for him calling, “Dad?” I heard his voice from the kitchen, “in here sweetie!” I walked into the wide open kitchen area to find my dad sitting at the breakfast bar waiting for me with smile on his face. “Hey what’s going on?” I asked suspiciously. “Ohh nothing just waiting for the birthday girl to show up,” he said very calmly. He then walked over to me and gave me a big hug and said, “Come on I have something to show you.” I followed him through the house to the outside patio, and before I knew it, I was standing in front of all my friends and family, see I told you he’d do this! “HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARIA,” I heard them all yell together, I smiled and walked down the stairs to where my two best friends were. “Hey thanks guys,” I said not so surprised to see them here. “So how does it feel to be the big 27?” asked Abby. “To be honest I don’t feel any different, I never do,” I replied. Raquel gave me a sour look and said, “Oh come on, don’t be that way! Besides we got you something!” oh god, Abby and Raquel always do some of the weirdest shit for me for my birthdays. One year they went and bought me a cactus, socks, and a box of candy. But this year they actually did normal presents. I watched them pull out a new rainbow strap for my bass guitar and a new pair of sparkly silver vans. I was actually shocked that they did this for me, I mean they buy me weird crap but for me it’s always the thought that counts, I loved their gift and the thought that they put in it. “Thanks guys, you’re the greatest friends anyone could have,” I said smiling at both of them. “Good. We’re glad you like your gifts,” Abby said smiling back at me. “I told you she’d love them!” Raquel said elbowing Abby in the arm. The party went on for a few more hours. It truly seemed like it took an eternity, and even though I hate my birthdays I love spending this time with the people I love. My dad walked up to me with a grin on his face and his hands behind his back. He stopped right in front of me and held out a little box towards me saying, “I know it’s not much, but I want you to enjoy it as if it was the world.” I looked my dad in the eye and gave him a smile and replied, “Dad, it’s a gift from you, of course I'll enjoy it!” I undid the bow very carefully and took off the lid to reveal concert tickets. Not just any tickets though, they were for Michael Jacksons Bad World Tour. He had purchased three tickets so my two best friends could go with me too. I looked up at my dad with tears streaming down my face as I managed to verbalize a simple “thanks dad.” He hugged me back and whispered in my ear, “anything for my little girl.” I pulled away and gave my dad a peck on the cheek as I sat the box down next to all my other presents. I looked around and just took in the whole scene I was witnessing; a backyard full of my closest friends and family, the sun setting as Chinese lanterns hung from the tree, carefully illuminating the backyard, and best the presents I could have received. My life was going pretty good at the moment.