The Owl and the Frog

Chapter 7: The Sleepover

So firstly, this was a chapter I was REALLY looking forward to writing. This and Chapter 9 were the two chapters in this first Arc that I really wanted to put a lot of effort into. There's a lot of great stuff in here, and that's part of the reason I rushed to finish it.

Can I get this first Arc finished before the end of the year? I don't know, maybe. I can't guarantee that, but I will certainly try. I'm liking all the feedback I've been getting, and I now have a more concrete plan for how to move forward once we leave the Human Realm. Loved writing this chapter, as based on the little we saw in the "Sleepover" episode, I really wanted to expand on that and have the girls have a night of fun! There may not be much fun left for them in the future...

Luz waved goodbye to her mother as the car pulled away from the house where she had been dropped off. She grabbed her overnight bag and walked up the driveway to the house in front of it. The first thing she noticed was how big it was. Sasha had mentioned before how large her house was, and it certainly seemed as though she hadn't been exaggerating. Luz checked her phone and saw that Anne and Marcy had already arrived, so she would be the last one here for the sleepover. Luz still couldn't believe she had been invited to an actual sleepover! She had always wanted to go to one, but due to not having any real friends, she had never been invited. Now, as she looked at the house before her, she couldn't help but be amazed at the fact that the first sleepover she ever went to would likely be a very fun one! Sasha had promised that it would be awesome, and Luz quivered with anticipation at what the night held in store for her.

The first activity she was excited about was the pool—another amenity Sasha had mentioned her house having. Luz had arrived, already dressed in her swimsuit and wearing flip-flops. The sun was still high and bright in the sky, and the temperature was in the 90s, so Luz was looking forward to cooling off in the pool. She rang the doorbell and was greeted by Sasha's mother, who led Luz out to the back, where the rest of her friends were. Sasha was sunbathing by the pool while Marcy and Anne were swimming. All three girls waved to Luz as she arrived.

"Luz, glad you could make it," greeted Sasha, offering her some suntan lotion.

"Wow, your house is really nice," said Luz. "You weren't kidding when you said you had a big house."

"Oh, this thing," said Sasha sarcastically. "I mean, it's not much, but hey, we're all here now, so kick off your shoes and relax. We have a long night of partying ahead of us."

"Come on in, Luz. The water's fine," called Anne from the pool.

Luz dipped her toes in the water. It was indeed nice and refreshing. She looked at Anne and grinned mischievously before backing up a bit. Then she ran forward and jumped into the pool in a cannonball close to Anne and Marcy, creating a huge splash of water that got both of them. All three girls laughed as Luz surfaced, and they began splashing water at each other playfully. Sasha eventually joined them in the pool, and the four friends played for hours together.

Later, after they had finished in the pool, they dried themselves off and went inside. Luz was amazed at how much food was waiting for them in the kitchen.

"Okay, gals, we have five different kinds of pizza, none of which have pineapple on them," said Sasha, winking at Anne. "Tons of chips, and enough cream soda and Skittles to make your spit hurt."

"Oh, boy, I cannot imagine what this is gonna feel like in the morning," said Luz apprehensively.

"You don't need to worry about how it's gonna feel in the morning, because we are gonna be staying up all night!" declared Sasha.

"Wow, you really are serious about the whole 'staying up all night thing', aren't you?" said Luz.

"Of course, Luz," replied Sasha. With that, she stood up on a chair to face the other girls. "Listen, girls, in two weeks, we will finally be in 8th grade. Tonight is a celebration of all that it took to get to that point. Tonight, we come together as friends to party and play so that years from now, we can look back and say, 'That was a wonderful night!'"