Once In A Lifetime

"Happy Birthday!"

I wake up to a loud and familiar voice wishing me a happy birthday. I instinctively wish to throw something at it, but then I remember it's my best friend.

"Hey Emma..." I mumble. I shift in my bed and lift one eye open to see the alarm clock next to me. 6:00. She does have conviction.

The morning air is fresh with the smell of Californian smog. Living in Los Angeles is polluted, to say the least. But I wouldn't trade it for anywhere else. I turn over and look at the unexpected visitor before me. My eyes are hazy at first, but after a couple of seconds they clear to show a beautiful smile in front of me.

Emma is wide eyed and holding a present. A small rectangular box with blue ribbon. Her red-dyed hair and shocking red lipstick complement her pale face. She is wearing a petite blue ribbon in her hair and a cute yellow dress. I instantly feel love for her that she woke up so early to wish me a happy birthday personally. Then again, that's what best friends are for.

I sit up, rub my eyes, and grumble with the voice of an old man, "Thank you, this is so sweet."

"Of course! I wanted to start off your day with a surprise!" she yells. It is December 1st, 2012, and I am turning 30. Such a landmark day would have excited me in years past. Now, I'm content with birthday messages on Facebook and a night of Netflix. This, however, does not seem adequate for my loyal best friend, and she seems to want to change that today.

"I got you this." She says. "It's quite a surprise!"

I smile at her enthusiasm and gently grab the box. I shake it a little and immediately recognize its contents. It's tickets. My mind floods with ideas on who they are of. Muse is touring, and so are the Arctic Monkeys. I eagerly remove the ribbon and lift the lid.

I see what's inside and deflate. My face betrays me and also shows my disappointment.

The Killers.

I have nothing against them, it's just that I'm not a huge fan. The only song I know of theirs is Mr. Brightside, and Somebody Told Me. Also, their lead singer from what I remember looked very girly, and that turned me off.

I snap back to reality and look up at Emma, hating myself for being so ungrateful. She doesn't seem to notice, or misinterprets it for shock, and explains, "I know the Killers aren't your favorite, but I thought that maybe this concert would change your mind!" She giggles at herself for some reason, and I just return to my smile.

"Wow, thank you so much. I'm sure it'll be a great concert." I lied. Despite my disappointment, I wouldn't let Emma down because of my ungratefulness .

I ask her, "When is it?"

"December 9th, a couple of days from now!" She proudly exclaims. She is bursting with excitement and I feel even more like a jerk.

"Wow! I can't wait!" I say, trying to make the best of it.

"I know! And you know what else I got for us?"

She reaches into her pocket and pulls out two things that make me want to jump out of the window.

"Backstage Passes!! We're gonna be able to meet Brandon Flowers!" She says. I put my best excited face on and say, "No way!"

"Yeah! This will be the best concert of your life!" She assures me. Yeah right. Nevertheless, I act like it's the best gift I have ever received, ringing with guilt that I dislike this present so much.

"Thanks so much! This is the best gift ever!" I say.

"You're welcome!" She grabs me and pulls me into a hug. I immediately regret acting so snobby and hug her lovingly.

She pulls out and says, "C'mon, get dressed! We have a full day ahead of us!"

I then realize that I'm still in bed, with my pajamas and crop top on. I place the box on my nightstand and rise out of bed, beginning to get ready for the day.

*************************

Emma was not lying. We start off our day with breakfast at Mimi's Cafe, near downtown. We then head to LACMA and the Last Bookstore, one of my favorite places in LA, and finish off with a nice dinner at the Villa Blanca, in Beverly Hills.

I sit across from her at one of the Villa Blanca's tables and we talk while eating steak. Our conversation turns back to the concert.

"I am so excited for this concert, Julia. My body is so ready to meet Brandon Flowers." She says. Her expression in mentioning him reinforces my belief that this guy is not that cute.

"Isn't he a little... wimpy?" I ask. Her expression turns to shock with a slight hint of insult.

"No way! He is literally the most beautiful man I have ever seen." She swoons. I cut a piece of my steak and stuff it in my mouth.

"Really? From what I've seen he looks a little... feminine. You know what I think about that." I say. She shakes her head vigorously

"No No Nooo! He's grown up, he's a man now."

This talk is ruining my appetite, so I change the subject.

After dinner, she takes me home and we watch our annual viewing of 'The Devil Wears Prada'. It's one of my favorite movies, and sometime during it I finally fall asleep.