Anything But Real

Death and Cupcakes

Julissa's POV

"You're gonna be late if ya don't get up now, Jellybean!" whispers Aunt Carolee. She's sweet but her southerness just well it.. "it just gets a burr in my saddle."

"I don't care, just give me may-

"Oh, nuh-uh. You ain't lyin in bed for one more second, Julissa." She pulls my faded purple blanket off and pulls my arm. "Up ya go, sweet potato!"

"Fine! Fine. Just go away." She rolls her eyes and leaves without saying a word for once in her life. I know, I know, I'm a jerk. But, I have an excuse. I guess the only real reason I'm angry and moody is because it's my mom's deathiversary! Woo-hoo. She died in a car wreck. She was drunk. They even found a lit cigar in her right hand. She would've lived too, if she had her seatbelt on. She was a horrible person, but she was a fantastic mom. We used to sneak into baseball games and we'd go to the arcade all the time.(She knew a cheat code to get free plays on every game) She sacrificed so much for me. We used to live in a shitty motel room, Mom would call it "our little penthouse." My life seemed perfect in New York, but after living here, in Georgia, my life seems pretty rotten before. I never knew my dad though and probably never will, Mom said he sucked ass, that's all I'll ever know about him. Nobody knows my parents are "gone" except Aunt Carolee. Not even my best friend, Zack.. and I've known him ever since I moved here - for 10 years. 

"You almost done, sugar? Your hot rod's outside. Mmm." Ew. That's a little disturbing for a 45 year old to say, but that's just my aunt. She's always been a little crazy and I love that about her.

"Yes, Auntie. Just tying my shoes and he's not my "hot rod." I wish my aunt wasn't such a "Zalissa" shipper, as my friends call it. 

"Whatever, honey. Now, about this weekend, I was thinkin that maybe you and me can go dancin? I know you're busier than a moth in a mitten but cmon?" I can't dance. She knows I can't, which is why she's always bothering me about it. Her sad eyes shoot guilt to my stomach. 

"Oh, All right." She gives me a quick hug and a kiss on a cheek. 

"Oh, thank the lord now maybe I can get you to tell your right from your left... and Happy Birthday, Jellybean."

"Thanks." I walk out and Zack greets me with a cupcake and a card.

"For the birthday girl." 

"Zack, you know I hate my birthday. Don't remind me." I can't blame him, he doesn't know my mom's dead.

"You're only seventeen once! Now come on, we're already late."

The minute we get in his car and he ambushes me with proposals for tonight.

"How about the movies? It's not that formal. Emma and Mark are up for it.."

"I don't know.." I really don't want to.. I just want to lay in bed and mope when I get home. I know, I'm no fun. But I've been flaking out on my friends quite a bit now and I don't want them to be suspicious. 

"Please? You need to out get more. For me? Come on."

"Okay, I'll go." One night won't kill me. I hope. 

"Good. Now read that card, will ya?" 

"Oh right! My bad." I open the envelope and find that the card is extremely thick. I open it up and about 200 little flip notes fall out. "What the?" He bursts out laughing. 

"Sorry, shoulda warned you." 

"What is all this?" I look at him and he turns to me for a brief second.

"Just read them."

"There.. there the, the notes."

"Yeah! The ones we sent each other when we were young."

"You kept all of them?" I crumpled all my up and tossed them in the trash..

"Of course. They're memories." Zack always finds happiness in the littlest of things and that's what I admire most about him. He's always happy. 

"Thanks. This is perfect."

"No problemo. Now shove that cupcake down your throat, we're almost there."

We arrive ten minutes early. So much for "you're gonna be late" or "we're already late." Emma and Mark both hand me a card and a cupcake. It's always been a tradition to get me a cupcake, no idea why though... While we wait for the bell to ring, Mark and Emma argue over what movie to watch, Zack mimics them, and I just laugh. It's starts off as a great day but gets boring fast. When lunch comes around Emma, Mark and Zack embarrass me with a loud, out of tune, Happy Birthday song. I love and hate them all.

"So I assume Em and I are going to be third wheeling together?" Mark asks. 

"Yeah, like always." Emma says along with a giggle. 

I always get uncomfortable when they talk about that. I blush and glance at Zack for help. He catches my eyes and understands. 

"It's not called third wheeling if all you guys do is get real cozy with each other." 

Emma and Mark look at Zack with shock. Their faces are priceless. They totally have the hots for eachother but won't admit to anything. Their both so stubborn. At least I'll admit that Zack is really cute and I even used to crush on him when we were kids.. but I'm not ready for a boyfriend.

"Yuck! As if." Emma says blushing.

"Yeah only a total nut job would want that." Mark says pointing to Emma.

"Hey!" Emma hits Mark's arm. 

"All right, all right, lovebirds, that's enough." Zack laughs.

"I'll see you guys after school, I got to get to English. Later!"

"Bye Julissa!"

"Later gator."

"'Till then, birthday girl."

4 o'clock couldn't have came sooner. I've never been so excited to be out! Today was amazing and it'll only get better from here. I run out of school and see all my friends already seated in Zack's car, waving to me. This feels like a movie. It's perfect. I hop in the car and we're on our way to a beautiful afternoon.