Disneyland at Daybreak

Chapter 1

Bert, the Bus, and I

I sat through French trying as hard as I could to pay attention, but I just couldn't. I couldn't stop thinking about last night and how I was never volunteering to go to my dads boring office again. My only reason was to see the fireworks, but I guess they were cancelled because of the wind. I'm never getting in there. At lunch, I wanted to rage about it to my friends, but they don't know I've never been before. I feel bad for lying to them, but it's too embarrassing to tell them the truth. So I sat down at the table next to Sarah and quietly at me my lunch.

"Hey. So we were thinking about going to Disneyland tomorrow. Wanna come? It will be so fun!" said Sarah.

"I'm sorry Sarah. I can't. I'm... going to my grandmas." I replied, lying.

"Oh! What about tonight! We can see the new World of Color!

"I'm busy."

"With?"

"Studying."

"Come on! We've never gone together! Your always busy. Please? You have a pass don't you?" Sarah said.

"No." I replied. "I didn't renew it"

"Oh. I'm sorry. We'll have to go another time." Sarah replied. We finished our lunch in silence.

We talked more on the way to bio, but not about Disneyland. I sat through bio thinking more about it. It was really bugging me today. More than usual. Sarah and I finished our Mitosis lab early, so I decided to ask her stuff about Disneyland.

"So Sarah. What are your favorite rides?" I asked.

"At Disneyland?" she replied. I nodded.

"Hmm... I'd say Big Thunder, Splash, and the teacups. What're yours?"

"Uhhh. Mmine are... Umm... Well... I like the teacups and... the small world ride and..."

"And?"

"The train!"

"The... train?" she questioned.

"Yep" Just then the bell rang. Saved by the bell.

During track practice I kept thinking more about it. Finally I decided to go back like how I had a few months ago. I'd go sit on that planter and watch the fireworks. So, after I changed I emptied out as much as I could out of my backpack and into my locker and headed down the street. About halfway down the hill I saw the bus pull up. No! I ran down the hill dodging other kids and trying not to trip, but I didn't make it and that was the last bus from this station. The hotel! There was a hotel about a block away that had a bus that brought people there. I started running. It was 3:26 and the next bus was probably at 3:30. Sure enough, as I turned the corner a huge bus sat in the parking lot. It has a sticker on the side with Mater on it saying "Race over to Disneyland." This must be it. I walked in and asked the driver how much.

"You're a hotel guest right?" he asked.

"No." I replied. "But I missed the last bus from my school and ran all the way here and I-"
"Well this bus is for hotel guests only."

"Ok, thanks for your time"

"But, I'm sure there's room behind me. No one ever sits there."

"Really?!"

"Of course" he chuckled. "I'd be nice to have someone to talk to. And I don't think Ol' Mick would want me turning away a friend"

"Thank you so much!" I replied and sat in the seat behind him. I know your not supposed to talk to strangers and whatever, but I felt like I could trust Burt. (That's what his badge said) I told my story about how I was banned and he told me about his story and how he got his job there. When we got there, he told me to hold back a second. After all the passengers were off the whispered something to me.

"Go to the farthest ticket booth on the left and go to the first window-"

"Oh. Well I'm not going in-"

"I know. Just go there. A lady named Ally should be working. She is my niece. Hand her this note and she will give you something."

"Ok..."

"Don't worry. You'll like it." He handed me a piece of paper with something scribbled on it.

"Thanks for everything." I replied.

"Thanks for choosing my bus." He said.
"Bye"

"So long." I hopped off the bus and was on my way.

While waiting in line for bag check, I was replaying Bert's steps over and over in my head. What was she going to give me? After they checked my bag I walked over to the farthest ticket booth to the left and got in line for the last window. Before I knew it I was up.
"Hello," I said. "I was told by my bus driver to give this to you" She gave me a puzzled face and I slipped the note under the window. As she read it she laughed.

"Oh Uncle Bert!" she said still laughing. I "laughed" with her and wondered what the heck he wrote on that paper. "Here ya go" she said as she handed me a small piece of paper. "Have a magical evening!" I walked away confused and sat on a planter. I was about to call my mom to tell her I was at a friends when I dropped the paper. The little piece of paper floated down to the grown. When it landed, a picture of Pluto was on the front. What? I picked it up and turned it over and read, "One Day Ticket to Disneyland Park."