Finally

1

It's my birthday.

What an exciting feeling. Everyone loves to wake up in the morning and think to themselves, It's my birthday. Especially me. Especially today. Because today I am sweet sixteen.

I've waited for this day my whole life. I always knew it would be absolutely perfect. I'd be able to get my license, and have a boyfriend (Mom and Dad didn't allow dating until age 16), and throw the most spectacular party in the history of parties! It was sure to be one for the books.

Or so I thought.

When I checked my phone, there was a text from my friend Macy. Sorry, I'm gonna have to cancel our breakfast date today. I'm sick. Happy birthday tho.

Ugh. I'd looked forward to this for months! Macy and I were gonna go to IHOP, my favorite breakfast place. And now she was sick. That probably meant she wouldn't be at school either.

Oh well. I wasn't going to let that bother me. It was just one little thing, right? Just a breakfast date. We could always reschedule.

I went downstairs to find a note on the kitchen counter.

Grace,
Dad had to get the car fixed and I'm working. Sorry we couldn't be there on your birthday morning. Love you!
-Mom

I sighed. Guess I'll just have to eat my birthday breakfast alone.

I got out the carton of eggs and scrambled them up in a skillet on the stove. Scrambled eggs are my favorite! I didn't have time to make bacon, seeing that it was a school day, so instead I made a piece of toast. When everything was ready, I sat down at the table to eat.

It would've been better if I'd been at IHOP, eating pancakes. Or at least eating toast and eggs with my parents. But I'd have to take what I could get.

After breakfast, I went upstairs to get dressed. My outfit was in the dryer, so I went to the laundry room to get it. And to my horror, it was PINK! The shirt had been a crisp white, and I'd planned to wear it with light blue jeans and blush pink heels. (No, I don't normally wear heels to school. But this was a special occasion.)

I let out a scream and threw the shirt on the floor. How had it gotten in the dryer with a load of my dad's dark clothes?

Sighing once more, I went back to my bedroom to look for something else to wear. My light pink camisole would do. Thank God my jeans were clean too! I added tan booties and a cardigan, then curled my brown-and-blonde-ombré hair. There wasn't much time to do my makeup, but I did my best.

Finally, I left the house. Usually my dad would drive me to school, but since he was getting the car fixed, I would have to take the bus. Ugh.

I waited at the stop, and when it stopped on my street, I climbed aboard. There were so many rowdy boys who rode this bus. Scowling, I slid into a seat at the front of the bus and ignored my surroundings.

I only hoped this day would get better as time went on. Surely it would.

Right?