Stay Courageous

Chapter 10

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Stella's POV

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"Hello?" I answered the phone wondering why Zoe was calling me late on a Tuesday night, especially when we had so much homework.

"Hi, sorry it's so late. I had basketball practice, then swim practice, and all that homework-"

"Oh," I giggled that she just answered the very question I'd just asked myself. "So what's up? You must actually have a reason  to call me this time other than 'I'm bored and lonely,'" I laughed again. Classic Zoe.

"Well, it's actually kind of serious," please don't be anything about California, I thought. "So, this weekend I'm thinking about having a sleepover, you know, for my birthday? So, can you come?" Thank God, this is better news than I could have imagined!

"Yeah! Wait, what happened to the big party?" I asked, now excited.

"Well, I have a stupid basketball game on Saturday so I won't have time to do a big party, but I was still hoping to get together with some friends so I thought of this," Zoe answered.

"Cool! This is exactly what I need, a weekend to chill with my friends and forget about all this... drama in my family. Who all's invited?" I meant every word. I didn't tell Zoe but this was better than a big party.

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk t you about," she began. "You see, Emily and I are still great friends and I was wondering if it would be okay if I invited her. She said she'd love to see you." This was even better! Finally, a chance to patch things up with Emily! Oh, if only Zoe knew.

"Absolutely! Let's do it! Zoe, this sounds like so much fun. Thank you for inviting me," I said sincerely.

"Oh, okay. Cool! Well, it's Friday after school at my house, obviously. Be there!"

"Sure thing! Love you, Zo," I hung up and smiled to myself and thought about how thankful I was to have friends I could trust like Zoe and Kat. Maybe Emily and I could be that again one day, but this sleepover could be the start of it.

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Kat's POV

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On Wednesday I sat down to eat lunch, completely psyched about Saturday's game. Sam, who was now well acquainted with Stella and Zoe, now joined us at our lunch table so I had someone to gush with. Zoe, for some reason, wasn't anticipating the game as much.

"Oh, and practice will be so hard the rest of this week, I can already tell. Sanders wasn't exactly nice to us yesterday and Monday," Sam commented on the grueling sprints, drills, and plays we'd had to run the first two days of the week. Basketball was so much fun!

"Yeah, but I'm prepared. I'm definitely in proper basketball shape by now," I said as I chomped on some potato chips. How ironic.

"Wait, so you guys have basketball practice every day of the week?" said Stella in bewilderment before biting into her only lunch item, an apple. Funny, she usually has some of Ms. Nancy's delicious cooking.