Into the Light

One

I walk down each street slowly, letting the cool October air redden my nose. Leaves are falling all around me and my caramel-colored hair whips into my face every now and again when the wind picks up more. I've been walking for about ten minutes now without a destination in mind, but that's alright. I'm about to turn into the old park when my phone buzzes in my pocket.

New text from: Mel

Hey come over we need 2 plan ur bday party 😜🎉

I sigh and type a response back.

To: Mel

Okay, I'll be over in about 5-10 minutes. Do me a favor though and start texting with proper grammar and spelling. Love you, but I hate how you text.

I slip my phone back in my pocket and head in the direction of her house. Luckily she's only a few blocks away from where I'm standing so I'm outside of her house within 6 minutes.

Melanie's house is different from the rest of the houses in this neighborhood for two reasons.
One being the fact that her mother decided a few years ago to paint it bright yellow and another being that her dad is a painter and one summer when he got bored, he painted a dragon on the side of it. Let's just say Mel's mom was not very happy yet somehow her dad managed to convince her mom not to paint over it.
I walk into the house without knocking since this is practically my house too. Melanie and I have been best friends since daycare when we were both 3 years old. I had an extra red crayon and someone stole hers so I let her have mine and that's how our friendship started.

"I'm home!" I yell to make my presence known.  "Charlotte's here!" I hear a little voice shout. I look down and notice Melanie's 4 year old brother, Todd, running up to me with his arms out meaning he wants to be picked up so that's exactly what I do. I lift him up and set him on my hip, ruffling his dirty blonde hair with the hand that's not holding him. He smiles a big white smile and starts telling me about what all he's done today. I smile and nod along while waiting for Mel to come downstairs.

The house is – as usual – slightly messy. Paint tubes, brushes, paint-stained aprons, and even a few canvases are shoved in a pile next to the brown couch. Toys are strewn across the floor from where Todd was most likely playing earlier. Dishes are piled in the sink which indicates that it's Melanie's turn seeing as she always waits until her mother has to threaten to take her phone away before she actually does them.
Just as Todd finishes telling me about his day, Melanie hops down the steps and takes Todd from me.
"Todd, don't talk to strangers!" She pretends to scold. This is an ongoing joke and I don't even remember how it got started, but it's been going on since Todd turned 2.
He giggles and pouts. "Sowwy," he says in his little voice. "It's alright, toad," she says. He pouts some more and crosses his arms, mumbling, "My name is not toad."
"Whatever you say.. Toad," I reply. He sticks his tongue out at me and wriggles out of Mel's arms and goes back to playing with his toy train.

"Alright, let's go upstairs," I suggest. Melanie nods and we walk up the steps and into the first room on the right – Mel's room.
Posters cover her walls of bands she loves such as; 5 Seconds of Summer, All Time Low, and Sleeping With Sirens. You can hardly see the baby doll pink paint of her walls.

"What exactly is there to plan?" I ask. She gasps in faux horror. "Everything!" she exclaims. "Okay, okay, let's do this then," I sigh, sitting on her pastel purple bed spread. She takes a seat on the floor instead though and motions for me to sit beside her. I sigh again and sit next to her on the pink carpet.
That's another thing about Mel. She may seem badass with her red dyed hair with black plaits, and her nose, lip, and eyebrow piercings, and her black clothing, but she's a sweetheart when you get to know her. She doesn't try to fit in with anything and she hates stereotypes. You'd think that a person like her would have a dark room and a dark personality, but Mel is quit the opposite.

She's got baby doll pink walls, pastel pink carpet, a pink fluffy rug, pastel purple bed spread, pastel blue pillow covers, and just about everything else in her room is pastels. Even her posters, she only chooses ones with white backgrounds because she thinks the black brings down the brightness and happiness of her room.

"Charlie."
"Charlie."
"Earth to Charlotte," Melanie says, snapping her fingers in front of my face causing me to snap out of my thoughts. I shake my head quickly and look at her. "Sorry, I zoned out," I laugh. She laughs along and says, "It's alright, I was just saying that the first thing we need to do is make an invite list."
I nod, "Alright. I don't have many friends so this shouldn't take long."

The list I make is made up of 6 people. Mel, of course is the first one, but the rest is a few people Mel and I became friends with in Elementary school. Jordyn, Ellie, Scott, Veronica, and Julie.

Melanie inspects my list and nods. "Everyone should get the option of having a plus one, because of relationships and such," she says, handing me back the list. I nod. "Alright, now what?"

"Well," she says, "We should probably create a playlist. I realize this isn't a full-on house party, but that doesn't mean we can't have some awesome music."

I roll my eyes, "Fine. Y'know, this 'party' isn't for another 2 weeks," I tell her, using air quotations around the word party.
"Yeah, but why procrastinate when we can do it all right now?"

I groan, "Fine. Let's just make a playlist of Melanie Martinez, Halsey, All Time Low, My Chemical Romance, twenty one pilots, and 5 Seconds of Summer. Maybe add a few songs by Drama Club and Skrillex. Leave out the depressing songs though. This is a birthday party not a sob party."

She smiles. "Alright, good plan. Now what are you gonna wear?" I shake my head. "Really? Does it matter?" She gasps. "Of course it matters!"

"Okay, fine. What are you planning on wearing?" I ask, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"My lacy red crop top with a black tank top underneath, with my black ripped skinny jeans and studded belt. I'll most likely wear my studded ankle boots as well and a few matching studded bracelets with my choker. I'll put my hair in a messy pony tail, but it'll still look good and I'll do winged eyeliner-"

I cut her off. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll probably wear my pale blue button up, light washed jeggings, and my brown uggs. There, happy?"
She smiles. "Very."

"Anything else?" I sigh, standing up and stretching. We've been planning for at least half an hour. "Yes, but we can finish after a little snack break."

We go downstairs and get one pb&j sandwich each (you're never too old for pb&j). Afterwards, we go back upstairs and finish the planning (which consisted of planning the food, activities, movies, snacks, etc.).

Once were done, it's 8 o'clock so I call my mom and tell her I'll be spending the night.