Tatertots

Chapter 8-9

Chapter 8: What I Want To Do

Having all these flashbacks must mean that I miss Tot. Tot was the only friend I had back then.

I remember how lonely I was after he had died. I didn't have any other friends to play with. I miss him...

I was the only classmate who attended his funeral. We sang and prayed for him. I tried looking for his sister but she wasn't there. She was most likely too depressed to come.

His parents were only there for about 5 minutes. They paid for the decorations and left. Then Tot's other family members left after they prayed for him. His teacher stayed for a little longer but eventually left. I was the last person there.

I stayed there for another hour or so after everyone left. My parents picked me up.

Then, I wondered why Tot and I got along so well. I think its because we Abnormals stick with each other. It makes it seem like I'm the only person in the world who liked him, because I was the only other Abnormal that he had ever met.

****

I was at my house reading the same books over and over again. Unlike everyone else, I don't like surprises. I feel like a new book is more surprising than an old book. In an old book I already know what is going to happen because I read it before. But in a new book, you are unsure about what is going to happen because you've never read it before.

Then, out of nowhere, a mailman came out in the middle of the night and knocked on my door.

I opened it and found a golden envelope handed to me. He smiled when he handed it over.

"I came here to give you this. It's from my boss' daughter," he said rather joyfully.

After that, the mailman also handed me a plain white envelope boredly.

"I was going to give this to you tomorrow, since it is really late. But since I'm already here, why not?"

I thanked him and went back into my room.

First I opened the plain white envelope. The writing was sloppy and handwritten. It was Baylee's.

Come to my 13th Birthday Sleepover! It read.

Then I opened the golden envelope rather excitedly. It was printed in a cursive format. I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

"Come to my spring winter party!" It was from Julie. On the bottom was her signature, majestic and beautiful. She had put a heart instead of a dot for the letter "i".

They were both on the same day. Of course I was going to Baylee's party. I've known her since the beginning of 6th grade. I only met Julie yesterday and now she's inviting me to a party. The choice was easy enough for me to decide. I wrote back to Baylee.

"I'm coming." My handwriting is O.K.
It's not excellent like Julie's, but not sloppy like Baylee's.

I was excited. Baylee is the only Abnormal that does party-like things. So I usually only go to a party once a year.

Chapter 9: What should I do?

It was the day before the birthday party and I still haven't bought Baylee anything.

I was dozing off again. Not about Tot this time but about Baylee. I wasn't watching where I was going, and I walked into someone. It was Julie.

The weight of her body was so heavy that I actually bounced backwards.

"Are you okay?" asked Julie. "I'm sorry Jadeline."

"I-It's alright," I said nervously for some reason, "It was my fault anyways."

Then it occurred to me that I never told her my name.

"How did you know my name?"

"I looked it up in the student directory book. Its a pretty name by the way."

"Thanks..." I answered. My name was the only pretty part about me.

"You dropped your glasses," said Julie worringly. "Here, I'll pick it up for you."

She picked up my glasses and handed it to me, as kindly as the mailman did a few nights ago.

I smiled at her. Then I turned around to walk away.

"Wait!" startled Julie. "Are you coming to my party?"

"Umm well..."

"Please do come, I highly welcome you." Julie was even politer than Sandra. I couldn't help thinking how much she surpassed my best friends. She was prettier than Baylee, politer than Sandra, and -what next-, as scary as Marcy? I doubt it. She was 2 out of 3 though.

"So are you coming to my party?" she asked again.

Why was she so perfect?

I didn't know how to respond, so I just said the first thing that came out of my mind.

"A few nights ago," I started, "a mailman came at midnight to deliver your letter-"

"Oh yes! Sorry for the interruption of your sentence. My dad owns all the post offices along the border line of the state."

Julie seemed rich. My dad was just an engineer. Not a boss, just an ordinary engineer.

Our bell rang and it was time to go to class.

"I look forward to seeing you at my party! Can't be late again to Algebra Honors! Bye!" Then she ran off.

Okay, it was starting to get a little tempting to go to her party. With the golden envelope with the printed cursive format and how she was so welcoming, I couldn't help but say yes.

Now I've got a problem. How am I supposed to go to 2 parties at once in one night. I can't let either of them down.

Then I wondered. Why would it be such a hard choice to pick between Pal and Pop? Julie was different. But in a good way.

Why did she even invite me? I met her 2 weeks ago and since then, we barely spoke to each other. I guess the cafeteria parkour must've really been something else.