Imprint in Time

Chapter Thirty-Five

Here's the next chapter. There are thirty-eight chapters, plus the epilogue. So this book will be done on Tuesday. :) Enjoy!

Chapter Thirty-Five

I walked back into the living room feeling embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, mom,” I said.

“No, it’s ok. I just have to face the fact that you’re growing up now,” she said. I smiled.

“Hey, don’t forget my present,” Hayden said. She handed me a blue and white polka-dotted wrapped present.

“Eww polka-dots?” I asked.

“That’s the reason why I picked that wrapping paper. To piss you off,” Hayden said.

“Yea. Thanks,” I said. Everyone laughed. I unwrapped it and gasped. It was a pair of shiny, gold earrings. “Are-are these…..”

“Real gold,” Hayden said.

“Wow. They’re-they’re beautiful,” I said.

“I’m glad you like them,” she said.

“Now, do mine!” Eric said. He handed me a plastic sack from GameStop.

“You didn’t take the time to wrap it?” John asked.

“Well, like I said, I totally forgot that the party was today,” Eric defended himself. I pulled out a DVD.

“Zombieland?” I questioned.

“Hey, it’s a good movie,” Hayden said.

“THANK you!” Eric said. He smiled at Hayden. They were having another ‘moment’. I turned to John. “Your turn,” I said.

“What, me organizing this party and being here for you isn’t a gift itself?” he asked me.

“No, it is. But knowing you, you got me a present anyway,” I said.

“You know me so well,” he said. He brought out a pink and blue striped present.

“Hey, it matches your dress!” Kira said.

“Yes, thank god it isn’t polka-dots,” I said. I opened the present and inside, was a new iPod touch. “Thank you so much, John! But seriously, you didn’t have to get me this,”

“Then, I’ll just take it back,” he said, reaching for it.

“Oh, no you won’t!” I said, pulling it out of his reach.

“And I already gave you your present, so I’m good, right?” Kira asked.

“Yes, you’re good,” I told her.

“Hey, Kira!” John said. “Gimme,” he stuck out his hand.

“I was hoping you would forget,” she said, and put the credit card in his hand.

“NOW it all makes sense!” I said.

“Like I said, I only had 5 dollars,” Kira said.

“Ok, is it cake time yet?” Eric asked.

“You said it just in time,” mom said, as she brought out the cake. It was a chocolate cake and chocolate icing and it had pink and yellow flowers around the edges.

“Yummy!” John said.

“But Tiffany gets the first piece,” mom said.

“Dang it,” John and Eric said at the same time. After we had pigged out on the cake and watched Zombieland, everyone left. It was just me and John. We were sitting out on the porch, looking up at the stars.

“Man, this past week has been so hectic,” John said.

“This WEEK? More like the past 6 months!” I said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” John said. He looked at me, and then gave me a very passionate kiss on the mouth. Our first kiss in a month. We were still kissing, when the porch lights started flickering on and off.

“I get it, mom!” I yelled. “I guess I’d better go inside,”

“Awww. John sad,” he said with a pouty face.

“Don’t talk in 3rd person,” I said. He laughed.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because Kira does that when she’s doing a robot impression and then she starts making beeping sounds……..I don’t know. It’s just really weird,” I said.

“Kira is something else,” John said.

“Yea, she’s awesome,” I said. I got up and walked to the door. “See you tomorrow at school,”

“Oh, right. School. That’s the place with the horrible lunchmeat right?” he said, jokingly.

“You forgot mean teachers,” I said.

“Duh. How could I forget?” he said. He started inching towards me again, when the lights started flickering again.

“OKAY!” I yelled. “Bye, John,” I said.

“Bye,” he said. I walked back in and closed the door behind me.