A B.R.A.T.'s Blog

Invitation

"A real conversation always consists an invitation. You are inviting another person to reveal himself or herself to you, to tell you who they are or what they want." ~David Whyte

Hey, Mickey! Want to have a sleepover after homecoming? – Crystal

I looked away from my computer to my phone as the light flashed signaling someone had messaged me. After reading the text a moment I contemplating her question. I had been listing to Disney music and researching stress all morning. I paused my music before pulling off my headphones.

Let me check with my mom. – Mickey

Was my reply. I rolled off my bed and wondered down the hall towards my parent's room.

"Mom, Crystal was wondering if I could have a sleepover on homecoming night."

Mom looked up from the book she was reading. She continued to pet the cat a moment as she thought.

"As long as you're ready for church the next morning I don't mind." Mom replied going back to reading her book.

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, mommy." As I walked back to my room I text Crystal back.

My mom said yes. – Mickey

I put my phone back on my bed and returned to my research. Currently, I was reading up on stress techniques for high school students. I had decided for the next blog entry I would separate stress out into different pieces. Some points would be on school stress to stress on one's health and tie it all back to deployments and how deployments can sometimes increase your stress in area's you would not usually stress over. I had to keep all this in mind while also keeping in mind the different types of people and the different amounts of deployments people had been through. This project was turning out to be more complicated the more I worked on it. It would be a lie to say I was enjoying it, though, I just wish it was slightly less complicated.

When the light on my phone flashed again I finished the sentence I was reading before flipping over my phone to see Crystal's reply.

Yay! See you then! – Crystal

Mom's reminder about my black belt test popped into my head and I thought a moment.

Hey, Crystal my black belt test is next Friday would you like to come watch? – Mickey

My phone did not stay down for long before I received a reply.

Sure! What time? – Crystal

I sent Crystal all the logistics, the when, where, and what time. Crystal sent back her reply of thanks and I switched my messaging over to a group chat between Irina, Ricky, and I.

Hey, would ya'll like to come to my black belt test the Friday after homecoming? - Mickey

I held my phone in one hand and scrolled down to the next section with the other. Why did informational article fonts have to be so small?

When my phone vibrated in my hand I looked at the screen to see two texts. One from Rocky and the other from Irina.

I should be able to, just depends on if I am finished with work. – Rocky

Mom said I can go if I have a ride. – Irina

I'll ask my mom if we can drive you, Irina. The time is 17:30 at the US Taekwondo in the Fairytale Shopping center. – Mickey

I text them back as I rolled back off the bed to go ask mom about driving Irina to my test.

"Mommy!" I began as I strolled into her room when I found she was not there I pouted. With a dramatic sigh, I hopped down the stairs. Once down I turned to the kitchen to find mom making herself a cup of tea. The tea she was stirring smelled like mint tea from what I could tell.

"Would you like some?" Mom asked as I came into the kitchen.

"Yes please," I replied as I put my phone down on the counter before pulling a tea cup out of the cabinet. While I placed sugar and a tea bag in my cup, mom grabbed a spoon from the silverware drawer and the honey from the pantry. When mom returned with both she placed the honey on the counter and took my cup from me. Mom put a spoon full of honey in my cup then poured in hot water from the kettle. As mom stirred my tea I decided to ask her what I had come to ask.

"I invited Irina and Rocky to come watch my black belt test. Irina said that she can only come if she has a ride, are we able to drive her?"

"We can drive her, just make sure you get an address." Mom replied as she handed my tea to me.

"Thank you, mom." I gave my mother a kiss on the check as I headed back up to my room. When I got to the stairs I realized I forgot my phone and returned to the kitchen to retrieve it.

"Hehe," I smiled at my mother as I grabbed my phone.

On my way up the stairs, I read Rocky's text telling me that she was from work by then and could come.

Irina my mom said we can drive you. – Mickey

I placed my tea on my bedside table before jumping into bed. As I jumped back onto my bed, I hugged my camo bear close and decided to text the club group chat.

Hello, everyone! I am testing for my black belt in taekwondo the Friday after homecoming. Would any of you like to come watch? – Mickey

It was an odd idea. All of us were still getting to know each other, but this was one of the points of the club. A group of people who could be friends. I was inviting my other friends to come see my test. It would be fun to invite my B.R.A.T. friends as well.

[I smiled as I waited for their replies.]

Next Chapter; Love and Hate