The Cherry Trees

Chapter Eight: 2012

I was born exactly nine years ago. Today is September 28, 2012, my birthday. When I woke up this morning, I smelled my favorite breakfast ever, chocolate chip waffles, cooking down stairs. The aroma lifted me out of my bed, and practically carried me down the flight of stairs.

"Happy birthday sweetheart!" my mom said.

My dad smiled and ruffled my tangled hair. "How does it feel to be nine years old?" he asked.

I thought. "Hungry," I said.

Mom smiled. "Well, you are in luck because your father made your favorite!" she said.

I walked over to the kitchen table where the waffles were stacked a mile high, chocolate oozing from a good portion of every one. Yum. I helped myself to one, I wasn't afraid that they were going to disappear anytime soon. I looked over to the fireplace where I knew my presents would be waiting for me. But when I glanced over, I saw nothing. I rubbed my eyes, thinking that the tiredness in them was keeping me from seeing all my gifts. When I looked again, they still were not there. My mother must have seen me looking, because she grinned and waved her hand like it wasn't a problem.

"Anne, honey, I decided that for your birthday we are going to go shopping, and I will buy you any clothes you want, and that will be your gift."

I think I felt my jaw drop. I hated shopping, and she knew that. It was my birthday! I was completely speechless, so I guess she thought I was okay with it.

"Good! We will be leaving in 30 minutes, so get ready!" she said as she walked up the stairs.

This was going to be the worst birthday ever.

I didn't say a word while we were in the car, because I wasn't sure what to say. My entire mouth felt dry, and every word I tried to speak, I practically choked on. Only 20 minutes later, we pulled up to a mall, the dungeon of torture for people like me. My mom grabbed my hand, and lead me inside, and I was too shocked to even try to put up a fight. Not long after we entered, we turned into a store, though I couldn't recall the name because I was so upset. When I got in there, I realized that it was a Furry Friends, where you make your own stuffed animals! Inside, I saw Lexi, Luke, and a bunch of other people from my class.

"Surprise!" they all said.

In the party room, I saw all my gifts. So we weren't going shopping after all!! I was so happy at that moment.

"Holy Pickles!" I said, stealing Lexi's line.

"Happy Birthday!" Lexi said to me.

The rest of the day was filled with stuffing bears, bunnies, and puppies, picking out clothes, and buying accessories for our animals. It was definitely the best birthday I had ever had.

When I got home later that night, Lexi came over to give me her present.

"What is it?" I asked.

Lexi clapped her hands. "Open it!" she said.

I tore open the balloon wrapping paper, revealing a box. I pulled off the lid, and inside was a walkie-talkie covered in blue stick-on gems.

Lexi pulled out a walkie-talkie from behind her back. It too was covered with stick-on gems, except hers were teal.

"Do you like it? I stuck on your favorite color sparkles! Now we can talk to each other from our rooms!" she said.

"Yay!" The walkie-talkies were definitely my favorite birthday present I had ever gotten.