Clouds

Chapter One Part 3

                                                                      Part 3

          “So, what kinds of excellence do you have in store for me?” I ask Colby as we walk to the other side of the room, broken off from the main space by small brown door.

            “You shall see,” he replies, giving me a wink.  “Not even Awesome knows.”

            “But,” Awesome replies, “I know my gift is better then yours.”  Colby whips around and faces her.  I groan.  Not again, I think to myself.  This happened before: they both got into an argument about who had the better something, whether it was an article of clothing, toy, or sword.

            “You want to bet?” Colby practically growls.  Awesome just grins.

            “You’re on.”

            The two of them race through the door, forgetting that these were my gifts, on my birthday, but I don’t really care.  As long as the two of them enjoy themselves, I am happy.

            I follow Colby to where a lone gray fold out table sits, and the three of us gather around.  Four boxes sit on the table, and two items lie behind it, hidden under two white blankets. 

            “I thought you said I would receive five gifts,” I press onto Colby.  “But there’s six items.”

            “Life is full of surprises,” he says as he hands me the first box.  “And you’ll soon find out why.” I nod.

            “Save some excitement for my cool gift,” Awesome brags, pulling her hair back.  “Colby’s may be better, but mine will be more meaningful.”

            “Beginning to doubt yourself?” Colby teases, avoiding Awesome’s hostile glare.

            “You wish,” she sneers.

            “Ladies, ladies,” I interrupt, glaring at the two.  “Stop acting like an old married couple and let me open my gifts.  It is my time to shine, after all.”  They open their mouths to argue but I place a finger on each of their lips and mumble, “Shh.  Hand it over, Colby.”  My tactic works and they shut up, leaving me to open the first box.

            The first present is wrapped in a metallic yellow (yellow, not gold), with a few splotches of silver here and there.  About the size of a jewelry box, it stands bigger than only one other box.

            I gently unfold the wrapping paper and then open what is, in fact, a jewelry box.  Colby’s eyes burn into my hands as I lift the lid to see an ordinary charm bracelet.

            “Um, thanks?” I say, looking at him, confused. 

            “Gee, Colby,” Awesome begins, “a bad start, but I thought you would be better game then this.”

            I don’t agree with Awesome’s sarcastic tone, but I agree with her statement.  Why would Colby give me an ordinary charm bracelet?  It’s so unlike him to be so… so plain.

            “Oh, shut up,” Colby says.  He rolls his blue eyes, lit up in excitement.  “This isn’t a regular charm bracelet, but an example of some of my newer technology.”  Awesome and I stare at him blankly.  

            “So your newer technology is running to the jewelry store to buy an empty charm bracelet?”

            “No, Awesome.  This charm bracelet will hold all of the technology you’re going to use on your trip, Emedee.”  We continue to stare.  “What I mean is that all of the gifts I’m about to give you, three gifts, four items, will take the form of a charm on this bracelet when you’re not using them.  We’ll go over all of this later, alright?”  I nod.  Awesome snorts, crosses her arms, and pouts.