I sat in the kitchen with Elsie playing cards."Got any...twos?"I raised my eyebrow at her playfully."I curse you."She handed a card over to me before grabbing another one and shuffling her hand."Are you letting me win because it's my birthday?"I questioned."Please.You know how competitive I am."She said."Got any Fives?"
"Go fish.Any threes?" "Go fish.Fours?" "Go fish.Any Sevens?" "Nope." Elsie put her cards down and got up."Where ya goin?"I asked."Bathroom."She said leaving the room."You touch my cards,you die."She yelled going up the stairs."Yeah,yeah."I waved my hand.After a little while Elsie still hadn't come back,and I was starting to get worried.I got up and walked upstairs ."Elsie?"I called.
Elsie walked out of our room,wearing a fancy outfit ."What are you doing? I thought we were playing cards."Elsie slung the bag over her shoulder and said simply,"Just go get dressed.Something fancy.And do your makeup and hair too."I shrugged my shoulders and did as I was told.Once I was dressed,I straightened my hair and did my makeup.I met Elsie downstairs along with my mother,who was also dressed formally.
"Where are we going?"I furrowed my brows and they smiled at me."You'll see."They both replied in unison,Mom grabbing the keys to her Volkswagen.We all walked out to the garage and drove to somewhere,Elsie asking Mom if we were there yet the whole time.We arrived in front of a building.Elsie placed her hands in front of my eyes,blocking my vision,and both her and mom led me somewhere.We stopped suddenly and Elsie removed her hands from my eyes. "Happy Sweet Sixteen!!!"
I saw my family and friends surrounding me.I felt my eyes brim with tears as I hugged Elsie,who was also holding,what I guessed was,my birthday cake."Whoa!Watch it.This took me two hours to make."Elsie said.I laughed."Happy birthday Sweetie."Mom said hugging me."Thanks.I thought I told you guys I didn't want a party."I stated."You did."Elsie replied."I love you."I laughed."I know."Elsie smiled.I walked further into the crowd,saying "Hi" and "Thanks for coming" to my family and friends,while receiving Happy Birthdays left and right.I came across my best friend,Lexa Bates."Aileen! Happy Sweet 16!"She hugged me."Thanks.Did you know?"I waved my hand around me."Yeah.Who do you think helped with organizing,Elsie?"She joked."True.I mean,I love her,but she acts like cleaning would kill her."I replied.
"Okay,everyone..."I heard Mom say from across the room.I turned to see her standing on a stage next to a giant cake with 16 candles.I saw the cake that Elsie was holding earlier,as the top tier on it."It's time to sing happy birthday to the birthday girl.Aileen?"Lexa pushed me towards the stage while I tried to resist.Mom hugged me,probably to keep me from running,and led the crowd in "Happy Birthday" while I stood there awkwardly.After that,Mom instructed me to blow out the candles.
I blew them all out in one breath.Now my wish would come true!Hopefully....
The party was great.I got a lot of gifts,including a locket from Elsie and an Ipod touch from Lexa.I walked out to Mom's parking spot to see her talking to two men dressed in black suits.One was blonde and looked in his early thirties,while the other was bald and had wrinkles forming on his face.As soon as they saw me,they bowed their heads to my mother and walked away."Mom,who was that?"I walked up to her."Oh,no one honey.Just the building owners asking for the payment."She smiled weakly."Okay."I shrugged it off and got in the back of the car with Elsie."so,did you have fun at your party?"Elsie turned to me."I loved it."I replied."She smiled,"What about the locket?"She nodded at it."It's my favorite present."I grasped it in between my fingers."What about the Ipod touch Lexa got you?"She tilted her head.""Psh,please."I smiled and waved my hand.She smiled at me like the Cheshire cat and went back to looking at the window.
We drove home and I put all my presents on my desk.Me and Elsie plopped down on our beds after getting in out pajamas.Mom came up to hug us goodnight.I got under my comforter and tried to go to sleep."Aileen?"Elsie whispered."Yes?"I turned over to see her hiding mostly under her covers,only her face showed."Do you think Mom's okay?"I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest,"Of course.Why wouldn't she be?"Elsie sighed,"Well,when I was waiting in the back of the car,two men in black suits walked up to her.They talked to her and she had a worried look on her face.Then they walked away.I just don't get it."All of a sudden we heard a big thud."What was that?"Elsie turned to the door."Probably Mom dropping something.I'll go check to see if she broke anything.You go to sleep."I creaked open the door and tiptoed down the stairs,my eyes adjusting to the pitch darkness.I saw a light shining underneath the swinging kitchen door and heard voices."What do you think they're talking 'bout?"I jumped and looked behind me.
