"Happy Birthday, Anne!" I hear my mom's voice say. I rubbed my eyes, trying to rid of the tiredness that clenched them shut. No luck. I managed to grumble something back, it sounded like "go away" to me. Then another unfamiliar voice said my name, and I shot up in my bed, completely surprised.
"Anne!" Alice repeated.
She had just said her first word! My name was her first word! Everyone was staring at her, and she giggled, clapped her tiny hands and said my name again.
"Anne!"
I was overcome with joy as my baby sister said my name. Most babies' first words were "Mom" or "Dad". But Alice was different. She said my name.
I kept staring in shock before finally laughing at the thought that I had named her and now her first word was my name. I couldn't wait to tell everyone back in Georgia about this.
"Well, how cute was that?" Jeff asked, a smile on his face. Then he turned his attention back to me, clapping his hands.
"Guys, remember we are here for Anne," he said, holding out chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream on top. Right in the center was a pink and white swirled candle, the flame flickering on the short wick. A smile stretched across my face as I blew it out, making a wish. I knew it didn't really count because it wasn't on my birthday cake, but I made one, just in case.
"So, Anne, what do you want to do today?" my mom asked, bouncing Alice on her hip.
I shrugged, unsure of what to do without all my friends.
"May I make a suggestion?" Jeff asked me, raising his hand.
I nodded, pretty laid-back about the whole thing.
"I say, we go to the London Theatre and see a show!" he exclaimed, holding up six tickets.
"Awesome!" I shouted, jumping up and down. I ran over to Jeff and pulled the tickets out of his hand, looking to see what they were for.
"Front row seats to Mary Poppins?" I said, now even more excited.
He nodded. "Yes, love. And you can take a friend too!"
"Thank you so much! I'm going to call Remy!" I said, feeling butterflies inside my stomach.
I ran over to the phone and dialed her number eagerly.
"Hey, Jeff," a very flirtatious voice said.
"Uh, it's Anne. Is Remy there?"
I could tell Ms. Sampson was very embarrassed. "Yes, dear, I'll get her right on the line," she said quickly, and I couldn't help but giggle to myself while I covered the phone with my palm.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Remy!"
"Happy birthday!" she said enthusiastically.
"Thanks. Hey, I got tickets to go see Mary Poppins at the London Theatre. Front row. Wanna come?" I asked her, though I already knew the answer.
"Uh... sorry Anne but I already had plans for today. I know I shouldn't have planned anything on your birthday but it completely slipped my mind..." she trailed off.
"Oh. Well, that's okay. I guess I'll call someone else," I said, knowing very well that I had no one else to call.
"Anne, I'm joking. Of course I want to go! Let me just ask my mom."
I sighed with relief, and butterflies flew excitedly in my stomach.
"Awesome! Just come on over," I said, hanging up.
YOU ARE READING
The Cherry Trees
Ficção Adolescente"It was then that I heard it. The small, quiet, click. I couldn't turn my head fast enough. When I finally saw her, she had the gun to her head. "I'm sorry," she mouthed. And then the whole forest went silent when the sound of her life being taken e...
