My Almost Best Friend

Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

"What is this?" Emma whispered to me, as we sat next to each other at the dinner table.

I poked the slimy yellow mush puddle with my fork and gagged.

"I think it's supposed to be enchiladas."

My mom had been on this whole Mexican food kick, ever since her friend's family visited and taught her a bunch of recipes. Sadly, this wasn't even the worst of it.

"It looks like a slug!" Emma whined.

"Doesn't taste much better either," I cried, washing it down with a big glass of water.

"This is amazing!" Aunt Marin sang out, eating her evenly cut bites. "Do you like it boys?" she asked her twin 3 year olds, Brendan and Brody.

"No mommy!" they protested.

Emry, the two year old copying them, proceeded to throw her plate on the ground.

Aunt Marin looked horrified.

"Brendan, Brody, Emry!" she screeched. "Come here!" she then dragged the three toddlers away, as they shrieked in protest.

"It's a free country!" one of them yelled.

I expected my mom to maybe seem a little upset, but instead she burst out laughing.

Me, Emma, Caden, and 6 other pairs of beady eyes looked up at her in shock.

"Does anyone else not like this meal?" she asked, seriously.

At first I thought it was a test, so I hesitated, but then after all the kids hands flew up, mine did as well.

In fact, every person at the tables hands were up, even my moms.

"Well, looks like it's a pizza night!" my mom laughed.

All of the kids cheered, and Caden.

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"Eat space alien guts!" Emma screamed, moving the joystick like a maniac.

"Peter Pipers is the best!" Caden cheered, as his second pizza arrived.

"Mmm," I sighed, taking in the heavenly goodness of my slice. "Stuffed crust."

Yes that's right, all 14 of us were eating out. It felt really weird since I was normally in a party of two.

"Come on Bree!" Emma chanted. "Let's go spend our tokens!"

"Okay!" I agreed. I looked around at all the games and mini rides.

Instantly we looked at each other and squealed, "Lazer Maze!"

I gave the man 5 of my tokens in exchange for him opening the door.
Emma and I stepped in, slowing our breathing.

Come on Bree, you got this. You are smooth like the wind.

I stared intensely at the array of green lasers filling the room.

I cautiously began stepping over and ducking under. I'd just reached the middle of the small room, when lasers came off and a buzzer screeched.

"Times up!" the man called.

Times up? We were timed? No fair! I was doing so well!

I irritably exited the room, he was lucky that I didn't scream at him in protest.

"Well that was a waste of tokens," she sighed.

"Uh huh," I agreed angrily.

Caden ran up to us just then. "There you guys are! Lets go play some games!"

After wasting my tokens on a ton of pointless, rigged games, we stopped at a basketball game. Oh, great. Another game that I have no talent for.

Caden began shooting hoops like a pro. I stared boredly at the other corner of the room watching my cousins Chrissy and Laielle climb up the ski ball machine and set the balls in the 500 place. Hah, I used to do that as a kid too.

Ooh, ski ball. Good idea! I waltzed over to one of the machines, and entered 2 tokens.

I was pro.

By the time my tokens were gone, I had about 3000 tickets in hand. Ski ball was definitely my calling in life.

"Lets go get some prizes!" I squealed.

"Whatcha gonna get?" Emma asked. "Fundips? Tootsie pops? Chinese handcuffs?"

"Um, obviously the big bucket of peach rings!" I answered.

Just then we noticed little four year old Beckham crying in the corner.

"What's wrong Becks?" Emma asked.

"I didn't get any tickets!" he sobbed.

She handed him her 15 tickets. "Here, you can have mine."

"And mine," Caden agreed, handing him his 28 tickets.

"What toy are you gonna get, Beckham?" she asked him.

"The fire truck!" he shrieked, with the cutest look on his face.

Caden read the price aloud, "3000 tickets."

They snapped their heads towards me.

I tried casually walking away but they stopped me.

"Bree..."

"Fine!" I sighed.

I covered my eyes as I handed him every last one of my precious tickets.

But I guess it was kind of worth how happy he was with the toy and all.

Kindness...bleh.