Life in the mirror

Nearly 12

Maria sat down next to her best friend Hana with a broad smile across her face. Hana looked up at her and was startled to see Maria grinning like a chesei cat. "Why are so happy?" Hana mumbled miserably.

"Well, in case you've forgotten it's only 1 days to my birthday!" Maria replied excitedly.

"I know you've..........."

"Girls!!" Mrs Clancy screeched, "How many times do I have to tell you to be quiet?"

"Sorry" Maria and Hana mumbled together. Maria felt like she had been slapped hard across the face, and all of her excitement was slowly dying away. She didn't like getting in trouble, and it was only first class of the day! She didn't like History much, it was so boring. All Mrs Clancy did was make you wright out definitions from a text book. Well, it's double art after morning tea so I guess I can't complain, Maria thought happily. Maria had always been known for been either very optimistic or very negative. Maria was just about to turn around and ask Hana when the first fleet came to Australia when the bell rang.

"Thank you class." Mrs Clancy said, "and don't forget your homework"

"Yes Mrs Clancy." Every one muttered together.

"Well, at least that's over." Hana said with relief as soon as they were out the door.

"Yeah." Maria replied, not so excitedly this time. She had just remembered that one of her other best friends would probably be sick and couldn't come to her birthday party. "I wish Bella could come on Saturday, it's just not right without her." Maria sighed.

"Hey, don't loose hope, she is doing her best and she still might come." Hana encouraged.

"I guess."

"Hey, I just remembered, I've got Tim tams for recess! Do you want one?"

"Ok." Maria was still upset that Lucy might not come.

"Oh cheer up, weren't you the one telling me to cheer up this morning? Come on, it's your birthday in a day!"

"But it won't be a be birthday if Bella can't come. It won't be a birthday party if any one I invited can't come!"

Hana was loosing her temper now, " Fine, I'll tell you a secret, I wasn't supposed to but I'll tell you any way. Bella is coming to your birthday party, but it was supposed to be a surprise."

"What?! How come I didn't know? It's my birthday party after all!"

"Like I said, it was supposed to be a surprise."

"Fine. Be that way."

"Come on, I'm hungry."

Maria trudged along behind Hana, not miserably any more but now a little tempered. How could her BEST friend keep a secret from her like that! On second thoughts it didn't really matter, but still, Hana had kept a secret from her. When they walked out the door Hana turned up the path to head towards the dining room.

"Where are you going?" Maria asked.

"Inside if course, it's cold."

"No it's not, it's just a bit nippy. And besides, Phoebe, Rosy, Genevieve, Harriet and Ginnifer will be siting outside. Don't be a sook."

"Humph" Hana said. "Fine."

Every one else was already in their favourite spot, two long benches out side the office. The teachers could see them most of the time, but no one really cared. Maria looked at all her friends, she was happy to have them all, but Bella was still away. She was probably still sick. Again. Well, at least she knew now that Bella would be coming to her birthday party after all. Maria loved them all as friends, but she still felt bad about leaving her old friends. She used to be in the sort of "popular" group in year 6 but when Hana came, she had made friends with their current group, and Maria had been pulled along. They were all really nice people and she felt like she belonged, but she still felt bad. Every one was nice to Maria, she was rather popular although she was not in the popular group. Phoebe, Rosy and Jennifer had been best friends for years and had been joined by Genevieve, Harriet, Bella, Hana and Maria that year. Harriet and Phoebe were now quite close, and Ginnifer and rosy always stuck together because they where the only ones from 7/2. Bella mainly mingled with Maria and Hana, but she was still friends with every one else and Genevieve just sort of came and went where and when she pleased, but she was still part of the group.

"Hi." Maria said as she waved.

"Hi." Said Rosy. "How are you."

"Alright." Maria sat down next to Hana. "Bella is still away. But she'll be.........." Hana kicked Maria hard in the chin. She almost screamed in pain but then she remembered why she had been kicked, Hana wasn't sopossed to have told her Bella was come. "............ Better soon." Maria finished. She shot Hana a glare but she just looked away.

"Let's hope. Oh my gosh, you've got Tim tams!! Can I have one please? Please?" Harriet begged.

"No!" Hana said and she pulled her Tim tams close to her chest.

"Please?" Harriet persisted.

"N O spells no. NO!!!!"

"Humph."

"Look they are my favourite food in the whole wide world."

"Fine."

The rest of the day proved un eventful and by the end Maria was completely tired out but still found the energy to be excited about her birthday. It was tomorrow!!

"Bye guys!" Maria called over her shoulder as she rushed onto her bus.

"Bye." Hana, Phoebe and Genevieve said in unison. Maria waved out the window and the bus departed.