1
To celebrate my 18th birthday, my best friend Lily invited me to stay at her house while her parents were gone for the weekend. She promised that it would be a weekend filled with lots of girl-time -- pedicures, face masks, cookie dough, and lots of time to talk about boys. I knew that it was also because she hated being in her house alone.
After my grandparents left on my actual birthday on Wednesday, I called Lily to find out what I needed to bring.
"Nothing!" She assured me. "This weekend is my gift to you, and you don't need to bring anything at all."
"Ok. Let me know at school tomorrow if you can think of anything. I'll bring it with me on Friday so we can go right to your house after school."
"Now that I think of it, could you bring your turquoise nail polish? Oh, and maybe your fake eyelashes. And what about-" Lily started reeling off a list of the things that she wanted.
"Hang on," I laughed. "I need to write this down."
*
"Lily!" I called as I opened the front door. "Sorry I'm late. We had a last-minute practice after school."
Lily met me at the door with fire in her eyes. "Hrumph!" She snorted.
"I'm sorry," I apologized again. "But at least I won't have practice tomorrow morning. I'm ready to stay until Monday morning!"
"It's not that." She huffed again and rolled her eyes. "Guess who decided to come home for the weekend?" She gestured to the kitchen. I felt a fluttering in my stomach as I saw her brother, Grant, making himself a sandwich at the kitchen counter.
"G-Grant's here?" I sputtered.
"I'm just as mad as you! He said that he wanted to come home and do laundry, but I know that Mom and Dad sent him so we wouldn't have a party." She folded her arms and huffed yet again.
"Party?" I laughed. "Lily, we've never partied a day in our lives. It's ok, I like Grant just fine." The truth was, I had a crush on Grant ever since I was a little girl, and he pushed Billy Connors into the pool. Billy said that my bathing suit gave me a fat bum. Grant overheard him, and pushed him into the pool.
"Whatever. Let's go have some supper." Lily turned and I followed her into the kitchen. "Grant, can you get out of here? We're going to order some pizza."
"Mm, order me some too, please. I like pepperoni." He handed Lily the handset to the phone as he shoved the sandwich into his mouth.
"Aren't you eating supper right now?" Lily scowled as she dialed the number.
"Naw, just warming up." He winked at me, and I nearly fainted then and there. "So, what's new with you, Sue? How's 18 treating you?"
"Oh, you know." I said, averting his gaze. I began to trace the marbling pattern on the counter with my finger so I didn't have to look up into his green eyes.
"Susie! Tell me that you remembered to bring your bathing suit!" Lily exclaimed as she put the phone back onto the charger.
"Um, yeah." I hesitated. I brought my string bikini that I always wear when hanging out at Lily's, but not when I know that other people are watching me.
"Let's go hop in the hot tub while we're waiting. The guy on the phone said that it would be 40 minutes. They're a little backlogged tonight." Lily ran up to her room to get changed.
"Mind if I hop in, too?" Grant asked, smiling at me again.
"Sure," I managed to look him in the eye this time and smile back.
