Amanda's Birthday
"Yay! It's finally my birthday!" Amanda was dancing around the kitchen, in front of a very worried Tred. "So, Tred. What did you get me?"
"Get you? I give you guidance and help you in all of your battles, not to mention your French homework. Why should I get you anything?"
"What!? You have to get me something, I'm your favorite!"
"I have a favorite now? How exciting! Do I have a license too?" Amanda stuck her tongue out at Tred and walked out of the room. Tred just stood there and checked his watch. "Tracy! If we are going to go get that present we had better leave now!"
"I'm coming." Tracy came downstairs. "I can't find my car keys."
"They're right here." Tred held the keys up just beyond Tracy's reach.
"Give them to me Tred."
"No, I would like to drive."
"No way! We're going on the thruway and you just got your permit."
"I'll never learn if you never let me drive!"
"You'll never drive unless you get your own car because there is no way in hell you're driving mine!!" Tracy tried once more to get the keys. "Why are you so damn tall?!?"
"Let me drive and I'll never take them again."
"You're impossible, you know that?" Tracy sighed. "Fine, but you get one scratch on my car and I'll kill you!"
"Whoo hoo!!!!!" Tred grabbed his jacket and ran outside. Tracy just shook her head and followed Tred.
* * * * *
Ring . . . ring . . . ring . . .
"Hello?"
"Rowen? Hi, it's Amanda."
"Oh, hi. What's going on?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that its my birthday."
"That's it?"
"What!!! Don't you even care?"
"Amanda, do you know what time it is here?"
"Not exactly."
"It's 3:00am."
"Oh, sorry."
"Bye Amanda."
"Wait!!! Aren't you coming over?"
Click.
"Stupid blue haired freak!" Amanda slammed the phone back on the receiver. "Why doesn't anybody care that it's my birthday?" Amanda went up into Tracy's bedroom. She has to have some presents hidden somewhere. She searched the room to no avail. Then the door bell rang. "Coming!!" Amanda excitedly ran back downstairs and opened the door. Erica was standing on the door step. "Hey! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for my party?"
Erica gave her an odd look. "What party? I just came over to borrow a few CD's."
"The CD's are for my party right?"
"Um nooo...the CD's are for me to listen to. Matt took all of mine so I'm taking Tracy's."
"Why Tracy's? I don't like the same music she does."
"I know...but I do."
"But why would you play music I don't like at my party?"
"They're not for your party! There is no party. Not that I know of anyway." With that Erica pushed past Amanda and went into Tracy's room, coming out with some CD's. "Bye Amanda, see you later."
"I really want a sweatshirt with a kitten on it for my birthday!"
"I'm sure you do. Later." Erica left the house.
Amanda was starting to get a little depressed. Maybe they really don't care. The phone rang, jarring Amanda from her thoughts. She perked up immediately. That must be them calling me to tell me to come to my party! "Hello?"
"Hi Amanda, it's Danielle. Did you catch Gundam Wing yesterday?"
"Nope. Where is it, and what time?"
"What are you talking about? You know its on Cartoon Network at 5:30."
"Not Gundam Wing, my party!"
"What party? I knew those Pixy Stix were going to start affecting your brain one of these days."
"You mean there's really no party?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Bye."
"Ok. Talk to you later."
Now Amanda was really depressed. Maybe its a surprise party...yeah, thats it! It's a surprise party, and it's going to be over here! I'll just leave them alone for awhile so they can get everything ready. Amanda sat down on the couch and waited.
* * * * *
A few hours later Amanda was still waiting. Where are they? They should have come by now. Then Tracy and Tred walked in.
"You're never, ever driving again!"
"I said I was sorry about that mailbox!"
"Tell that to the Burtons!" Tracy sat down next to Amanda.
Amanda jumped up. "I'm ready!"
"Ready for what?"
"Ready for my party!"
Tracy cleared her throat. "Amanda, we already had a party for you."
"That was just a family party!"
"So now you want two parties?"
"My friends are supposed to throw me one!"
Tracy started laughing. "That's a good one! Next year if you want another party, you'd better plan it yourself." She walked out of the room, still laughing.
Amanda looked at Tred. "You're really not having a party?"
"I'm sorry. I was under the impression that a person should spend their birthday with their family."
"I can't believe you! I let you live in my house and this is what I get in return!"
"Your house? I thought that your parents...."
Amanda cut him off. "Oh, go away! I don't want to talk to anybody right now!" With that Amanda ran up to her room and slammed the door.
* * * * *
"Amanda." Tracy was shaking her, tryng to wake Amanda up.
"Go away."
"Come on, you overslept! It's morning and you have to get up!"
"I don't want to."
"Come on, get up now or Tred gets your breakfast."
"Fine!" Amanda started to get up as Tracy left the room, not even noticing how unusually dark it was. "I hate mornings, I hate my friends, I hate Rowen, I hate Tred, I hate Tracy..." She finally finished getting dressed and stomped down the stairs, still muttering to herself. "...stupid friends forgot my stupid birthday..." She walked into the kitchen.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!"
"Oh my god! You didn't forget! Amanda looked around and saw Erica, Danielle, Candice, Tracy, Tred and Rowen. On the table was a huge pile of presents. Right in the middle was a birthday cake.
"Of course we didn't forget. We had to act like that because you were expecting us to surprise you." Erica reached over the table and grabbed a present. "Here, open this."
Amanda ripped open the package and pulled out a sweatshirt with cats all over it. "My sweatshirt! I love it! I'm so sorry about all the bad stuff I said about you guys!"
Rowen had been starting to hand Amanda another present, but pulled back. "What bad stuff?"
"Oh never mind." Amanda smiled and gave Rowen a big kiss.
"Hey! Get a room!" Danielle grinned. "C'mon! Open more presents!"
Amanda smiled. "Thanks you guys!"
