Rina was crippled in her bed, any sudden movements caused a storm of streaming pain to travel screaming through her body. She missed school that day, somehow not equipped to trudge through the day like usual. Her eyes were crusted over as melodies on 98 Degrees sautntered through the room, releasing her spirit out of the tight restraints of pain. The baby's few kicks assured her that she was still alive.

Her mind traveled back in time to when she was 6 and Chris and her were walking home from school...

"Chriss, Chriss," Rina shouted with a lisp as a box with something jumping in it came into her view. The two friends hobbled over to the box on the corner. A lone puppy was running around, its chocolate fur glistening with sweat. Its marble eyes locked with hers. "I want it!" Rina cried, running her tiny hand along its back.

"How much do you have?" the scruffy man asked, a ting of desparation in his face.

"I don't have any money," Rina admitted sadly, fishing through her jeans for change.

"I have some," Chris offered, reaching into his blue coat pocket and pulling out a few dollars.

"Sold!" The man bellowed gleefully, picking up the puppy and placing it gently into Rina's arms.

"Thank you, Christopher!" Adrienne shouted gleefully, laying a big kiss on his cold cheek. His cheek began to turn red as he rubbed at the kiss tenderly.

"Your mommy doesn't like pets," Chris reminded her as the dog reached over Rina's arm and licked his face.

"We'll tell her we found it! She wouldn't take it away then!" Rina determined.

"What are we going to name it?" Chris asked, petting its head.

"Well..." Rina thought innocently, "He looks like the color of that stuff our mommies and daddies drink. What is that stuff?"

"I don't know," Chris replied, scratching his head, "but it sure taste bad."

"We'll name him Cocoa...like hot Cocoa!" Rina shouted, her eyes lightening up.

"Yeah!" Chris agreed, taking her free hand in his as they walked into the sunset together like it was meant to be...

The front door closed with a BANG and she moaned loudly, carefully rolling onto her side.

"Rina," she heard Vanessa call. Vanessa and Devon finally discovered Rina in her room. A wall of sun followed the girls as they pushed against each other into her room. "No way!" Vanessa shrieked as Rina's discomposure.

"You can't be sick," Devon continued, throwing herself to Rina's side.

"You're right," Rina said hoaresly, "I'm dying."

"We're going to whisk you away," Vanessa challenged her smiling, ripping the sheets off Adrienne's bed.

"Hey!" Rina cried, jerking up painfully.

"We're taking you all around NYC," Devon informed her, fishing through Rina's closet on her hands and knees for some shoes and a coat.

"Are you nuts?!" Rina replied with a stretch, hugging a pillow to her chest, "I can barely move!"

"That's where I come in," Vanessa answered, chucking a white stretchy tank and blue drawstring capris at Rina, "My aunt allowed me to take a Mustang out of her lot for the day and the day is wasting away.

"My god, girls," Rina replied, amazed, "You sure know how to get a girl out of the dumps."

"It's what friends are for," Devon assured her, crawling out of the closer and tossing a jean jacket on Rina's head, "now get some clothes on, geesh."

In 10 minuetes time, they hopped into the silver Ford Mustang and set foward to Central Park.

The park was beautiful at the brink of Spring. The trees and grass grew to a glorious green. Park benches aligned the paths and pigeons owned the sideways, pouncing on any morsel of food dropping dangerously to the ground. Dogs were lead through the maze of colors and flowers by short leashes and harsh owners.

"Mmmm," Rina smiled, her hot dog doused in sauerkraut, ketchup, onions, pickle relish and mustard waited patiently to be devoured.

Devon and Vanessa looked at her bewildered as she chomped away the first bite. "Do pregnant people really eat crazy stuff like that?" Devon sputtered out, stealing a sip from her Coke can.

"You can just imagine the crazy stuff we eat," Rina replied hungrily, whiping stray ketchup from her lips with a nakpin.

"It's gorgeous out today," Vanessa piped in, leaning back on the wooden bench.

"I almost forgot what sunshine feels like," Rina admitted, peering deeply into the sun as it was casted from view by greedy clouds.

"You'll feel so much more when we head to the Empire State Building," Devon informed her, tying back her long blonde locks in a black claw clip.

"We're going there?!" Adrienne implored with excitement.

"Baby," Vanessa said to Adrienne, hanging her arms on her and Devon, "When we take you out, we take you out!"

The streets of New York had never been so full, so busy, so absolutley wonderful to Rina. They made a quick stop so Devon could get some cough drops. Vanessa and Adrienne laid their heads back, sun tinting them into gold coins, skyscrapers and building hovering over their heads bravely.

"I got em, I got em!" Devon shouted from the door of Genovese. She dodge through the pedestrians and made a death-defying leap into the back of the car.

"Then let's move it," Vanessa replied, placing her black sunglasses over her brown eyes and puncing on the gas at full throttle.

Luckily, the brawny security guard allowed them to take the elevator because of Rina's pregnancy. The maroon elevator with gold trimmins carried them as fast as lightning to the top floor. Rina beaced the railing, afraid her knees would give way at the hellish speed. They arrived at the top, and the opening doors presented a beautiful sky line.

The girls helped Rina out of the elevator, her feet a little quivery with her steps. They walked out onto the balcony; the view was breathtaking.

Skyscrapers, buildings and stores took to the sky, trying to overpower each other in size and value. Bridges jutted across a sparking river. Lady Liberty had her back to the friends, but her impact was there just the same. The girl gazed among the specticles of NYC, slowly making their way around, holding hands and sharing whispers. The air, the clouds, the birds; it was so much different up there in the atmosphere, so much pure. It made you feel invincible, made you feel that you were the ruler, the boss of this insignificant world from your view. Their eyes were filled with wonder and vibrance as they scanned the toy town in front of them.

"I think it's time to play," Devon suggested, pulling 3 pink bubble wands and 3 blue bubble solution from the brown bag.

"Blowing bubbles?" Rina asked unsure.

"Of course, my dear," Vanessa replied, eagerly grabbing her wand and soulution and running to the barricade. Rina and Devon followed her. With a dip and a blow, tiny bubbles floated down to the world below, lightly ascending to unsuspecting children. The bubbles took their time becasue they know the value of the little things in life. Maybe if they were lucky, some bubbles would climb high, reach God himself, and kiss him on the nose. Rina looked at her two friends that day in a different light. Friends are forever, she concluded. Are forever.