Erika was at the table eating breakfast alone because her parents went to work early that morning. The phone rang several times but she didn’t bother to pick it up because she figured it was just one of those pesky tele-marketers. She finally got sick of the ringing after a while so she got up to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Good morning sunshine!” Said an all too perky voice.
“Who is this?”
“Who is this? I can’t believe you’re asking me this after such a WONDERFUL night we had together last night.”
“What!” All she could hear was laughter coming from the other end of the phone.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. It’s Joey. The rest of the guys and I were wondering if you wanted to do something today?”
“Hmmm, lemme see Joey, I am kinda booked today, and did you make an appointment?”
“Damn girl, you’re getting sarcastic on me already? I’m flattered.”
“Sure Joey, I’d love to do something today, I don’t have any thing else planned. So what are we gonna do?”
“Um...we were thinking about going out to lunch somewhere and then going to see a movie.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Meet us at... oh yea...I forgot you can’t drive yet...ha ha haha ha.”
“Shut up!” She answered in a high pitched squeal.
“Oh my God! Spare the dogs! One of us will pick you up in about 15 minutes, so be ready.”
“Ok. See you then.”
******
DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG
“I’m coming. I’m coming. My God calm down.” She opened the door to find Chris standing there still pressing the doorbell.
“Ok, I’m here you can stop ringing.”
“I know, but this is just too much fun.” She pushed Chris away from the door and locked it behind her. They made their way to the car and drove off.
As Erika rode in the passenger seat she noticed that Chris was in serious need of some Ritalin. At every stoplight or stop sign, he decided to a little head banging, no matter what song was on, even a slow song. Everyone that stopped next to the car couldn’t help but look over and stare at them thinking that they were on drugs. Erika knew she wasn’t on any, but she still wasn’t too sure about dear old Chris next to her.
They arrived at the restaurant after what seemed like a too long car ride with Chris. They walked in and found the rest of the guys sitting at a booth laughing at something that was said earlier.
“Hey cutie.” Said Justin while fixing his head full of curls.
“Hey hottie.” Everyone was taken back by that because she had gotten comfortable with them so fast.
“Awwwww, your too sweet Erika.” Joked Chris as he put his arm around her waist. Everyone couldn’t help but laugh.
“You can sit here” JC slid further into the seat to make room for her.
“Uh...Th... Thanks.” Good one Erika, you’re stuttering like some star struck fan. They had all finished eating but were still sitting there talking about what movie they were going to see.
“I wanna see American Pie 2!” Shouted out Justin
“Of course you would you horn ball” yelled out Joey
“Ooooo, and look who’s talking?”
“I’m up for seeing Americana Pastry dos!”
******
Over the next few weeks the group and the 3 girls became like best friends. They went almost everywhere together. The relationship between the guys and Erika was a little bit deeper. Not only were they best friends, but also they were like her big brothers. They looked after her and protected her. JC became like her big brother father figure which kind of scared the crap out of her, but that was ok with her. Justin became her best friend. Of course she was a best friend with all of them, but Justin was the one she could always count on to be there for her, and he was around her age.
It was Erika’s birthday and she was home alone. No one had called her to congratulate her or anything so she decided she would go online. She received an instant message from Justin.
“Hey girlie, sup?”
“nothin much just bored out of my mind.”
“do u want 2 come ovr? 2 boards make a rite.”
“pick me up in 10 min.”
They both got off line.
“Ok guys she’s coming over; make sure everything is ready.” He said anxiously.
“Calm down, I don’t think she suspects any thing.”
“Ok, I’ll be back with her soon. Everyone hide when you see the headlights.”
Justin went over to pick up Erika at her house. She had a look of disappointment on her face when he didn’t say “Happy Birthday”; he couldn’t help but grin because she had no idea about the party that they were throwing for her. After a completely silent car ride, they got out of the car and walked up the front steps.
“Is any one home?” She asked while running her hand through her hair.
“I don’t think so.” At this point he couldn’t hide the enormous grin that he had on his face.
“What are you smiling at?”
“Oh nothing, I’m just glad you’re here.”
He unlocked the door and walked in pushing Erika aside so he could get in first. This shocked Erika because he was usually very polite and opened the door to let her in but this time he just pushed his way through. When she finally made her way in, everything was pitch black and she couldn’t see her hand in front of her face.
“Justin? Are you in here? Hello?”
The lights suddenly came on.
SURPRISE!
“OH MY GOD! You guys are the best! I can’t believe you did this, I mean you didn’t have to but you did and... and... I don’t know what to say. Thank you.” Erika stood there with a huge smile on her face and her eyes wide while all of her closest friends came to hug and congratulate her.
“I’m glad you liked it” She turned around to see a deep blue eyed Lance standing there.
“Are you kidding me? I don’t like it. I LOVE it!” She jumped into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck to give him a hug.
The entire night completely flew by. People were dancing all around and laughing and having a great time. Rachel was being the center of attention like always in the middle of the room dancing with Lance. More like grinding with Lance, but it’s all the same for little “innocent” Rachel. Liz was the group flirt. She was sitting talking with JC over on the couch while she threw in her little giggles here and there and batted her eyelashes at him. She knew she was just kidding and so did he, but they were an interesting pair to watch.
“TIME FOR PRESENTS!” Shouted out Chris.
“Ooooo, me first! Me first!” JC was waving his hand in the air like a lunatic hoping Erika would pick on him to open his present first.
“Ok JC, I’ll open your present first.”
“Woohoo!”
“Damn boy...quit poppin’ those pills.”
JC handed her a small thin box wrapped delicately in gold paper. She opened it carefully and finally took off the top to find a thin gold chain bracelet.
“Oh my... wow...JC this is beautiful, thank you so much.” JC got out of his chair and knelt down on the floor in front of her. He took the bracelet out of the box and put it on her small wrist.
“I gave my cousin a bracelet similar to this and I figured why not give one to my new little sister? It’s a charm bracelet so whenever something special happens you put a charm on to represent it and whenever you look at it, you can remember all the memories that happened.” He finished putting the bracelet on and leaned in to give her a light kiss on the cheek and a hug.
“Ok...ok...my turn.” Chris took out a huge box from under his chair and handed it to Erika. At first she just stared at it thinking it was some kind of practical joke. You never can tell with Chris. She began to open it very cautiously but at the scent of Bath & Body Works Pearberry, she knew it was safe to open. The inside of the box was filled with different lotions and soaps of all different scents from her favorite lotion/body care store.
She opened the gifts from Joey and Lance and it was now Justin’s turn. He sat in his chair empty handed the entire time so she thought he was too busy to get her any thing, It was completely ok with her too because she would have understood. Justin stood up and walked out of the room. He came back with a big lump that was squirming around under his sweater.
“What the hell is that?” He reached under his sweater and in his arms he held a little puppy with a big red ribbon around its neck.
“It’s so cute! Thank you!” She took the puppy out of his arms and began to pet it and hug it. “Thank you guys so much, I loved all of this.”
Rachel and Liz came over and she noticed that they both had big smiles on their faces along with the rest of the guys. Liz spoke up while she was putting her hair up for the thousandth time that night.
“Who said we were done with presents?”
“Huh? I don’t understand”
“Look out the side window.” Outside were all the parked cars of everyone at the party.
“What am I looking at? There are only parked cars.”
“You see that red Mercedes Benz?”
“Uh huh.” Justin leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “It’s yours.”
“WHAT?”
Joey put his hands over his ears but he was too late, she had already screamed. “Again...My ears!”
Rachel was laughing at Joey because it looked like he was in serious pain but at the same time she was trying to talk to Erika. “Hunny, it’s yours. It pays to have rich friends.” JC gave her an evil look “I was just kidding! Damn.” JC and Rachel were now having an all out bitch fight.
“Your 16 now, you can drive around in your new pimpin’ car and you don’t have to bum rides from your chicas no more.” She hated it when Justin tried to act ghetto.
“Cute Justin...very cute. Wow...That’s a beautiful car; I can’t believe you guys got it for me.”
“I...I...I wanted to drive it.” Erika stared out the window for a while longer but she couldn’t resist any more. She broke out into laughter. She was laughing so hard she fell onto the floor. She tried to talk in between gasps of breath.
“You.. Wanted to drive...my NEW car? Are you...CRAZY?” She calmed down a bit and stood up. “You said yourself JC doesn’t trust you to drive, why should I all of a sudden take your word that you’re such a good driver and let you drive my once again NEW CAR?”
“Ok...ok...fine, I won’t drive your car.” He said it with such disappointment in his voice but she didn’t buy it for one second. He turned and began to walk away.
“Uh...Justin?” He immediately turned around. “Yes?”
“They’re called acting lessons.”