THE BEST DAY

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNGGG!!!!"

"Phin, please wake up...and turn that darn alarm clock of yours off!"

I grumbled. "All right." Hey. Call me Phin. My actual name is Phinnie Jude Kilcher. But I hate it when people say "Phinnie..." it just annoys me, you know?

I live in San Francisco, California. I go to Lucky Junior High and my best friend is Emily Soriano. She comes from Asia. She isn't liked by that many people but I really like her. Back to my story anyway.

I stood up and trudged to the bathroom. I took my morning bath and when I got out and started drying myself. All of a sudden, I felt an amazing sense. A sense that meant, "Today is gonna be GOOD!"

"Good morning, mom!" I said happily walking down the stairs.

"Why, good morning, Phin." She answered, puzzled by my happiness.

"I don't know. I just feel something good is gonna happen today, mom!" 

"Well, have fun today!" she kissed me goodbye and I zipped off to school.

"Look who we have here!" I was pinned on the locker by school bully, Jacq. 

"Get away from me, freak." I answered strongly.

"My, my, we sure are aggressive today, aren't we?"

"We sure are, Mr. Jacq!"

Jacq spun around, surprised to see the Vice Principal looking at him sternly. "In my office... NOW, Jacq! And apologize to Ms. Kilcher."

Jacq? Apologize to ME? Today is starting out GOOD.

"Sorry, dweeb."

"Jacq!!!" 

"I mean, Sorry, Phin--"

"You can stop at Phin, Jacq." I cut in, smirking.

"Let's go, Jacq."

I watched them walk away and disappear inside Ms. Layra's office. "Hey, Jacq the Streak APOLOGIZED to you?? How did you do it??" Emily asked enthusiastically.

"I just did..." I answered, not believing my own luck.

Blah Blah... there goes Mr. Polly again. He must have been a Parrot in his past life!

"Class, I want you to prepare for a pop quiz, now, about the World War II." Mr. Polly announced.

"World War II? Oh yeah!" I cried unintentionally. World War II was my favorite subject. I eagerly took the paper and started answering relaxed, and confident my answers were all correct. 

"Thank you, Students. Now, results will be posted on the bulletin board later today. Adios."

"Hey, Phin-Jude-Kilcher..."

I stopped on my tracks. Only one person in this world called me "Phin-Jude-Kilcher"... ARNOLD! My long-time crush since fourth grade. 

"Y-yes, Arnold?"

"Hey, heard you made the Jacq guy apologize to you! Awesome!" he held my arm. he held my arm!

I blushed, "Gee, Arnold..."

"Hey, I've been looking for a girl. Want to uh, go out with me tonight?"

My mind raced. Nope. Nothing tonight, girl! "Sure! Pizza Pasty at seven?"

"Deal. See ya around, Phin."

Oh my gosh! He called me "Phin"! No longer childhood name, Phin-Jude-Kilcher...

I could feel myself falling into a dream. Everything was working out wonderfully...

"Phin! Phin! PHINNIE!!!"

I woke out of my trance. "PHINNIE???" I looked around tensely. "Oh, hey, Emily."

"Come on! History quiz results posted!"

Excitedly, we rushed over to the bulletin board. All right! I got an "A" Emily! And I topped the entire seventh grade! 

I've never felt happier in my life.

"Mom, will I be allowed to go out with Arnold tonight?"

"Gee, honey, isn't Arnold that guy you've liked since forever?"

"Yes mom! That's him!"

"I know how a first date feels like, dear. Go ahead. Oh, for a first date, clothes are very important. Shopping-spree and drop you off at seven?"

"You're the best mom!!!"

~*After Shopping at Jullius Mall, the most famous in Lucky Junior High, my attire had changed from wonderful to UNBEATABLE! I now wore comfortable khaki stretch Capri Pants, a navy blue shirt with the words "Adorable" written on it with shiny silver glitter, a pair of silver heart-shaped earrings, a pendant with a heart and I had another pendant with a heart that I would give to Arnold. With it, was a felt notebook with creamy white pages. In it, I wrote "Arnold and Phin". I decided that everytime we went on a date, we would write down what we did and our feelings and things like that. Plus it is super-private. It's got a lock and to open it, you've got to put the two hearts from the two pendants together and form a key!*~

"Hey, Phin-Jude-Kilch... What the heck??? Hey, Phin."

I nearly fainted. "Hey, Arnold."

"Heys, why call me that childhood name? I've stopped calling you Phin-Jude-Kilcher. Call me... A lot of people call me Are (Pronounced "Air"). How's that?"

"It's wonderful, Are."

"So, let's have dinner." He ordered a large pepperoni with cheese with two sodas and an ice cream sundae for dessert.

In the middle of eating my second pizza, Are's third, he put his arm around me. I looked at him affectionately and he looked back at me. All of a sudden, it hit me.

"Arnold!" I cried out.

"What??"

"Why are you being nice to me all of a sudden? Why weren't you nice to me before Jacq apologized to me??"

"Is that what's bothering you, dearie? Let me explain then: I have always had a crush on you... since fourth grade. But I could only approach you now..."

It was then I realized that he truly did love me. And he long has. Without speaking, I put his arm around my shoulder, smiling, and we finished eating. Then, we got into his car. We still haven't spoken. He looked at me, and I looked back at him, and he kissed me. It wasn't one of those everlasting kisses you see in movies. This was just a short, but loving one on the cheek. He looked at me. Almost like a look for confirmation. In reply, I kissed him back. Long. And he reacted.

Oh, how nice it is to be close to Arnold. Something I have been dreaming of all my life...

"Well, Phin, we've had our fun."

"We sure have, Are," I answered.

"See you tomorrow at school?"

"Of course, where else would I be?"

He drove me home, kissed me once more on the cheek and said goodbye. We then left and went our own different ways.

Once I got home, I told my mom I was tired and promised I'd explain everything the next day. She understood that, too, and let me go. After a quick shower, I opened my laptop. My day was just about done. I always surf before sleeping. I had four new email messages.  I loved getting new mail:

                From                            Subject
              *Emily*                          Your date!
              Samantha Maguire                 Fwd: FRIENDSHIP
              Lizzie Uy                        Meeting at BLENDER Frid...
              {Arnold}                         Thanks

Excited, I opened Arnold's first.

From: Arnold <arnold_pizza@luckyhigh.com>
To: Phinnie Jude Kilcher <phin_kilcher@luckyhigh.com>
Subject: Thanks

I had a feeling I'd beat you to writing an email! So anyway, thanks for the date. I'll see you tomorrow lunch time, alright? Don't forget. Say hello to Mrs. Kilcher for me!

Love,
Are

Are is amazing...

From: Lizzie Uy <lizzfrizz@luckyhigh.com>
To: Phin Kilcher <phin_kilcher@luckyhigh.com>
Subject: Meeting at BLENDER Friday Night

Hey, Phin! Talk to you BLENDER friday night, okay? I've got to tell you something WAY urgent. Well, gtg. Don'T forget!!

LiZZiE uY

Well, I've got an appointment with Lizz now.

From: Samantha Maguire <smaguire@lugis.net>
To: Phin Kilcher <phin_kilcher@luckyhigh.com>
Subject: Fwd: FRIENDSHIP

Another poem written by Susan! I hope you like it!

....

I'll read this poem later!

From: Emily <emi_ly@luckyhigh.com>
To: Phin Kilcher <phin_kilcher@luckyhigh.com>
Subject: Your Date!

Hey Phin! How was your first date? I know I can just ask you tomorrow but I'm too excited! Write back!

Emi_LY

Good Old Emily!

I shut off my computer and lay down on my nice, soft bed, which seemed more comfortable than ever. The perfect way to end a perfect day.