I didn't sleep much that night, but not because I was excited. I was terrified.
I thought up a whole plan to wake up "sick" in the morning so my mom wouldn't make me to the sleepover. I was pretty good at pretending to be sick. I'd used that strategy a couple of times with my mom when a kid (the same kid, both times) told me he was going to "give you a Friday you'll never forget," an obvious threat that he wanted to tear me to shreds.
I couldn't just tell my mom that I didn't tell like going to school—it had to be her idea. So, I'd actually get dressed and sit down for breakfast like normal, except that I would act extra tired and eat very slowly. She would ask if I was okay, and I shrugged and—this was important—answered with a dazed, "I guess so."
She would do the old check my forehead trick, and even though I was perfectly fine, she would be unsure and tell me we "shouldn't take any chances" and that I should sleep it off.
By the time I went to school Monday, the kid already forgot about the Friday he'd promised me, and everything would be back to normal.
But this was Saturday morning, and mom didn't have to rush off to work. She also knew that I was nervous about the sleepover. When I dragged myself into the kitchen, she didn't even bother to put her hand to my forehead. Instead, she talked to me like I was a toddler.
"I know you're worried about the sleepover, but it's going to be okay."
I didn't argue. Maybe Mark was right. Maybe they both were. Maybe I was immature. And I was a baby.
I decided not to try to get out of it.
I spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon in panic mode, though. I packed my backpack with a change of clothes and my pajamas hours before I left and watched television just to pass the time. I was supposed to be there at four, because we were going out to dinner. Mark said it we were going for Chinese food, which I was happy about.
Mark called me twice, but I was afraid to call him on my own in case he thought I was acting too babyish and excited. I finally had to lay back on my bed, take a few deep breaths and remind myself not to overreact and make a fool of myself, not to talk too much, and do everything that Mark said. I wanted badly not to make a mistake, so he and my mom both thought better of me.
231Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsDRwltZx7
231Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwXSfe4FxE
231Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI29G9Sps2b
231Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFBkrXwDjs
