“Jan, this ambrosia is really good,” Karla stuffing another fork full into her mouth.
“ Can I get the recipe from you before I move?” She felt a bit better about moving today. I really hope she spoke to my folks. Standing, Karla held a bowl of ambrosia, eating it slowly to savor the taste.
“Karla, I’m glad you like it. I’ll give it to you only if you give me the recipe for those pickles you made.” Jan smiled.
“Oh, those pickles are easy. Just take Dill pickles and coat them with cream cheese and wrap them up with dried beef. Chill them for a couple of hours and then slice. That is how easy they are to make.” It’s such an easy recipe, anyone can make them. Karla returned Jan’s infectious smile.
“All right, but I have to write mine down cuz I can’t remember the recipe right off the top of my head like that.” Jan snickered.
“Ha! Maybe I should write pickle the recipe down for you incase you can’t remember my three simple ingredients.” Karla teased Jan over her forgetfulness.
“Brat! Ya you better! I’m not getting any younger,” Jan gave Karla a prudish look.” I forget stuff all the time. Not just recipes.”
“Ha ..Ha ...Ha.. Ha! You know I’m just kidding,” Karla laughed. “But I will write it down anyways.” Karla decided to change the subject, “Speaking of forgetting, did you remember to ask my mom about letting me have sleepovers?”
“Ya, I did. She thinks sleepovers are a great idea. She said she is surprised you have not asked to have any since you were in first grade. She thought you didn’t like sleepovers.” Jan took a bite of her hotdog.
“All right then! I will ask her the first week we move in. She better let me have one or I’m moving in with you!” Moving closer to the trash, Karla pitched her empty bowl in the barrel. That was good!
“Relax. I’m sure she will let you have your friends over,” Jan reassured Karla. “ Maybe even some pool parties,” Jan brought up the pool again. “I hope someone remembers to invite me to them,” Jan nudged Karla’s shoulder.
Wondering if her parents showed the property to Jan, she asked “How big is the pool?”
“I don’t know. I’m sure it is decent sized. Oh Look! Sarah, I’m so glad to see you.” Jan greeted Sarah. “Is Jody coming by too? I better let you kids chat. I’m gonna go mingle with the adults now. C ya later with that recipe.”
Nodding to Jan, Karla then turned her attention to her friend Sarah. Where is Jody? She said she would be here.
“So, Karla, your folks are really gonna do it? Your moving? Dam! Who are we suppose to hang out with down at the pond. Jody got the job at the market, so she can’t come by today.” Sarah complained. She grabbed a hotdog from the picnic table laden with food.
Karla took a soda from the cooler near the table. Cracking the tab and waiting for the fizz to settle. Ahhh! She placed the can against her skin feeling its cool surface on her forehead.
Karla made her way to the shade of a tree. Sarah followed, sitting down on the ground beside her. Setting her soda down on the ground before her. Karla plucked a blade of grass.
“I can’t believe this either, Sarah! My folks didn’t even discuss this move with me. Its like they don’t care about what I think or what I want. I don’t want to go to a new school.”
Placing the blade of grass between her thumbs, she blew making the blade buzz. Karla began to feel sullen about moving again. Why can’t they just go with out me?
Sarah snapped up a dandelion from its base. She began twirling it between her fingers looking deep in thought. “Its gonna be so boring around here with out you.”
“I’m gonna ask my mom if I can have sleepovers after we get moved in.” Karla discarded the grass blade and plucked up a buttercup. She removed the petals one by one. Then tossed the mangled flower onto the ground.
“How far away are you moving?” Sarah asked while leaning back, propping herself up with her hands extended back.
“We‘re moving to Brantwood, or so they say. I don’t understand why Dad just can’t travel to work like most people do. This really rots…..I have to pack my things change schools and unpack my things. I’ll never find any of my stuff.” Karla brushed the grass from the palms of her hands.
“I need another soda, want one?” Standing, Karla waits for Sarah to follow.
“Ya, I’ll grab another one.”
“Did I hear Jan right, you guys are gonna have a pool?”
“Ya, so my folks say. I haven’t seen it yet. I haven’t even seen the house yet…Like it is some big secret or something. They never talk to me. If this don’t work out I’m skipping out. I’ll move back here and live with Jan.”
Karla tosses her can in the trash as Sarah hands her another one from the cooler.
“Well it can’t be that bad…..that town is really big. It‘s got a movie theater, bowling alley and best of all a Mall!”
“Ya, I know!”
“And you got a pool? How far are you from the school? Can you walk to the Mall?” Sarah takes a swig of her soda.
“Ya, I can walk to school and the Mall ..though I doubt Mom will ever let me hang out at the Mall.”
“Well, when Jody and I sleep over, we will ask her if we can all go to the movies and hang out at the mall. I will get my mom to talk to her for you. K?”
Karla glances to see her mom is standing with a group of adult family friends. “She never lets me do anything. You know that.”
“Your school must be huge compared to ours.” Sarah frowns changing the subject. “Did you pick your classes yet?”
“I’m going tomorrow to pick my classes and see the school. I hear the school is like triple the size of Medam High.”
“Hey, take your camera with you or better yet send me a picture message when you check out your school.”
“Why, did you got a cell phone?”
“Ya, I got it for my birthday.” Sarah pulls her cell phone from her back pant pocket.
“Oh cool! Let me see!” Karla takes the cell phone, opens it. Checking the phone functions and numbers. “Now I have to ask my folks for one. They should be able to afford one now. And they owe me, since they are making me move and leave my friends behind.”
“I gotta show Mom.” Karla takes the cell phone to her Mom, with Sarah in tow.
“Mom! Check out Sarah’s new cell phone she got for her birthday!” Karla holds the phone out for her Mom to see. “Can I have one too?”
“We will have to talk it over with your Dad later.” Her Mom quickly glances at the phone and then turns back to her current conversation.
“Ya, right Mom!” Half the time she even forget I exist. I hate it when she does that. I’m gonna start blowing you off. Karla fought the urge to flip her mother off.
“Hey I got to get going. I have to meet Barry at the town field for soccer practice. Here is my cell phone number.” Sarah reached into her front pocket producing a piece of paper. “I got to run or I will be late. Talk to you soon.”
Numb with anger at her Mom’s response, Karla excepts the piece of paper. She stuffs it in her pocket. Watching Sarah turn to head to her car. “C ya!” Karla calls after Sarah as she reaches for her car door.
Frustrated by her Mom’s response, Karla gives the dirt a quick kick with her foot. Shaking her head, she heads inside the house.
Feeling fed up, she enters her room, slamming her bedroom door behind her closed. Flicking on her stereo to a Hip Hop radio station. She turns up the volume, trying to drown out the sounds of the party.
Throwing herself onto her bed face first. Karla buries her face into her pillow and begins to sob. Nobody cares what I want!
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