Something Magical

Something Magical1


1. Plans2

A familiar melody sang from the kitchen… 3

“I’ll get it!” I bellowed from my bedroom.
I ran down the steps as fast as I could to the phone; I tripped over Gracie-our sweet Yorkshire terrier-and snagged the phone before my nosey little bother Ryan could snag it first.
“Hello?” I used my taunting voice to annoy Ryan. His nose flared, and he stormed out of the kitchen.
“Hey Catherine.”
I saw Ryan trip over the coffee table in the living room. 4

What a klutz! I thought. 5

“You know I hate it when you call me that!” Cathy whined.
“I‘m so sorry,” I teased her sarcastically.
I heard Cathy mumble, “So am I.” 6

“So, why did you call?” I interjected. 7

“I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Pizzeria in town?” Cathy exclaimed in an Italian accent. 8

“Umm…” I bit my lip.
Tomorrow is going to be my 13th birthday, and my family decided we go out on a family dinner at a “mystery” restaurant. They wouldn’t tell me what, when or where! No hints, whatsoever…
“… I’ll have to talk to my parents,” I said.
Cathy scoffed.
“They already decided to take me to a ’mystery’ restaurant and going to the Pizzeria might affect their plans. It might happen tomorrow!”9

“Oh, great!” Cathy grumbled.
“Wait-”
“I’m listening.” I replied.
“How do you know your parents aren’t taking you to the Pizzeria? Then you might be able to come after all!” 10

Raylene, 12 year old girl going on 13. Condition? Confused. 11

“Maybe, but I’ll still need to ask them.”
“Fine, go ahead.”
“Alright. Excuse me.” 12

I put the phone on hold and ran out the kitchen. Ryan was sitting on the couch “watching TV”. I glowered at Ryan and crossed my arms.
“You heard nothing.” I said.
“For fifty bucks.” he mimicked me, crossing his arms. 13

“Twenty,” I said. 14

“Sixty,” Ryan shot back. What an evil, mischievous, little brat! 15

“Fifteen,”16

“Seventy!”17

“Ten, done!” 18

I took out ten dollars out from my pocket-the ten I was planning to stash away at the bank-and handed it to Ryan. Ryan quickly snatched the ten bucks away before I could change my mind.
“Thanks. I’ll be ‘hearing’ a lot more from you.”
I took my index finger and placed it on Ryan’s shirt. He looked down and I flicked his nose.
“Ouch!”
“You are so gullible.”
“I had no idea, okay?”
“Right.” and with that, I ran up the stairs. 19

I knocked on my parent‘s door. 20

“Mom, dad, are you in there?” I asked. 21

“Yes sweetie?” mom answered.22

“It’s about my birthday tomorrow.” 23

The door swung open, I jumped.
“What about your birthday?” my mom asked, who suddenly looked suspicious.
“Don’t worry, I know nothing about where you guys are taking me.” I admitted.
Mom sighed and sat down on the bed next to my dad.
“Cathy invited me to the Pizzeria tomorrow,” I began.
Both parents looked at each other then back at me.
“and I was wondering if I could join her?” I put on my best smile, hoping they would take it easy on me.
They turned to each other and discussed this quietly.
I caught a few sentences like, “… It was nice Cathy invited Ray..” and “… should let her.” 24

They both turned their heads back to me and smiled.
“Go ahead.” they said simultaneously.
My eyes bugged out. “Really? I can go!”
Dad shrugged, “It is your birthday after all, so what the heck?”
I shrieked and ran over to my parents giving them hugs. “Oh, thanks mom and dad!” I exclaimed.
“Alright. Just behave, alright?” my dad said sternly but his voice calm.
“Sure, whatever you want!”25

“Then, why don’t you clean your room?” Dad said.26

“Not a chance!” I giggled. 27

“Go tell Cathy you can come,” Mom suggested.28

“Okay!” I walked out the room and closed the door behind me. 29

“After you clean your room.” Mom said before I could close the door. 30

“Great…” I groaned. 31


“I’m in!” I exclaimed through the phone.
“Sweetness. See you there.” I hung up the phone.32

“Awesome. So can I join you ladies?”
Ryan leaned on the door frame with that stupid boyish smile on his face.
“What do you want twerp?” my eyes narrowing to slits.
“Weren’t you listening?” He groaned with disbelief.
“It won‘t kill you to repeat.” He always had to start some heated argument with me.
“I-I want to go with you… Tomorrow.” 33

I analyzed Ryan‘s expression: Ryan was looking down at his feet and his face was flushed bright red.
“Oh my gosh!” I yelled. Ryan’s head napped up in an instant.
“My little bother actually has a crush on-”34

Ryan sprang from the doorway and crushed me with his weight; covering his hand over my mouth.
“Shut up, string bean!” he hissed.
I glared at him.35

“Get off you smelly dwarf!” I pushed him off. Unfortunately, he landed on my bed. Ryan squealed (like a little girl!) and rubbed his clothes dry. 36

“Oh, phu-lease.” I said irately.
“Just shut up about Cathy, okay?”
I smirked. “Maybe.”
“Ray!”
“For forty bucks.” 37

Ryan did his best puppy-dog pout. I sighed. “Fine, whatever.”
Ryan began to glow.
I smiled and leaned over to kiss my little brother on the cheek. 38

“Gross!” Ryan rubbed his cheek roughly to get rid of “koodies.”
“So are you.”
I patted Ryan on the head; messed up his hair, and left my bedroom. Coincidentally, it was dinner time. 39


“Mmm… Smells delicious sweetheart.” Dad leaned over to kiss mom on the cheek.
I grimaced at Ryan who gapped at his parents with his chewed food.
“Sick! Close your mouth, dweeb.” I said with a mouthful of salad in my mouth.
“Look who‘s talking, green face.”
I gave him a cold look. 40

“Enough! Please, don’t argue during dinner time!” Mom shouted. The kitchen was silent for a few minutes then Ryan spoke up.
“Is it okay if I tag along with Raylene and Catherine-I mean Cathy?” Ryan blushed at his slipup. Mom smiled. It was so obvious Ryan likes Cathy!
“Of course you can, sweetheart.” Mom looked at me. “Just keep a watchful eye on your little bother-brother, alright?” 41

The salad almost came out my nose, I was laughing too hard. It is getting to her!
Ryan gapped at his mother. Dad chuckled a little, but my mom gave him “the look”.
“Alright?” mom’s voice sharp.
“Y-Yes.” I stuttered. Mom didn’t have to blow up at me. 42

“Well now. Why don’t we stop the chatter and dig into our platters.” Dad said. The whole family laughed and we dug in as we were told. 43

44


“So Gracie, got anything to say to before my big day?” I asked.
Gracie’s ears only flew up at the sound of her name, but keep on trotting. 45

I was outside taking Gracie out for her daily walk. She’s so spoiled, I used to microwave her food and hand feed it to her! But dad told me to leave her food in her bowl-since she doesn’t eat much, so she never actually empties the bowl-and eats when she feels like it. So far, she’s been eating on her own.
And it was so worth spoiling Gracie! 46

I pretended to listen to Gracie’s thoughts and nodded. “Oh that’s so sweet, Grace!” I lifted Gracie off the ground and raised her so we were eye to eye.
“I love you so much!” I cooed; I nudged my nose to Gracie’s and kissed her on the forehead. Gracie began to squirm so I set her back gently on the ground.47


Gracie and I circled around the park once and headed back home.
On the way back, I got an unsuspected surprise. Strong arms wrapped around my waist.
I screamed. 48

“Well nice to see you too.”
Who is this weirdo? I turned around and found myself facing… “Josh! Omigosh what are you doing here!?” I closed my arms around him.
“I was just in the neighborhood…” He grinned.
I smiled up at him. 49

This day couldn’t get any better… But it did. My parents invited him! I thought I’d never see the day.
So Josh stayed over for dinner and after dinner he surprised me with a beautiful golden locket with the most adorable picture of the two of us. 50

“Josh, it’s so…” I was too choked up to talk. I already felt the tears falling from my eyes.
“I-I can get you a different locket if you don‘t like this one.” Josh stuttered.
I shook my head, “I love it. I really do. Thank you.”
I started to sob so Josh wrapped his arms around me. In the background, I saw Ryan in pretending to gag. I pouted at him and he knew he had to stop. 51


My parents kindly let me and Josh get acquainted again, and Ryan was dragged out of the room and into his.
“So how was Indianapolis?” I asked Josh who was looking at the family photos during our vacation around the Caribbean Sea.
“Oh, it was beautiful.” Josh sighed. I gazed at him with anticipation.
“We watched a baseball game at the Victory Field; downtown in Indianapolis.”
“Oh, I watched that! Louisville vs. Indy Indians!” I exclaimed.
“Yeah, the Indians won!”
I nodded my head feverishly. I could never be “normal” around Josh; he drove me absolutely nuts! 52

“Yeah…” suddenly the atmosphere changed. My heart began to race like a horse on track, and Josh’s warm brown eyes started look milky.
“There is this one area I thought was beautiful,” I jumped when I heard Josh talking again.
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, hoping he’d continue.
“Yes. It’s the most beautiful, perfect place that you might like-it made me think of you.” I looked up to find his face two inches away from mine. I gulped.
He took out a yellow tulip from his back-my favorite color-and handed it to me.
“A tulip garden?” I guessed.
“You guessed correctly.” and he leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips. 53

“Well, well, well,” I fell backwards out of my chair onto the floor. “Looks like I caught you red-handed!” Ryan scoffed. I glared at him. Josh got down on his knees to help me back up.
“Go. Away.” I said each word precisely.
“Whatever, mom and dad are still going to be hearing about this!” and ran back upstairs and slammed his door shut. 54

Josh stared after Ryan while I fixed my creased skirt.
“Sorry,” Josh whispered.
“Don’t be sorry, Ryan is a jerk.” I shouted.55

“I heard that!” Ryan yelled from upstairs.
“You were suppose to!” I snapped back.
Josh shuffled uncomfortably to the door and I ran after him. 56

“Wait, where are you going?” I asked him. I reached for his wrist but he repelled away. I stared at him, hurt.
“Sorry, I just-I need to get going. My parents will wonder where I went off to for a long period of time.” he explained.
“But you-” I looked around for a clock. It was ten-thirty! I looked back at Josh, guiltily, “I’m sorry! I didn’t know-”
“Save it.” and he leaned in-and this time, no interruptions.57

My entire face glowed once Josh left. I just hope tomorrow will be the same. 58

59


2. Birthday Surprise60

“… You can’t bring your little brother!” Cathy hissed through the phone.
“But he did this really cute puppy-dog pout and I just couldn’t say no!”
“O.K. listen!” Cathy shouted. I stopped blabbering.
“This will ruin your birthday linner with me!”
“Linner?” I questioned.
“Lunch and Dinner.” Cathy said.
“Oh,”
“Yeah. So please do something about your brother.” and she hung up. 61

“At least say good-bye!” I shouted through the disconnected line.
“Who are you talking to?”
I spun around.
Ryan. 62

“Hey little brother!” I exclaimed too enthusiastically.
Ryan’s eyebrow went up in confusion. “Hey freak,” he commented.
I faked a laugh instead of choking him.
Ryan crossed his arms. I smiled back at him, then gave up a few minutes later and sat down on the kitchen chair. 63

“Look,” I said while I rubbed my temples. “You can’t come with me and Cathy to the Pizzeria.” I repeated the Italian accent Cathy used yesterday.
Ryan rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, right. You guys just don’t want me in your way.” Ryan complained.
“Yeah, and maybe you’re right.” I rebuked.
Ryan pouted. “I’ll tell mom and dad.”
“I don’t need your snitching little bother, Cathy told me not to invite you.” I quickly bit my lip when I said this.
“C-Cathy?” Ryan stuttered. Oh great. What have I done? Ryan loves her!
Ryan made a grimace and began to sob.
“Aww, please don’t cry. I-I’ll talk to her.” I stood up next to Ryan and wrapped my arms around him.
“Please don’t cry.” I rocked him back and forth.
“Really? Will you do that f-for me?” he choked out.
“Of course.” I said reassuringly.
“Well in that case…” Ryan pulled my arms away from him, and had five bucks-from my back pocket-in his sleazy hands and waved them at me.
“You owe me.” and made a mad dash up the staircase.
“RYAN!” I shrieked. I heard him laughing from upstairs and slam his door shut. “God, I could kill that kid!” I hissed. 64

Of course I wouldn’t, but he makes me think crazy things!65


“But ma!” Ryan whined. Ryan was begging if he still has the ability to come with me and Cathy to the Pizzeria. Yeah, right.
“No buts, you tricked your sister to do what? Steal five dollars!” mom waved the money at Ryan which is no longer his. But not mine, either.
“And you!” mom pointed her finger at me.
“Me?” I squeaked.
“You deliberately allowed your brother to join you at the Pizzeria then you tell him not to go!” mom hollered.
I shrugged. “Wasn’t my idea.”
“I don’t care if it was your fathers idea, you cannot just un-invite your little brother like that. It’s rude.” 66

She was right. It is rude. But Cathy does have a point, Ryan would ruin everything.
“Now, I will give you guys a few minutes to work this out-” Ryan and I groaned. “OR both of you will have to cancel any outing plans and spend a week at home. What do you say?”
Mom was serious. And we can’t keep a serious woman waiting, can we? 67

“I’m sorry Ryan. I shouldn’t have listened to Cathy,” I looked at my mother, she nodded in approval.
“And I’m sorry, Raylene. I shouldn’t have stole five dollars from you.” Ryan muttered. Mom smiled, “Well there you go! Now have fun.”
She patted both of us on the back and left the living room. As she left Ryan whispered, “I should’ve taken your wallet.”
Typical Ryan. 68


“Are you ready yet?” I shouted as I pounded on Ryan’s closed bedroom door.
“No. Just be patience, like when you’re still readying yourself for a date with Josh.”
I froze my pounding.
It has been a day since Josh hadn’t called. Usually he would call after a date. I wonder what’s up…69

“Well, are we going?” Ryan had his bedroom door open and was starring at me.
“Oh, right.” Josh probably got home very late, so he couldn’t make any phone calls. Maybe he’ll call me later. Oh, that’ll make me really happy!70

“Please leave, Ryan. I’m going to change into something nice.”
“I thought you would. Otherwise you’d show up in your pajamas!”
I looked down at my pajamas; I was wearing my dorky Hannah Montana pj’s. Ryan sniggered at my dumbfound look. I couldn’t help myself.
Ryan and I cracked up. I held my stomach from laughing too hard. I enjoyed these occasional sweet moments with Ryan.
While I laughed louder and louder by the minute, I pushed Ryan out so I could change.
“I’m going! I’m going!” he said in-between each giggle.
I finally shut my room and sighed. “What should I wear?” 71


I walked over to the sliding door to my closet.
I scanned all the dresses I had. But which to choose..?
A stunning, emerald silk scarf got caught on my bracelet. “Wait, what is-”
My eyes bulged from the sockets. I never seen a more beautiful dress! I don’t remember having this dress… 72

“Doesn’t matter, I’m taking it!” I snatched the dress from the hanger and swiftly landed in front of my mirror. To my disappointment the dress looked too tall for me.
“No fair,” I whined.73

The dress was too perfect to turn down. The scarf was secured around the waist of the dress; most of the dress was covered with glitter. 74

“Maybe if I try on the dress, it may not seem so big.” 75

My sudden excitement of going to the Pizzeria dressed up as a princess almost cost my favorite pajamas. Although, I did managed to carefully slip the dress over my head; then free my arms through the armholes.
I looked absolutely glamorous! So silky and sparkly… Then I noticed the dress was perfect size! It just looked too big. How strange… 76

“Well, better get a move on.” 77

I grabbed my purse and exited my room. 78