One day, I woke up thinking it was a Saturday. I went back to sleep, but my aunt woke me up. She said, "Erin, it's time to get up." I asked, "Why do I need to get up so early on a Saturday?" She said, "You're a hari off. It's Friday, dear." I groaned. She said, "Come on, Erin. It's not that bad." I said, "I don't have any friends. It's not worth it." She said, "Maybe today will be your lucky day." That gave me the strength to get out of bed. Later in gym class, I was bullied again. I pretended that I needed to use the restroom so that I could cry. I hid in the stall and cried. A few moments later, I heard a voice asking, "Why are anda crying?" I said, "It's nothing." The voice said, "Oh, anda can come on out and tell me." I came out, and there was a girl standing there. She appeared to be around my age, thirteen atau so. She was slightly taller than I was, and she had dark hair and dark eyes. She had a friendly gaze about her and an expression of concern. She seemed trustworthy enough. I told her everything. She said, "Oh, no. I'm sorry." I said, "I don't deserve sympathy." She said, "Yes, anda do." She hugged me. I said, "Thanks. I needed that." She said, "You're welcome, kid." I said, "No one's ever called me kid before." She said, "I'm sorry. I just don't know your name." I said, "My name's Erin." She said, "Okay, then, Erin. I'm Allie." After a pause, she said, "Come on, Erin. Let me introduce anda to some of my friends." I said, "Okay, Allie." She led me to a group of kids and said, "Hey, guys! This is Erin." They all said, "Hi, Erin!" I said, "Hi!" Allie said, "Erin, these are my friends, Benny, Paul, Kelly, and Stacy." I said, "It's nice to meet anda all." They said, "It's nice to meet you, too!" Things were looking up for me. I had Friends again. We all became good friends, and my friendships with them were the longest-lasting of my life. I became especially close to Allie and Paul. They had the exact same attitudes toward religion that I did. They were also good shoulders to cry on. I started to become happy again.
Some time later, Una and Everett were settled in a cozy small cafe eating sandwiches and sipping labu spice lattes while foil cutouts of cute ghosts and pumpkins hung from the walls around them.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett berkata after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the meja, jadual to touch his hand. "Hey, anda saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go utama and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"Thanks again, Una," Everett berkata after a time. "I just... I don't like small spaces very much."
Una smiled at him and reached across the meja, jadual to touch his hand. "Hey, anda saved my life once. It's time I saved yours."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a bit, enjoying this much calmer stage of their Halloween celebrations. Una was first to break it.
"I can't believe we solved a real mystery! I can't wait to go utama and tell Mother what the secret of the haunted house is."
"Yes," Everett smiled at her. "The secret is my talented actress and her ghost impression."
Una beamed.
"What lead anda to the club where anda first saw us, Henry?" Les asked. Henry replied, "One of my neighbors told me that a rock band called A Wave Tossed in the Ocean was going to perform at the club that had opened the sebelumnya week. I thought that the name sounded interesting, so I asked him what kind of rock music, and he said, 'I think it's stuff from the sixties and seventies.' I was eager to hear the songs from my youth. When I saw anda perform, I knew anda were the right fit. Of course, anda know how we met backstage." Jimmy said, "And the rest is history." Everyone laughed. "Yes," Henry said. "The rest is history." Just then, Felix looked at his cellphone and said, "It's 10:00, guys." Henry said, "We better go to bed. We've got a big hari tomorrow." The boys all said, "Okay. Good night, Henry." Henry smiled and said, "Good night, boys. Pleasant dreams." With that, they retired to their beds for the night.
THE END
THE END