Hello Birthday, Good-bye Friend

Chapter 2

"Earth to Taylor! Come in!"

The sound of Michaella's voice jolted Taylor back to reality. Her older sister stood in front of her, waving a hand in front of Taylor's eyes. "Wecome back," she said with a smile. "What were you thinking about so seriously?"

It was long after supper. Taylor sat at the kitchen table, trying to work on her party list. "Im trying to plan a surprise party for Katy," Tay explained.

"That sounds great." Michaella said. "Maybe I'll come-and show off my new hair."

Taylor peered at her more closely. "Wow, Miks! You put a streak in your hair," she said. There was a definite blond streak in the front of Michaella's short, light brown hair.

"Do you like it?" Michaella asked.

"Yeah" Taylor told her. "Definitely cool enough for Katy's party." She knew Michaella wasn't serious about going. After all, her sister was a college student. She didn't exactly party with Senior highschoolers.

"So, tell me all the party plans. Michaella urged. Before Taylor could answer, the kitchen door swung open. Her Uncle Weny came in. "Did I heard party?" He asked. "Man, when I was senior highschool, we had the best parties."

Taylor didn't doubt it. Weny was married to her Aunt Glore, and they had twin boys-her cousins Kian and Zac. But sometimes he didn't seem at all like a grown-up. He was more like a big kid. He loved party!

Weny was her mother's brother. He came help take care of Taylor and her sisters after their mother died. She was glad he and her Aunt stayed in the attic apartment even after the twins were born.

Uncle Weny pulled open the refrigerator door. "I remember one party where the address was misprinted on the invitations. The entire senior class descended on this poo older couple down the block."

"Oh, no!" Michaella said, chuckling. "What did they do?"

Uncle Weny laughed. "They got into it and wound up having the party at their house!" Michaella and Taylor laughed, too. Taylor could just picture bunch of senior highschool geeks.

"Hey, what's all the laughing about?" Joe Francisco asked as he came in the back door from the yard. "Im not even telling one of my fantastic jokes!"

Joe was a comedian. He'd been jiking around ever since Taylor could remember. Joe was Taylor's Dad's bestfriend in college. He'd also moved in to help raise the girls.

"I was telling them that story about the party that ended up at the Montezor's house," Weny filled him in. "I know that story," Joe said. He bent forward and spoke as though he had no teeth. "Come on, kids! Get down and boogie!" He danced around the kitchen as if he were ninety years old.

"Dont worry." Taylor giggled. "I'll make sure everyones know our addressfor the party."
"Excuse me?" Leo De Carpio appeared in the doorway. "Exactly what party is happening here."

"Dad!" Taylor stopped laughing. "I was going to aske you tonight. Do you think I could give Katy a surprise party here?"

Leo's brow wrinkled. "Here?" He asked. "Uh-oh," Joe warned. "Watch out, Tay your talking to the only ugly guy who ever arrived at a college party carrying a handheld vacuum cleaner."

"Well, just once," Leo shot back. "But that dorm room was a real pigsty!"

Taylor hid her smile. Her father was a total neat freak. He hated messes. She could picture him moving through a wild party, dusting and tidying as he went.

"What kind of party will be?" Leo asked Taylor. "Im not sure yet," she answered. "I just started thinking about it. I dont have a theme or anything. I-"

"No problem," Michaella interrupted. "I have a stack of my old Teen Blast magazines in my closet. There's a party suggestion in every issue. Come on, I'll give them to you." Taylor followed Michaella out the kitchen door. "Dont worry about Dad," Michaella whispered as they crossed the living room. "Remember, he always says no at first. Just stay calm. Give him a list of exactly how many friends are coming and exactly what you plan to do. Then he'll give in and say yes."

"Thanks Miks. I forgot." Taylor said. Sometimes it was great having an older sister who knew how to manage certain things-like their father.

"Smile!" Pia popped up from behind the couch and snapped a picture. Taylor was so starled, she bumped into Michaella. "Pia!" She scoled. "Cant you give me some warning?"

"Nope," Pia answered. "This is a candid photo essay. The idea is to capture the moment. Take a shot when youre not expecting."

"Im going to capture you and put you in the closet if you scare me like that again." Taylor warned.

She continue up the stairs behind Michaella. "You should be flattered that Pia picked you for her project," Michaella said as they headed for her room. "I am, buy she keeps popping up all over the place," Taylor said. "Its getting annoying."

Michaella bent into her bedroom closet and scooped up for a four-inch stack of magazines. She handed them to Taylor. "Im sure you'll find some good idead in here." Taylor thanked her and carried the magazines to the room she shared with Pia. She dropped them onto her bed and began leafting through the party sections. "Cool Hula Party," she read. Pretty corny. She tossed that issue aside and opened the next one. "Rock Videos Madness," she read. That had possibilities. Pia wandered in and snapped a picture. "I'll call this one 'Taylor Deep in Thought'," Pia announced, suggesting a title for the picture. "Or I could call it, Party 'Planning Madness.'"

"Try calling it 'Party Planning Confusion,'" Taylor replied. "There are so many good ideas here, I cant decide which to choose." Pia put her camera aside and began changing into her night shirt. "Can I be the photographer at the party?" She asked. "No way!" Taylor shook her head. "My friends dont want a little kid bothering them all night,"

"Oh, excuse me. Im not a kid." Pia climbed into bed. "I forgot I wasn't cool enough."

"Would you want Zac and Kian at your party?" Taylor countered.

"They aren't old enought to take pictures," Pia argued. Taylor sighed. "Goodnight, Pia."

"Night." Pia mumbled. Taylor opened another issue of Teen Blast.
Picking a theme for this party is a lot harder than I thought it would be, she thought. And she had a dozen more magazines to go!

A/N: Hey there Guys! Im so glad I finnished this chapter! Haha! Wait for the Chapter 2.1 :). Still busy. And still thinking and working for the next chapters of the story.
Hope it will be good.
Vote and follow Guys! ;)