1000 Reasons To Smile

Chapter 5: This Means War

   I spent most of Saturday debating whether or not I should actually dress up as something, or if I should go to Eugene's birthday party at all. 

   'Well, you did tell him you would go, so you can't just back out now.' I reminded myself.

   But what in the world would I dress up as? The party was starting in about four hours.

   After a long thought, I decided to just go as what I was; someone who worked at The Ice Cream Shop. Boring, I know, but I honestly didn't have time to worry about what I'd be wearing to a five year old's-almost six-birthday. I had other more important stuff.

   Like what? I turned around, and of course, Life was perched on top of my desk, arms crossed, a bemused expression on his face. What is worrying you so much that you don't even have time to think about what you're going to dress up as for a five year old's birthday party birthday party?

   "None of your business." I said.

   Just saying, the way your thinking it's as if the world's problems are sitting in your shoulders, when in reality, they're not.

   "I don't think like that." I argued. I don't act as if I've got every problem in the world...do I?

   Well, you definitely didn't used to act like this before...

   "What?" I snapped. "Before what?"

   Before Life could continue, Mom walked into my room. "Peyton? Who are you talking to?"

   "Oh, um, no one," I said. "Just talking out loud."

   Mom raised an eyebrow. "Okay...Well I'm just going out to get some groceries, if you want to come and pick up anything?"

   I was about to say no before I remembered that I hadn't gotten Eugene a birthday gift. "Yeah, sure," I said, grabbing my wallet.

   This actually seemed to surprise Mom, the fact that I was coming. "Okay then, come on."

   We both got into the car and I braced myself for an awkward drive to the supermarket. 

   After about thirty seconds of silence, which trust me, felt like a lot, Mom switched on the radio, and some song I didn't know started playing. But apparently Mom knew it, because she started singing to it quite sanguinely, and honestly, she wasn't half bad.

   "You know I can't smile without you

   Can't smile without you

   I can't laugh and I can't sing

   I'm finding it hard to do anything"

   I raised an eyebrow her, and she laughed, bumping her shoulder against mine. "What? Can't a lady sing?"

   "Oh, ladies can sing," I said. "Just not if there a mom and are in the same car as their seventeen year old daughter." 

   "Oh come on," she said, grinning. "I'm not that bad." She looked like she was about to continue saying something, but then instead she quickly pulled out her phone. 

   I almost rolled my eyes. We almost had a mother-daughter moment there, like the ones we always used to have before I left to stay with Aunt Pink, before Flynn moved. 

   I watched her for a while as she typed something into her phone, probably texting one of her clients, but was surprised when she handed me the phone. 

   "Here," she said. I took it, confused, but looked down at the screen and realized what she did. She had searched up the lyrics for the song that was on. "Now it's alright for me to sing with my seventeen year old daughter in the car, because she's going to be singing with me." She said impishly.