“Suzy Lou! Get out of bed—it’s after seven o’clock!” my mother yelled up the stairs. I hate it when she calls me that. My real name is so boring. That’s how come I insist on being called Odessa; it sounds much more noble and grown up, almost like a princess.
I rolled over in bed and groaned. Waking up is the absolute most terriblest part of the day in my opinion. But I managed to sit up and stretch my gangly arms and legs. I’m not even sure what “gangly” means, but my Memaw always says that I have gangly limbs. As I stretched my gangly limbs and blinked my eyes that were still filled with sleepiness, I suddenly remembered—today is the bestest, most favorite day of the whole year! It’s my seventh birthday today!
The sleepiness left my eyes as fast as lightening, and I tumbled out of bed and ran down the stairs. I’m a really fast runner, the fastest in my whole entire first grade class; well, except for that bully Claude. He makes me so mad and makes my blood tingle inside me. He always beats me in our running races on the playground, and then he sticks out his tongue at me and brags about his Lightening McDash running shoes. That’s how come I hate him.
I found my parents in the kitchen. My dad was making my favorite chocolate chip pancakes. My dad always makes chocolate chip pancakes for special occasions like my birthday, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, or days when I’m sick or have to go to the dentist. That’s how come he’s my absolute very favoritest daddy in the whole entire world. “Mom, who all’s coming to my princess party today?” I asked.
“Well, we invited your whole first grade class. Memaw and Gramps, Aunt Sadie and your cousin Kayla will be here too.”
"Oh, I hope everybody comes! Except for that bully Claude that I hate.”
“We invited your whole first grade class,” my mother repeated. Just then I crossed my arms, shut my eyes, stuck my nose way high up in the air and gave one big, “HMPH!”
I got into my favorite princess costume from last Halloween. I took out my pigtails and decided to wear my red hair down today. I admired myself in the mirror and I felt like a real princess. I looked like a real princess, too.
My backyard was decorated just lovely with pink and purple balloons, tables and lawn chairs. My very bestest friend in the whole wide world, Janine, was the first one to arrive. “Hello, my dear Princess Janine,” I said, “You look absolutely lovely.” Though she did not look as lovely as me, I thought. And I did a little princess curtsy.
Janine curtsied back and said, “Why thank you, Princess Suzy Lou. You look very prettiful yourself. The decorations are beautiful.”
“It’s Odessa,” I corrected.
The guests began to arrive, all wearing their most loveliest prince or princess costume. When my Memaw and Gramps finally showed up, I ran over to them as fast as I could, which was quite difficult in my princess high heel dress-up shoes, and gave them my biggest hugs. “Happy birthday Princess Odessa!” my Memaw said. Memaw always remembers to call me Odessa—that’s how come I love her so much. Gramps only remembers sometimes, but that’s okay—I still love him anyway, plus he knows how to wriggle his ears.
Everything was going super fun, and I looked beautiful in my princess costume. But then I suddenly saw that boy I hate come into my backyard. It was Claude! Only he had a flower in one hand, and his other hand was behind his back. He was wearing a prince costume and looked just like he came right out of a princess storybook. He kind of looked—nice. In fact, I actually think he was the most handsomest prince at my whole princess party.
When Claude walked up to me I said, “Oh, you came,” pretending not to care. Just then he handed me a flower that looked exactly like the ones in my mother’s rosebush in the front yard.
“What’s behind your back?” I asked him.
“Your birthday present,” Claude said.
“Can I see it?”
He brought his hand around from behind his back very slowly and showed me my birthday present. It wasn’t wrapped in pretty princess paper like my other presents and was a little dirty—but I didn’t care. What he held in his hand were his Lightening McDash running shoes! That’s how come I opened my mouth as big as it could go and squealed with excitement!
“Maybe now you can beat me in our running races. I tried to clean them up for you, too,” Claude said.
“Thank you so very much!” I said, “This is the bestest birthday present in the whole world!” That’s how come I leaned over and gave him one big smack right on the cheek with my lips!
I kicked off my princess dress-up shoes and put on my new Lightening McDash running shoes and yelled, “Let the races begin!”
All the princes and princesses lined up and started racing. It was so much fun—the very most bestest birthday party ever.
Claude still beat me in our races sometimes, but for some reason, I didn’t mind so much anymore. And he didn’t even stick out his tongue at me. Sometimes I even won a race, but I think that’s just because Claude would let me win. That’s how come I love him so much.
The end.
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