Birthday Party Badness

One day at school I was told by my friend, Lane, that I was going to get invited to a birthday party. Lane has a birthday coming up tomorrow! He told me to go to a specific house on a specific street. He told me to go to Elm Street and go to the big, gray-ish, blue-ish house. So I went home and told my mom. My mom told me I could go to that specific house and street on that day. Tomorrow, February 7, was the big day!

I woke up the next day and got ready to go to school.

My mom asked, “Are you coming up to eat your breakfast, Buddy?”

All I could think about was Lane’s birthday. I was so excited! I was way too excited to eat! The birthday party was all I could possibly think about at that point.

I got on the bus. My friend, Bill, was sitting on the bus. I walked up to him and said, “Hi, Buddy.” He didn’t answer so I said, “Hi,” again. He still didn’t answer. So, then I asked, “What’s going on?”

“GO AWAY, JASON!” Bill exclaimed.

So I went to a different seat and sat down. I sighed and I wondered why he was angry. I thought and I thought. I just couldn’t think of anything.

Then we got to school. I got in the classroom. I looked at my friend, Lane, and I smiled. He waved and smiled back. Phew. At least one friend is still nice to me. But what about Bill? Maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t invited to the birthday party. That would hurt my feelings, too.

At lunch I sat down at the table I was assigned to. I sat down next to Bill. He looked like he was still mad so I didn’t talk to him. I gave him some space.

After school, I got home and got ready to go to the birthday party. When my mom got home, I was so excited! The birthday party was tonight!

We left for the party. When we arrived at an EMPTY house, I said to myself, “Where are they?” All of a sudden it hit me that he had lied to me. We had gone to a random house on a random street when there’s no party. It was all a nasty joke!

Dishonest communication ruined my day! I was so confused why he lied to me. We came home and got ready for bed.

My mom came in and said, “I’m sorry, Buddy.”

I could tell she felt sorry for me. I went to bed thinking about why he had lied to me. I had a miserable night’s sleep!

I got ready for school the next day. I got on the bus and sat down. I thought about yesterday. “Is Bill still mad?” I wondered to myself.

When I got to school I confronted Lane. “Why did you lie to me?” I demanded.

“Because I didn’t want you to come,’’ he said.

“So you invited me to a fake party?! Wouldn’t it have been easier to just not invite me? Couldn’t you have not lied!! What kind of jerk would do this?!”

“Okay, Okay, I guess my joke isn’t that funny after all,” said Lane.

“Why would you do that?! I don’t know you like that. I never thought you would do a thing like that to me.”

“Oh, jeez, Jason, it’s just a joke! Don’t get so crabby!”

“Well, you just lost a good friend who never, ever did anything to deserve this!”

“Oh boo hoo,” Lane scoffed and walked off.

Jason muttered angrily to himself, “Well, there’s one friend I DON’T need! But I would like to clear up the misunderstanding with Bill.”

Just then Bill showed up. “Hey, Bill.”

“Hey Jason, how’s your day?” Bill asked. “I’m sorry for yelling at you. I just didn’t get invited to the birthday party.”

“Bill, here is the thing, the birthday party was fake!”

“WHAT!? I can’t believe that Lane would do that to you! I wouldn’t want a friend like that! That is why I’m not friends with him anymore. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Are we still friends?”

“Yeah, why not? I’m glad I still have you. Instead of being mad, I should have just talked to you instead. We could have sorted this all out a lot sooner. You’re the best friend I have ever had!”

“Thanks buddy. You’re the best!”

Bill and Jason went out for ice cream. They made a pact that NOTHING was going to end their friendship again. And if there’s EVER a problem like this, they’re going to TALK IT OUT and fix it!