Katherine: The Party...
"Yeah! I love the place!!!! Clair would love it once I turn this into my masterpiece. What say, Kate? She's gonna love it, aint she?"
I looked away from my thoughts to look at Matt. O no. He was looking at me and I had no idea what had he said that I didnt listen to. Well, I didnt hear pretty much all of what he said.
"Uh, yeah....." I made my tone in mid of somewhere like questioning and stating... My standard answer when i dont have an answer.
We were planning a party for my best friend, Clair. Matt was her boy friend. Today was her birthday and Matt and me were planning for it since the start of the month. Clair loved parties and Matt knew exactly how to make things even special for her. That is one reason why i decided to leave most of the party work for Matt while i tried to focus on her special BFF gift. Did i mention it was never easy to choose a gift for Clair.
"So? You coming with me to get the supplies to...you know get the preparations started?" Matt asked me, grabbing his car keys from the table beside him.
"Nah, i have to go get Clair's gift. Just call me once you're back and we could begin making all this look like party."
Matt nodded to that and left, giving me a 'know it all' smile.
I was not actually gonna get any gift for her....I was gonna make it myself. So after Matt left, I gathered my stuff and walked out of the doors of the hall. Matt had booked a party hall for tonight.
I went straight upstairs to my room when i got back home. As i entered my room Clair's gift that I was working on, was lying on my desk. I sat down and started working on it.
I was making an album for her. It was very special....... not just for her, for both of us. It contained our memories, right from back when we were three. She was turning 19 and with that it had been sixteen years of our friendship. In fact, we first met on her birthday. So....Yeah! Her birthdays are extremely special to me.
A few hours later, I sat in my chair staring at the album. It came out to be pretty much how i had imagined it to be when i started working on it. Just one thing was missing...... I felt it but i couldnt figure out what it was.
At 4:00 PM I received a call from Matt, he was back at the party hall and was waiting for me. "I'll be there in ten." I disconnected and laid down on my bed thinking what is missing. But i thought it was foolish to be laying there, thinking. I should be working and I'm sure ideas for Clair's gift are gonna come my way. It has always been like that. Usually things always come my way.
I reach the party hall by 6:45. I guess I had spent long time thinking about Clair's present. Oh no, Now i'll have to listen to one of Matt's-on-the-spot-made-it-myself-especially-for-girls-like-you speech. I so hate his speeches. Matt could be so annoying with them. I wonder if he does the same with Clair.........NAH!!!!!! I dont think so. Clair's the sort of girl who never listens to anyone but herself. And with that she usually manages to make the right decisions for herself.
I push through the glass door. The walls are decorated with all sorts of fancy hanging stuff. And the most amazing thing - one that we hadnt planned to do or Matt never told about - was that the walls were full of pictures of Clair - with me, with Matt, some of our school friends from a year ago and with her family.
I was going through the pictures when one of them hanging right in the center of a huge wall caught my attention. It was of me and Clair. We were just 6, and it was our first.... our very first trip together to paris. I stared for i while at Clair's beautiful face. She has always been the social one. And i'm the total opposite. Her spectacular smile spread over her heart shaped face. That's when it struck me...the perfect thing that'd complete the album.
As I continued to stare at the pictures, a hand landed on my shoulder and I almost jumped. I felt like an intruder for a second and turned around. Matt stood there, hands all sticky with glue, paint on his shirt and paper bits sticking out of his messy hair.
"What on earth were doing?!" i asked him, a little shocked at the sight.
"Why do you girls think all this comes from a click of your fingers?" he answered in a rather sarcastic way. God! I hate his lame sarcasm.
"You're late! I had to do this all by myself. You should learn to be on time Kate..." .....And there he goes with one of his infamous speeches.
"I gotta go get ready. And you should, too. You have to go pick up Clair as well so hurry." I gathered courage to interrupt his speech and it didnt go waste. He was already walking out towards his car.
I had to go too. On my way back home, i stopped by at Walmart to buy a carton of drinks and eventually found what i was looking for.
I got home, rushed back upstairs, to my room and attached the key ring to the album in a way to make it look more like just some fancy hanging stuff that makes my work look beautiful. Clair would love it. I thought to myself. She'd love it because she knows what it means for us.
