My Heart's in Alabama

18 - Kiersten

You know what I find impressive? The sheer determination and willpower that's displayed when someone is left scrambling last minute to throw together a birthday party. I was just walking along, listening to my Taylor Swift when I saw Mr. Purdy tear into his driveway with a backseat full of balloons. I couldn't help but laugh a little watching him wrestle them out of the car and into the house. I hate to say it, but it is a little funny seeing a normally very cool and collected Mr. Purdy attempt to organize a birthday party. Something about it really sends him into a tizz.

He definitely sees me giggle a little when a few make a break for it and escape to freedom into the clouds. He shoves them angrily through the front door and slams it shut like he's trying to stop an avalanche.

"Goddamn," he says as he looks over at me. I think he sees the humor in it too, but he laughs at himself and shakes his head.

"Do you need help?"

"No, no," he says at first, just like he always does.

"Really, I don't mind. I can call in reinforcements."

Mr. Purdy hesitates, but then out of the corner of his eye he sees a rogue balloon inching towards the open window. He leaps over to it and shuts it close, but the balloon gets caught right at the right time and pops with a loud bang. Startled by the noise, the kids scream inside. He rubs his forehead and surrenders to the balloons.

"Yes, can you please."

"You got it!"

I hop to my feet and send out the bat signal to the crew and within minutes, we're all at the Purdy's house hanging streamers, laying down tablecloths, fluffing pillows, and frosting cupcakes.

"To the left, Teddy, the left! No, that's too far. Bring it back to the right," Whitney instructs Teddy as he stands on tiptoes, inches away from stepping off the chair he's standing on.

"Dammit, Whit, make up your mind!"

"I have made up my mind! It's supposed to be in the middle. It's not my fault you don't know where the middle is."

"Well, it ain't my fault you don't know how to give proper directions."

"All right, you two need to split up," Mr. Purdy quickly steps into gym teacher mode before it escalates further. We all know how this goes. "Bridgette and Whit, you two switch. Bridgette, you're on streamer duty. Whitney, you're on cupcakes with Kiersten and Sal."

Whitney huffs a bit, but does as she's told, picks up a butter knife and gets to frosting. After the switch, things really start to get in the groove and everything is running along. That is until we realize Mr. Purdy left his phone in the kitchen. He has an incoming call. We think nothing of it. I casually glance over. My eyes widen when I see who it is. Emily.

"Omg," I say, drawing Sal and Whitney's attention to me.

I can't quite bring myself to say it, so I pick it up so they can see the screen with a very prominent "yikes" on my face. Their jaws drop.

"Ugh," Whitney scoffs. "Ignore it."

"What if it's important? Matt could be hurt or something."

"Like she'd care. She'd probably just tell him to put a band-aid on it."

"Kiersten's right. We have to tell Mr. Purdy. He'd want to answer."

"She can leave a message."

The debate continues until Mr. Purdy pops in to see how we're doing. He notices something is off right away and sniffs it out.

"What's up?"

The three of us exchange glances. None of us want to be the one to tell him. Ultimately, I know it's up to me.