“Okay girls, I’ll meet you back at home,” Gina’s mom said. “I’m going to the grocery store. You girls go get dinner.”
“Okay, c’mon guys,” Gina said.
“Come straight home!” Her mom called after us as we walked down the block to the taco place.
“Race ya!” Amie yelled.
“Wait-!” I called, but they had already started running.
It doesn’t help that Gina does track and field.
I pushed open the door to see Amie and Gina at the tall stools that they have in front of the wall. I leaned against the chair at one of the two tables that are in the small taco shop.
“There you are, Jay.” Amie said.
“Sorry,” I panted, walking over to the table, “but you guys know I can’t run fast!”
“Yeah, yeah,” Amie said, “but you made it!”
I grumbled and sat down next to them. We looked up at the big menu on the wall.
“Oh, which is the one I had last time?” Amie asked me. She doesn’t live in the neighborhood.
“I think you had the one with beans-” I replied. “So, number four.”
“Yeah, I’ll get two of those,” Amie said and pulled out her phone. “Oh shoot, I think I forgot pajamas…” Amie sighed. “Could I borrow some?”
“Yeah, I brought an extra pair,” I said. Amie always forgot pajamas.
“I’m going to get the one with beans as well,” Gina said, “and maybe a vegetable one.”
“Yeah, I think I will too,” I said. “C’mon, let’s order.”
There wasn’t anyone else in the little taco shop, so we ordered without having to wait in line.
“We’ll have four number fours, and two number fourteens,” Gina said. “Ooh, and some fries please.”
“Okay, name?” The woman behind the counter asked.
“Gina.”
“Okay.”
About ten minutes later, we heard, ”Gina?”
“Yes, thank you!” I said cheerfully.
We walked out of the building and jogged down the sidewalk along the park. When we got to Gina’s street, there were no cars, as always, so we walked down the middle of the street. We could see the stars for once. They were never out in New York.
Amie sat down in the middle of the street and sighed.
“Wow, so many stars,” Gina said as she put the tacos down and sat on the street.
“Happy birthday, Gina.” I said.
“Yeah, happy birthday.”
“Thanks.”
We sat and watched the stars for a while, laying in the street.
We saw a car down the road so we got up and walked to Gina’s building.
We sighed and pushed open the door. Her mom was still at the store.
“Uh-oh.”
“Uh-oh what?” I asked.
“Uhhhhh… I, uh, forgot the keys at the taco place.”
“Seriously?” Amie laughed. “Wow, okay, call your mom.”
“Yeah.” Gina pulled out her phone.
“Hi mom”
—
“Uh, well here’s the thing…”
—
“Well, I forgot the keys at Fresh Tortillas.”
—
“Yeah, we’re walking there now.”
—
“Oh, okay,” She turned around and walked back to where we came from and we followed. “Yeah, okay. Okay, we’ll wait in the lobby.”
—
“Thank you.”
—
“Yeah, bye mom.”
“Your mom’s going to get them?” I asked.
“Yeah, she said to wait in the lobby.”
The End