Chapter 1
There was no mistaking the date circled on Mistoffelees' calendar. Today was the day that he had waited for all year. Today was Victoria's birthday. Misto had been planning all year to give her something that would be extra special to her, something that would tell her that he thought of her as more than a friend. But what? Misto had been searching high and low, and he couldn't find anything that was good enough for her. Now that it was Vicki's birthday, Misto was going through a state of panic.
"This is all going wrong!" He moaned to himself. "Today is Vicki's birthday, and I still don't have anything for her!"
"Maybe you should just give her flowers, queens love flowers," Rum Tum Tugger's suggestion echoed in his mind.
"No," he said, "flowers aren't good enough. Any tom can give a queen flowers." It had to be something special, and flowers just weren't enough. "Maybe I should conjure her something, I am magical, after all," Misto reminded himself.
"Hey Misto, you here?" a voice at the door brought him out of his thoughts and startled him. He trotted to the door and saw Jemima standing there.
"Hey Jemima, what brings you here?"
"Oh," she answered, "I came to get you. The party's begun, and Victoria's wondering where you are, so, I came to fetch you!"
"What?" Misto gasped, "the party's already started!?" This is just great, Misto thought angrily.
"Yes," Jemima smiled, then seeing the look on Misto's face said, "what's wrong?"
"This year I wanted to give Vicki something differentiating, something that no one else could give her. But the party's already started, and here I am, with no gift for her. What kind of boyfriend am I when I can't even give my girlfriend a birthday gift?" Misto said bitterly.
"Why don't you just conjure something for her?" Jemima suggested. "No," Misto shook his head and sighed, "I thought of that already. But how am I going to conjure something when I don't know what it is?" Misto paused for a second, then said, "that's it. I'm not going to the party."
"What?" Jemima screeched, "you have to Mistoffelees, Victoria will be heartbroken if you don't go!" Something tugged at Misto's heart when he heard this, and silently knew that it was true. He was a mess when Vicki wasn't by his side, and he missed her terribly. No, Misto thought, I can't go to the party empty-handed. Vicki will hate me. I'm better off staying here.
"Tell Victoria I'm sorry. I've got to save whatever pride I have left." With a flick of his tail, Misto turned and walked away from the sorrowful Jemima.