Fireworks

This morning I woke up with a good feeling. Every morning the first thing I'd see is the picture of the sycamore tree my dad painted for me, and that always brings a smile to my face. In that one picture I'm reminded of how much my dad loves me and how big and wonderful the world is. But today was going to be really special. I felt sure that today was going to be the day I would not only see fireworks, but also feel them. Today I was determined that Bryce Loski would no longer be walking around with my first kiss.

So already, I was in a pretty good mood as I got up to wash and brush my teeth. I dressed quickly in the outfit I had chosen last night: a dark blue dress with white stars on the hem. I wrapped a red belt around my waist and looked at myself in the mirror. I wanted to look my best for the town parade that afternoon because Bryce and our friends would be marching in it this year. I also wanted to look nice for the neighborhood grill fest Mr. Loski hosted. This was an event that the entire neighborhood looked forward to every year. Mr. Loski was a grill master—he prepared fat juicy steaks, thick sausages, spare ribs and chicken dripping in barbecue sauce, and vegetable kebabs and baked potatoes. When Mr. Loski got the grill fired up and you could smell the meat roasting, that was your signal that the party just got started. The Loskis also had a good view of the town's fireworks display from their back patio, and invited all the neighbors to view them without having to fight for a spot among the crowds downtown.

Last week, I promised Bryce that I would come to the grill fest. Of course, that was before we found out that my brothers got an exclusive invitation from the mayor to play for the town's Independence Day celebration. As I brushed my long brown hair into a ponytail, I tried to figure out how I was going to be in two places at once. I knew I was going to have to disappoint someone and I blinked hard to get rid of that thought. I could hear my mom in the kitchen beating eggs for my breakfast. I inhaled the sweet smells of butter and warm maple syrup. Breakfasts at my house are usually simple, a bowl of oatmeal or cereal and milk, but since today was a holiday I knew my mom would be preparing a big hot breakfast for us like she would on Saturdays. I heard my twin brothers Matt and Mark bickering over who would get the first pancake stack until my mom cut it right down the middle and told them they would both get the first one. I got to the kitchen just in time to see their identical faces looking glumly at their half stacks of pancakes. I couldn't hold back my laughter.

Matt looked up at me. "Hey, pipsqueak, did you know you're not supposed to wear the American flag? You must think you'll impress Bryce Loski with that getup. Can I have your stack?"

"You can't ask for her breakfast!" Mark nudged him with an elbow. "Don't listen to him, Juli."

"You guys can have my pancakes," I said sweetly and slid into my chair. "Coz I'm having eggs."

"Good morning, Juli," my mom said. "I let you sleep in and I gathered the eggs from the coop."

"Thanks, Mom. By the way, did you put some extra aside for Mrs. Steuby? She overpaid me last week."

"Sure did," Mom replied. "And I'll use the rest to make the egg salad."

"All right!" Matt exclaimed, stuffing his mouth. "I love your egg salad, Mom. And I'm getting the next stack."

"No way," said Mark, as he poured more syrup on his pancakes. "Pipsqueak said both of us can have it."

"Neither of you will get any pancakes if you carry on like this! And stop calling your sister a pipsqueak. It's not nice!" my mother said, exasperated. She handed me a glass of orange juice.

I smiled. I totally didn't mind. My brothers liked to tease me with weird nicknames but it was always in good fun. Even though they were five years older than me I got along with them very well. They could be a bit overprotective sometimes but I never wished for sisters. As I took a sip of juice, I said, "I wish I got up in time to wish Dad a happy Fourth of July."

"If you had gotten up at four this morning, then maybe you would have!" Mom smiled. "His foreman said they are way behind schedule so they can't afford to take time off for the holiday."

"Dad almost never has time off on holidays," I muttered.

"But you all are coming to the show tonight, right?" Mark asked.

"Of course we aren't going to miss your first professional concert!" Mom said. "Dad said he'd be back home in time to hear your set."

I thought about my promise to attend Bryce's barbecue party, but I also didn't want to let my brothers down. "I wouldn't miss it for anything," I said.

"Cool," Matt said. "We're going to debut a new song. Skyler wrote it for Lynetta Loski." Bryce's older sister has had a major league thing for my brothers' drummer for years, but it was only recently that Skyler returned that feeling.

I, on the other hand, have been in love with her little brother forever. I have dreamed of our first kiss since I was seven years old. Ever since he planted a sycamore tree for me in my front yard, I have gotten to know him as a person and I liked him just as much. Now he is more than just a dazzling pair of eyes, or sweet watermelon scented hair, or a brilliant smile. However, I learned that Bryce is very shy. His attempt to kiss me at school took a whole lot of guts and I'm afraid I may have set his fragile ego back a little by running away from him. Not just running to the girls washroom or to the classroom—I mean, running all the way home. I'm not proud of rejecting him, but could you blame me for feeling a little confused and surprised?

x – x

Now that Bryce and I are friends, I have been thinking it might be time to push our relationship to the next level. He needed some encouragement to get over his shyness and express his feelings. Boys needed that. My mom gave me this advice a long time ago, and my best girl friend Dana Tressler agreed. For a couple of years she had a crush on my brother Mark, who pretty much ignored her so now she had her eye on a teammate of Bryce's named Todd Jones. Todd was a very nice guy and he played an even better shortstop. Since I never miss any of Bryce's games I have seen Todd joke around with the other guys. Yet he is a different person around Dana. Every time she talks to him he would turn beet red and suddenly sound like he couldn't form any coherent thoughts. "He drives me nuts," Dana told me one afternoon as we walked to the bus stop. "I mean, how can you have a conversation with someone who mumbles all the time?"

"Maybe he just needs to relax around you," I said.

Dana raised an eyebrow. "You think I make him nervous?"

"Well, you can be kind of intimidating. Sort of a force to be reckoned with."

"Aren't you the kettle calling the pot black!" Dana said. "Have you forgotten about the bees that somehow tend to get stuck in your hair?" she laughed.

"Come on, Dana, Bryce Loski does not like me in that way. We are just friends."

"I'm telling you, he's a lousy lab partner. Sometimes he's not paying attention to the experiments because he is too busy staring at you! Oh, but maybe I'm just imagining things in science class."

"He does not stare at me!"

"How would you know? He does, too! Like all the time! That boy is lost in love land!"

"Stop it, Dana, you said that before!" I gave her a playful shove.

"This time I really think it's true, Juli!" she shoved back and we giggled.

x – x

After breakfast I rode my bike to Dana's house. Some of the younger kids were already lighting small firecrackers on the street and I swerved to avoid getting peppered with sparks. When I finally arrived at Dana's I felt like I had just made it through a small war zone. Dana opened the door holding a small paintbrush. She was dressed in a red blouse and dark blue pedal pushers. Even her blonde hair was patriotically decorated with red, white and blue ribbons. "Hiya, Juli, come on in. I was about to paint little stars on my face. Want me to do yours?"

I thought that might be overly patriotic and declined. "I brought the little flags," I said.

She outlined a star right above her left dimple. "Awesome. Macy just called me and said she was going to save us a spot near Willow and Broadway. We'd better get going in a few minutes."

Leaving my bike at Dana's, I walked with her towards the town square. I couldn't ask for a better day for a parade. The puffy clouds hung high and white in a light blue, sunny sky, a comfortable breeze was blowing, and there was not a drop of moisture in the air. We twisted through the swelling crowds who were jockeying for good spots on the parade route. I could smell the caramel popcorn and roasted peanuts a little boy was munching as I passed him and my mouth watered automatically. We met Macy just in time as the grand marshal, our mayor, bedecked in a sash and smart jacket with buttons that glittered in the sunlight, blew his whistle and led off the march. We squealed with delight as the brass marching band followed him. There was Eddie Trulock in the front line blaring his trumpet. His hat kept falling in front of his face and one hand kept pushing it back as he played.

Then the varsity and junior high sports teams came next. The flag bearers and cheerleaders in their pretty skirts danced and twirled their flags, followed by the varsity football team roaring their game chant and shaking their helmets. Right behind them was the varsity and junior varsity baseball teams, led by the high school captain Sam Solowitz. They were dressed in full uniform, and when I saw Bryce my heart leapt. He made his way to the edge of the street where we were standing. "Hi. See you at the barbecue?" he asked. I smiled and nodded, and Bryce walked on. Todd Jones bashfully smiled at Dana.

"Isn't he cute?" Dana squeaked.

My eyes never left Bryce. "He sure is."

Dana was fairly bouncing as she grabbed my arm. "I meant Todd."

I looked away to hide the sudden heat that I felt on my cheeks. "Yep, that's who I meant."

Dana laughed. "Yeah, right."

x – x

After the parade, I rode back home to find the Loski barbecue was well underway. The small American flags that bordered their front yard flapped in the breeze and the wind carried over such fragrant cooking smells. Loud music punctuated by laughter and small pops of firecrackers made our street lively. As I hopped off my bike, my brothers came out, looking very rock and roll.

"Hiya, pipsqueak, how was the parade?" Matt said as he patted my cheek and made his way across the street.

He didn't even wait for my answer and Mark explained, "We're gonna drop by before sound check. Be there at ten or be square!"

A half hour later my mom and I went over to the Loskis bearing two big bowls of egg salad. I think I ate enough food to feed a small army. The afternoon and evening passed pleasantly. I said hello to Mrs. Steuby and Mrs. Helms, and even shared some laughs with Chet. I was never left thirsty because I hung out mostly by the beverage table, where Bryce was in charge of drinks. My dad joined the party just as the sun was setting but soon it was time for us to head to the bandstand.

"Are you coming with us, Juli?" Mom asked.

Okay, so it was now the moment of truth. "Um…"

My father raised his eyebrows. "You want to stay here for the fireworks show?"

"Juli," Mom began, her eyes never leaving my blushing face, "this morning I heard you tell your brothers that you were going to be there. Did we raise you to break your promises?"

"But, Mom…" I fidgeted.

My father squinted at me. "I think she may have made another promise that she wants to keep, Trina. It's fine. We'll explain to the boys."

I felt a tiny bit guilty, but I would give anything to spend time with Bryce. I told myself that I would attend every one of my brothers' future concerts. At 8:45, Mr. Loski announced that everyone needed to pick their spot because the fireworks show was about to go on. For the first time in years, the Loskis' yard actually got too crowded.

"Come on," Bryce said, taking my hand. "I know a good spot."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Across the street."

He led me back to my front yard, right in front of my sycamore tree. We sat on the grass and waited for the first spark to fly. There was a loud, sizzling crack and an orange arc exploded in the dark sky, followed by more pops of color blooming and falling like sparkling showers. I stole a glance at him as he stretched out his legs and leaned back on his palms. I was finally alone with my Bryce. I could feel my heart beating faster as I wondered, would this be it? Would I finally get my first kiss? Then I felt Bryce's hand on mine. "What time is your brothers' band playing?" he asked.

"About ten."

He checked his watch. "It's about 9:15 now. We better get a move on."

"What about the fireworks?"

"I know who the main event is at the bandstand and I saw your parents leave without you. You didn't think I'd let you miss your brothers' concert, did you, silly?" He grinned.

I threw my arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"What's that for?" Bryce asked.

"For helping me keep a promise."

As we walked to the bandstand, I realized that even though Bryce Loski was technically still walking around with my first kiss, I did feel sparks fly. I felt them when, without any encouragement from me, he got over his shyness and showed me how much he cared.