Chapter 10: Fashionista Invitations
One chilly second Saturday of March 2020, I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties client Alex Bullyun's house in Monroeville. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "I bet that you guys have never helped out with a public school district's client before," Alex told us. "I attend Gateway Middle School, which is part of the Gateway School District!" "That was what all of the college juniors from this year attended, too," I remembered. "April, Jenna, Molly, Katie, and Natalie!" "Did you guys hear about the coronavirus going around?" Alex asked. "Yes, and it makes me so sad and angry that there is not much to do anymore," I admitted. "I bet that Abigail was getting along very well with her new friends at Chatham University since last summer." We sat down to eat lunch, which was cobb salad and beer. "Yum, green peppers in this salad," I stated. "That was my vegetable for today. Unfortunately, the Mifflin girls got the rest of the fruits and vegetables. Not to mention, they also sent me some decent shout-outs before work." I then showed everybody the shout-outs that I sent. They were as followed: March 14, 2020
Good luck, Angel!
"I just get to stay at home playing Apples to Apples with Jill and making Sock Monkeys for crafts while you go work it up." -Jenna Moser
"I am still laying in my fuzzy blanket and talking in silly accents while you go work it up." -Hannah Mifflin
"I learned from Jill the inside joke about turning lemons into lemonade, and that is about being too young to help out at a job, however, I should enjoy it." -Samantha Mifflin
"Truth or Dare." "Dare." "I dare you to get into your pajamas, curl up in your bed, and stay comfy." -Matt Mifflin
"After a delicious breakfast of pancakes this morning, I took a quiz and realized that I am a rock rebel, meaning that I do not always have to work on weekends." -Abigail Mifflin
"Once I am done making my Sock Monkey for a craft, I promise not to pull any more pranks on my big sister." -Jill Moser
"Yes, the company encouraged us to practice good sanitation and hygiene habits due to this virus going around," Sarah agreed. "I have been getting a lot of sleep lately," I told everyone. "We all have," Sarah agreed. "That was why we couldn't come to Jill's Monkey Business Sleepover this past Monday." "So, what is your special interest this time, Alex?" James asked. "Fashion," Alex replied. "Fashion?" Henri asked. "Yuck!" "Now, we must all display a positive attitude at work," I reminded everyone. "We are supposed to help Alex make her invitations out of high-heeled stilettos." "This is very risky," Alex admitted. "You'll be fine, Alex," Sarah told her. "At least, it will just be you and your best friends." Alex made her invitations out of 3 black high-heeled shoes with a ribbon connecting all 3 of them. "Is this a surprise party for everyone dealing with the coronavirus?" Alex asked. "Will you stop worrying about that, Alex?" I asked. "Everything will be okay." "It also looks like we will have a long car ride to deliver out all of your invitations," Sarah pointed out. "This reminds me of the one time on my birthday when I was sad that nobody planned anything," I remembered. "You took me for a car ride around Natrona Heights and Harrison Hills Park." "You love long rides in the car now, don't you, Angel?" James asked. "I know you." "Sarah and I had to work very hard to make Angel's special day the best," Henri chimed in. "Who knew that we would grow up to become party planners at Pittsburgh's Perfect Parties?" "What school district did you graduate from, James?" Alex asked. "Freeport Area High School back in 2006," James explained. "I still hope that the spring will be like that," I admitted. "Oh, Angel and her weather patterns," James admitted. "Ever since James graduated from high school, we have lived in the city of Pittsburgh for 13 years," Sarah explained. "First, we lived in Squirrel Hill so that we could all go to college, then in Shadyside from 2012-2015, then in Highland Park for a year, then in Oakland from 2016-2018, and finally, in Shadyside for a year before moving to the eastern suburbs last year!" "Didn't you guys say something about moving to Penn Hills last weekend?" I asked. "Oh, yeah," James remembered. "The Alcoma on the Green." "Do you think that you guys could show me the apartment before you move in sometime this spring?" I asked. "Maybe," Sarah replied. "On your way home from work, it would be a great idea," I pointed out. "I graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School back in 2008," Sarah told us, "and then I joined my stepbrother, James at Carnegie Mellon University." "These past 2 years have been like when you two went to high school together, remember?" I asked. "And, I also hope that this spring is the warmest that we have had in some time!" "Those invitations look like my old high-heeled shoes, which I still have today," Sarah pointed out. "But, I don't wear heels very often nowadays, since I do a lot of traveling." "Our friend, Alex is the only one who likes to wear high-heeled shoes, and she prefers open toe," I stated. "She's 3 years younger than Sarah, a year younger than me, and a year older than Carly." "I also had some white high-heeled sandals that I wore to James's graduation and my graduation," Sarah told us. "And, last summer when helping with Hannah's Stars and Stripes Carnival," I reminded Sarah. "Oh yeah," Sarah remembered. "But, you're right, Angel. I don't wear high heels very often now since I walk around a lot. Before you know it, we will be spending time in the community during the summer, and that will be right after we move to Penn Hills." "What outings do you guys go on?" Alex asked. "We go to fun places like Scene 75 and Games n At, and even riding the Incline and getting ice cream in Mount Washington," I explained. "Didn't you guys think of moving into the Beacon Hill Apartments, since it also has a swimming pool? You guys wanted a swimming pool now, didn't you?" "Yes, Angel," James replied, "but we didn't know whether they would allow cats or not, and besides, Penn Hills is a much nicer area than Wilkinsburg." After Alex was done making the invitations, we drove Alex to deliver the invitations to her 4 guests Rena, Nadia, Ella, and Kennedy. After our shift was over, Sarah, James, and Henri drove me back to my mentor, Jenna's apartment in Point Breeze. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"