Chapter 3: Filming the Video
On a chilly second Saturday of April 2017, I met Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. One of my other best friends, Carly Shay, as well as her parents, Sam and Freddie, were arriving to help film the movie. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Is everybody ready to film the skits?" James asked us. "Of course I am, James," Mrs. Shay replied. "Freddie and I will go downstairs and help Carly and Angel film their skit about disclosing after an issue." Carly and I were both dressed in white blouses, black pants, and black shoes. I played Cynthia Morelock, the boss at the Children's Institute of Pittsburgh while Carly played Kathryn, the employee. Before we filmed, James offered me a glass of juice to drink. We went downstairs to the lobby, which looked like an office. "Let me know when you girls are ready to film," Mrs. Shay told us. "I think we're ready to film now, Mom," Carly told her mom. Mrs. Shay and Mr. Benson did a couple test-runs before filming a final copy. They also showed us what they filmed. "Do you think that we did a good job, Carly?" I asked my friend. "Yes, I think we did a good job, Angel," Carly agreed. Mr. Benson went upstairs to check on Sarah, James, and Henri. "I can almost hear Sarah and James doing their video," I told Carly and her mom. "Yep," Mrs. Shay agreed. "So, what would you like to do for your birthday on Friday, Carly?" she then asked. "I'm not sure, Mom," Carly replied. "I would love some ice cream cake from Dairy Queen." "My birthday was this past Monday," I told everyone. "Happy birthday, Angel!" Mrs. Shay wished me. Mr. Benson then came and we went back up to Sarah, James, and Henri's room. "So, are we going to cook anything for dinner, guys?" Carly asked. "Well, since Angel's birthday was this week, we thought we would like to take her out to eat for her birthday wherever she would like to go," James told us. "Where would you like to eat at, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "How about Red Robin at the Waterfront?" I suggested. "Okay then," James agreed. "Red Robin, it is!" "I really liked filming the skits with you, Mr. Benson," Henri admitted. "It was a pleasure filming them with you, too, Henri," Mr. Benson agreed. "Whose car do you want to ride in?" Sarah asked. "How about James's BMW?" I replied. "We can even listen to Maroon 5 on his phone!" "Did I mention that I have a BMW, too?" Mrs. Shay asked. "Yes, you did, Mrs. Shay," James replied. I went with Sarah, James, and Henri in their car to Red Robin while listening to Maroon 5's sophomore album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long. "I remember when my dad first taught me to drive this BMW when I was turning 15 years old," James remembered. Pretty soon, we got to my favorite song "Makes Me Wonder" which I always thought was a good birthday song. "I couldn't listen to music in the car back when I first learned to drive, but now that I get the hang of driving, I can listen to music as long as I don't kill people," James stated. "The 2000s had good music to dance to, and I have always loved this song ever since I was 13, just like Henri," I told everyone. Pretty soon, we arrived at Red Robin, where I ordered my usual bacon cheeseburger with bottomless steak fries and freckled lemonade, along with a birthday ice cream sundae. "Do you think this is as good as the dinner we had the night I learned to drive?" James asked me. "Of course, James," I replied. "Dinner was lots of yummy foods I liked at the time, like fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, corn..." "That is a lot of starchy food, come to think of it," Sarah told me. "My parents and I have a little something for you," Carly told me. I opened my birthday card and I got a birthday necklace as a present. "This looks just like the one I lost," I told Carly. "Thank you!" "You're welcome," Carly replied. Sarah, James, and Henri got me a TJ Maxx gift card with their birthday card from me. After dinner, Sarah, James, and Henri drove me back to my mom's apartment. "Thanks for a great dinner and evening, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"