My back ached from from carrying Bobby's presents all day long. The kid even got a flat screen for his room! He has five of those! He has one of those tablet/laptop things and a Tomsang Nebula V5. [Samsung Galaxy] This is what he gets tomorrow:

A flat 10x12 inch flat screen TV

An Ipad/laptop thing from Doors. [Windows]

A brand new phone to replace his seven month old one.

Seventeen new goldfish and a new tank for them.

A certificate to go to Seven Banners [Six Flags] anytime he wanted.

A Z Cube 5 [Xbox 1] complete with every single Zcube game and three game controllers.

Gift cards to all of his favorite restaurants.

New clothes (At least ten new shirts and pants)

An LOL One [PS4] with all the latest games.

Fifty new video games for all of his appliances.

Two 3ds's.

And fifty other things I am too tired to write down.

After I wrapped all of Bobby's presents, it was 1 o'clock, so I quickly changed and put my shirt in the wash before falling to sleep. Before I hit snooze land, however, a smile graced my lips. I have a friend. Her name is Sairen. She can use magic. She turned Bobby into a pig. She lives ten houses away from me.

She can use magic.

I glanced at the old, tattered calendar on the wall that used to be Bobby's.

In four days, it would be my birthday. I would be eleven, and I would be able to stay home alone.

Not like this is home, anyways.

I would have six dollars to spend instead of my lousy four. Six is enough for me to buy a new pair of pants at the store, and I might actually be able to buy something else with the twenty dollars I have saved up in change from all the money I find in the laundry.

So after I put my shirt in the dryer, I headed for bed. The last thought before blacking out was "I have a friend."

Then I had that same dream.

Again.

I woke up to find someone knocking on my door. I opened it to find Bobby holding a plate stock full of eggs and bacon, steaming hot.

"Here," He said and thrust the plate in my direction. I yanked the plate away from him and sat down on my bed, munching on my bacon and not caring if it was burning my fingers. My mouth watered, and I felt my spirits soar.

I was eating bacon. Hot bacon, right out of the pan.

I had two eggs on my plate, and Bobby even put some pepper on them.

"Thank you Sairen," I thought and continued to eat my breakfast.
"Can we make a deal?" Bobby asked as I was happily eating my food. "About what?" I asked and licked my fingers clean of bacon grease, then proceeded to the eggs.

Bobby gave me a wary look. "If I bring you breakfast every morning, do you promise to leave me alone?"

My eyes nearly fell out of my head, and my jaw dropped. Realizing I still had food in my mouth, I shut it and swallowed. Then an idea came to mind. It took all of my self control not to smirk.

"I agree…" I started. Bobby's face lit up with relief, but I hadn't finished. "But you have to give me lunch, too." Bobby frowned, then shuddered when he looked into my eyes. "Fine," He agreed.

He stuck out his pudgy hand, and I shook it. "Right then…" I started and handed him my plate. Bobby nodded, yanked the plate out of my hand and raced out of my room.

"Sairen," I thought as I started to dress myself. "Whatever you are, I totally love you."

I still can't believe Bobby got me breakfast. Hot, delicious breakfast. I can't believe I'm saying this, but he's nice to me. Not like 'I wanna be your friend' way, but more like 'If I do this for you leave me alone' way.

I prefer the second version.

After I was dressed, I came into the living room and waited for Bobby to open his presents. Uncle Trayvon was sitting on the couch, reading the newspaper and muttering to himself now and then.

"Now or never," I thought and took a deep breath.

"Uncle?" I asked, getting his attention. Uncle just sighed and put the paper down. "What?" He asked.

Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up…

"May I visit a friend from school?"

Uncle just stared at me like an idiot, then seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in and answered with…

"No."

My heart plummeted into the ground. I had to bite my tongue to keep from lashing out, which would only make things worse.

"BOY!" Aunt Rose yelled. I quickly left the living room and entered the kitchen, where Aunt was waiting. "Get Bobby's presents," She ordered. "And put them in the living room."

I nodded to her and made my way to the basement. To my surprise, Bobby was already down there, placing the presents by the steps. My mouth fell open and I stared at him. What was he doing?

Bobby looked up the stairway, and when he saw me he immediately stopped moving, and his face flushed a deep crimson. 35

I walked down the steps and was only a foot away from him when I asked "What are you doing?"

"Helping," Bobby grumbled and picked up another box.

I swear my sanity just went poof. Can somebody order a straightjacket?

"Why?" I finally asked. Bobby sighed and looked down at his feet. "Um, you see…" He trailed off, and a few seconds later, took in a deep breath and continued. "The only reason why I am- was- mean to you was because my parents are. So, I'm helping you with this so that… I dunno, you like me better?"

Yep, I knew it. I'm insane.

"Jeez… well, um, thanks…" I said awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck and blushing like an anime girl.

Which is saying a lot.

Bobby nodded. "Yeah, no problem…" He answered quietly.

He is just as new to this as I am.

An idea sparked in my brain, and my heart went from the ground to the sky.

I sure hope this works…

"Hey Bobby?" I say and lean over to pick up a present.

"Can I ask you a favor?"

Ten minutes later, Bobby had opened all of his gifts, and now they were all eating cake.

Which smelled heavenly, by the way.

I was patiently waiting for them to finish their dessert when Bobby walked over to me and handed me a slice of cake.

A SLICE OF CAKE.

"Have some," He urged. I did, and my mouth exploded with flavor.

Cake, especially chocolate cake, is delicious.

Five minutes later, after Uncle Trayvon finally stopped gaping and finished his cake, I clapped my hands once. Bobby nodded to me, and he started phase one of my plan.

Phase one was that Bobby would complain to his parents that he didn't want me around when his friends came over. And complain he did.

LOUDLY.

"MOMMY," He whined. "I don't want him-" he said and pointed to me, fake disgust on his face. Or it was real. I have no idea anymore. "To ruin my party!"

And of course, Aunt launched into a sickening baby voice topped with hilarious baby names.

"Oh, don't cry popkin," She cried and put her massive arms around his massive body. "He won't be anywhere near here!" She kicked Uncle in the shin to reinforce her. Uncle went pale and nodded a bit too enthusiastically.

"Right, right!" He exclaimed, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

He was nervous. Good.

This went on for about five more minutes, and then I decided to cast the bait.

"You know," I said to them all in a casual tone. "I have a friend ten houses away. I can just go to her place…" I let the thought trail off, and Uncle had a greedy expression on his face.

A very disturbing one, might I add.

There was a long pause, like there always was then Aunt and Uncle were thinking. With the size of their heads, one can only imagine the truth about the phrase "Pea-brain."

In Aunt and Uncle's case? Totally true.

They both exchanged a glance, and Bobby winked his right eye at me.

Or he could have blinked.

"Alright," Aunt finally said. "You can go."

"YAHOOOOO!" I yelled and jumped into the air, pumping my fists. Then I remembered I could be put in the crawlspace for that, so I quickly turned my face to stone and sat down, like a good little slave boy.

But inside? Oh man, inside my head I was grinning like a madman.

Best.

Day.

Ever.

What could possibly go wrong?