“It’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” I said. Aqua Teen Hunger Force was my favorite but Ellie never wanted to watch it. She said it sucked.
I was excited that she wanted to watch it with me.
“Yeah, Aqua Teen Hunger Force.” Ellie made a noise with her nose that made me smile.
“Am I forgiven?” she asked.
I nodded. I didn’t like to be mad at Ellie. I liked it when she was nice. And when she was nice I was happy.
Ellie put her hand on my arm and I liked that too.
“We’ll spend your special day together. I promise,” she said.
I believed her.
I was so excited about my birthday that I couldn’t sleep. The sheets were bothering me again. Mom had forgotten to smooth them before bed and I hated the way they felt on my arms and legs.
I had yelled and yelled for Mom until she finally came in and changed them. I didn’t throw them out the window. Mom said she was proud of me.
I went to school on my birthday wearing my favorite shirt. It was blue and the sleeves covered the backs of my hands. It felt soft when I rubbed it.
I saw Ellie as soon as I walked into the school. I didn’t talk to her. I knew she didn’t want me to. But she smiled at me and I felt happy.
She promised she’d spend my special day with me and I believed her.
Ellie was nice to me in English class and I made her laugh by telling her a funny joke. It felt good.
At the end of the day I checked my watch and started walking home. Ellie said she’d meet me by the bridge. I’d see her in twelve minutes. Seven hundred and twenty seconds.
I could see her standing by the bridge. She looked pretty. Her hair wasn’t colored. It was yellow. I liked it yellow.
“Ellie!” I yelled, waving at her. She didn’t wave back. Her face looked funny.
“There’s our favorite ‘tard!”
Someone grabbed me and held me down. I kicked out my legs, trying to make them let me go but they just held me tighter.
I screamed as they put something on my head. I heard Dania laugh.
“Look at the cute little freak with his cute little birthday hat,” she said and I started to yell at them to leave me alone.
I tried to hit Stu but he moved out of the way.
I kicked gravel at his shoes. I threw my book bag on the ground. I looked at Ellie but she was laughing too.
She said she’d spend my special day with me! She said we’d watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force! She was supposed to eat Mom’s cake!
I started to cry. My insides hurt so much I felt sick.
I tried to run away from them but Stu and Dania grabbed me before I could.
“The birthday boy can’t go without having his cake,” Dania said.
I looked at Ellie. She was still laughing.
Stu put something in my mouth. It tasted horrible. I tried to spit it out. It was stuck in my teeth.
“A shit sandwich for a shitty little ‘tard boy,” Stu yelled in my ear as I wiped my tongue with my hand, trying to get the taste out of my mouth.
