By: Bhumi H.
Priya unlocked the door to her house, and she quickly rushed in.
“Hey mom, I’m home!” she called out.
“I’m in the kitchen!” her mom called back. Priya quickly took her shoes off and rushed to the kitchen. She dropped her bag on the counter. Priya’s mom looked up from cooking, and noticed Priya’s excitement.
“What’s up, honey?” she asked. “You look excited.” Priya grinned.
“So you know how Amelia is turning sixteen this year, right?” Priya asked. Amelia was Priya’s best friend. Her mom nodded her head.
“Amelia’s thinking about having a party!” Priya exclaimed. “And, she said it’s going to be a yacht party!”
“Well that’s wonderful!” her mom exclaimed. “When is it?”
“Well, Amelia said she was planning to have it next weekend,” Priya said.
“The whole weekend?” her mom asked. Priya nodded.
“Oh no,” Priya’s mom said. “That won't work out.”
“Why, what happened?” Priya asked.
“I’m so sorry Priya, but I don’t think you’ll be able to go to her party,” Priya’s mom said.
“What?! Why?!” Priya exclaimed.
“Because your grandparents are coming to celebrate Diwali with us. It wouldn’t be fair to them if you weren’t even there to celebrate after they came all the way from India,” Priya’s mom reasoned.
“But that’s not fair!” Priya whined. “It’s Amelia’s sweet sixteen, and I’m her best friend! I have to be there!” Her mom shook her head.
“It’s not possible, beta*. I’m sorry,” she said. Priya huffed and stomped to her room. She slammed the door, and fell on her bed. It’s not fair, Priya thought, I have to go celebrate Diwali, which I do every year, just because my grandparents are coming over! Isn’t visiting India every year and video calling them every Saturday enough? Now I can’t go to Amelia’s sweet sixteen just because I should be celebrating Diwali with my grandparents. Did Diwali have to be this weekend? But then Priya paused. Perhaps her dad would agree with her. He could help convince her mom! Priya grinned. Now all she had to do was wait for him to come back from his job.
*Beta is a Hindi term that means child. Some Indian parents call their children beta as a sweet nickname. It’s English equivalent could be sweetie, honey, etc.
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Priya was doing her homework when she heard the doorbell ring. She immediately jumped up from her swivel chair. She rushed downstairs and opened the door.
“Hi dad!” Priya greeted him excitedly. “How was your day at work?” Her dad narrowed his eyes.
“Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?” her dad asked.
“Um, no reason in particular!” Priya lied.
“Do you need a favor from me?” he asked, taking his shoes off.
“No, of course not!” Priya exclaimed. Her dad stared at her.
“Ok, maybe I do,” Priya confessed.
“What is it?” her dad asked, starting to walk towards the kitchen. Priya quickly followed him.
“So, you see, Amelia is planning to have her sweet sixteen next weekend, but mom won’t let me go because grandma and grandpa are coming,” Priya explained.
“And? What do you want me to do about that?” her father asked.
“I don’t know, convince mom to change her mind!” Priya said.
“I’m sorry sweetie, but I really can’t do anything about it,” her dad said. Priya gaped at him. They arrived in the kitchen. Priya’s dad took his bag off and put it on the counter.
“But that’s not fair!” Priya exclaimed. “It’s a yacht party and I’m her best friend!”
“You’re mom’s right on this one beta*,” her dad said. Priya let out an exasperated sigh.
“But Amelia’s going to invite everyone and I’m going to be the only one not there!” Priya cried. “And they're all going to have inside jokes and memories, and I’m going to be left out!” Her dad shrugged.
“I’m sorry, honey, but that’s just how it has to be,” Priya’s dad said. Priya huffed and stomped off to her room for the second time. She slammed the door, except louder this time, making sure her parents heard the slam. She fell on her bed once more, and fell into thought. It’s not fair. I won’t be able to go to Amelia’s birthday party now. And everyone will go and have so much fun. Everyone’s going to make memories and everything. Then Priya shot up. What if Amelia makes a new best friend? And she stops hanging out with me? I’ll be left all alone then. Oh no no no, I have to go to the party. I can’t miss it! Priya paced the room, trying to brainstorm ideas.
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The next day, Priya awoke to the sound of the doorbell. She had not been able to sleep because she had been too busy trying to think of a way to convince her parents to let her go to Amelia’s party. Despite that, Priya hadn’t been able to think of any ideas. Priya got up and rubbed her eyes. She went downstairs to see her parents opening the door. Priya was obviously very upset about not being able to go to Amelia’s party, but she couldn’t help but get excited when she saw her grandparents emerge through the door.
“Priya!” her grandma exclaimed.
“Grandma!” Priya ran to her grandparents and gave them a hug. “You’re here early!”
“Of course we are. We couldn’t give up on a chance to see our lovely Priya!” her grandpa exclaimed. Priya grinned. They all walked to the living room and sat down. Her parents and grandparents started discussing things, while Priya zoned out. But she snapped out of it when she heard someone say birthday party.
“Yea, he was going to have a birthday party, but he decided not to,” Priya’s grandpa said.
“Who?” Priya asked.
“Oh, just a friend of mine,” her grandpa replied. Priya nodded and thought of Amelia’s party. Then she excused herself and went back to her room to think of ideas. Once Priya was gone, her grandma turned to Priya’s mom.
“What’s wrong with Priya? She seemed a little upset,” her grandma said.
“Oh, she’s just upset that she can’t go to her friend’s sweet sixteen,” her mom replied.
“Why not?” her grandma asked.
“Because it’s next weekend and next weekend is Diwali,” her mom explained. Her grandma nodded in understandment.
“Let me go talk to her,” she said. Her grandma got up and went upstairs.
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Priya heard a knock on the door.
“Come in!” she shouted. Her grandma opened the door.
“Oh, hi grandma,” Priya greeted.
“Hi honey,” her grandma said. “So, your mom told me about your friend's party.”
“Yea, I know I should celebrate Diwali with you guys, but I also want to go to the party,” Priya explained. Her grandma nodded her head.
“And I understand that,” she replied. “By the way, do you have the card?”
“What card?” Priya asked.
“The invitation card,” her grandma said.
“Oh, she hasn’t given them out yet. She was just planning the party,” Priya said.
“So it’s not final?” her grandma asked. Priya shook her head.
“No.”
“Then there is no need to worry!” her grandma exclaimed. Priya looked confused.
“Why?” she asked. His grandma smiled.
“Because you can just ask her to consider changing the date. Maybe make it the weekend after,” her grandma suggested. Priya thought about it for a second. Then she lit up.
“You’re right!” she exclaimed. “I’ll talk to her about it on Monday. Thanks grandma!” Priya hugged her grandma.
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That Monday, Priya met up with Amelia at the lockers.
“So, have you thought about the party yet?” Amelia asked, clearly excited.
“Yea, and I think it’s a great idea!” Priya exclaimed. “But the problem is, I won’t be able to make it if it’s going to be next weekend because my grandparents are over.”
“Oh, that’s alright!” Amelia said. “My parents said to keep it on the week after anyways because they said they need time to plan.”
“Really!? That’s great! Now I can attend!” Priya said happily. “Thanks so much for accommodating.”
“Of course!” Amelia exclaimed. “What would a sweet sixteen be without my best friend!” Amelia and Priya then walked off to their first class, discussing ideas excitedly.
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