Soda Pop, Soda Pop

A car honked in the driveway. "Sonali, c'mon, lets go!" A guy popped his head out the backseat window and yelled up to me.

I grabbed my purse from the hook and sprinted out the door, my thoughts and nerves whizzing about in my brain like soda pop fizz. I quickly grabbed open the car door and got in. My emotions slowed when Annabeth shot me a stiff smile, but for the heck of it I threw back my head, laughed, and said, "Lets go!".

And with that, Annabeth's mother speeded off to the bowling alley with 10 kids crowded into her van.

The bowling alley was having Glow-In-The-Dark Friday, and my white Avril Lavigne tour shirt glowed immediately. The guys started shoving each other and pointing out to their glowing high-top laces or shirts. The girls giggled as they watched the bowling alley manager set up our game stats.

10 minutes later, we were all laughing so hard that the manager shot us looks. Bridgette was in the lead with 130 points, she was trying her hand at bowling for the first time but seemed like a pro already. On her heels was Peter, with 124. Then there was Annabeth, with a grim smirk on her face. (I had a feeling she wasn't having the best time.) Then there was James, Michael, Taylor, god, I can't remember half their names.. oh, and then there's me. Felicity's taught me a few things about bowling.

"Sonny, its your turn! Go go go!" Taylor squealed, pushing me to the front. I turned around to smile at her, then took the bowling ball (It was blue! Yes, BLUE! Yay!) from Stephen, and turned back to the lane, glowing in all its glory.

Suddenly I was flying through the air, tripping over my own feet.. wait, I wasn't tripping over my own feet! As I fell to the floor, I glanced behind me to see a neon pink high-top pulling away. Annabeth! But I didn't have much time to think, as my face fell flat against the floor. The bowling ball dropped out of my hand, rolled down the alley and knocked down all 5 pins. I smiled weakly, but I really was in much too shock to care.

"Oh my gosh, Sonali, are you okay?" Taylor, Abby, Bridgette, and Quin were lining up behind me. Bridgette bent down and helped me up. "Are you okay?!" She cried. I nodded. I really wasn't hurt. I was just shocked. I dusted off my corduroy slacks and glanced around to see Peter staring, his eyes full of concern. I looked away quickly and asked for my next ball.

My scores were quickly moving up the chart. I found myself next to Peter and Bridgette in the standings. I was flustered. But finally someone cried, "I'm hungry! We should go buy snacks.", and soon enough we were all seated, feasting on golden brown fries (which probably is bad, I don't think foods are supposed to be golden brown), soda pop, and Dorito chips. I was happy and content, here with people of my kind. Maybe not all of these people were depressed psycho's with un-naturally beautiful blondes as their BFFs, but thats okay with me. I needed a night of relaxation. I was just about to get up for some more ketchup when a seeping cold spread down the front of my shirt. I looked down to see I was drenched in nothing other than grape soda. I shuddered as I realized Annabeth was staring at me with satisfaction and evil hunger for power. I also realized she had "spilled" this soda on me. Ugggggh.
"Let me help you with that."
I heard a voice from beside me and was shocked to see Peter sitting there, napkin in his hand. He rubbed the purple stains from the front of my shirt. "This is going to need a wash.." He muttered. "Aha." He smiled contentedly as he rubbed. "You like Avril Lavigne?"
"Yes.. like, a lot." I blushed.
He nodded. "So do I. Although most guys just think I'm stupid for liking girl singers."
I shook my head vigorously. "No, no, I mean, that's true, I mean, its true that girl singers are awesome.. I mean, you're not stupid." It all came out in a blur.
He laughed. His laugh was like vanilla smoke.
"Well, it looks like its my turn to bowl!" He laid down the dirty napkin and got up to do his round. I gazed after him, then realized I was staring and suddenly looked down at the floor.

Peter picked up the bowling ball.. I blinked as I realized he was about to throw it incorrectly.
"Um, Peter, your fingers should be more spread.. and please, position your arm like this.. I really don't think you should bend your elbow back like that." I said, pulling his arm back to reveal a beautiful, proper posture. I stood back and admired my work.

But then I realized he was grinning at me.
And then it hit me.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to.. I didn't.. I didn't want to correct you, its just, I have bowling.." My words trailed off.

He was smiling at me.
His smile was perfect.
His eyes were sparkling.

Oh. My. God.

"...instinct." I finished my sentence weakly.

Then I ran off.

-Sonali

Anna-beth

Felicity smiled at me. "C'mon, Sonny! You're no fun. Just try one little piece?"

I pushed away the plate of dried cranberries and got up to answer the door, happy to have an excuse to get away from Felicity's never-ending "boredom cure" (as she calls it).

I opened the door to find Annabeth. Again. Yes, again.


I had just realized this morning that the name Annabeth is made up of two names -- Anna and Beth. Anna-Beth. Annabeth. UGH. Please go away, god forsaken coincidences. And go away, Annabeth. I don't want to talk to you.

But thats not what I told her. I told Annabeth a polite "hello" and ushered her inside with a grim frown. Kirsten's face lit up as she saw Annabeth walk through the entrance to the living room. She got up from her knitting and exchanged a hug. I rolled my eyes, careful to make sure nobody saw me do it.

"Hello, Kirsten!" Annabeth grinned. "Hello, Sonali." She said a little less enthusiastically as she turned towards me.
I returned the mood.
"I'm here to ask Sonali if she'd like to come bowling with the Glee Club this Friday?" Annabeth's smile was warm as butter. Kirsten was obviously buying it.

I nodded. No matter what Annabeth did, I couldn't disobey her. I needed a reputation for Glee.
Kirsten grinned. "Yes, please! Take her away!" She laughed at her own joke.

"Great!" Annabeth said. "See you soon, Ms. Larson!" She skipped away to the front door, me following closely behind. I was about to close the door after her when she suddenly came back and got close.

"I'm not inviting you because I want to, Sonali. I'm inviting you because I have to. And I hope to see your absence from Glee at the beginning of the school year."

Annabeth's fake smile returned in a nanosecond, as if nothing happened, and she backed away and left. Actually left.


Kay then.

-Sonali

... sigh.

Grace is forcing me to let you know of all our updated personalities.


Ugh.
I guess we might as well start..

KIRSTEN Taylor Larson
Fave artist: Taylor Swift
Fave book: A Summer To Die
Fave movie: Nanny McPhee
Best friend: Julia
Hidden talent: Ballet

JULIA Rose Starr
Fave artist: Owl City
Fave book: Twilight
Fave movie: Valentine's Day
Best friend: Kirsten

ELIZABETH Lee Cole
Fave artist: Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus
Fave book: Miles To Go
Fave movie: The Last Song
Best Friend: Felicity or Kristy
Hidden talent: Jump-rope

FELICITY Anne Merriman
Fave artist: Paramore
Fave book: Anne Of Green Gables
Fave movie: Bend It Like Beckham
Best friend: Elizabeth
Hidden talent: Pottery

KIT Margaret Hayden Kittredge
Fave artist: Colbie Caillat
Fave book: Inkheart
Fave movie: Alice In Wonderland
Best friend: Ruthie
Hidden talent: Swimming

RUTHIE Angeline Smithens
Fave artist: Show tunes
Fave book: Finally
Fave movie: Valentines Day
Best friend: Kit
Hidden talent: Singing

CHRISTINE Jane-Marie Maxwell
Fave artist: Kelly Clarkson
Fave book: Eleven
Fave movie: Toy Story
Best friend: Erin
Hidden talent: Designing

SONALI Beth Lynne Matthews
Fave artist: Avril Lavigne
Fave book: Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants
Fave movie: Letters To Juliet
Best friend: Bethie Cole
Hidden talent: Blogging

ERIN Lilly Violet McCartney
Fave artist: Lady GaGa and The Beatles
Fave book: Peace, Love, And Baby Ducks
Fave movie: Grease
Best friend: Chrissa
Hidden talent: Photography

-Sonali

Best friend:

Sing a simple song.

I stood, facing the wall, pretending to be focusing on the multitude of Taylor Swift pictures, hiding my tears.

Erin and Bethie and Annabeth stood behind me, pacing. Bethie spun me around to face her. They all had fiery eyes, full of deadly ambition and anger. And revenge.

"Oh, sweet sweet Sonny." Bethie laughed.
Erin and Annabeth came up on each side of her, like a possy.
"You don't know what's happening, do you?" Erin giggled.
"Oh, how innocent and clueless." Annabeth snickered.

I pressed into the wall. A picture of Taylor on an escalator fluttered to the ground from its held-by-tape place on the wall.

"Heres the lowdown, sister: We don't happen to like you very much. I happened to take a liking to you back at the factory, but I must have been on drugs or something, cause you aren't the girl you used to be.." Bethie shakes her head to clear her mind. "You're obnoxious, useless," she pushed me farther back into the wall with every word, "bragging, dangerous, mean, snotty, germy, ugly, and a shame to AGMA." I cringed. "Oh, and darling? You can't sing worth a dang." Bethie sneered.

"And I guess I'm gonna come out and say this straight.." Bethie paused, and put one finger lightly on her chin. "You're not my best fr-


And I woke up.


-Sonali

Um..

Bella Alexis Flynne said...

Sorry Bout' all the heart breaking stuff, grace... You probably have NO idea who i am.. But i am A HUGE fan! I can't believe it's just cuz a pullip! Don't over what you don't have, be happy for what you do have! Be happy about the fact that your even getting a pullip!
I think getting mad that you got a pullip is just TOOPID-BURG!
Sheeesh.
Nuff' Said.

This is a blog comment I got on my last blog.

To clear things up, I didn't mean that Grace was sad she was getting a Pullip. ^_^


It was of something or someone else.
Thanks.

-Sonali

A Brief Break

I can't blog for a few days - Grace is too busy hogging the computer.

She's horribly sad. I can tell, she keeps listening to heartfelt songs.. some of them are quite cheesy..

I can't say much more, and this is a terrible time for me to announce we have a Pullip sister on the way.

I thank very bitterly the person who broke Grace's heart.

-Sonali

Ddalgi Of Strawberry Fields

When you see this photo, what comes to mind?

Strawberry Fields by The Beatles? Picking strawberries in a field? The colors red pink and green? Summer?

For us, we think of all of that, plus one more.
We also think..

Sister.

Grace has been battling over buying iPod dock speakers or a Pullip for a while now. She's been frustrated, confused, and doubtful. Some people even told Grace not to get a Pullip, because most people "who become Pullip people become ONLY Pullip people" (*cough* Katie *cough*), and that REALLY got to Grace. But we trust her, and we know she'll still love us. We're too gorgeous to ditch for Pullips. Aha!

Grace finally knows.
She's buying her speakers very soon (today or tomorrow), and since the Pullip she has fallen in love with is on pre-order for cheaper than usual until it releases in September, she's going to earn money day and night so she can buy her before she goes on for regular price after she releases.

Of course this Pullip has a name! Ddalgi. Not Grace's sort of name.
So what do you think?

We're thinking something summery.. something about her gentle eyes suggests summer..

Sonali