�But...�
�No! Not a chance in hell!�
Siobhan snuggled up to Madison as she watched the ending of the newest episode of Charmed with her friends that night. They were so supportive of her. They�d been with her while they told her parents and they�d been pretty worried. They�d called the doctor, and she�d said that since Siobhan had started eating again and hadn�t thrown up her lunch or her snack that she didn�t need to see Siobhan until Monday. Her mom and dad had been very relieved to hear that, and had even allowed Siobhan to go to Madison�s with the promise that she would eat a good dinner while she was there, and she had. Her friends hadn�t been able to stop grinning as Siobhan ate her entire plate and then asked Mrs. Winters for seconds.
Tara shifted besides her, and Siobhan looked up at her, locking eyes with her for a second until their attentions were drawn to the screen again. The friends had watched the whole thing in silence, not even talking while Madison fast forwarded through the commercials. They just enjoyed each other�s company while watching their favorite show.
When the episode ended, Madison clicked off the tape, �Do you guys want to watch something else?� she asked.
�Siobhan, what do you want to do, sweetie?� Alyson asked, gracefully letting her friend decide.
�What time is it?� Siobhan asked, as she yawned. Lying down, she couldn�t see the clock on Madison�s night stand.
Madison looked over, �Almost eleven.� she said, yawning, too.
Tara yawned, also, �I guess this yawning thing�s contagious.� she flopped her head down on the pillow, �I am so tired!�
Kennedi�s eyelids drooped as she spoke, �Maybe we should go to sleep?�
Siobhan smiled, �What if I tell you guys a bedtime story?� she asked.
�Ooh, and what is this story about?� Madison asked, intrigued as she flipped the TV off. The only light in the room now came from Madison�s bedside table lamp.
�It�s about two best friends living in New York...� Siobhan began.
�I feel so free!� 10-year-old Siobhan shouted to her best friend as she pedaled her bike along the street she lived on, her black curly hair bobbing in her ponytail.
�I know! We finally get to go down to the ice cream parlor on our bikes!� Annie shouted back, her blonde hair whipping around underneath her helmet. Siobhan didn�t have hers on, she claimed it was too small, but Annie�s parents had made her wear hers.
�What kind do you want?� Siobhan asked her friend.
�What?� Annie shouted back over the wind.
�Ice cream! What kind?� Siobhan repeated.
�Duh, SIobhan, mint chocolate chip. The kind I only always....woah!� she cried as her front tire hit something on the sidewalk, and her bike flipped over.
�Annie!� Siobhan screamed, and jolted to a half, running over to her friend, who was already sitting up, �Are you okay?� she asked.
Annie had tears in her eyes, �That hurt!� she cried.
�Aww, Annie-pandie.� Siobhan gave her friend a hug, �Are you bleeding anywhere?� she asked.
Annie gave herself a once-over, �No, but my butt and my back! I think I bruised them pretty bad.� she winced, stopping Siobhan�s calming motions on her friend�s back.
�I�m sorry, Annie, do you want me to get you home?� Siobhan asked.
�No.� she pouted, �I want ice-cream!�
Siobhan looked up the street, the ice-cream parlor was just a few buildings down, �How about you stay here and guard our bikes? I�ll be right back with the ice-cream and we can sit on the grass and have it?� Siobhan asked.
Annie nodded gratefully, and true to her word, Siobhan ran to the ice-cream shop and was back in three minutes with the cones, mint chocolate chip for Annie and rainbow sherbet for herself. Annie always said Siobhan�s taste in ice-cream matched her personality. Like a rainbow. Siobhan sat next to Annie, and for a few moments they just sat there slurping their cones, and then Annie turned to Siobhan.
�You know what?� she asked.
�What, Annie?� Siobhan asked, looking into her friend�s deep blue eyes.
�You are my best friend, Siobhan Alexis Arintero. I love you so much.� Annie said it with such a sweet face and compassion behind it that Siobhan just melted.
�And you are the best, best friend a girl could have, Anna Grace Miller. I love you, too.� Siobhan responded, and the girls hugged, trying not to spill their ice-cream.
�May 20, 1995. That was the first time we ever said we loved each other. I wrote it down in my diary, that�s why I remember.� Siobhan finished up.
�Aww, Syvanni, that was so sweet, honey!� Madison said, giving her friend a hug.
�It was great, hun.� Tara said from her other side.
�How long had you two known each other before you said that?� Kennedi asked.
�Well, we met in second grade, and that was in fourth, so about 2 1/2 years.� Siobhan said, slowly remembering.
�Wow, that�s quick. It took Tara almost four years to say it to me!� Alyson said, and Tara swiped at her.
�At least I said it! I made the first move! Who knows when we would have said it if I hadn�t.� Tara said, getting all indignant.
Alyson grinned, �I loved you from the day we met over the yellow crayon, sweetie.� she explained.
Tara rolled her eyes, �And you still didn�t say anything?� she asked.
Alyson blushed, �Um, nope.� she said, scrunching up her face as if thinking hard.
�When was it?� Siobhan asked, curious.
�The last day of third grade. We were cleaning out our desks and Tara noticed her favorite pen, the one I�d given her, was missing.� Alyson began.
�We found out that Oliver, yes the same Oliver Platt, had taken it, and Alyson actually had to smack him and threaten to break his nose for him to give it back. So, that afternoon after we�d gotten home, I told her.� Tara said, smiling at the memory.
�I remember what the snack was even...� Alyson started.
�Watermelon.� Tara and Alyson said in unison and then smiled at each other.
�Ooh, that�s a good snack.� Kennedi smiled.
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