sleepover

we stayed up til one a.m. last night

thirteen girls in a living room simultaneously laughing at nothing

& yelling at each other to please please please shut up.

we had ice cream cake and hawaiian pizza

filled cups with lemonade & candy salad

& tried to see just how far we could toss the blue sour patch kids.

it was for one of our birthdays so of course there were presents

bagged or wrapped with pink bows & cherry-patterned paper

& filled with things squealed over then tucked happily away.

before we knew it it was dark outside

and we raced to the door, forgetting our shoes and sweaters

in our haste to be the first to see the pale white moon.

in the morning we rolled in our makeshift beds

entangled in sleeping bags & pillows & dreams we didn't have

whisper-giggling in the half-asleep dawn light.

we ate french toast topped with whipped cream

(homemade) and dawdled on our way to getting dressed

trying on all of each other's lip glosses & hiding from the sun.

when it was time to leave we hugged each other fiercely

reluctantly gave up our stolen stuffed animals & promised

with glowing smiles i'll see you tomorrow.