The Birthday

2022 5th & 6th Grade Prose Honorable Mention

Today is my birthday.
Today is my birthday.
My name is Elizabeth, and I’m turning 13.
My name is Beatrice, and I’m turning 13.
Today my parents are throwing a special birthday to celebrate!
Today I’m spending my birthday with my parents.
My family and I live in a three story house in the suburbs. Our house is covered from head to
toe in decorations. The walls are shimmering with shiny birthday signs, a colorful array of
balloons are drifting through the air, and a table is crowded with presents of all shapes and
sizes in rainbow wrapping paper that smells like sweet cotton candy.
My family and I live where some people might call “the other side of town.” Our
dim studio apartment is perched over a pizzeria. The walls are peeling and the
floor creaks. Across the street, the smells of fresh baked apple pies and fudgy
chocolate cakes waft through cracks in the windows.
I invited 60 girls to my party! I invited girls from school and art class. I have a special passion
for drawing and plan to be a sketch-artist when I’m older.
I just got back from my best friend Myra’s house. We both want to be sketch-artists
when we’re older. Myra owns dozens of art supplies, so I spend much of my time
with her, drawing portraits. I’m meeting my parents at home so we can celebrate
my birthday together.
On the marble kitchen counter, I see a pale, pink post-it. I peel it off, and I read it. “Happy
Birthday, Elizabeth! Go to the downstairs living room for your first present. -Mom”
On the refrigerator door, I see a pale yellow post-it from my mom and realize that
I won’t be able to spend time with my parents today after all. “Have to pick up
extra hours honey. Will be back later. Go ahead and eat without us. Love you.
-Mom & Dad”
I smile and a rush of excitement runs through me. My hair brushes against my face, as I dash
down two flights of stairs. The living room is decorated with even more balloons, banners, and
confetti in colorful pastel shades. I crumple the post-it when I see my mother smiling at me.
I crumple the post-it with a clenched fist. I sigh and I slide against the peeling
wallpaper onto the cold, cracking, wooden floor. Their absence is nothing new, but
I can’t help the disappointment that clouds my mind.
The shape of the box in my mother’s hands resembles the Faber-Castell colored pencils I
have been asking for. It includes 120 high quality colored pencils.
I stand up and see the portrait Myra and I made at her house using her
Faber-Castell colored pencils.
My hopes mounts, as I approach the box. I’m really hoping for those pencils, because it would
improve the detail of my drawing greatly.
They are oil based pencils that have strong pigment and are great for detailed
drawings.
I rip through the box and it is exactly what I thought. It’s the colored pencils. 120 of them! I
cannot contain my joy. “Thank you so much, mom!” I embrace her.
Those pencils would help me improve the details and highlights I want to use in my
portraits. We’ve never had enough to afford the $700 pencils, so I use them at
Myra’s house. 
“Of course, Elizabeth. Nothing less for my beautiful girl!” The door bell rings from upstairs. My
mom beams. “That must be your friends!”
I’m hungry, so I do what mom said on the note and see what’s in the refrigerator.
There’s nothing but bread, a can of beans, and a bottle of mustard. I take a piece of
bread and picture that it’s a slice of chocolate cake. I imagine that it came from an
intimidating three tiered cake, with decorative swirls of fudge frosting. I rummage
through kitchen drawers, and I find a slightly melted yellow candle. I light it with a
match. Happy birthday to me.
My friends burst through the door and shout, “Happy Birthday!” I laugh, as they smother me
with hugs. The cake caterer emerges with a three tiered chocolate cake. It is decorated with
swirls of fudge frosting. At the very top, there are thirteen pink candles. Everyone starts to
sing the “Happy Birthday” song. When it’s over, my friends lift me up so I can blow out the
candles. I wish for the new airpod pros. I hope that the chocolate cake will be delicious. I wish
for another dog.
I blow out the candle. I wish for all of the things I have dreamed of. I wish for the
Faber-Castell colored pencils. I wish for a fluffy chocolate cake with decadent
fudge frosting. I wish for my parents to come home soon. I open my eyes and hear
the quiet jingling of keys. I see mom and dad burst through the door, holding a
large plastic bag. “Surprise!” they yell. I hug them tightly, as tears of joy start to
fall. “We got off earlier and got you a small something,” mom says with a coy smile.
She reaches into the plastic bag and pulls out... a box. She opens the box and... my
favorite! Chocolate cake.
My friends cheer. The cake caterer cuts thick slices and places them onto baby pink paper
plates. The fluffy cake and fudgy frosting melts in my mouth. I look around and see my friends,
laughing and smiling at me. I see my parents taking pictures and beaming. Gratitude for them
soars through me.
My parents sing “Happy Birthday,” and I blow out the candles on their cake. The
rich cake is somehow decadent and light at the same time. My parents hug me and
gratitude makes my heart swell.
This is without a doubt the best birthday ever.
This is without a doubt the best birthday ever.