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"What are you perfor Eddie?" the emcee asks her

She leans into the microphone and says, "Pink Balloon"

As soon as the eoes into her zone

My na

I aht h the front door with it The curly hot pink ribbon trickling down her ar at me as she untied the ribbon and wrapped it around ht this for you"

She called me Livie

I was so happy I’d never had a balloon before I mean, I always saw balloons wrapped around other kids wrists in the parking lot of Wal-Mart, but I never dreamed I would have my very own

My very own pink balloon

I was so excited! So ecstatic! So thrilled! I couldn’t believebefore! I played with it for hours It was full of heliu it around fro of places to take it Thinking of places the balloon had never been before I took it in the bathroo roo I saw! I took it to my mother’s bedroom!

My mothers

Bedroom?

Where I wasn’t supposed to be?

With my pink

balloon…

I coveredthe evidence off of her nose! She slapped me across the face as she told me how bad I was! How much I misbehaved! How I never listened! She shovedmy pink balloon inside with her I wanted him back! He was my best friend! Not hers! The pink ribbon was still tied around et my new best friend away from her

And

it

popped

My name is Eddie

I’m seventeen years old

My birthday is next week I’ll be the big One-Eight My foster dad is buyingI’m sure my friends will take ift, et a nice little card frohteenth birthday, inforood ti I know

for sure

I better not get any

shitty ass pink balloons!

When the crowd cheers for her, Eddie eats it up She’s bouncing up and down on the stage and clapping along with the crowd, forgetting all about the soive her a standing ovation as she comes back to the table

"That felt so awesome," she squeals Gavin throws his arround and kisses her cheek

"That’s irl," he says as they sit back down in their seats

"That was great Eddie, guess you’re exempt," Will says

"That was so easy! Layken, you really need to do one next week You’ve never had one of Mr Cooper’s finals before They aren’t fun, believe me"

"I’ll think about it," I say She did hs and leans forward "Eddie, you haven’t had one oftwo hs

They call another perfor keeps brushing against ives hout the perfor o, but he soe of punching him, Will moves in and whispers in my ear

"Trade me seats"

I hop up and he slides over as I take his seat I silently thank hilares over at Will It’s obvious there is no love lost between the two of them

By the start of the second round, everyone at our table is dispersing airl Javi eventually sulks off, leaving just Will and I at the table with Gavin and Eddie

"Mr Cooper did you see-"

"Gavin," Will interrupts him "You don’t have to call ether"

A es Eddie and they both smile at Will "Can we call you…"

"No! You can’t!" Will interrupts again He’s blushing

"I’ here," I say as I look from Will to Gavin

Gavin leans forward in his chair and puts his elbows on his knees "You see Layken, about three years ago…"