Slice #27

The cool water laps at my feet. It is crystal clear.  The sand brushes past my toes as it is sucked back out to sea with the wave.  I run into the waves and dive.  The water washes over my head.  It feels wonderful.  I swim out a little deeper and then come up for air.  I tread water and gesture for my sisters to come join me in the water but they are busy playing on the beach.  I swim for a little while and then my dad calls me in and asks if my sister and I want to go snorkeling.  I nod and smile.  My sister and I swim out to a rocky area.  There are so many fish.  All of the different colors are incredible.  Then we see my favorite fish so far.  A giant purple pufferfish!  We swim for a little longer and then go back to shore to tell everyone what we saw.  We spend a little while playing in the sand and then go back to our hotel room for diner.

Slice #26

The cold, crisp water wraps around me like a blanket.  I dunk my head underwater to escape the hot, sticky air.  I come up for a breath and I can hear my sisters jumping in behind me.  My youngest sister shrieks when she feels the cold water but then she laughs and goes underwater.  I grin and follow her.  She can't touch the bottom so she swims around the pool, holding the edge when she needs a break.  My twin sister and I practice our handstands.  The pool is so long that it takes forever to get all the way around it.  Once we've made our way around it twice we take a short break in the shallow end and then play Marco Polo.  I am not great at this game so I end up being Marco for a long time before I finally tag one of my sisters.  We play until each of us has been Marco and then we get bored.  We get out and sit in the hot tub for thirty seconds and then jump back into the pool.  It is freezing cold but also kind of refreshing.  After that our mom gives us a five minute warning until we have to leave so we swim around the pool one more time and then get out and dry off for dinner.

Slice #25

What to do on a plane for three and a half hours:
First five minutes: Look out the window before you take off and get really excited about your trip.
Takeoff (5 minutes ish): Panic a little bit as you worry about crashing.
Next five minutes: Realize you are safe and start fishing around the bag for magazines.
Next fifteen minutes:  Read People magazine.
Next five minutes: Sit in complete silence with your eyes closed and wish for everyone to shut up.
Next 10 minutes: Realize that will never happen and look around in your bag for snacks/lunch.
Next 30 minutes: Find snack/lunch and eat.
Next 30 minutes: Listen to all the songs you have whether they are good or not.  (If they are not good you can laugh about them and question why you would buy such a terrible song).
Next 1 hour 10 minutes: Watch a movie on your iPad.

Slice #24

Packing is a whirlwind.  Clothes are flying everywhere.  People are all over.  Trying on dresses, shorts, shirts, and swim suits.  I have everything laid out.  I have an outfit for every day.  I am starting to put everything in my suitcase when I realize I forgot a swimsuit.  The only ones I have are for swim team.  I tell my mom and she sends my nanny, my sister and me to Target.  My sister did not need to come because she has like 1,000 swimsuits already but no matter.  She finds like eight things as soon as we walk in but I don't see anything I like.  I wait for what seems like forever while we finish shopping and check out.  Then we drive over to another store (I don't remember the name).  My sister and I spend so long looking for the swimsuits.  We finally find them and they actually look pretty cute.  My sister picks one for herself and two for me that I love.  I guess it is good that she came.  We buy them and drive back home.  We finish packing just as the dog sitter arrives.  We say our goodbyes to our puppy and she drives him away.  We can finally relax.  Packing is crazy but it's worth it because tomorrow we get to go to Mexico!

Slice #23

I sit up groggily and turn to look at my alarm clock.  8:23 it reads.  I am confused for a second.  My alarm should have gone off by now.  Then I realize that I am going to be late for school.  I kick my blankets off and run into my sister's room.  She is still sleeping there.  Then I run into my mom's room and find her sleeping too.
"Mom get up!  We're running late!"
I pull on her arm.
"Sophie..." she mutters.
"Mom come on!  We are so late!" I yell.
"Sophie it's a snow day."  my mom groans.
"No way!  It wasn't snowing at all last night!" I say.
I run to check the window and, sure enough,  snow is blowing around and landing on an already covered ground.  Wow.
"Thanks mom!" I say and run back to my room.
Another snow day!  Hurray!

Slice #22

"I just don't understand why it matters."  I state plainly.

"Your grandmother died!  Of course it matters!!"  My mother screams through her tears. 

"Everyone dies.  I knew she would die soon." I say.
"Carlie, how could you be so insensitive?" Asks my mother.
I roll my eyes and walk away.
"Come on lets talk about this!"  My mother yells at my back.
I know I should feel something.  Believe me I know.  Sad, angry, confused.  Something.  Instead I feel nothing.  I am absolutely blank.  I see how my mother cries but it just doesn't affect me.  What is wrong with me?  

Slice #21

I peel the orange and take a bite of the sweet, succulent fruit.  I pop a piece into my mouth and take a bite.  The juice explodes in my mouth and dances across my taste buds.  A subtle sour flavor shines through, mixing perfectly with the sugary sweetness.  I take another bite and feel a little bit of the cold juice run down my chin.  It is delicious.