The Thirteenth Year of Emily John- July

"Layla," I called from my room, "I need that photo album, rope, and a cinnamon bun pronto!" 
"Why do you need a cinnamon bun?" she asked, as I typed away on my laptop.
"Make that two cinnamon buns," I called out, clicking the send button on my laptop.
"You still didn't answer my question," she said, clearly getting irritated.
"Layla, the plan is in action in T-minus 4 hours! You need to move!" I yelled, opening up Google Earth.
I heard her groan, and then go storming off into the kitchen opening the box of cinnamon buns. I, unlike other people (*cough cough* Layla), was completely and totally focused on getting this plan to work. I am the sort of person where once I put my mind towards something, it happens. Usually, not quite the way I picture it, but it happens. Layla came back upstairs, holding in her hand my photo album and a plate with two cinnamon buns.
"Layla, where is the rope?" I asked, biting my lip and trying to perfectly adjust my view on Tom's backyard. 
"I couldn't find it," she said, placing the photo album and plate on my desk. 
"Go look downstairs in my Dad's workshop, there should definitely be rope there," I said, grabbing one of the cinnamon buns off of the plate.
"Hey," she whined, "I thought those were for the plan!"
"They are," I said, taking another bite, "Because a part of the plan is keeping me satisfied. Now go!"
Layla left the room, and my phone rang at about the same time. I put my cinnamon bun down and licked my fingers before grabbing the phone. It was Tom. He spoke to me as I rotated the camera that shows his backyard on Google Earth. As he spoke, I also dropped a pin on each important mark. This had to work, I thought, as we said good bye and he wished me luck. Layla came back with the rope just as I finished my cinnamon bun. We wrapped the other one up and double checked our checklist before leaving the house. 
T-minus 3 hours now. Just 3 more hours.
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Tom and Layla sat on his deck while blowing up all of the inflatable pool toys while I tested out the rope, just to make sure it was securely fastened to the tree. I then tied the other end to the top ring in my photo album, and practiced lowering it. I checked to make sure the note was in the photo album, then I bundled it all up and placed it on the branch where the rope was tied to. I then put the cinnamon bun in its special hiding place, just so no one would take it. The pool party starts in 15 minutes.
"T-minus 15 minutes, over," I said into my walkie talkie, before hiding it in the bush next to the diving board.
Layla and Tom came down with the last of the pool toys, and then we all gathered around the site of the plan.
"Time to review," I said, as I stared into the eager eyes of Layla and Tom."
"Right before the diving contest starts, Layla will go to the secret hiding place and retrieve the cinnamon bun. She will then bring it over to Greg, who will be standing by that tree over there. Tom, be sure he is standing by that tree when Layla goes to the secret hiding spot. When she brings it to Greg, she will say, 'Enjoy your cinnamon bun and watch the divers.' After that, Layla will climb to the top of the tree where the rope and photo album are sitting. Be prepared to lower it. After I have done my dive, Tom will say something, anything, to Greg about me. Layla, after he says something about me, and something good, you will lower the photo album. Tom will then say, 'Hey Greg, how about we check this out.' You guys will look through the entire thing, and when Greg gets to the back where the note is, be sure he reads it. Give me the signal Tom, after he is done. I will take care of the rest. You guys got it?" I asked.
They nodded in agreement. 
"Be sure your walkie talkies are on at all times so we can contact one another," I said as the first guests started to arrive.
"Lets do this," Tom said, as he left to greet them all.
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The diving contest was about to start. I looked over at Tom and gave him the signal. He nodded back towards me, and I saw him lead Greg over to the tree. On instinct, Layla went to the secret hiding place and came back with the cinnamon bun. She said something to him, and he looked at Tom. Tom shrugged and leaned back against one side of the tree. Greg did the same and started eating his cinnamon bun. Tom's older brother announced the start of the diving contest, and all us divers lined up. I was very nervous. I looked over at the tree and saw Layla resting upon it, ready to lower the photo album. I adjusted my bikini straps again, and stretched my legs and arms out. I looked over at the tree again and saw that Greg was happy. I knew the cinnamon bun was a nice touch. Its his favorite food, so its a great way to suck up to him. Paul was in front of me, and he ran and did his dive, a can-opener. People cheered and the girls sitting next to the pool shrieked because they got wet. I heard Tom's brother announce my name, and I stepped up to the diving board.
Everything went in slow motion after that. Everyone knew I was famous for my "Uber Double Backwards Flip Dive", as I like to call it. I would do a back-flip twice in midair, and then arch my back in a backwards dive. This was the moment we had all been waiting for. I walked to the end of the diving board and turned around, did my first jump, then my second, and on my third, I was in the air. I did my first back-flip and my second back-flip. I heard shrieks as I arched my back, although it was probably everyone's shock that I had nailed it so perfectly this time. As I hit the water, I smiled, because the plan was going to be ten times better now. I surfaced the water and put my hands up in victory, a big smile on my face. It only lasted for a second, because everyone started laughing and pointing at me. Was it that bad I thought? I thought it was pretty good, until I looked down and didn't see my bright aqua bikini top. Well, that's a lie. I did see it, laying at the bottom of the pool. I immediately ducked my self underwater and turned bright red. I looked over at the tree and saw Greg in hysterics while Layla and Tom were in complete shock. I swam over to the edge of the pool and grabbed my towel, covering myself and running to the bush. I grabbed the walkie talkie with my other hand, and screamed into it, "Abort plan, repeat, abort!" Tom scrambled to his feet and Layla jumped off the tree, instantly dropping the rope and scrapbook. It fell on Greg's head, but he deserved it. She didn't even try to grab it back from him, because she was too busy being a good friend and chasing after me. When she caught up to me, I told her to go dive back in and get my bikini top while Tom's mom came out to me and pulled me in the house.
"Em!" I heard Greg call after me, but Tom just pushed him out. 
Later that night, I was sitting in Layla's room watching Grown Ups when my phone rang. It was Tom.
Greg had read the note and wanted to see me. 
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Hope that was a good cliff hanger for you all. Please spread the word and comment! One more posting (maybe). After August, I'll put up a poll asking...well, you'll see. By the way, the tree the photo album was on is not The Tree, in case there was confusion. Please keep coming back though! Thanks guys!
Megan