CHAPTER 2
FBF “Forever Best Friend”

Like most blessings, Erin discovered her Forever Best Friend in the midst of a crisis. Erin and her older brother went to a private school on the other side of the Hollywood Hills where her family lived. Erin’s brother was four years older and was responsible to take her home. Early in the morning, they were dropped off at school by their dad who worked in the television and movie industry, but it was Erin’s brother, Adrian, who took her home from school each day on the public bus. But on this fateful day, Adrian bribed her with enough money to buy a mile-high ice cream cone if she would go home on the bus by herself. 

Adrian quizzed her over and over to make sure she knew the name and number of both public buses Erin needed to take. He asked her how much money for each bus, to be sure to remember to ask for a transfer on the first bus, and where to get off to change buses. Erin, who was just in first grade, was too young to understand the danger so she smiled happily, agreeing excitedly, patting all the coins in her tiny blue uniform pocket for the bus fare and her ice cream. 

While waiting on the corner, Erin got a bit scared because she was confused as she waited for her first bus. So many buses stopped and opened their doors before she read the right name and the correct number. But as soon as the right bus came and she put her coins into the farebox and got her transfer that folded tightly, stuffing it into her tiny pocket, she smiled and took a seat. All she could think about was ordering her strawberry mile-high ice cream cone!

Just as the bus passed the famous Chinese Theater where everyone was taking pictures, standing in the movie star’s footprints and on their knees with their hands in their handprints, she jumped up and excitedly pulled the cord to let the bus driver know she wanted to get off at the next stop. Erin knew she didn’t need to pull the cord, her brother always told her this was the busiest corner in all of Hollywood (maybe the whole world!) and why he held her hand after they got off. 

That day no one held Erin’s hand. She stood at the exit before the bus stopped and was the first one off the bus. At the corner, she waited for a green light and crossed the street, heading for the corner soda fountain. She handed the man her money and ordered a strawberry mile-high ice cream cone. Delighted, she sat down to read the comic books, forgetting she needed to watch the time. All of a sudden, she remembered, and her heart started pounding. As Erin rushed outside, she looked up to see the clock on the bank, and the time was the exact time when the bus would leave! Then to her horror, she saw where she should have been waiting, and there was her bus—slowly pulling away!

This happened once before when Adrian was joking around with his friends. So Erin knew the next bus going into the Valley wouldn’t come for another hour, so she crossed the street to her bus stop, then went into the bank. Erin and Adrian loved to play in the bank when their mom went down into the basement to the giant vault to put important papers in or take important papers out. They’d ride the elevator up and down. They’d go to the top of the stairs, then sit down and slide down on the marble stairs that curved, taking them to the lobby. 

Playing inside was another mistake—it caused Erin to miss the next bus and the bus after that. 

By the time Erin got on her bus to get home, it was getting dark. Being on a bus when it was light inside but dark outside frightened Erin. She was sure she’d miss her stop. So even though there were dozens of stops before they’d reach her street, Erin began cupping her hands to peer out the window, watching for her stop. 

Almost an hour later, after she passed the Party Shop, where she stole something and got caught, Erin was relieved to get off and cross the street. But this is when she was the most frightened! There were no streetlights on her block. Erin began by walking up the street but soon she started to run to get home where she would feel safe again. 

Now crying, very sure that her brother would be in a lot of trouble for not taking her home. As she walked into the kitchen, she heard her mother call out, “Hurry and take your uniform off, Erin, dinner is almost ready.” Sobbing she told her mother that Adrian had made her come home on the bus alone!! Erin’s mom, still stirring the spaghetti sauce, turned and smiled at her, “But look what a big girl you are, Erin, you made it home just fine.”