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This is Jack. Jack is in a bouncy mood. It’s his birthday party today! He has invited the whole class.

Jack’s house isn’t big enough for twenty-three kids. So this year he is having his party at a play centre. Jack wakes up feeling very excited. He runs downstairs to the kitchen. ‘It’s my birthday party today!’ he shouts.

Jack’s mum and dad are eating breakfast. ‘You still have four hours before your party,’ says his mum. ‘Come and have some breakfast. We’ll get ready in a little while.’ After breakfast, Jack says, ‘I’m going to Billie’s house.’ Four hours is too long to wait by himself. Billie is Jack’s best friend. She lives next door. Jack squeezes through the hole in the fence into Billie’s backyard. He runs up to the back door and knocks on the glass.

Billie’s mum comes to the door. She is still in her dressing gown. ‘I’m sorry, Jack,’ she says. ‘Billie is sick! She has been throwing up all night. Something she ate must have upset her tummy. She won’t be able to go to your party today.’ ‘Oh no!’ says Jack.

‘You can go upstairs and visit her,’ says Billie’s mum. ‘She’ll be happy to see you.’ Jack runs up the stairs two at a time. He bursts into Billie’s room. She is sitting up in bed with a book. ‘You’re not coming to my party?’ says Jack. ‘I know!’ says Billie miserably. ‘Mum won’t let me. She says I’m too sick.’

Jack sits down on Billie’s bed. He feels very disappointed. ‘But it won’t be fun without you!’ he says. Billie smiles. ‘Thanks, Jack. But you’ll still have fun. Not too much, I hope!’ she jokes. ‘Save me some cake, won’t you?’ ‘Of course I will,’ he says. ‘I wish you could come, too.’ Jack knows his party won’t be the same without Billie. What fun is a party without your best friend?