Friday evening arrived with perfect weather—clear skies, gentle breeze, not too hot. It was like the universe was finally cooperating with my business plans.
Dad helped me load the projector and extension cords into the car while Mom packed a cooler with ice for my snacks. Jake even offered to help carry things, though I suspected he was more interested in getting first dibs on the candy bars.
“You nervous?” Mom asked as we drove to the park.
“Terrified,” I admitted. “What if nobody shows up?”
“Then we’ll have a very inexpensive private movie screening,” Dad said with a grin. “But I have a feeling you’re going to be surprised.”
When we arrived at Riverside Park, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Cars were already pulling into the parking lot, and families were walking toward the grassy area with blankets and lawn chairs. The posters had actually worked.
Piper and Reese were waiting for me by the big oak tree, practically bouncing with excitement.
“Kiora!” Piper called out. “There are so many people here! Mrs. Patterson brought her whole family, and I saw at least three families from my street!”
My heart was pounding as I set up my snack table near the entrance area. This was it, my biggest test yet. If the movie night flopped, I’d be back to making thirteen dollars a day for the rest of the summer.
But as the sun started to set and more families arrived, I realized I didn’t need to worry. A line formed at my snack table before the movie even started. Kids wanted candy bars and sodas, parents bought waters and chips, and everyone seemed excited about the whole event.
“Four dollars per person, please,” I said to the Henderson family as they approached with their blanket. Mr. Henderson handed me a twenty-dollar bill.
“Keep the change,” he said with a smile. “This is a great idea, Kiora. The kids have been talking about it ever since they saw your poster.”
By the time Dad finished setting up the projector and the opening credits started rolling, I had collected ticket money from thirty people. Thirty! That was one hundred and twenty dollars just from admission.
But the snack sales were even better than I’d hoped. During the movie, people kept coming over during the funny parts or slow scenes. I sold almost everything I’d brought—fourteen candy bars, twenty-two sodas, fifteen bags of chips, and twenty-six water bottles.
“This is incredible,” Reese whispered during a quiet scene in the movie. “You’re like a real businesswoman.”
“Look at that line,” Piper added, pointing to the families still buying snacks. “You’re going to make so much money tonight.”
As the movie ended and families started packing up their blankets, I could hardly contain my excitement. People were already asking when the next movie night would be.
“Same time next Friday?” Mrs. Chen asked, folding up her lawn chair.
“Absolutely,” I said, trying to sound professional instead of like someone who wanted to do cartwheels across the park.
After everyone left and we’d loaded the projector back into the car, I sat on the picnic table and counted my money by flashlight. Ticket sales: one hundred and twenty dollars. Snack sales: sixty dollars.
One hundred and eighty dollars. In one night.
I stared at the pile of bills in my hands, hardly believing it was real. This was more money than I’d made in my best week of regular snack sales. Way more.
“Well?” Dad asked, walking over with the last of the extension cords. “How’d we do?”
I looked up at him, grinning so wide my cheeks hurt. “Dad, I think I just figured out how to get to Florida.”