The text message noise echoes through the game room where I am playing a car racing game on the X-Box. I check my phone.

"Congratulations to Alice, Selena Garcia and Emanuel for winning the parade challenge and as a bonus, they won a trip to Los Angeles to accompany the 2023 Oscar awards,” announces Stella Castellano

I get up from the huge ottoman and start jumping and screaming with happiness. I don't believe it! I don't believe it!

I call Alice right after my freak attack.

“Did you see?!” I scream into my cellphone, blinking repeatedly into it as I could not believe my eyes.

“Of course!” she yells back...