"Happy birthday to you!", everybody sang. If she wasn't feeling like she was about to throw up, she might have even enjoyed the party.

"Happy birthday to you!" Sarah was accompanying everybody on her guitar.

"Happy birthday dear Riley! Happy birthday to you!" Everybody erupted in cheers, while Riley blew out the candles on her cake. She got all twelve of them, though it was a little harder then last time.

Then she opened her presents. Mom had gotten her new ice skates, while dad had had gotten her a Wii. Sarah had gotten her a Katy Perry album. James had gotten her an iPod. He seemed a little weird. When Sarah introduced him, he first froze completely and then started talking unnaturally fast, stumbling over his words in the process as often as not.

"I wish I cou...could just take my drums anywhere. We could have our first practice right now.", James said, as they were hanging out in her room later.

"Didn't you start with the bass a few months ago? Why not bring that?", Sarah asked.

"Erm, I just do...don't have the talent for playing bass."

"You mean you are too lazy."

"Hey, that's not fair, you tra...try learning two different instruments!"

"Learning even one was too much for me.", Riley said.

"Looks like Riley is on your side. Anyway, what do you think about the band?"

"Hmmm, we really can't just have the drums hanging out there. We need something to tie it up with the guitar. Either a rhythm guitar or a bass."

"What is a rhythm guitar?", Riley asked.

"Basically the guitar player that plays mostly chords, while a lead guitar plays individuals notes.", Sarah answered

"And what are chords?"

"Groups of notes."

"Very helpful, Sarah.", James said. "Would you pass me the guitar?"

Sarah handed it over. He plucked the topmost string.

"Okay, so that's a single note, an E. If I go a semitone higher..." He lay down a finger on the guitar, and played the same string again. The sound was slightly higher.

"We have an E sharp."

"A F, ya doofus.", Sarah corrected.

"Just... testing you. Anyway if you combine an E, the note three semitones above that, an A, and the note two above that, a B..."

He lay his fingers on the guitar, and played all string at one.

"Then we have a chord. That's also called a triad. There are all kinds of different chords for all kinds of different notes, and usually you double up on some of the notes but that's the gist of it."

"I see." She didn't really.

"Shucks, so late? I have to go now, see ya!", James said.

"See ya!", they both echoed.

"You have to go too?", Riley asked.

Sarah looked at her phone.

"I still have a little time."

"Cool."

"Actually, I just learned a new song. You like Sinatra?"

"Hell yeah!", she lied.

"We gotta remember looking up that Sinatra guy too.", Disgust said.

"Sh! She's about to start!", Joy said.

"Fly me to the moon,", Sarah sang while playing her guitar.

The feeling of a tear rolling down her face was still unfamiliar for Joy.

"and let me play among the Stars.

Show me what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars."

A hand rested calmly on Joy's left shoulder. Joy reached to touch Sadness' big, soft hand. Except it wasn't soft at all. Nor did it have the bony nature of Fear's hand. Nor was it one of Anger's muscly paws. She looked at it, expecting Disgust's green. Instead she saw pink.

"What-?", she asked.

The figure behind her shushed.

"I wanna hear that.", she said in her squeaky voice.

The figure was pink, dressed in a flowing yellow dress, and had blue eyes. An intruder? How did she get in here? At least she seemed to be completely enamored in Sarah's singing.

The emotions formed a circle.

"Who the heck is she?", Anger whispered as loud as whispers could be.

"Well we-", Disgust began, but then they all noticed that the mysterious woman was moving towards the console.

"I'm sorry, but that console is only for us!", Joy began "We are in headquarters, so only us emotions are allowed here. If you are lost, we'd be more then happy to-"

"Not lost, and I only want to make her adjust her hair anyway.", the woman said.

Riley combed through her hair with her fingers. What was this feeling in her stomach? And why was she suddenly so nervous?

"In other words, please be true,

In other words, I love you."

As Anger tried to get the intruder off the console, a memory rolled in. It glowed, so it was a core, but there was something odd about it. It was the exact same pink as the intruder.

"Don't worry, I'll get it.", she said, as she stood up to get it.

"Waitwaitwait!", Disgust said.

The intruder didn't care, and entered the core Memory.

"WHAT THE FUDGE IS GOING ON?!", Anger yelled. Everybody froze.

"I think what our friend Anger her means is that you should perhaps introduce yourself.", Joy offered.

"Oh. I'm Love. Guess I'll be working with you from now on."

"That must be a mistake.", Disgust said. "Right?"

"I-It's only us five emotions up here.", Fear said. "You must be at the wrong place."

"Nope, that's right", Love said. "I'm the sixth emotion, Love."

"Nonono. There are only five Emotions. Fear, Anger, Sadness, Joy and me. We've all been here for at least ten years or so.", Disgust said.

"And me make six. As I said. Okay now that that's out of the way, I'll just get back to the console."

"Wait a second, missy! Joy's in charge around here. You can't just go around doing whatever you want!", Anger said.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm "in charge" or anything.", she said, making air-quotes around the words "in charge". "We all work together as a team here!", Joy said, locking her hands together. "It's just that we operate... under a system of seniority, so I help with making the executive decisions here, stuff like that. See I've known Riley ever since she was born, so I just think you might appreciate my input."

"Alright. I understand.", Love said, turning to the console. "How do I make us kiss her?"

"You can't kiss her!", Disgust yelled, horrified.

"Why not?"

"She's a girl!"

"And?"

"Riley is a girl too!"

"So?"

"Girls are only supposed to kiss boys!"

"Whoever said that?"

Disgust was dumbfounded.

"Earth to Riley!", Sarah said, waving her hand in front of Riley's eyes.

"What?"

"I asked you how you liked it."

"Oh. Yeah, that was great. Singing and playing must be hard."

"It's alright once if you use anchor words. Maybe I can do some backup vocals in the future. Oh, I have to go too. Bye."

"Bye.", Riley said, even though she just wanted to tell her to stay.