Amy lay on her bed, rolling onto her side as she stared at her phone screen. Notifications lit up from classmates, random acquaintances, even a couple of teachers sending the obligatory happy birthday texts. She smiled at them, yes—but none of them mattered. Not really.
What she wanted… what she kept waiting for… was Adrian.
Her thumb hovered over his chat window more than once, tempted to type a casual hey. But she stopped herself each time. She wanted him to be the one. She wanted his name to flash across her screen, his words to make her chest warm, his teasing voice to make her smile.
But the screen remained stubbornly blank.
No message. No call. No Adrian.
Her smile faded a little. She dropped the phone on her chest and exhaled. “Come on, Adrian…” she muttered to the ceiling. “Not even a text?”
Even Lily and Chelsea had gone oddly quiet that morning. No surprise visit, no excited squeals barging into her room, no over-the-top plans. Just silence.
And Sarah? Nowhere to be found. Her bed was still neatly made, her books stacked on the desk as if she hadn’t even been there.
Amy sat up, hugging her pillow. “Where is everybody today?” she wondered aloud.
The birthday girl had no idea her best friend was running around campus pulling strings like a mad conductor.
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  Adrian moved slowly along the glass counter, arms folded, his sharp eyes darting over rows of frosted cakes. Every single one seemed to sparkle with colors and designs, but instead of helping, they only tangled his thoughts further.
The clerk slid a heavy book across the counter toward him. “Here, sir. We have more designs you can order from. Different sizes, colors, patterns…”
Adrian flipped it open, page after page of elegant cakes with ribbons, sugar flowers, even glittering fondant. Instead of clarity, confusion set deeper. He scowled, dragging a hand down his face.
This is ridiculous… how am I supposed to know which one she’ll actually like?
Finally, with a frustrated sigh, he pulled out his phone and typed quickly.
> [Adrian → Sarah]
I’m at the bakery. Too many options. Sending pics. Pick one before I lose my mind.
He snapped a few shots from the cake book and sent them off. Within a minute, Sarah’s reply popped up.
> [Sarah → Adrian]
The third one. Pastel pink and cream, with roses. Amy will love it. Trust me.
Adrian stared at the screen for a moment, then exhaled, relief softening his expression. He turned to the clerk, pointing at the page Sarah had chosen. “That one. Put her name on it—Amy—and… nineteen. She’s turning nineteen today.”
The clerk scribbled down the order, nodding. “We’ll have it ready in a few hours.”
Adrian leaned back slightly, a small, rare smile tugging at his lips. Just picturing her seeing it—her surprise, maybe even her laugh—was enough to ease the weight pressing on his chest.
“Happy nineteenth, Amy,” he murmured to himself.
  **************
  Sarah stood in the middle of the school hall, hands on her hips like a commander surveying her troops. The once plain hall had transformed into a whirlwind of activity—students running up ladders to hang balloons, others wrestling with long streamers, and a few arguing over where the cake table should be placed.
It hadn’t been easy to get here. Earlier that morning, Sarah had marched straight into the principal’s office, clutching her bundle of glossy invitations and nerves. But instead of shutting her down, the principal had surprised her with a smile. “You seniors have earned it. Just remember, teachers will be present to supervise.” And so, Sarah walked out triumphant, permission slip in hand.
Now, with a small team of teachers keeping a watchful eye from the corners, Sarah felt like she owned the place.
“Babe! It’s not like that!” Chelsea’s voice suddenly rose above the chatter, followed by the sound of playful bickering.
Sarah turned her head just in time to see Chelsea blushing furiously, swatting at a boy who was helping her tie ribbons to the chairs.
“Love, love, love!” Lily sing-songed from the side, eyes sparkling with mischief.
Sarah clutched her chest dramatically. “Who would’ve imagined the shy Chelsea would have a boyfriend? Our little Chelsea, growing up so fast!”
 Lily giggled and leaned closer to Sarah. “It’s because she’s been hanging out with you and amy. You girls are the type of people who could turn even an introvert into an extrovert. Poor girl never stood a chance.”
Sarah laughed, giving her a playful shove. “You’re not wrong about that.” Then, her expression sharpened. She leaned closer, whispering like it was top-secret. “By the way, I hope you haven’t texted Amy yet! We want her to be worried, to think we forgot… and then—boom! Surprise!”
Lily raised both hands, looking proud. “Relax, commander. I made sure neither Chelsea nor I messaged her. Radio silence."
Chelsea peeked out from behind her hands now close to them “She’s going to cry when she sees all this.”
Sarah’s grin widened, her eyes sweeping over the glittering decorations, the buzz of excited students, the teachers pretending not to enjoy themselves. “Good. That’s the point. Amy deserves it.”
  -------------
  The school hall was nearly unrecognizable. Streamers dangled like colorful vines, balloons bobbed along the ceiling, and tables were half-covered in shiny cloths as students scurried around. Sarah paced like a general, barking orders and adjusting ribbons, when a sudden thud made her whirl around.
One boy who had been standing on a chair, trying to tape balloons to the ceiling, had lost his balance and toppled straight into a pile of folded chairs. The crash echoed across the hall.
“Are you okay?!” Lily gasped, rushing over.
The boy popped his head out from the mess of balloons, dazed but perfectly fine. “I… I think I stapled my hair to the ribbon.”
The hall erupted in laughter. Even one of the supervising teachers bit down a smile, turning away as if checking the wall’s “structural integrity.”
“Get him down before he turns into balloon art himself!” Sarah shouted, still laughing.
Meanwhile, Chelsea was trying to tape a glittery banner that read HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY! but the tape kept peeling off. On her third attempt, the entire roll of tape slipped from her fingers, rolled across the floor, and somehow ended up sticking itself to a teacher’s shoe.
The teacher froze mid-step, blinking down at the roll stuck to her heel. Chelsea’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh my gosh—I’m so sorry, ma’am!”
The teacher just sighed. “You seniors…” But her lips twitched like she was hiding a laugh.
At the other end of the hall, another group of students was blowing balloons. One boy puffed so hard his balloon popped with a deafening bang! He leapt a full foot into the air, clutching his chest.
“I nearly swallowed my lungs!” he cried, and everyone—including Sarah—burst into uncontrollable giggles.
Sarah wiped tears of laughter from her eyes, clapping her hands together. “Okay, okay! Less dying, more decorating!”
Chelsea grinned through her blush, Lily was still giggling uncontrollably, and the whole hall buzzed with that messy, chaotic joy that only came when students were left half in charge.
And Sarah, standing in the middle of it all, couldn’t help but smile to herself. This is going to be perfect. Amy won’t see it coming.