Lights Up

How to Throw the Perfect Birthday Party

"Why are we rehearsing in an empty chemistry lab instead of the auditorium?"

"Umm, because someone else is using the auditorium?"

"Who?"

"It's the...um...the cosplay club! They're doing their...um...cosplaying?"

"I didn't know we had a cosplay club. Cool."

We don't have a cosplay club. I made it up on the spot. She seems to buy it, but I'm a horrible liar, so I honestly don't know how long I can keep this up.

"Why don't we work on the song?"

Fifteen minutes later, I get a text from Janis.

Area51Janis: where r u guys

PipThePoet: 133b. The chem lab on the way to the auditorium

Area51Janis: dude

Area51Janis: that was like the worst place to go
Area51Janis: Damien and I stashed a bunch of party food in the storage closet cause it was the closest one to the auditorium. U need to move cause we're coming to get the food

PipThePoet: oh shoot. I'll figure something out. Gimme five minutes.

Oh come ON! Where can we go, where can we go.

"Hey Dia? We gotta move."

"Why?"

"Um...the janitors! Yeah...the janitors need to clean in here. Why don't we go to the choir room, we can use the piano there too."

"Alright. If you say so."

We grab our stuff and start walking towards the choir room. When we turn the corner by the art rooms, another problem arises. Because Jack is walking down the hallway towards us carrying a bunch of balloons. Dia spots him before I can change directions, and calls out.

"Hey Jack! What's with the balloons?"

He turns, surprised, and has what looked like an internal freak out moment when he sees who it is.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...ART PROJECT, BYE!"

With that, he turns around and runs off in the direction he came. Dia shrugs.

"Well that was weird."

We make it to the choir room without any more issues, and work on the song for a while. Luckily, Dia doesn't ask any more questions about what's going on, so I don't have to make up more crazy excuses. The whole time we're practicing, all I can think about is the little black jewelry box in my backpack a few feet away. I'm completely terrified that she won't like it. It's not like I've ever dated another girl, unless you count the time I went to homecoming freshman year with Theo Burr, and that was just as friends, so I guess you wouldn't count that. What if I screw everything up? What if she hates the gift and she breaks up with me because she hates the gift and she never speaks to me again? My very pessimistic internal rambling is interrupted by my phone buzzing in my pocket.

BetterThanU: Operation Dia's B-Day is a go

PipThePoet: on it. We'll head over there

I stuff my phone back in my pocket. Let's do this.

"Hey Dia? I think I left my phone charger in the auditorium yesterday. Can we go look for it? It should be empty now."

"Sure. Let me just grab my stuff."

We head over to the auditorium. As we head inside, all the lights are out. I'm supposed to give the signal for everyone to jump out. I whistle the Mockingjay tune from the Hunger Games quickly, and Dia turns toward me in confusion until--

"SURPRISE!"

The lights turned on, and sure enough, the stage has been completely decorated. There's balloons and streamers everywhere, cupcakes, and the whole gang. Dia turned back to me, smiling.

"Happy Birthday, Dia."

She threw her arms around me and kissed me quickly, which still makes me blush every. Single. Time, dang it! Suddenly I was being dragged up to the stage by my over-excited girlfriend.

"Come ON, Pip! I want cupcakes!"

Our little party soon picked up. Frances hooked her phone up to the auditorium speakers somehow, and started blasting showtunes. When everyone else was distracted with Damien's very dramatic performance of Defying Gravity from on top of a table, I pulled Dia over to the wings where it was quieter.

"What's up, Pip?"

"I, um, got you something."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Pip, this party is amazing."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to, and you're amazing and I feel like I don't tell you that enough, and I, um, got you this."

Here goes nothing. I pull the box out and hand it to her, then watch anxiously as she opens it. The necklace is small and silver, with a square red gemstone. She doesn't say anything as she looks at it, which is worrying.

"My mom helped me pick it out, cause I really know nothing about jewelry. Um, it's ok if you don't like it, you probably hate it, I screwed everything up didn't I--"

"Pip it's beautiful. I love it."

"Wait, you do?"

"Yes, you dork. I love it, and I love you, though your mom probably did most of the picking out."

"Hey...actually you're right, she did."

She laughed at that.

"Doesn't make it any less special. Help me put it on?"

She undid the clasp and pushed her braids back, letting me fasten the necklace. Then she turned around with a smile.

"See? Perfect. Thanks, Pip."

"You're welcome, I guess. I never really know what to say when people thank me for stuff. Um...is this an inappropriate time for me to ask if I can kiss you?"

"No, Pip. Go ahead."

So I do just that. We separate when Frances yells at me from across the stage.

"Yo Romeo! Quit making out with Dia and come help me with this!"

"We weren't making out, Frances!"

"Whatever you say, Romeo."

I look at Dia, who immediately starts laughing. With that, we head back across the stage and rejoin the party.

Damien is an Icon who unironically watches Miraculous Ladybug: The Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

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