SULIT | robin buckley.

nine | July

"You called us?" Steve questioned, wrapping an arm around Angela. Her best friend didn't seem to question Steve's action and instead leaned into his embrace.

"I had a really awesome idea. Let's throw a party," Danielle suggests, and she immediately can tell that they're not on board with the idea.

"A party?" Jonathan questions, "What exactly are we celebrating?"

"Being alive?" Danielle says, earning a laugh from Nancy, "We didn't get to celebrate the Fourth of July, so I thought we'd do something. For our siblings."

"Party. I am so down," Steve says looking at everyone, Robin sighs from beside Danielle as she shakes her head.

"We know you are, Steve," Robin says.

"I'm in too," Angela says, "My mom says I am no longer allowed to babysit which is a blessing and a curse."

Danielle can't help but laugh at that. She looks over at Nancy and Jonathan, the only two that seemed to be unconvinced. Nancy shrugged before grinning widely, "What the hell."

"Jonathan?" Danielle asked with a smile, "Please? We need someone to take pictures."

"Fine," Jonathan agrees, "Let's throw a party."

Danielle grins, "Great, so I was thinking we could have at the Wheelers house."

They begin to plan the party, wanting to make it a surprise for everyone. Steve and Angela had the task of distracting the kids while they set everything up at the Wheelers. Nancy said that her mom would pitch in since she wanted to be more involved. Jonathan was going to take pictures and Danielle and Robin were in charge of getting fireworks.

"We're lucky," Danielle says as she grabs a box of fireworks and shows them to Robin, "They're half off."

Robin takes the box and inspects them, "Not as explosive as the ones we used in the mall."

"That's a good thing," Danielle says, then she frowns, "You don't think that these will give the kids PTSD or something?"

"Those kids are super tough," Robin says with a smile, "I think they'll be fine."

"Okay," Danielle says. She holds her hands out, placing her fist atop the other, "Let's do rock, paper, scissors to decide who pays."

Robin rolls her eyes as she takes the box and tucks it under her arm, "I'll pay for it."

"No way," Danielle says shoving her hands into Robin's face, "Let's do it."

"No," Robin says, shoving Danielle's hands away, "I'm gonna pay for it because you're beautiful."

Danielle's hands slowly dropped to her side as she stared at Robin. The words had truly caught her off guard, "Oh."

Robin laughed, "Oh," she teased back. Her free hand slipped into Danielle's as she tugged her toward the cash register so that they could purchase the fireworks. They left the store and got into Danielle's Jeep, driving to the Wheeler's house.

"We have the fireworks," Robin said as Nancy opened the door. Nancy takes them with a smile and pushes the door open further so that Danielle and Robin can enter.

"Danielle!" Mrs. Wheeler exclaims as the girl enters the house. She rushes over and wraps her arms around her, squeezing tight. Danielle returns the embrace with hesitance, smiling when Mrs. Wheeler pulls away and looks over at her, like a relative she hadn't seen in months.

"Hi Mrs. Wheeler," Danielle says, a small blush on her cheeks.

"I was wondering if Nancy had steered you away like she does all her friends," Mrs. Wheeler says. A laugh comes from the kitchen, which is quickly covered up by a cough. Nancy narrows her eyes at her mother but says nothing.