It's finally Friday the thirteenth, Katie's birthday, and it's a little after five in the morning. Normally, I'd never willingly wake up this early, but I figure it'd be better to give Katie her presents before school than wait until after. I also want to stop and get some breakfast for the two of us before heading over. After taking a quick shower and throwing on my uniform, I grab my backpack and quietly make my way outside, being careful not to accidentally wake up my parents or Alex.
~
It's close to six when I pull up into Katie's driveway. The living room light's on, Ms. Simmons must be awake. I pull out my phone to text her, since she had given me her number a few weeks ago so I could call or text her if something happened.
D: Hey, I'm here to bring Kate her presents and some breakfast. Could you let me in? I don't wanna end up accidentally waking her up by knocking. (5:59 A.M.)
A moment later, the front door slowly opens. Ms. Simmons stands in the doorway, a mug of coffee in her hand. She's wearing black sweatpants and a baggy light gray sweatshirt. Her long red hair is tied back in a messy braid and she's holding a mug full of coffee. She gives me a tired, but kind smile as I step inside. I spot a small wrapped box and an envelope on the coffee table.
"Morning, Dani. The birthday girl's still asleep. What did you get her?" She greets me with a small yawn, gesturing to my backpack that I'm using to carry all of the stuff me and Jessica had bought.
"Some shoes and a new dress for the party tonight, and a few notebooks. Nothing too crazy." I explain with a smile. "I bought you some breakfast, too. I didn't want to leave out my favorite teacher." I pull a wrapped bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich out from the Dunkin Donuts bag.
"Oh my god, you're a mind reader, I've been craving one of these since I woke up." She thanks me, taking the sandwich and quickly unwrapping it.
"No problem. Are you gonna come to the party tonight?" I keep my voice soft. I don't want to risk Katie being awake and overhearing us.
Ms. Simmons shakes her head. "I was actually going to tell you in class today, I'm going out with a few of the other teachers for dinner tonight. I wouldn't want people to feel uncomfortable because one of their teachers is there. Plus, I don't want to watch my daughter and her friends drinking, which I'm assuming most of the people attending will be." She tells me quietly. "Anyway, I don't want to keep you waiting. You know where Katie's room is, go up and surprise her."
With those final words, I turn and make my way up the stairs, trying my best to not make too much noise. Once I reach Katie's room, I open the door a crack and peek inside. She's lying on her bed facing away from the door. I slowly enter, making my steps as light as I can manage. I'm about halfway across the room when Katie starts moving, making me freeze. She's not awake, is she?
"That you, Mom?" Her voice drones out. I guess that answers my question. I place my backpack on the floor as she turns her head to look at me.
"Oh, it's you, what the fuck?" She asks, her voice groggy as she rubs her eyes and reaches over to grab her phone off of her nightstand. I can't help but laugh at her half-asleep state.
"Damn, I was gonna try to scare you awake or something. I thought you were still sleeping." I say, placing the bag with our breakfast and our drinks on her nightstand to give my hands a break. Katie only yawns, running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame her bedhead.
"Right, well, I'm awake. Sorry to disappoint. I woke up early and I've just been waiting for my alarm to go off because it's still early and I don't wanna go downstairs yet. Speaking of early, what the hell are you doing here?" She inquires as she reaches over to turn on the small lamp propped up on her nightstand. I wait for my eyes to adjust to the change in lighting, then grab my backpack.
"Happy birthday!" I say happily, unzipping my backpack and placing her presents on the bed. Katie stares at them for a moment, looking confused, before smiling and shaking her head.
"My mom told you, didn't she?" She asks with another yawn.
"Yeah, a while ago. Here you go." I tell her, handing over the notebooks, dress and shoes. Katie nods with a tired smile and eagerly starts unwrapping them.
"Ah, I've been meaning to get some new books. Thanks, babe." She says as she unwraps the notebooks, admiring the designs on them. "Alright, you got me some books. But I have no idea what these two could be." She picks up the box holding her new shoes and shakes it lightly, trying to figure out what it is.
"Here, I brought breakfast for us. You can open the other two after we eat." I instruct, digging her breakfast sandwich out of the smaller bag and handing it to her, along with her caramel iced coffee.
We eat together in a comfortable silence. After we finish and clean up the garbage, I hand her the rest of the gifts. A look of confusion crosses her face when she unwraps them. "Why did you buy me an outfit? Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful and I love it, but I don't believe you found this on your own. What are you planning?" She asks with a teasing smile.
"You'll find out later, my love." I whisper to her with a wink. "Now c'mon, time to get up and get ready." I tell her, lacing my hands with hers and pulling her into a standing position.
She looks absolutely stunning in the morning while she's got no makeup on. Her red hair falls over her shoulders and reaches down to her back. She's wearing an oversized white t-shirt with black shorts underneath. "Babe, how would you feel about not wearing any makeup today? Just for me?" I ask as she stands in front of her mirror, brushing her hair.
"I can do less makeup than I usually do, but I'm not going out completely bare. Makeup helps to cover up the things I don't like and makes me look presentable."
"Fair enough." I agree. I know if I ask again, it'll probably just cause an argument. I would hate to have our first argument happen on her birthday. Her day's going to be perfect and I'll make damn sure of it. "Now hurry up and get your ass in the shower before I drag you in there and put it on cold." I jokingly threaten.
Katie laughs as she pulls out her clothes and turns to head to the bathroom. "Yeah, okay, whatever you say." She says more to herself than me. I bite back a laugh and sit down on her bed.
~
Nearly an hour passes, and Katie walks back into the bedroom, dressed in a white button up shirt, a dark green plaid skirt and black tights. Her hair is still a little damp from the shower. She stuck to her promise of wearing less makeup today. She has mascara, lip gloss and a bit of concealer on, instead of her usual look. God, she really is a natural beauty. "It's almost seven, we should get going." She says, grabbing her tote bag and taking my hand.
We go downstairs to find Ms. Simmons, who has changed into her usual schoolwear, with a grin on her face. "Happy birthday, beautiful!" She exclaims as she walks over to us, giving Katie a tight hug. I take a seat at the kitchen next to Katie while Ms. Simmons brings over her presents. "I can't believe you're already eighteen. You're an adult now. Time really does fly."
"I certainly don't feel like an adult." Katie comments as she begins to open the envelope, earning a laugh from her mom. She pulls out the birthday card and opens it. Two fifty dollar bills fall onto her lap. She picks them up with a small smile and quickly opens the other present. It's a silver bracelet with a small charm of a blue butterfly in the middle of it.
"Thanks, Mom." Katie tells her gratefully with a soft smile. Ms. Simmons returns the smile as Katie turns to look at me. "And thank you too, Dani. I haven't really cared about my birthday in a long time, but this is great. Seriously." She says, a look of pure honesty in her dark brown eyes. She seems so heartfelt right now, I just want to pull her close to me and kiss her like there's no tomorrow.
I think Ms. Simmons can guess what I'm feeling. "Right, I should get going. You girls should leave pretty soon, you don't want to be late." With that, she quickly walks out of the house. It's just the two of us now.
"So, what else do you have planned for today? I'm sure those presents aren't the only thing." Kate asks, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
"I told you, you'll find out later, it's a surprise. C'mon, we gotta leave now." I answer, quickly grabbing her hand and leading her outside to my car.
~
"I'll be here at seven to pick you up. Be ready by then, okay?" I instruct Katie as I drop her off back home. She nods, giving me a quick peck on my lips as she exits the car. I pull out of her driveway and start heading for the diner. When I arrive, it's close to three-thirty and for the first time in a really long time, the diner is closed early. All of the lights are off, leaving the inside of the shop dark except for the light coming through the windows. I unlock the door, flick on the lights and look around. There are pink, purple, and blue streamers hanging up. The drawer of the cash register has been removed (that's to be expected of my dad), the cases that usually have various kinds of cakes on display are now empty, and the door leading to the kitchen is locked. The counter is loaded with various kinds of alcohol. Vodka, whiskey, bourbon, and all that good stuff. There are also several different mixers and a few cases of beer. The soda machine is still operating, meaning we'll have free access to drinks. The tables in the back room have all been pushed to the edge of the room to make sure the place won't be crowded, and our old speaker is set up on one of the tables, ready for when the guests start to arrive at six-thirty.
I turn the lights back off and exit the diner, making the short walk to our house. When I enter, I find a note hanging on the fridge. It's from Mom, I recognize her handwriting.
'Your dad and I are going out for the night so you guys can enjoy your party. Alex decided he wanted to stick around for the party, if that's alright. We'll be back around one, make sure everyone's out by then. Don't worry about cleaning it up, we'll help you out with it tomorrow. Be careful, I love you.'
I smirk and head upstairs to the bathroom so I can shower before the party. After showering and drying my hair, I start digging through my dresser and closet in an attempt to choose a good outfit. Tonight is one of the few nights where I'll actually put effort into my appearance. It takes close to twenty minutes, but I finally settle on an outfit: Black skinny jeans and a plain white t-shirt with a pair of black Vans and a silver lock necklace. I quickly redo my eyeliner and mascara, and flop down on my bed, impatiently waiting for six-thirty to arrive.
I head back to the diner when it's about ten minutes to six-thirty. Shortly after I arrive, Jessica is the first guest. She enters the diner with Katie's present and Keira (the girl she met when we were at Spencer's) walking next to her. "Hey bitch, you remember Keira?" She greets me, setting Katie's present on the counter and pulling me into a brief hug. I nod at Keira and motion towards the soda machine and bottles.
"Thanks for coming. Drinks are already out, help yourself. Jess, keep your phone on you. I'll text you when me and Katie are getting close so you can get everyone hidden. Got it?" I say, making it clear that I'm not joking around. I want this to be perfect, there's no room for any mistakes, no matter how small they are.
"Chill out, Dani. I know the drill." She reassures me. I look at her and Keira. Jess has her long platinum blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and she's wearing a sleeveless maroon-colored dress that reaches down to the middle of her thighs paired with white heels. Keira has her hair tied up in a French braid and is wearing a red leather jacket over a pale gray tank top, black shorts with black ripped up tights underneath and black ankle boots. The two of them clean up really nicely.
Right, no time to stand around. I quickly slip out of the diner as another car pulls up. I wave to the driver and make my way to my car.
~
Ms. Simmons opens the front door and smiles at me. She's dressed in a tight-fitted black dress that goes down to her knees. Typical of her, dressing modestly even on a night out. She has on skin colored tights and black pumps, I think this is the first time I've ever seen her wear heels. Her red hair is curled slightly and she has dark smokey eye makeup. My girlfriend sure has one ridiculously pretty mom.
"You've got everything set up. Does Katie suspect anything?" She asks in a hushed whisper.
"Nope. I told her that we're going out, but my dad needed us to stop by the diner first to talk to us." I begin to explain, but quickly cut myself off when I hear heels clicking on the wooden stairs. Katie's coming down.
My breath hitches in my throat and my heart skips several beats as I spot my drop dead gorgeous girlfriend slowly making her way down the stairs. The dress hugs her curves perfectly and the slit on the side gives me a nice view of her legs. Her makeup is perfect and precise: Black eyeshadow with winged eyeliner and mascara, neatly done eyebrows, and cherry red lips. "Oh, wow..." I breathe out. "Katie, you look...shit...My god..." I ramble, unable to form a coherent sentence. Ms. Simmons giggles beside me, completely ignoring my swearing and grins at Katie, who has reached the bottom step.
"I guess that means you approve?" Katie teases, clearly pleased by my awestruck reaction. I'm almost drooling at the sight of her, so "approve" may be a bit of an understatement.
"Katie, you look so fucking good. Shit, I just wanna..." I'm cut off by Ms. Simmons clearing her throat, probably getting the idea of what I want to say. "What ever did I do to deserve such a hot girlfriend?" I flirt, gently placing my hands on Katie's hips, causing her face to turn bright pink.
"Well, I hate to break this up, but don't you two have somewhere to be?" Ms. Simmons questions, glancing down at her watch.
"Right, shall we go then?" I turn to Katie, who eagerly nods and quickly hugs her mom.
"Have fun with your night out. We won't be out too late." She says before pulling away. We walk hand in hand to my car, my heart pounding. Everything's going to go according to plan so far, there's nothing to worry about.
~
My phone vibrates in my pocket, Jess just texted me.
J: We're all good :) (7:25 P.M.)
I smirk and shove my phone back in my pocket. Katie quickly notices the diner is closed and turns to me. "Didn't your dad say he wanted to talk to us? Why's the diner closed?" She questions.
I shrug. "Probably just wanted to lock up before we talked. You know how he can be." I lie, praying she won't catch on. She doesn't look too convinced, but nods anyway. I unlock the door, knowing that Jess had locked them to make it more believable. We step into the pitch black building. I feel around the walls for the light switch, preparing myself for all the noise to come.
As Katie adjusts to the sudden flood of light, everyone (around thirty people) jump out from their hiding spots, shouting "Surprise!" and "Happy birthday!", a few of them blow into party horns. Katie jumps at the sudden noise, clearly caught off-guard. She lets go of my hand and lightly punches my shoulder. "Dani, you did all this? For me?" She asks, scanning the diner. I nod proudly.
"I can't believe you." She laughs, spotting her friends from her old school, Emily, Lauren and Maya, and waving to them. The building is quickly flooded with the sound of the group talking and the music being turned back on.
"Well, we're gonna be here a while, you want a drink?" I offer.
"Not now. I'll have a few later but I don't wanna get too drunk tonight." She whispers, grabbing a glass and pouring some Sierra Mist into it from the soda machine. Once her cup is filled, she walks over to her friends from her old school, chatting with them about who knows what.
I fill a cup with root beer and Jess walks over to me. She picks up a bottle of whiskey and pours some into a cup, mixing it with Coke. "So, how's it going with Keira?" I ask her, taking a sip of my drink. Normally, I'd be the first one getting into the alcohol, but I'm the one driving, so it would definitely be a dumb idea for me to get drunk.
Jess takes a long gulp of her drink before wiping her mouth and coughing a little. She's not quite tipsy, but this drink definitely isn't her first. "Things are pretty good. We've just been talking, catching up on things. She's really sweet, y'know. Talks a lot, but sweet. And so goddamn pretty..." She trails off. I laugh and take another drink.
"Catching feelings, are you?" I comment, as if it's not already obvious. Jess rolls her eyes.
"Of course not. It's only been two days, I'm not trying to rush into a relationship yet."
"You never know what can happen. But hey, if you guys do get together, you think you could convince her to steal some shit from the store for me?" I ask jokingly. Jess laughs loudly and downs the rest of her drink, quickly pouring another one.
"I'll see what I can do."
~
Two and a half hours pass by, and a majority of the guests are drunk. A group of people have set up a game of beer pong. I watch as Alex scores and downs a drink while several other guys and girls cheer for him. "That's my little bro, alright." I think with a proud smirk. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Katie's friend Lauren talking with Jess. They're standing by the laptop connected to the speaker, but I can't make out what they're saying. The music suddenly cuts off.
"Alright, listen up fuckers, we're gonna slow things down a little. This next song is a favorite of Dani's. You bitches better make room for my favorite couple to have a nice dance, got it?" Jess's slurred voice rings out through the speaker. I have a lot of favorite songs, which one is she about to play?
"Thunder" by Boys Like Girls begins to play through the speakers and I can't help but smile. This song's been one of my favorites since I was a kid, it always puts me in a good mood. Katie stands beside me, humming along to the music. I grab her hands and pull her into me. Her arms go around my neck and mine around her waist. We stand in another's embrace, swaying slightly and not caring that people are watching.
"You're so perfect, Katie. You make my heart melt, no one's ever made me feel that way before. I just wish you would believe me when I say that I've never met anyone more breath-takingly beautiful than you." I whisper as I rest my forehead against hers. She smiles and we stare deeply into each other's eyes. I know it's a genuine smile.
"You're so good to me, Dani. You treat me better than I could ever imagine. And right now? I believe everything you're saying. Thank you."