Chapter 1: A Surprise

Freezing winters were at their peak and the snow was falling continuously. It was 11:35 p.m. and the lights of an apartment in the Qousina building were still on. The whole apartment was lited up and was distinguishable from the whole building. From time to time one or two cars passed by on the road. One could see shadows of homies walking from here and there through windows.

In the house, everyone was busy with their work.

"Don't make noises; she will wake up." Asmar hushed everyone around him.

"Fix that balloon over there" he pointed to the wall ordering Aaron.

"Leo? You and Aaina light up the whole room; take these." Asmar threw fairy lights at them.

"Ella go and ask Layla if the cake is ready." Asmar was conveying instructions in a lowered voice.

He was decorating the table when Layla appeared with the cake. The decorations and cake were according to the grey theme. Asmar checked the whole decorations and gave party poppers to everyone in the room. It was 11:55 p.m. when all the decorations are done. He instructed everyone about their duties and he himself stood at the pillow side of her daughter who was sleeping peacefully and waited for 12 a.m.

Everyone was standing according to per instructions of Mr. Asmar.

Aaron was standing near the switch.

Ella, Leo, and Aaina were standing with party poppers in their hands.

Layla was standing at the study table who just turned into a birthday table.

Mr. Asmar pointed to Aaron to switch off the lights and turned on the fairy and colorful LED lights in the room and was continuously looking at the wall clock.

11:58 p.m

11:59 p.m

and,

12:00 a.m

Asmar kissed her daughter on her forehead, and woke her up by whispering "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Moneeza"

Moneeza opened her eyes with a smile and hugged her dad. The whole room resounded with "surprise", she sat up. Her friends exploded party poppers on her bed, and the bed started shining with colorful thin paper streamers.

She stepped down from her bed, bound her hair in a ponytail, and hugged everyone in the room. She was blushing. Her wheatish round face turned pink and her left cheek dimple got deeper with the smile. Her blue eyes were flashing with praise and her every footstep was telling about her excitement. She reached the table to cut her cake. Her mom kissed her on her head and hugged her tightly. "Happy 18 my love, finally you grew up."

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting this surprise." Moneeza blew up the candles and the room was again filled with roars of wishing her even louder than before. Her dad handed her the knife to cut her cake, "Mom, Dad! I still need your hand to cut this cake." Moneeza looked at her father and then her mother, to place their hands on her hand.

Mr. Asmar placed his hand and then miss Layla did the same. She smiled and cut down her cake. Her dimple got even deeper on hearing the applause from her friends and brother.

She took a piece of cake and one by one offered it to everyone. Ella came forward and started applying cake on Moneeza's face and then everyone did the same. Moneeza sat down to hide her face but It was too late Because she was completely filled with cake now. Everyone was laughing hard and the whole apartment was filled with laughter.

"Guys you really made my day special. I just can't thank you enough." She stood up and started cleaning her face with tissue paper.

"It was your dad's idea," Leo told her on eating her piece of cake.

"I know how to make my daughter happy." Mr. Asmar came to her and kissed her forehead.

"You are taking all the credit like always." Miss Layla said giving her daughter a piece of cake.

"Ohh, Mom! I know dad can do nothing without you." Moneeza took the cake from miss Layla and hugged her tightly. Miss Layla kissed her cheeks while all others were busy talking to each other.

"Okay now everyone please, be seated and let Moneeza opens her presents," Aaini announced at the top of her voice.

"Yes moneeza, open them one by one but before opening, you have to guess what's inside."

"yeah! that will be a lot of fun"

Moneeza chuckled and came near the table, every present was according to her guess but she wasn't able to guess Mr. Asmar's present.

"I think this is a ring or a necklace." Moneeza looked suspiciously at her father and he was moving her head saying "no".

"Then what's inside" Moneeza unwrapped the parcel, and opens the box.

"It's a key," she said nervously, and then excitement spread all over her body all of a sudden. "Car's key? Dad? seriously?" she was so excited and ran towards the parking of the Qousina building on the ground floor.

Everyone was behind her, She came near the car. The car was grey. She hugged her dad tightly, "Dad thank you so much, I really wanted this."

"You thought I don't know but my darling I knew it from the day when you were learning to drive from me and when you had to go out you always asked me for my car."

"I love you, dad, you are the best dad in the world."

"wouldn't you give us a ride?" Miss Layla said.

"Why not Mom, come"

Aaron, Mr. Asmar, and Miss Layla sat in the car, and moneeza has driven the car away.

"she is so lucky," Ella said looking behind Moneeza's car.

"yes she is, I wish my parents were as supportive as hers," Aaina said Looking the same way.

"If my dad was alive he must do the same" Leo's voice was filled with sadness.

All of them were talking about Moneeza's perfect life but they didn't know what tomorrow is going to bring and her friend moneeza's life will be going to change forever.

(To be continued...)