Chapter 6
It is less than a week away from Laura's birthday and I don't have a solid plan of attack. I've talked to a few of our friends and they've agreed to give her a surprise party at her house. That would mean that I would have to contact her parents and put them on board with the whole idea of a surprise birthday party. Talking sucks. Especially when it is coming from me.
Besides our friends Sabrina and Rosalee, I didn't know who else to invite. It has been a few months of sitting down with Nolan and his friends at lunch and I've really gotten to know them more. I, personally, would not talk to them one on one outside the lunch table but that's because I'm not as social as she is. Laura does have a different standard with what she considers as friends. Once she talks to them outside of class, they are considered her friend. I have a higher standard of friendship. People are acquaintances until they invite me to some after school activity not involving the school. I admire those people who can get friends so easily like Laura.
In the end, I decided to Facebook message Nolan and his friends, Corbin, Lily, James, and Conrad by creating a group chat. After several drafts and edits of the text, I told everyone in the chat that I am planning a party for Laura for her 17th birthday. Before I got too ahead of myself with sending the address to her house, I texted her parents after reading what I was sending 10 million times and asked them if the plan can work.
A few hours later, her mom responded to my message.
Karina Lightwood: This is an amazing idea. We are completely on board for that Saturday. Is everyone bringing certain foods?
Me: Awesome! Thank you for hosting! I am planning on baking cupcakes and I'll ask other people to bring stuff too. What do you want them to bring?
Karina Lightwood: That's okay! You don't have to do anything! I can make dinner and buy food. If you really want to, you can bake cupcakes.
Me: I love to bake so if it's no trouble, I would like to make cupcakes for Laura. I have a really good recipe saved on Pinterest that I am planning on using. I want other people to contribute! I feel bad to leave you with all this preparation. How about everyone has to bring some sort of snack or appetizer? I can also come really early to help you with food preparations.
Karina Lightwood: This is no problem on my part! I can make the main meal but that would be nice if kids came with some sort of side appetizer dish. I talked to Dave and he will take her on a daddy, daughter date to the bowling alley to take her out of the house. If you come at around 4 to come help, that will be awesome! Tell the rest of the crew to come around 4:30 since we will be expecting them to arrive back home around 5.
Me: That sounds great! Thank you for organizing this!
After our last goodbyes ended over the text conversation, I opened up Facebook Messenger to text the group chat.
Me: Alright, things have been finalized, it will be this Saturday at Laura's house, 9080 Northwood Drive. She's supposed to be out of the house with her dad for a little distraction so come around 4:30 since they'll be expected to come back at around 5. Bring an appetizer/snack; dinner will be provided. If you have any food allergies please speak up now. Also if you're driving, park 3 houses down either in the driveway or alongside the road, the people living in the house have confirmed that we can use their driveway. Let me know if you can come so I know the number of people.
I sent the message and then set my phone beside me while turning it off. Not knowing what else to do, I decided to read my book for the rest of the day while taking breaks to eat and making a friendship bracelet.
***
This whole week was super hard not to spoil the surprise for Laura. When all the people at the lunch table knew about a secret that one person didn't have, it was extremely stressful to not slightly mention it. One little fumble from someone will make Laura suspicious. For all she knew so far, she was just going to go bowling with her dad for her birthday on Saturday.
Throughout the school week, I would get word from people saying they could come, some over text and some overseeing them in school. It made me feel good when several of Nolan's friends came up to me during class and between classes telling me they could come and asking me questions to clarify tiny information.
When James sat down next to me in chemistry to tell me he was going, I felt really good about myself. He could have chosen any spot in the class and chosen any lab partner and he chose me. I immediately clicked with him too when I finally talked to him one on one. Even though most of our conversation was about the classwork and the party on Saturday, I felt like I could talk without being judged too much. I just felt relaxed around him.
Even though I already had suspicions about him and Lily, he did confirm my claim about them dating. They have been going strong for around 2 years now which was super impressive considering high school relationships are known for being fickle.
I also got to know Corbin a little more. On Wednesday, we talked for a bit in the hallway while walking to the lunchroom for lunch. After telling me he was going to the party and he'll bring Oreos, we had a conversation about college and what we wanted our careers to be. He said that he wanted to pursue musical theater. I remember him being part of all of the school plays and musicals. He was really good at singing, dancing, acting, and all of the other things. I told him he would be great at that.
"I love musical theater! If I had some acting skills and a strong singing voice I would definitely audition for the musicals as you do. It takes some guts and talent to pursue it outside of a hobby, and I know you've got both. You'll do great," I said smiling at him.
"Thank you! That means a lot that you said that! What are you planning on doing?" He asked in return. I know it's wrong to put people into stereotypes. Especially when it involves their sexuality but I was definitely getting gay vibes from him. The way he dressed, acted, and the simple fact that he had a rainbow pin on his backpack. It was always possible that he was straight or bi but every time I imagined him dating a girl, it didn't seem right.
With his question, I had no idea what to answer. I have thought of many things but I was still unsure if it was what I truly wanted to do. "I have no clue, I was thinking of being a veterinary technician and going to college for that but I've also thought about other stuff like dentistry and being an archeologist. I'm kind of all over the place right now," I explained with a nervous chuckle.
"That's okay. You still have a year before you graduate and even after you graduate, you have time to decide. A lot of people don't know what they want to do even while in college," he reassured me. Even though I have heard that speech several times before, it felt good coming from him for some odd reason.
***
"Okay I finally got word from my parents and they said I could go," Nolan said while running up to me in the hallway during a passing period on Thursday. My heart skipped a beat. Walking with him felt a little odd. I've never noticed how tall he was compared to me. It wasn't like it was an awkward height difference but it still felt weird. The top of my head was about to his shoulders. I was very short for my age so someone would think that I would be used to the height difference and possibly a bigger height difference which I was but that didn't mean that I wouldn't feel awkward every time it happens.
"Awesome!" I replied. "Well, I'll see you there then!" I regretted saying that as soon as I said it because I realized we were walking in the same direction. Quick, think of something to say! I thought. "Umm... What are you bringing? Well, that is if you are bringing something because don't have to," I rambled on.
He chuckled and said, "I'll make some homemade spinach and artichoke dip to bring."
"Oooo that sounds so good! I can't wait!" I said and then added, "I have this really cute cupcake recipe that I am going to do. Since her favorite fruit is strawberries, I'm gonna make strawberry cupcakes without all of the artificial flavorings they add a lot of the time to cupcakes."
"Oh, man! That sounds amazing! You bake a lot?" he asked.
"Kind of. I love baking but I don't do it all of the time because it usually involves unhealthy eating habits afterward," I explained. "I guess that's what I get for having a hobby that involves making junk food."
Nolan laughed and then he stopped. "Well this is my class right here so see you later," he said while pointing at the class to the right of us.
"Okay. See you later!" I said in return.
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Cassandra Smith