Extra Credit | Complete

46

Calista

I trudged over the curb, my boots sinking into the fresh, fallen snow. This was probably the one thing I hated about having a birthday in the middle of winter. The weather was always crappy and I didn't have the opportunity to have any of the fun, outdoor birthday parties like kids in my class growing up. No pool, no picnics, no park or splash pad. I was left with skating or sledding, which was only fun until your mittens soaked through or your toes began to freeze.

It was the end of January and everything had found its flow again. Lincoln was done with The Pit and was working with Whitmore to find a new place to live for the time being. I had also gone to speak to someone about changing my major, and the good thing was it wouldn't take me as long as I thought to graduate with a degree in Education. For once, things were falling into place–like everything was good.

Except... something also felt off.

I stepped onto the sidewalk, glancing at the row of townhomes. My eyes landed on the one with the rusting cast iron railing. The usual soft glow from Lincoln's living room window wasn't there. The narrow house was pitch black except for the flickering wall sconce by the front door. Every other light was switched off as if no one was home. I unlocked my phone, reviewing the message that Lincoln had sent me less than an hour ago. Perhaps I had read it wrong and I was meant to meet him somewhere else.

I reread the message twice, just to be sure. Nope, this was it. I was tempted to call him and ask, but I figured I was already there. Might as well knock first.

I made my way up the front porch. The cracked cement steps were speckled with salt. It crunched beneath my feet. When I reached the top of the stoop I raised pink knuckles to knock on the door. There was no response. A pregnant pause passed and I knocked a little harder.

After the second round of knocking, the lock on the front door clicked. I expected it to swing open to find Lincoln on the other side. Instead, it inched ajar and halted far enough that I could see a sliver of the darkened foyer.

"Hello?" I called, stepping closer with a hand on the door. I pushed the door open further. The only source of light came from the street lamps outside. "Lincoln?"

Boots still planted on the porch, I pressed the door open further. The hinges creaked in protest. "Sadie?"

No one replied. The only noise came from the settling of the house. An uncomfortable tingling raced up my spine. If Lincoln wasn't here, where was he? I was going to turn around and head back to the comfort of Ella's car when the lights to the foyer switched on.

"Happy birthday!"

Squinting into the hall my eyes focused on the familiar faces popping out of the adjacent rooms. The smiles of Lincoln and Sadie were the first two that I saw. They were by the stairs, Sadie standing in front of her big brother with her arms and legs spread out like a starfish. Andrew and Amelia stood within the kitchen threshold. Andrew's back was to the wall, his curly hair a mere inches from the top of the door frame. His grin was infectious.

I blinked when my gaze travelled across the hall and towards the living room. "Ella, Harper? What are you doing here?"

I had just stepped into the foyer when my two best friends rushed me. Ella was first to yank me into a bone-crushing hug. "We're here for your birthday party, silly."

"My birthday party?" I said into her hair.

Harper was next to greet me. She gave me a much gentler, one-armed squeeze. "Lincoln stopped by the dorms a couple of weeks ago and told us how he planned on throwing you a little surprise birthday this year."