Perfect Harmony

𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬

"She told me that she doesn't hate me but that's a lie. All the signs are there and I'm not stupid. My own sister hates me and there's nothing I can do to change that..."

Noah listened as Penny kept talking non-stop on the other side of the phone like she had done almost an hour already. It was 6am on Monday and she had come back from Texas late last evening after staying there a few days. Noah didn't have to wake up for many hours but that didn't matter to Penny.

She hadn't gotten much sleep and woke him up to talk about Heather who had some serious problems. Penny might be annoying sometimes but he couldn't imagine hating her. Apparently, that's what her friend Romeo told her too but she was convinced that her relationship with her sister was doomed and now she came to cry about it to him.

Of course, he couldn't deny her that and now he had finally learned all the facts about the situation. "She's clearly struggling with herself and your... situation. It's not easy for someone so young. No wonder that she feels that a drink might help. It's wrong but I get it."

"And then I left again! After she told me that she felt like I abandoned him I just left! How heartless am I?" she cried again and Noah didn't know how long he could listen to that heartbroken sound anymore.

"You know that you couldn't stay there longer. And now that you've talked things through, a little break will help and everything will be better next time you meet. I'm sure that she will talk with you but it won't happen overnight. Just give her time."

Suddenly his phone made a nose which told him that he had a new message again. Ever since Tyler had surprised Noah by adding him to the group chat called Penny's birthday party! his phone hadn't been silent.

There were also Isabel, Georgia, Tyler, Penny's friend who he only now recognized as the actor Romeo Meyers, and about twenty other people he had never met before.

Noah didn't even know that Penny's birthday was soon! It was November 30th so there were two weeks left. Everyone was planning a surprise party together and it wasn't easy because everyone was planning the party together. It was only the first day and he had already seen four fights on the chat.

He had understood that Romeo was Penny's best friend and knew a lot of people she would want to her party. Still, he had unofficially chosen Tyler as the so-called co-organizer because he had worked longer with her and knew more people she liked to be with, for example, other artists.

But the more people were added to the group chat, the less power those two men had about the details when women took charge of the party. Noah didn't even try to read all the messages, especially now that he had more important things to do.

What gift would he give her?! She hadn't mentioned anything she wanted or needed. After three months of knowing her, he should have few ideas but he got nothing. She would probably have some typical Penny-comment about him being rude and not listening to others enough.

"Noah? Did you fell asleep? Noah!" Blinking, he realized that she was trying to get his attention back to her.

"Nope, been awake since five and ready to run a marathon," he mumbled yawning.

"Aww, sorry baby." That was another thing. She had started to call him baby, often as part of the joke or in a sarcastic way, but he still thought about it more than he should. Penny, on the other hand, didn't seem to think much about it so he shouldn't either. Still, it was easier said than done.

"Are you okay now?" he asked without commenting on the name in any way.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I know you were sleeping and I really appreciate that you listened to me without complaining," she said and then added. "I'll let you go back to bed now, bye!"