Leap Year (✔)

February 29: Part I

~Leap Day~

Rosie hadn't experienced many birthdays. Three, to be exact. On normal 365 day years, Rosie and her mom celebrated on March 1st. Her mom set up streamers and a fancy breakfast and waited quietly at the foot of her bed until Rosie awakened, when her mom would spray her with confetti. It was silly, but Rosie looked forward to it every year.

But on her fourth birthday, as Rosie blinked the sleep dust out of her eyes and sat up in bed, it was to her empty, silent bedroom.

Oh well, Rosie thought. She was going off to college soon; the tradition would have to die eventually.

She rolled out of bed and tossed on a fresh t-shirt, not bothering to change out of her pajama bottoms. The mirror on her desktop reflected her own tired, wan face back to her. Pink dots poked out on the tip of her chin.

Pimples on her birthday? Seriously?

Rosie left her bedroom with a groan and started down the stairs. Her mom might let her get take-out from the good waffle place for breakfast if she begged hard enough.

Rosie slipped down the last few steps and into the darkened living room. Weird. Her mom was usually awake before her. Rosie reached for the light switch--

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Noise makers and cheers erupted in an explosion of chaotic sound. For a second, Rosie's heart was beating so fast she couldn't make out anything in front of her. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to Pablo, Brie, Hailey, Beojun, and her mom laughing and clapping. Their apartment neighbors would have something to say about this.

"No way!" Rosie covered her mouth. They'd all surprised her; she couldn't believe it. "Seriously, guys? This is awesome." She pulled them into a group hug. Having them all there, her closest friends, was exactly what she needed.

"You should've seen your face!" Hailey dabbed a tear out of her eye. She tried to recreate Rosie's expression of utter shock, but dissolved into laughter.

Rosie was pleased her friends had come, but she wasn't a morning person and she didn't know how to entertain them all in her tiny apartment. "Well thank you all for the surprise, but it's still early so I'm gonna go back to bed. Do you guys want to get waffles later?"

"Nuh-uh!" Pablo snapped. "I did not wake up at six on a Saturday to watch you sleep in. Come on, girl. You have a busy day today."

"I do?" Rosie's mind jumped back to her bed, still warm and covered in blankets.

"You'll see." Brie grabbed Rosie's arm. "Your mom did a good job of hiding the surprise."

Rosie looked at her mom, who was trying to suppress a grin.

With her friends nagging at her to get moving, Rosie just had time to pull her winter coat from the closet and throw on some boots before Pablo picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. Rosie protested that she was still in her pajamas, but Boejun pointed out he was too and Rosie felt a lot better. Brie guided Pablo out the door and down the stairs to the front of the building, where he dropped Rosie onto the grass. No matter how hard Rosie tried, they would not tell her what was going on until they were all strapped into Brie's car.

"Okay." Brie clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. Rosie sat next to her in the passenger seat. Just like homecoming night... "So this was originally my idea, but everyone pitched in. I just wanted to recognize the... uh... great friend you've been" Brie stumbled through the rest of her explanation, but Rosie understood. Everything had been awkward between them since the audition and Brie wanted to make it up to her.