You Are the Shell to My Tortoise | ✓

37

In front of me was a medium-sized whole birthday cake placed on a courtyard stone table. There were two lit numerical candles stuck side by side on it. The left candle was a '1', and the right one was a '6'.

Ashley, Melissa, and Derek threw their hands up as they cried in unison, "Happy birthday, Chelsea!"

"Guys!" My hands flew up to cover my gaping mouth. "Thank you so much! I wasn't expecting this! Didn't you already give me my present today?"

My day had passed normally enough. I went for classes as usual, and my best friends all wished me a happy birthday. After class, they had handed me the birthday present they'd pooled money together to get. I had thought that would be it for today, since we normally celebrated each other's birthdays on the upcoming weekend if they happened to land on school days.

After all, school wasn't exactly the most exciting setting to celebrate your birthday in. Then again, I reflected as I looked at the tiramisu cake they'd gotten me, with enough innovation, anyone could make it interesting.

"We thought we'd do something special on the day itself instead of just celebrating on Saturday like we usually do," Ashley said, handing me a helium-filled clear balloon with confetti in it.

"Besides, your parents will be coming down this weekend to celebrate with you, won't they?" Derek said, lifting up the black camera hanging from his neck. "We thought we could have it just be the four of us if we did it in school. Then you could spend some quality time with your parents."

"That's so sweet of you guys!" I felt a hint of a tear begin to well up in my left eye.

"Your parents are nice, but it's just a bit awkward to spend a whole afternoon with them," Melissa said, lifting up her cap to sniff at it.

"Plus, I feel like they'd probably appreciate the time with you alone," Ashley said. "We can see you anytime at school."

"Hey, my deodorant isn't that bad, is it?" Melissa said.

"It's not," I said reassuringly. "It was just a bit overwhelming."

During the time that I spent in the lift inhaling the excessive scent coming from her cap, I found myself beginning to understand how Nolan felt about my overuse of insect repellent.

"Do you want us to sing you the birthday song?" Ashley said.

"No, thank you," I said immediately.

Melissa snickered. "I knew it. I told them you wouldn't want it. You were cringing the whole time we sang it to you last year."

"I—" I started to protest but stopped myself because I couldn't refute the fact.

"It's no use denying it, Chelsea. I noticed that," Melissa almost sang, placing the cap on her own head.

"You're not wrong," I admitted. "I don't really like the song. For that, you get an extra-large slice of the cake!"

It was also just an embarrassing song, especially since there were other schoolmates hanging around in the courtyard already eying the balloon I was holding.

She batted her eyelashes at me. "Larger than your own slice?"

"Don't push it!" I narrowed my eyes at her.

I was already longing to dig into the tiramisu cake.

"Okay," I announced, moving closer to the table, where the cake was. "I'm going to blow out the candles now!"

"Alright!" Melissa clapped her hands.

"Look up here first," Derek said, stepping backwards. "I have to get a good photo before you blow them out."