After a couple minutes of walking, multiple flares of light shined through the woods. I recognized the spot as we came up on it—it was where the Halloween party had been. Wooden chairs and logs were scattered throughout, surrounded by torches. It was too quiet. Goosebumps rose on my arms and I knew we weren’t alone. My fists clenched—
“Surprise!” Vivian and April shouted in unison as they jumped out from behind a tree.
I lowered my arms, hiding the fact that I was on the verge of blasting them with magic. I closed my eyes to help quell my nerves, and opened them again. Other students started revealing themselves from the shadows, and somewhere, someone started playing music through a speaker.
“Happy Birthday, Sal!” Viv came up to me and gave me a hug, her familiar fresh rain scent feeling like home. “You didn’t think I would forget your seventeenth birthday, did you?”
I angled my body toward Viv in hopes of avoiding a hug from April. Guilt etched my gut but didn’t linger—I wasn’t as fit for this life as Viv.
“Did you know about this?” I asked Sydney, who glanced at the students around us.
“Actually, no.” She frowned and turned to April.
I relaxed once they started talking and the attention slowly drifted from me.
“Who are all of these people?” Honestly, I had thought Viv had forgotten about my birthday. But I didn’t mind if she had, and from the looks of it, I would have preferred it.
“Well, it started with only a couple of people … April, Denise, Joseph, and me.” Viv blushed. “Then it just kinda got big.”
“Justkindagot big?” I saw Ivy and Gwen in the distance near a newly lit fire pit, the light flickering across their faces.
“I didn’t invite them. Ivy, Gwen, and Nick came on their own accord.” Viv followed the direction of my glare. “But I did invite someone you talk to.”
Viv nodded off behind me and I turned to see Ender. Though he was talking with Nick, his gaze was on me. He casually leaned against a tree with his arms crossed, seemingly carefree, but the tapping of his finger caught my attention. That wasn’t in line with untroubled.
“Thank you, Viv.” I turned back toward her. “But you know I’d much rather spend the night in … or alone.”
“I know.” Viv frowned. “I was hoping it would help distract you and help your life be a little more teenager-like. You know, take thebig sisstress load off for once.”
Ha. Sisters think alike.
“Not all teenagers like parties, and I just prefer getting the stress off differently.” I crossed my arms. “Like we used to do on our weekends—have a movie night or sit out on the beach with the stars. Go for a nice run.”
“Can I make it up to you tomorrow night with a movie?” Viv sagged her shoulders.
“Sure, but just you and me.” Even though I was slightly frustrated, I wasn’t angry. She’d tried, even if it failed. Tomorrow we would discuss boundaries with her so-called presents.
“Yes.” She nodded and her smile came back. Her gaze flicked behind me and her grin grew even more. “Time for you to broaden your horizons. Looks like you have your first guest to talk to.” She nodded behind me again, but I didn’t need to look to know who was approaching.
Viv got April and Sydney’s attention and waved to them to follow her. They both had huge smirks when they realized why they were being ushered away. It hadn’t gone unnoticed the day Ender intruded on my lunch break and sat with me outside.
“I hear ahappy birthdayis in order.” Ender’s deep voice sent shivers down my spine and a light scent of cedar and bergamot wrapped around me.
“Happy birthdays are never in order.” I turned to face him, and my breath hitched at his nearness. “Unbeknownst to me, I apparently have a birthday party tonight.”
“You don’t approve?” Ender gave me a one-sided grin, and I had to tell my insides to cool the random spark of heat.
“Vivian outdid herself.” I should’ve seen this coming. She’d always made our birthdays as extravagant as she could. I always thought I had everything I needed—her and Mom. She, however, had still been lonely. “She tries.”
“She cares.” He shrugged. “You look out for each other.”
I didn’t have anything to add, so I nodded awkwardly. His hands were in the pockets of his shorts—more along the line of carefree—and his finger was no longer tapping.
Ivy and Gwen started toward us and I held in a big sigh, not wanting to show Ender how much their ruses irritated me. But they didn’t stop as they neared us. Instead, Ivy gave me a curt nod and continued past us.
“That’s new,” I commented. Ivy wasn’t one to have manners, especially if I was with Ender.
“She’d probably be dead if it wasn’t for you,” Ender said. “They both would be.”
