The classroom was noisier than usual after homeroom ended. Desks had been pulled together, notebooks open but long forgotten. Instead of reviewing notes, Eli and his friends were leaned in close, whispering like a secret council plotting something big.
"Alright," Mina began, eyes sparkling with excitement, "Kai's birthday is next week. We cannot—absolutely cannot—just let it pass like a normal day."
"True, true," Jace said, pretending to write in his notebook in case the teacher suddenly turned around. His pen scrawled nonsense, but his grin gave him away. "So what's the plan? Cake? Gifts? Full-on party with balloons?"
Eli kept quiet, his pen tapping lightly against the margin of his notebook. His ears were already pink, and he was grateful nobody was paying too much attention to his face—yet. Of course he'd been thinking about Kai's birthday for days. The problem was, everything he thought of felt too simple, too obvious. What if Kai figured it out? What if he teased Eli until the end of time?
"What about a surprise party?" Mina suggested, clearly already forming a vision in her head. "We could book that little café near the station. The owner's super nice—I bet they'd let us decorate."
"That sounds like a hassle," Leo said flatly, though his tone wasn't mean. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Besides, Kai doesn't even like loud crowds."
"Finally, someone logical," Eli muttered, relieved, though he instantly regretted speaking because Mina's gaze snapped to him.
"Ohhh," Mina sang, leaning closer with a grin. "So what are you suggesting, Eli? Just the two of you?"
Eli's face went red in a second. "Shut up," he hissed, glaring at her. That only made the others laugh harder.
"Come on, don't bully him," Caleb cut in, though his wide grin betrayed him.
Eli groaned loudly, dropping his forehead onto his notebook. "You guys are impossible." His muffled voice only set Jace off into another round of laughter.
"Cake first," Mina declared like she was in charge. "Chocolate or vanilla?"
"Chocolate," Caleb said instantly.
"Vanilla," Leo countered, without missing a beat.
And just like that, the two were bickering, each trying to convince the others that their choice was superior. Mina smacked her palm on the desk dramatically, shouting, "Red velvet or nothing!" while Jace tossed his pen into the air and muttered, "Why are we arguing about cake like it's world peace?"
Eli sat back, listening to the noise around him. He couldn't stop the small smile forming on his lips. His chest felt warm, almost too full, watching his friends argue over something so silly. They were ridiculous—but they cared. That's what made it special.
Even though his stomach still flipped nervously whenever Kai's name came up, Eli knew this was worth it. Celebrating with everyone first, then saving a quiet moment just for the two of them—it felt right.
As Mina and Caleb argued over frosting colors, Eli lifted his pen again, this time jotting down a quick reminder in the corner of his notebook.
This year, he thought, I'll make sure Kai's birthday is unforgettable.