Chapter 4: Katniss’s Birthday Party

Having parted ways with Denver, the four girls journeyed back to their room, silence engulfing them all the way.

The city lights glittered like a sea of stars as they strode down the street headed towards the major road.

On this arid night, only the sound of cicadas chirping could be heard. But Ariadne could hear her own heart pounding as well. Her heart was suddenly beating so quickly because of that scene of Denver and Molly she saw earlier, because they looked so much in love.

She supposed he would still be single or perhaps wait for her to attain adulthood. Previously, she had looked through his past and found that he has never been in any romantic relationship.

But she was different. The manner in which he treated her was different from his known crude behavior towards women.

She assumed that he felt something for her too.

‘Yes.’

‘He must have been restrained towards her seeing as she was still under age the first time they met.

He must have been waiting for her all these years.’

Or so she thought.

“We are not trekking all the way to the karaoke bar tonight, are we?” Katniss's voice interrupted Ariadne’s vivid thoughts, finally breaking the silence that had long engulfed them.

Ariadne smiled. She instantly came back to reality and let go of her train of thoughts.

“Of course, no! Let’s get to that spot and hail a taxi”. Ariadne responded, pointing her index finger at a crossroad. It was usually easier to get a taxi quickly standing at that spot than waiting at the exit.

Soon, they got to the roadside and waited for an incoming taxi. As soon as one was in sight, they flagged it down quickly.

“Driver. Take us to Blues and Spill Karaoke bar, the latest bar in the city”

They settled into the plush seats of the cab, playful grins plastered on their faces as they couldn't wait to make this night unforgettable for Katniss.

"Alright, everyone! Who's ready to rock the stage tonight? Katniss, this is your night, so get ready to shine like the star you are!"

Katniss blushed, her cheeks turning fiery red. She rubbed her hands gently on her face trying to cover her blushed cheeks in coyness.

"Thanks, Ariadne. You know I'm more comfortable shooting arrows than singing, but I promise not to embarrass myself too much!" She chuckled.

"You'll be amazing, Katniss,” came Ariadne’s encouraging voice, twitching her face a bit.

Katniss’s eyes lit up. Her arms were suddenly grabbed by Vanessa amidst wide giggling, “that’s right! And we'll all be here to cheer you on, so don't worry."

The taxi driver, a jovial man with a thick beard, couldn't help but join in the conversation. "So, you guys are heading to the karaoke bar, eh? Sounds like a fun night! Any special occasion?"

"It's Katniss's birthday!”exclaimed Vanessa, still grinning widely like an overexcited kitten.

"Happy birthday!" the driver boomed, flashing a toothy grin through the rearview mirror. "Tonight's gonna be lit for you girls!"

As they neared the karaoke bar, the neon sign outside illuminated the excitement within the group.

The driver pulled over, and they stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk. The rhythmic sound of music and laughter from inside the bar spilled out onto the street.

Inside, the karaoke bar was an explosion of color and energy. Glowing lights adorned the stage, inviting anyone brave enough to grab the microphone and perform.

“Uhmm…. That’s the direction of the room I booked. It’s over there”

They were super excited upon their entrance into the dimly lit but tastefully decorated room. They immediately noticed that the other invited guests were already inside the private room ahead of them and anticipating their arrival.

Ariadne scanned her eyes across the room and marveled at Katniss’s ability to make friends easily but her eyes quickly paused on one seemingly familiar face. She looked at the boy for a while trying to recollect if she had seen him elsewhere in the past.

Suddenly having the feeling of being watched, he lifted his head and turned in the direction of the watchful eyes and his gaze fell on the pretty face peering deeply at him.

His lips upturned gently into a smirk and he bit his bottom lip, hooking it between his teeth as he chuckled.

Noticing that her staring gaze had been seen, Ariadne quickly tore her eyes away from him and looked elsewhere, clenching the hem of her dress in an attempt to remain calm.

“Wow Ariadne. You already caught the attention of the most popular boy in the Sports department, he is also the captain of the basketball team. You need to see him while he’s playing basketball, he always looks ravishing. Wushh, just look at him. Isn’t he hot?” Vanessa bemused, whispering into Ariadne’s ears to keep her voice low, getting gossipy as usual.

‘Oh. So that’s him. He’s the most popular boy in the Sports department and so what?’

‘I don’t see anything spectacular about him. His looks are so so, can’t compare to Denver in the least. And what’s the lecherous smirk on his lips?’ She squeezed her face in a disgusting manner.

She was greatly irked by his presence yet she had to force a smile and keep her frustrations to herself because of the presence of others.

She gritted her teeth, clenching her fists with all her might as she gazed on.

“Alright everyone, let’s get seated guys”

When they sat down, she noticed things couldn’t possibly be worse because she was seated right next to the most popular boy in the sports department.

She stopped suppressing her wrath and had her back facing others as she swirled to lock a bitter stare at Katniss.

She knew it wasn’t a mere coincidence - Katniss must be behind this odd seat arrangement and Ariadne shook her head marvelling at her friend’s lame attempt at playing cupid.

Katniss bit hard on her bottom lips, pretending to be oblivious of the reason behind the stare.

On the other hand, the hot boy beside her was confused by her distracted gaze, but he quickly recollected the reason when he noticed her fixed glare on Katniss.

“Hi. I’m Arthur Heathcliff, sophomore student of the Sports department and captain of the school basketball team”, he began, trying to draw Ariadne’s attention back to notice him.

“I’m Ariadne”, she barely responded, clearly uninterested in the conversation that was about to begin.

A server appeared almost immediately to take their orders.

Can we get a round of drinks, please? And it's my friend Katniss's birthday, so we might need some extra shots!" Vanessa said, laughing.

The server grinned, taking their orders with practiced ease. Soon, they had their drinks in hand, toasting to Katniss's special day and the promise of an unforgettable night.

“Cheers to 19 bitchhh”, Vanessa raised her glass and called for a toast. Everyone stood up and raised their glasses too, clinking them together as they toast to Katniss’s birthday.

“Cheers”

“Happy Birthday Katniss”

“Happy Birthday Katniss”, Ariadne mouthed off and she went closer and pulled Katniss into her embrace for a warm hug.

Soon, the group took turns singing their favorite songs. Vanessa belted out a pop ballad with impressive vocal chops, while Connie surprised everyone with a soulful rendition of an old blues tune.

One of the boys from the Sport department had the crowd laughing with his goofy antics during his performance.

Finally, it was Katniss's turn. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and approached the stage with grace, enamored in the feeling of being in the spotlight.

The opening notes of a popular rock anthem filled the room, and Katniss's voice joined in with a raw and heartfelt power that amazed her friends.

The karaoke bar was alive with energy as Ariadne sat at the corner table, watching her friends take turns on the stage, belting out their favorite tunes.

As the night wore on, the spotlight turned to Arthur. He strode towards the stage and confidently took the microphone and began singing. He sang with passion while pinning his gaze on Ariadne, trying to impress her. A quick glance at him will enable anyone to denote

his intentions, his emotions clearly plastered all over his face.

Ariadne was beginning to get uncomfortable with his gaze so she locked gaze with him for a few seconds and smiled politely from her seat before finally tearing her eyes away.

Her eyes seemed distant, and it was evident that she remained indifferent to his advances.

Arthur finished his song and returned to the table, taking a seat beside Ariadne. "Hey Ari, what did you think of my……” he asked, his tone eager for praise.

“The name is Ariadne please”, she quickly corrected, cutting .

He chuckled. “What do you think of my performance?”

Ariadne nodded politely, "You have a great voice, Arthur. No doubt about that."

He leaned in a little closer, a hopeful glint in his eyes. "I was hoping you'd think that. You know, I’m sure you have a great taste in music. We should probably do a duet together sometime."

She shifted in her seat, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the persistence of his advances. "Maybe. Or maybe not, we'll see."

Undeterred, he continued, "You know, Ariadne, I've been meaning to tell you something. Uhmm, why don’t you give me your Wh*****p?”

“Why?” She inquired, staring into his face.

“I think we really get along with each other.”

“Really? Well, I don’t think so”

He bit down on his lower lips and continued, “let’s keep in touch on Wh*****p, I would really love to be your friends”

“Uh,, I don’t have a problem with becoming friends. You already have Katniss’s Wh*****p and she’s my roommate. If you want to keep in touch with any of us, you can contact her. We’re very close knit like sisters anyway”, she responded.

This time, she had her gaze fixed on the glass of wine in her hand as she gently swirls the wine inside it.

Ariadne marveled at how effortlessly those words flowed from her mouth. She gave herself a thumbs up for coming up with such a perfect excuse in no time.

He looked disappointed but tried to hide it with a smile. "Sure, I get it. Just thought I'd give it a shot, you know?"

She offered him a reassuring smile, "I appreciate your honesty. Let's not let this ruin the fun tonight. It's Katniss's birthday, after all."

Arthur nodded, trying to regain his composure. "Of course, you’re right. It's her special day. I just kinda got carried away."

Silence ensued and a feeling of awkwardness rose gradually, none of them spoke.

After some minutes, Arthur suddenly clears his throat and reiterated.

“I will go over there”, pointing in the direction where his colleagues were having merry. He slowly moved his chair backwards, then stood up and sauntered off.

Ariadne remained glued to her seat. She wasn’t particularly interested in being wooed when she wasn't interested, certainly not after her encounter with Denver earlier in the evening.

She decided to take solace in her drink, nursing it gently as she observed her friends on the stage. She continued to gulp down drinks, glass after glass while humming to the songs her friends were singing.

She chuckled dryly when she noticed Katniss missed a key while singing a chorus, but didn’t say anything about it.

‘As long as she’s having fun, who cares if she sings off key? Anything for the birthday girl’

Meanwhile, drunkenness struck her, and she stretched herself, exercising every muscle in her. She rubbed her eyes softly and yawned.

When the time draws nearer to 9pm, Ariadne dragged her drunken body and got close to Katniss, signaling her of the time. They needed to head back to school and back to their dorm before the clock struck half past nine, otherwise the dorm supervisor would lock them out.

Katniss was still feeling reluctant to go and noticing her hesitation, Ariadne swiftly snatched the microphone from her grasp and yelled loudly into it.

“Thanks, everyone, for making Katniss's birthday so memorable. Time to return back to school, dorm entrances closes in thirty minutes”, she began.

“Unless you intend to score a demerit for dorm lateness or potentially be locked out……..”