She is the One!

After an hour and a half of running from one room to another and creating complete chaos, we were finally walking out of our apartment. Anna was a little nervous about seeing Arnold there, but she agreed to come with us to give me company.

Arya was jumping with excitement, and we just let her have her moment. I was the least dressed person out of the three of us. I chose to wear a simple black dress and paired it with my denim jacket and white shoes. Anna was wearing her sea-green gown with her blonde hair complementing the look perfectly. Arya was excited about wearing her new dress. She wore a red and black jumpsuit with black heels and made a high pony to complete the look. We finally sat in the car and Arya decided to be our driver.

After a long drive to the other side of the city, we were finally standing outside the woods. I picked up my phone and asked Ethan to come and pick us up. The radio in our car was still on with Sia’s Cheap Thrills playing at full volume. Well, we needed distraction from the empty road and dense woods on both sides. I had no idea this place would seem this scary after 6 pm.

“When will Ethan be here?”, Anna asked looking around.

“Are you sure we are at the right place?”, Arya seemed petrified.

“He said he will be here in five minutes.”, I answered Anna.

Arya was changing songs frantically to calm her nerves. Old habits don’t die easily. I remember whenever we used to watch horror movies, she used to play songs in the background to avoid the jump scares.

“Don’t worry! We are safe here.”, I said finally putting a stop to the irritating noise of changing songs. Arya was still looking at me for more reassurance when a sudden knock on the window made us all scream.

“Woah! Calm down!”, Ethan yelled, startled by us screaming.

“You could have called. You scared us!”, I scolded him while getting out of the car. He chuckled.

“You are going to a party or a sport’s event?”, he asked looking at my shoes.

“I don’t think Caleb wants another of his birthday cake destroyed by our queen of clumsiness!”, Arya laughed after successfully embarrassing me in front of our new friend. I nudged her lightly on the shoulder and asked her to shut up.

“Well, no matter how tempting this story sounds, let us save it for later. The party has already started.”, Ethan said and started to walk towards the forest.

Arya and Anna were clinging to my arms scared as we walked deeper and deeper into the forest. When we reached the place from where I saw that wolf on the cliff, I managed to sneak a look. There was nothing.

After walking on the broken branches and grass for ten minutes we finally saw a beautifully lit gravel path. There were lanterns everywhere and the place seemed lively. If I had to define what was in front of me, I would have just one word- Magical!

“Wow! You guys just changed this dark forest into someplace right from a fairy-tale!”, I complimented. Ethan bowed and whispered a small thanks.

“Are my eyes, okay? Or is it really my little Hayley Robinson!”, a conversant voice exclaimed. I turned around and there he was- Mr Garrot, Mr Adolf’s younger brother.

“Hello Mr Garrot!”, I exclaimed excited and gave him a tight hug.

“You have grown so tall!”, he said faking his astonishment. I laughed.

“It is so good to see you after so long, Mr Garrot.”, I told him with a smile.

“It is! You are here for Caleb’s party?”, he asked, and I nodded.

“Are these two young ladies with you?”, he asked again.

“Yes, uncle Garrot. We all are invited.”, Ethan spoke up this time. Mr Garrot nodded and wrote my name in the register with +2 in the bracket.

“Just show me the invite once.”, he said with a smile.

“Uncle Garrot, they are invited. You don’t have to check their invite!”, Ethan was a little offended.

“I don’t wish to, but you know how my brother gets if I don’t do my job properly.”, Mr Garrot defended himself.

“It is okay! I’ll show you the invitation card.”, I smiled at him and opened my bag. Taking out the invite I handed it over to him.

“Okay! So, we have an invite for Lu-”, he stopped midway. His eyes were now a size of a saucer and he looked up at me. He then looked at Ethan who gave a slight nod. I looked at my two friends who were also confused by this sudden tension in the air.

“Caleb gave this to you?”, Mr Garrot asked.

“Oh! He wrote some Luna’s name instead of mine. But he said it was okay for me to use this invite.”, I explained the little confusion that happened because of the names.

“Right! He gave it to you by mistake!”, Mr Garrot said in a very suggestive tone.

“Fine! You can go in now!”, he said and bowed. I was a little taken aback by this sudden gesture but let it slide as I was pulled inside by Arya and Anna.

The venue was out of this world. The place was full of white lilies and beautiful artificial flowers were hanging from the roof.

“Hayley look at the cake.”, Arya exclaimed. I gave her a look which clearly said- seriously!

“Oh no! I mean seriously look at it.”, she said and pulled me along.

“I have never seen something this beautiful!”, Anna exclaimed as she joined us.

The cake was not your regular rectangle or a square cake, but a sphere. It was the moon! The grey shade, perfect texture and intricate design of the craters were mind-blowing. It was made to perfection, but I felt sad thinking it will be destroyed and eaten up by people.

“You like it?”, someone whispered in my ear making me jump. I got startled by the proximity and turned around only to slip on the gravel. But before I could destroy yet another cake two strong arms held me tight. My eyes were still closed, and I waited for the fall and to embrace the moon which will be the next victim to my clumsiness.

“You do have some issue with my birthday cakes!”, the same voice said followed by a chuckle.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw a very amused Caleb smirking at me. His arm was wrapped around my waist holding me mid-air in a weird position. But all I could think was-‘who wears such casual clothes at his own birthday party?’.

“Are you judging my clothes right now, while balancing yourself right above my cake?”, he asked with yet another amused smile.

“Uhm! Thanks for saving me.”, I said standing up from that awkward pose.

“I was saving my cake.”, he said. what a jerk! I could feel the anger rising inside me when Anna nudged me lightly. I looked at her and she just told me to wish him. Oh yes! The formalities are a must.

“Happy birthday Caleb!”, I said faking a smile.

“Thank you, Hayley!”, he said returning the fake smile.

“Mr Caleb!”, a voice interrupted our small interaction. He turned around and his eyes went golden from brown. Did his eyes just change colour? I must be hallucinating. Without thinking I tried to peek and see if they did change colour or not!

“I hope you are doing well!”, the strange man said.

Caleb was tensed. I could see it. His carefree and not to care attitude was not there. His hands were clenching into a fist.

“I am!”, he replied with a stiff voice.

“What are you doing?”, Anna asked watching me trying to look at Caleb’s eyes.

“Hi-his eyes! They change colour.”, I stuttered. Anna rolled her eyes and pulled me with her.

I took one step when the same arm pulled me towards itself. I looked at the person I was standing close to, and his golden eyes stared back at me. It was Caleb and his eyes did change colour.

“She is the one.”, he told the strange man who looked at me and then smiled.

“I am what?”, I was confused.

“The one!”, Caleb answered without thinking.

“What one?”, I was still confused.

“The one who sabotages my parties.”, he completed.