Born To Sparkle

Chapter 11

Tina's POV

It was almost midnight when I returned from Joe's party. My legs had officially gone on strike after all that dancing. "One hell of a party," I muttered under my breath, recalling the crowded dance floor and the blaring music that still echoed in my head. Back home, there was no way I'd be allowed to attend such wild parties, much less come home this late. Dad would've locked the doors and lectured me on how "nothing good happens after 10 PM." I grinned, imagining his reaction if he saw me now, walking past midnight with tired feet and a carefree attitude.

I barely made it through the door before tossing my coat and purse onto the coffee table and collapsing onto the couch. So cold! I thought, shivering as the apartment's icy air greeted me. My humble home wasn't exactly equipped with central heating because, you know, low profile and all. I could have easily rented a fancy place with all the comforts, but that would've screamed Daddy's spoiled princess. That's what I was tagged before. I have been judged and mistreated, but I was determined to prove them wrong this time. No more five-star lifestyle. Just me, a small space, and a tiny portable heater.

I pulled my coat back on and lay down, hoping it would warm me up. Of course, it didn't. After a few moments of shivering, I gathered the energy to drag myself to the bedroom. My heater was already set up by the bed like my personal little sun. Once in my pajamas, I curled up under the comforter, finally feeling my toes again. "I'm never leaving this bed," I declared to the empty room. Note to self: Don't party like it's 1999 when your heater is from 1999.

Just as I was drifting off, my phone buzzed. Ugh, seriously? Now? My eyelids were heavier than bricks, so I pressed the side button to ignore it. The buzzing started again. I groaned. It's probably Trisha or Veronica. With a sigh, I blindly reached for my phone. "Hello," I grumbled.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."

I blinked. Wait. What? It was my family. My entire, crazy family.

"Happy birthday, Tina!" Shawn shouted through the screen, party hat and all.

There they were: Dad waving like a dork, Mom holding a tiny cake, and Shawn blowing one of those party whistles. My heart swelled, and I tried to fight the tears threatening to break free. "Happy birthday, darling," Mom said, lighting the candle on the cake.

I pretended to blow out the candle, and Shawn. Always the comedian beat me to it. I made a quiet wish as they cheered. Please don't ever find out what I was doing tonight.

"I miss you guys," I whispered, choking up. "Especially today."

"We miss you too, kiddo," Dad replied. "But you'll be back with us soon. Stay strong, okay?"

We chatted a little longer before they urged me to get some sleep. "Lucky I'm home," I muttered after the call ended. If they had called while I was at the party, I'd be packing my bags for a one-way trip back home right about now.

I buried my face in the pillow, replaying Dad's words in my head. He must never know about tonight.

But just as I closed my eyes again, the phone buzzed once more. My heart skipped a beat. Oh no. Did Dad forget something? I picked up the phone, only to see Veronica's name flashing on the screen.

"Ugh, fine," I groaned, answering reluctantly.

"Happy birthday, gorgeous! Get your lazy butt up; we're coming to get you in 30 minutes. Love you, bye!"

"What the..." I sat up, squinting at the time. 8:20 AM? When did I even fall asleep? I scrolled through the messages from my friends and family, only to find one from Joe sent at midnight. I smiled, reading his message:

"Happy birthday to you! Here's to another year of laughter, memories, and shared celebrations. I promise we'll celebrate our next birthday together. Cheers to a lifetime of friendship and special moments!"

I couldn't help but blush. Why do I feel like I'm in one of those cheesy romance movies right now? I stood up, clutching my phone to my chest, and twirled around the room, pretending there was soft music playing in the background.

But the vibration of another message snapped me back to reality. Focus, Tina. Get ready before they storm the building.

By the time I met Trisha and Veronica downstairs, we were already laughing like maniacs in our matching "US" t-shirts. "We look like a wannabe girl band," I joked.

"Let's go, we're running late!" Trisha urged, and we hopped into the taxi to the train station, heading for my birthday surprise.

It took us nearly an hour by train to get to where Trisha and Veronica had planned my birthday surprise. Some famous parks. That's what I thought, anyway. When we arrived, a guy was already waiting for us, holding a picnic basket in one hand and a bunch of balloons in the other.

He was handsome. Annoyingly so. "Is he my surprise? If so, I'll gladly take him," I joked, nudging Trisha.

"Unfortunately, no," Veronica smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You see, I'm saving him for my birthday."

I laughed, but part of me thought, Shame, though. He'd look great in all my birthday pictures.

He handed Veronica the basket, gave me the balloons, and said, "Happy birthday." His voice was rich and smooth. Okay, I'd definitely trade a slice of cake for that voice to wish me a happy birthday every day.

Then he guided us to a sleek van parked nearby.

"The basket looks big. What's in it?" I asked, poking at it as Veronica clutched it like a treasure chest.

"It's a picnic basket, darling," Trisha said, feigning sophistication.

"Duh! I knew that. Wait... are we actually going to have a picnic here?" I glanced around. The park was almost deserted. A few benches were occupied with loners and teenagers making out in the freezing cold. Romantic, right?

We walked toward the van and climbed in. I stayed quiet, trying to figure out what was going on. My gut told me if I asked, they wouldn't spill the beans. They loved this kind of suspense.

After a short ride, we pulled up to a huge, elegant building. It looked old but in a way that said, "I've survived centuries and still look good." Honestly, I thought, smirking to myself.

A large sign read "The House of Roses" in bold letters, and the garden was drenched in every color of rose imaginable. Note to self: don't even think about stealing one. They probably come with a price tag.

We walked toward the entrance, where a woman greeted us and led us inside. The moment we stepped in, I felt like I'd stumbled into a dream. The walls were pure white, almost too perfect, as if the whole place had been dipped in marshmallow frosting.

Then the sliding doors opened.

My breath hitched. Am I in heaven? We stood on top of a cliff, the entire city spread out beneath us. It was cold, and a light fog curled over the horizon, giving the view an almost mystical quality.

"Am I dead?" I whispered to Veronica.

"No," she snickered. "Not yet."

The lady said something to Trisha, who nodded and smiled before the woman disappeared down the hall.

"What did she say?" Veronica asked.

"She said this place is ours until 9 PM, so we can enjoy it as much as we want." Trisha grinned, her excitement contagious.

"You rented this place?" I beamed.

"Yup," Trisha nodded, a little too casually for someone who just gave me an entire mansion for my birthday.

"This must've cost a fortune!" I gasped.

"Not really." Trisha shrugged like it was no big deal. "There was this promotion at a shop in India. I entered a draw, and boom. Free getaway. And since the voucher was expiring soon, I thought I'd use it for your birthday."

"Well, I'm officially in love with your luck," Veronica chimed in, admiring the place.

"We should take a million pictures," I said, already pulling out my phone. We rushed to the deck, snapping photos like our lives depended on it, each shot more breathtaking than the last. If heaven was a real estate listing, this place would be on the front cover.

Back inside, we wandered into the kitchen. It was sleek, all modern appliances gleaming under soft lighting. Everything about it screamed, You don't belong here but try not to break anything, okay?

"Why did you bring a picnic basket when we could've cooked in this gourmet palace?" I asked, eyeing the fridge that looked like it held five-star ingredients.

Trisha winked. "Because I didn't want us spending the whole day cooking. We only have ten hours here, and I figured we'd be doing better things."

I raised an eyebrow. "Better than stuffing our faces with homemade brownies?"

Trisha waved me off. "You'll see."

We were halfway through exploring the other rooms when Veronica screamed, "Girls, get in here!"

We bolted toward her, nearly tripping over our feet.

When we reached her, we stopped in our tracks, staring in disbelief. My jaw dropped. Is this for real? I glanced at Trisha. Her face mirrored mine. Pure shock.

Joe's POV

I stretched my body, pulled the comforter up to my head, and snuggled back to sleep. The muffled sound of traffic floated in from outside, signaling the arrival of morning. A blissful silence had settled on our street last night, and I had slept like a log. I closed my eyes again, sinking back into a dream where Tina and I were dancing together. Her hand brushed mine, and she smiled at me with that look she only ever gives me. I moved closer, my heart pounding as I leaned in to kiss her. Just as our lips touched...

Beep! A car horn blared from the street, shattering the dream into a thousand pieces.

I shot up in bed, groggy but wide awake. "Ugh, it was just a dream." I slumped back onto the pillow, but then it hit me like a brick. "Oh, shit."

"I can't believe I overslept! Tina's birthday... and I'm here lying in bed like an idiot. What if she thinks I forgot? Ugh, she'll probably be so disappointed in me. Damn it, Joe, get it together!"

Panic surged through me as I grabbed my phone. Eight o'clock. I cursed under my breath. "Mom! Why didn't you wake me up?" I yelled from my bedroom. I'd told her to make sure I was up by seven. Seven! What had I been thinking about staying up so late after the party?

"You were so tired from last night, so I thought I'd let you sleep in," Mom yelled back from downstairs. "Don't worry about the café. If you want I'll go instead."

"Thanks, Mom," I muttered under my breath, already half-dressed. The floor was like ice under my feet, making me wince as I hopped around the room trying to find my shoes. I caught sight of myself in the mirror. Hair is a mess. Yesterday's clothes crumpled on the floor. No time for a shower. I wasn't going to risk being any later than I already was. I grabbed a bottle of cologne and sprayed it liberally, hoping to mask any evidence of last night's dancing. No time for vanity.

Grabbing the car keys, I dashed out. "I'll grab something on the way!" I called out to Mom as I flew down the stairs and out the door.

My first stop was the flower shop. The bouquet I had ordered was supposed to be perfect. All of Tina's favorite flowers, picked out by yours truly. I had spent hours trying to figure out which flowers she liked, and I wasn't going to let that effort go to waste. Or, at least, that was the plan.

When I finally pulled up in front of Tina's place, I saw a taxi just pulling away. In the back seat, I spotted Trisha, Veronica, and Tina. Laughing, talking, looking like they were having the best time ever. I slammed on the brakes, my heart pounding. No. No. No.

"There she goes... off with her friends. Great. Way to ruin her birthday. Now she'll probably think I didn't even care enough to show up. What am I going to say when I finally see her? 'Hey, sorry I slept in?' Yeah, that'll go over well."

I banged the steering wheel in frustration. "I'm such an idiot," I muttered. Why didn't I set an alarm? I had one job. Show up early, wish Tina a happy birthday, and maybe, just maybe, ask her out for dinner. But now? Now I was standing here like a fool with a bouquet in hand and nothing to show for it.

I stared blankly at the spot where the taxi had been just moments before. What was I supposed to do now? Go home and sulk? Absolutely not. I quickly texted Trisha, hoping she could save me from myself. I bit my lip, waiting for her reply, but when it finally came, it only made things worse.

"Smooth move, genius. You missed her by five minutes. Maybe next year?'I groaned.

"Very funny, Trisha. Tell Tina I'll make it up to her."

''You better. She's been talking about this for days.'

"Won't be back until eleven tonight", Trisha replied. I groaned out loud.

The whole day. I have to wait the whole day. My fingers grazed the bouquet on the passenger seat, and I sighed. All those fresh flowers... the careful planning... the hours spent picking the perfect ones. Wasted. I could already picture her face, those soft, rosy lips... I'd hoped to steal another kiss like the one from my dream. God, her lips were perfect. I had to shake myself out of that thought.

Frustrated and hungry, I texted mom that I'll go to the cafe. I drove to the café. Weekends meant it was my turn to manage the place, but today, I didn't have the energy. The whole day stretched ahead of me, useless without Tina.

"You look exhausted," Herbert said as I walked in. He raised an eyebrow, probably assuming I was worn out from last night.

"Yeah, just gonna head to the office," I mumbled, avoiding eye contact. The last thing I needed was sympathy. "Can you send some coffee and pastries to my office?"

Once inside, I collapsed onto the couch. I had no plan. No energy. Just disappointment. I wanted to spend Tina's birthday with her, to make it special. Now I had nothing but hours to kill until midnight. My second option had been to meet her in the morning and casually ask her out for dinner sometime soon. Clearly, that was out of the question now.

The staff brought my breakfast, but I didn't touch it. My appetite was gone. I stared at the bouquet again, thinking of what I could have done differently. If only I had woken up earlier. I scrolled aimlessly through my phone, searching for some distraction. Maybe Tina had posted something about her day. Something I could latch onto for a future conversation. But when I searched her name, I couldn't find her account.

"Why doesn't anyone use their real names on social media?" I muttered to myself in frustration. It felt like every username was some sort of cryptic code I'd never crack. Trisha? Nope. Veronica? Thankfully, yes.

I clicked on Veronica's profile and bingo. She had tagged Tina in her story. I finally found Tina's account and smiled at her profile picture. She looked stunning in the dress from last night's party. As I scrolled through her story, I noticed a post where she said she missed her mom's chocolate cake. That's when it hit me.

"Cake. I'll bake her a cake."

The idea lit a fire in me. This wasn't over yet. I rushed to the kitchen, calling one of the staff to inform Herbert that I'd be using it later. The bouquet could stay fresh in water until I was done. It was time to make up for my screw-up.

I found my secret recipe book, buried under layers of dust. It had been forever since I'd baked for someone, but this cake had to be perfect. Tina's favorite. As I flipped through the pages, I thought back to how much I used to enjoy baking. It was one of those things that made me feel like myself. Today, it was all for her.

"I haven't baked a cake in ages. What if it comes out wrong? What if it tastes awful? No, no, it'll be fine... She's going to love this. She has to. It's chocolate cake. Who can resist chocolate, right?"

I was halfway through mixing the batter when my phone buzzed. It was Justin.

"Yo, bro! What's up?"

I glanced at the cake batter, then at the clock. "Nothing much, just at the café," I lied. Please don't ask me to hang out right now.

"I'm still recovering from last night's party. You must be beat too."

"Yeah, a little." I stirred the batter absently, my mind fully on the cake.

"By the way, are you handling Calvin's party tomorrow?"

Crap. I'd totally forgotten. "Actually, Justin... could you handle the shopping? I'm kinda swamped at the café."

Justin agreed, and I let out a sigh of relief. Crisis averted. Now I could focus entirely on Tina's cake.

"Crap, was I supposed to add one cup of flour or two? Too late now. Please, cake gods, don't let this flop!"

When the cake finally came out of the oven, it was perfect. No, better than perfect. It was everything I'd imagined.

"Herbert peeked into the kitchen. 'Smells good in here, what're you baking?'

'Nothing special,' I mumbled, covering the bowl of icing with my body like it was a secret treasure map. 'Just, uh, experimenting...'

He gave me a suspicious look but thankfully didn't ask for more. Phew."

I packed it carefully and made sure the bouquet was ready. I still had hours until I'd see Tina, but now I had the perfect gift.

"Eleven o'clock felt like a lifetime away. What if she's too tired when she gets back? What if she doesn't even like chocolate cake? No, no, she loves chocolate cake. I hope."

______________________________

"Sometimes, the best moments in life aren't planned. They're the ones that sneak up on you, wrapped in laughter, love, and a touch of chaos."