Deception

After a grueling workout of running twenty 200-meter sprints, running up and down the hilly terrain around the school, and lifting weights, I stop into the bathroom to check for any more interesting messages:

"Lori Gunderslut and Zacky Merrick broke it off."

"Surprise, surprise."

"He finally saw the light."

"Gaskarth is sexing up Melanie. Goodbye, Kaleb Fagner."

"Eww. He left a loser for a slut?"

I whip out my lime green marker.

"Careful what you say. Jealousy will come back to haunt you."

I drive home to a mixed CD Miranda gave me yesterday. The music's cheery guitar chorus brings up my spirits, my mind swirling with thoughts of who remembered my birthday and who didn't. The large singing Disney Princess balloon in the back blocks my rear view vision, the baked goods sitting on the seats.

Alex completely forgot.

What did that mean? Does he think birthdays are insignificant? But girls love getting things on their birthdays. Every guy knows that; and if they don't, they're thick. I'm sure Alex knows that. What if he said it because he really did forget?

Is this an awkward, one-sided teenage crush?

I pull up into the driveway, running through the beautiful sheet of snow. My house looks like something out of a picture--the snow coating each tree, the roof with icicles hanging off the ledges, the chimney puffing out smoke.

My feet ruin the delicate carpet of snow as I head towards the doorway, my keys jingling in my frozen hands. I stick the key into the knob and twist, pushing the door open. The foyer is dark, seeming much bigger than it did this morning.

"SURPRISE!"

The lights flicker on in the kitchen, the hair on my neck standing up.

"Happy birthday, Kaleb!" shout Jack and Alex, pulling me into the party.

"You see, Alex didn't really forget," Jack explains, arm around my shoulders. He looks over at his best friend. "Even though he totally would."

"Bitch," Alex murmurs, still managing a smile on his face. "And I would never forget something so important."

Liz waves me into the kitchen, Miranda, Rian, and Kara standing near her awkwardly. "Kaleb, we're really excited for you to finally show up!" She pulls me into her arms. "Oh dear, I've spent all day cooking your cake and such...I really hope you find it delicious. It's white chocolate and strawberry--your favorite."

My favorite's just chocolate. Just regular, creamy chocolate.

Dad smiles, pulling me into a hug. "Happy eighteenth, hon. You've grown so fast." He studies Alex who squirms under his stare. "No illegal business tonight; you'll be tried as an adult."

"Don't worry, Mr. Wagner. We'll keep an eye on the two of them!" Miranda chimes in, arms wrapped around Alex's and my shoulders. "And girl, we've got to discuss things." She pulls me outside onto the snow-covered deck and shuts the door. "Okay, I've got some news for you."

"Does it have to do with Lori and Zack breaking up?" I ask, pulling my hat down further.

"Do you know the whole story?"

I shake my head.

Miranda takes in a deep breath. "Alex told the story about her flirting at the theatre when you guys went to go watch that shitty sci-fi movie. He said he saw them get 'handsy' and repeated the story you told him about what they did in the girls' bathroom." She whistles. "Man, he was pissed. So he broke it off with Lori, and he's been in a pissy mood ever since."

Liz sticks her head out of the door. "Pizza's here, girls. Come in before the guys eat it all." We shuffle back inside and pull off our boots. Jack, Alex, and Rian have already eaten a pan of large pizza while Kara barely finished a slice.

"Randa, don't give me that look," Jack whines, frowning as Miranda continues to scowl. "I'm starving. I haven't eaten in the past hour."

It's a mystery how none of them are overweight.

The boys loom over the cake as they all sing "Happy Birthday", Alex's voice the most prominent. He hangs over, singing an arpeggio. "Show off," Kara murmurs, elbowing him the ribs.

Jack and Alex devour half the cake. "You know, this is a load of fun," Kara says as Rian moves over to our side of the table. "I think we should do something like this again, except the whole 'birthday portion'."

"Who's going to provide food for the two of them?" Rian asks, pointing to Jack and Alex. "I think Miranda and I are the only ones working."

"I am not purchasing anything to keep those two full. All the money I've been saving for two years will be gone," Miranda says, scowling. "I love my baby to death, but whenever he comes over, the fridge is emptied out, and my parents ground me."

"They can feed themselves," Kara replies, waving a hand. "Anyway, it's time for presents." She shoves a large box with snowflakes towards me. "This is from both Rian and me."

I thank them and rip open the box to find a lone envelope inside. I furrow my brow as I pull out the envelope and lift the flap. Out comes two tickets for Jack's Mannequin at the 9:30 Club.

"OH MY GOD," shouts Jack. "I'VE BEEN DYING TO SEE HIM IN CONCERT."

"Sweetheart, it's not your birthday yet," says Miranda gently. She hands me a large silver bag with green tissue paper. "You're going to enjoy this."

I raise an eyebrow and search through the tissue paper. "I'm scared," I say, pulling out the contents. A lacy thong, a lottery ticket, and a shoe box. I look at her. "This is going to be something inappropriate, is it?" I ask, frightened to open the box. Dad stares at the thong.

"I bought you one inappropriate thing, and now you're all up in my face about it?" Miranda sighs. "Just open the box, girl, and find out for yourself!"

I slowly open it, half expecting a pair of hooker stilettos, but instead are a pair of boots with fur inside them. I grin. "Thanks, Miranda," I say, shoving the thong in the box.

"Me next!" shouts Jack, shoving a neatly wrapped box in my face. "It's better than Randa's gift." Miranda whips her pink and blonde dyed hair in his face.

I rip the blue and green striped wrapping paper off the box and open it, a pair of neatly folded American Eagle jeans and a Jack's Mannequin hoodie inside. "Oh Jack, it's beautiful," I say, giving him a hug.

Alex hands me a small bag, the black words "Tiffany & Co." on the side of the turquoise bag. I look at him, and he shrugs. "Doesn't every girl like Tiffany's?" Kara and Miranda giggle together, making "ooh" sounds as I reach my hand into the bag, pulling out a turquoise box, a white ribbon wrapped around it. I slip the ribbon off and open the box, carefully placing the jewelry in my hands.

The necklace has a round sterling silver bag with a blue enamel heart. Alex had someone engrave "Kaleb & Alex 2006" on the back. "How much did you spend?" Miranda asks, eyes round. Alex smirks.

"That's a secret."