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Eliana was happy for the excuse to dress up, come Maddy's birthday party. She was absolutely stoked to have something to take her mind off her previous stressors, especially knowing that Cassie and Lexi were hosting it at their house so the liquor cabinets weren't going to be locked.
Maddy had told everyone she wanted to hang out in the hot tub, so Eliana threw a swimsuit in her toe bag — a white high waisted bikini bottom with a cherry red halter top — quickly, as she didn't really care about the colour coordination of her swimsuits. As for her outfit of choice, a light blue velour mini skirt with a simple white bandeau and gold hoop earrings, in honour of the birthday girl herself, paired with a thick white sandal.
She hauled her birthday gift for Maddy, a pair of black platform boots with a cheetah print heel, wrapped perfectly with balloon wrapping paper into her small Honda. She had found them while in Colorado and knew she had to bring them back for her. She honestly couldn't wait for her to open them.
When Eliana got to the Howard household, This Is How We Do It was blaring through the speakers. Tote bag draped over her shoulder, birthday gift balanced in her hands. "Sorry, I'm late! Where's the birthday girl?"
"I think the kitchen," Bb said. Eliana nodded.
"Do you think Nate's still coming over?" Cassie asked Bb.
"Um, yeah, that's what Maddy says," Bb answered honestly.
"Like who gives a fuck. Gross," Eliana snickered with Bb as she passed the brunette girl. Honestly, she loved Bb but she had to keep her distance with how much that girl vaped.
Entering the kitchen, Eliana finally found the birthday girl, who was facing Kat as they were having what seemed to be the beginning of an intense conversation. "What's wrong?" the long-haired girl asked Kat.
Kat took a long sigh. "I, like... can't fucking stand Ethan."
Eliana frowned. "Awh, why?" she crossed her arms as she stood beside Maddy and leaned against the kitchen sink softly. She didn't mind filling her head with somewhat meaningless high school problems.
"I was wondering," Maddy nodded.
"I don't know," Kat seemed like for the first time in a long time she was answering honestly. "He's, like, sweet, and, like, something good finally happens, and I'm, like, a million times more miserable."
"Well, there's a difference between what you think you should want, and what you actually want," Maddy said.
"How do I know what I want?" Kat asked.
Eliana smiled, letting out a short chuckle. "Ain't that the question?" she brought a hand to the back of her neck, scratching her hairline softly.
"You don't," Maddy answered for her.
"Then, what's the whole world always talkin' about?" Kat asked again.
"People are retarded," Maddy said rather bluntly, prompting Kat to laugh along with her. "No, seriously, people are fucking retarded."
Kat nervously smiled. "Maddy, I don't think you can say that word."
Maddy went on. "This shit is hard and confusing. The last thing you need is to feel worse because you're not feeling something you're supposed to feel. You do what feels good to you."
"Ugh, I hate it when you're right," Eliana cut in. "Makes all my advice look like shit."
"I love you," Kat said. "Both of you."
Eliana blew her a kiss as Maddy talked. "I love you, too. You know what would feel good?"
"What?" Kat asked.
"Dancing with me on my birthday," Maddy said like it was obvious, bringing a grin to Eliana's face. Maddy turned to Eliana. "Right?"
The girls danced for a while, which was always a great stress reliever. Then, Cassie presented Maddy with a super cute cake and candles, which brought a huge smile to Maddy's face. But it wasn't long until another problem dressed as a person came knocking — quite literally — and threatening Eliana's night. "Is Maddy here?"
Eliana rolled her eyes and decided to walk away before she said something she couldn't take back. For Maddy, of course.
Nate insisted Maddy open his stupid gift first, leaving the girls standing around in silence. Of course, it was something so simple yet so extravagant that they felt like they'd have to compare to, especially Eliana. Cassie seemed to take the evening the hardest, bringing a bottle of beer to her lips whenever possible.
Suze broke the silence by laughing. "You did good, big fella."
Nate stood at the entryway with Maddy, who was touching the heart-shaped Tiffany charmed necklace on her collarbone happily. "Hey, I'm gonna head out but, um, happy birthday."
"Why?" she questioned. "Don't go."
"Well, I just thought I'd give you guys a little bit of girl time," he spoke lowly, which failed to keep from the ears of the Romano girl.
"That's so sweet," Maddy said, leading Eliana to roll her eyes again for what felt like the millionth time. "Nah, you should stay."
"Boo," Eliana said from her spot standing next to Kat. "I mean... yay."
Kat nodded in a trance as she listened to the obvious discouragement in Eliana's voice. Yet both girls knew Maddy wouldn't be listening to them, especially tonight of all night's being that she would use her "I want this one thing" birthday card. But no matter how much Maddy wanted things to work out between them, she was clinging onto something that was already gone, beating a dead horse. "Wow, that was certainly a choice."
"Another piece of jewellery from him she'll find tacky in a month and try to pawn at a shop. Come on, let's go put our swimmers on, my back hurts from watching this telenovela every day."
"Tell me about it," Kat agreed, the two turning to make their way to the bathrooms first so they could change in peace. "What's Cass doing?"
Eliana groaned. "Who fucking knows, when she's got a bottle in her hand. When she drinks, it's tragic. It's best to just stay clear from her self destructive ways," Eliana decided as she trotted up the stairs, knowing the second she let herself get wrapped up in everyone else's drama, it would be like quicksand with no way she could escape.
