𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ┃ 𝖭𝗂𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗌 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗓

┃𝐎𝐍𝐄

📍LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘

Hannah Everett smiled as her friends serenaded her with "Happy Birthday." They were gathered at an exclusive, high-end restaurant-the kind only a select few could ever step foot in.

She sat at the head of the table, perfectly positioned where everyone could see her. Around her were her closest friends-Jenna Ortega, Elena Cole, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyla, Olivia Rodrigo, and Quen Blackwell-all seated together, celebrating the special occasion in style.

All the phone cameras were pointed at her, and the flashes practically blinded her as everyone continued to sing "Happy Birthday." Hannah had no choice but to smile and laugh through it, trying not to be overwhelmed by the attention. In front of her sat a beautiful white cake adorned with pink hearts, perfectly capturing her love for the color pink.

As the song came to an end, the cheers and applause filled the restaurant. Hannah leaned forward, making a wish before blowing out the candles, her face still lit up by the flashing cameras and the warm smiles of her friends.

"Make a wish!" Jenna said, smiling warmly at her best friend.

"Mhmm," Hannah mumbled, pretending to think hard about it.

"Can you hurry up?" Quen chimed in, still holding her phone up. "My arm's getting tired."

The group of girls erupted in laughter. "Well, maybe don't shove the camera in her face," Sabrina teased, giggling along with the others.

Hannah looked over at Quen, only just realizing how close the camera was, practically right in her face. She hadn't noticed because her eyes had been glued to the cake, mesmerized by the pink hearts. With a small laugh, she blew out the candles, finally making her wish.

Everyone at the table was cheering, Hannah also cheered with them aswell. Everyone put their phones down now paying attention to each other.

"So, what did you wish for, my love?" Elena asked with a playful smile, sipping the last of her wine. "I mean, you're twenty-one now."

"To finally get drunk without having any issues," Olivia joked, her laughter contagious, causing a ripple of giggles among the girls.

"She was already getting drunk before she turned twenty-one," Sabrina teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Ayyy, don't worry, me too," Tyla said, laughing as Hannah blew her a playful kiss.

"She wished for an older man to rescue her and save her life," Quen chimed in, grinning.

"You did?" Jenna asked, her eyebrows raised with a teasing smile, eyes sparkling with curiosity. The table fell silent for a moment, everyone waiting to see how Hannah would respond.

Hannah raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress a smile. "No, but... how old are we talking, though?"

Quen leaned in, grinning mischievously. "What I mean by older men is someone from the '90s."

Hannah side-eyed her friend, knowing exactly what Quen was hinting at. She'd never go for someone that much older-definitely not past the year 2000. It just didn't feel right to her. There was something about the difference between the '90s and the 2000s that felt close, yet so far apart.

"Dating someone whose birth year starts with a 19?" Hannah asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"Why not?" Elena shrugged, her expression carefree. "Age is just a number, right?"

"Not gonna lie, Hannah... I'd totally date an older guy," Sabrina said with a smirk, fully aware that she was already dating someone older.

"We know, you don't have to remind us," Tyla chimed in, laughing as the rest of the table joined in, all eyes on Sabrina as she playfully rolled her eyes.