the manuscript || Leonardo DiCaprio

Chapter 1: It's a Surprise

I woke up to the sound of gentle rain, which always put me in a good mood. I was also excited by the fact it was my birthday today, swinging my legs over my mattress before getting up. I shared a house with my sister, and I had a feeling she would be doing something special. She was always the type to go over the top with things, but it was a trait I loved about her. I went ahead and went into the bathroom, fixing my copper red hair into two, small side braids that I joined in the back. I decided I would wait to apply makeup in case I just decided to stay in. Even though I loved the sound of rain, I wasn't sure if I was in the mood to venture out into it. I went down our staircase, finding my older sibling already smiling widely by our kitchen counter.

"Happy birthday, Evie," she exclaimed, a Hostess cupcake on a plate with a candle sticking up out of it. I figured she would bake an entire cake, but this looked delicious too. Plus, how many days in the year did I get dessert for breakfast?

"Thank you," I beamed, taking a seat on one of our bar stools with a mint green cushion.

"Okay, so make a wish before eating this," she instructed, taking out the red lighter for the lonely, thin, purple candle.

I closed my eyes before just thinking about something random, since I didn't believe my wish could ever come true. I blew out the flame and she applauded, going over to the fridge with her auburn hair in a high ponytail.

"So, are you having a Hostess cupcake too," I wondered after taking a bite out of mine.

"No, but I am going to make some coffee," she remarked, pulling out the container of creamer.

I looked around as I didn't spot a single present, which was out of character for her. Normally she was piling gifts like it was Christmas, which would be happening soon, since December just started. I had been born on the first day of the month, so my parents had named me Eve for the holiday season. I had always gone by Evie though, which I preferred for people to call me.

"Um, are we going anywhere today," I slowly asked, not sure what to make of the situation.

"No, but your present should be here any minute. You won't want to hang out with me once it's here," she stated, causing me to knit my eyebrows together in confusion.

"What are you talking about? Is it like a gaming system or something?"

"You know what, you should go upstairs and put on makeup and a cute outfit."

"Ren, what on earth is going on? You're not acting like yourself," I observed.

"Trust me, just do what I said. Pretend that you're going out on a lavish date."

"Did you get me a date for my birthday? You know how I feel about blind dates. I've never dated much in general."

"Come on, you're wasting precious time. Get upstairs," she instructed, grabbing me by the wrist to pull me to my feet. I nearly stumbled before ascending the staircase, deciding on a cute lilac skirt with a long sleeved white top. I just went with simple makeup, not bothering with eyeshadow, but I did add lipgloss over my pink lipstick. I went back to the living room in my tall, white boots, hearing someone ring the doorbell.

"Why don't you get that, Evie," Ren asked as she stood beside me. This was even more strange, since she typically answered the door. She knew that I got nervous facing strangers, but I figured she wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. I slowly went over there, twisting the doorknob and then feeling like I would be sick. Right in front of me in the flesh was Leonardo DiCaprio with a sweet smile on his lips.

"Hey, are you Evie," he kindly checked, me somehow managing to nod. I hoped my mouth wasn't dropped open as I messed with the ends of my hair. "I'm your date for your birthday."