She's Such A Nerd

18: Treasure Hunt (Part 2)

Exhausted, I slump in the front seat of my car. Mark had dragged me from store to store, forced me to try on outfits I would never normally pick, and managed to talk me into buying some of said items. I'll admit that while I wouldn't normally wear this style, I enjoyed trying out this new look and actually like some of the clothes I bought. And it's not like I didn't get anything out of it. I got new clothes. He let me drag him into the small bookstore and waited patiently as I slowly sorted through books. After going to the bookstore, we walked back to the food court and he bought dinner.

I try to fit as many bags in the passenger seat as possible, storing the remaining few in the back. Leaning back, I look over the next note. I had tried to get answers from Mark the same as I did to Jake, by holding his wrist so he couldn't run off, but he had squirmed so much that I lost my grip and he ran off.

Have fun shopping? Well, you don't have to shop for the next surprise. There's something waiting for you when you get home.

That's not suspicious. As I drive home, I think about who could be behind it all. Jake and Mark are obviously part of it. But to plan all of this? I'm pretty sure they must have had help. Maria seems like the most reasonable answer, seeing as my parents wouldn't go this far. I can't think of anyone else who would do something like this. From the outfit and shoes this morning, my original guess would be Maria. She always has an eye for style.

As soon as I walk into the house, I notice a box sitting on the small table in the hallway. It was black with a light pink ribbon around it, a bow tied neatly on top. I carry it up to my room along with my shoes. I have no idea how some girls can walk in such high heels for so long. I had left the bags in the car, but brought the notes with me. I sit at my desk and carefully untie the ribbon.

Minutes later, I stand in front of the mirror, admiring the gift. The dress ends just above my knees and is a light shade of pink, bordering on a cream color. My red hair, now pulled up, seems like it would normally be out of place, but it contrasts in a way that doesn't look too bad. The top of the dress has small, sequined designs that shine when the light hits it in a way. The skirt is a bit of a darker shade than the top and a thin belt separated the top from the skirt. The belt is adorned by a small, sparkly bow that accented the dress. Ruffled layers of the skirt brush against my legs as I spin around.

The shoes that came with the dress are teal with cream colored straps and bows. While I'm sick of heels, the outfit is perfect. It's a little dressy, but I'm guessing it has to do with the "plans." It occurs to me that I didn't get a note with the present. I search through the box and the tissue paper that the outfit was somewhat wrapped in. I find the note on the floor in front of my desk.

This is your last clue. Happy birthday.

I stare at the note for a minute, confused. That's not even a clue. I turned the note over. At the bottom, in small print, were the words chronological order. After a moment, I grab the other notes, looking at the back of each one. Each note had a word with the exception of a few.

Follow your own yellow brick road.

My own yellow brick road. Paths are supposed to lead somewhere, right? Whether it was obvious or not. As I gathered the notes, something was slid under my bedroom door. In fancy lettering, it read:

You're invited to the best night of your life. Just follow the path.

I made sure to look on the back this time. It said Admit One. I open the door and find a rose on the ground. Looking down the hallway, I see rose petals pointing me in the direction I guess I'm supposed to go. Still carrying the invitation, I follow the petals down the stairs. The path turned out to be a maze. I'm suddenly glad I spent most of my childhood wandering around the house. I go down hall after hall until I come to the door that leads to the backyard. I open the door to find that the path continuing to lead me further into the backyard. I didn't realize how late it had gotten until I walked outside. It's getting harder to see the petals.

As I come to the end of the rose petal path with the rose in hand, I nearly scream. A bunch of lights are turned on, illuminating the dark yard, followed by the sound of a group of people yelling out "SURPRISE!" I look around wide-eyed. There's a huge group of people clapping and cheering in my backyard. I recognize all of them from school. I recall speaking to almost all of them over the past few years. Jake stands in front of the crowd with a grin on his face. Mark bounces on his toes next to him, looking like a little kid in a candy store.

I notice that everyone here is dressed up, the guys in tuxes and the girls in understated dresses. Off to the side is Maria holding a camera. Jake starts walking towards me. Before I can say anything, he yells, "Three! Two! One!"

The whole crowd starts singing an off-tune version of the Happy Birthday song. The crowd parts and reveals a huge cake. Mark rushes over and lights the candles just after everyone starts singing. My face is bright red as Jake grabs my arm, leading me past my singing classmates. At the end of the song, I smile at everyone and blow out the candles. I'm pretty sure everyone was taking pictures. I guess that's a good thing. I want to remember this day forever.

After I blew out the candles, Maria ran over. She took a bunch of pictures before she cut the cake. Someone starts the music and everyone starts dancing. I turn to Jake with a huge smile on my face.

"Did you plan all of this?" I ask him.

He shrugs, but the grin on his face makes it obvious. "I had some help from Mark and Maria."

I think I surprise him by wrapping my arms around him. "Thank you. Today was awesome."

"It's not over yet. Let's go enjoy the party." He pulls away and grabs my hand, leading me to join everyone else.

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As it turns out, I've been helping out with my own surprise party by baking with Maria. Most of the cupcakes we made were served. Every now and then, I'll catch Maria running back to the kitchen to grab more cupcakes. While there are other snacks and treats, everyone seems to favor the cupcakes. I walk to the kitchen once I get the chance. Maria rushes in a few minutes after I do.

"What are you doing in here?" She asks, frowning.

I give her a reassuring smile. "Taking a break."

She nods in understanding and grabs another plate of cupcakes. "Could you grab those, sweetie?" She motions to the remaining platter sitting on the counter. I don't even make it halfway to the table when Jake comes out of no where, stealing the platter out of my hands.

"Hey," I protest.

He shakes his head disapprovingly. "It's your party. You shouldn't be doing this."

"I was just helping out," I say in defense as we walk to the table filled with sweets. "Maria really outdid herself with the treats," I note aloud.

Jake nods. "She really did."

I turn to him. "Today was really fun. Thank you." He smiles, but says nothing. I look back at the crowd. "How'd you get so many people to come? And not to mention keeping quiet about it?"

He laughs. "Do you really think a bunch of teenagers are going to turn down a party?" It's my turn to laugh. "Even if it's for a birthday, I know these people can't refuse a good party."

I watch the crowd. Everyone is dancing and having a good time. I can't help but think about how much has changed since the beginning of the school year. I went from the extremely nerdy, quiet girl to here. I've made friends. While there aren't many, they're worth holding on to. It's not like I didn't talk to anyone before. I just didn't talk often. Now, things are different. In a good way.

I look at Jake and meet his eyes. There's a certain gleam. Like he's looking forward to something. "There's one last thing I have for you." He smiles and holds out his hand.