we run this ⇒ cel, kbh & mnz

the party's starting soon

"Here you go," I say, passing Kalani a string of fairy lights up the ladder.

It's finally the night the whole school has been waiting for. Party night. Our guest count has gone from thirty to fifty to ninety, and I wouldn't be surprised if more end up arriving. A few people from the year above heard about the party and told more people, so our numbers are rising quickly. It's amazing how fast gossip can spread around a high school.

She pins up the lights and I plug them in, making them sparkle white up and down the hanging lobes of wire.

"It looks so pretty," I continue, admiring her handiwork. "You know, you're actually quite a perfectionist." I giggle as she smiles at me.

"I guess you could say that."

"What else do we need?" I ask, wandering into Kalani's huge kitchen as she follows me.

"Alcohol" Kalani sniggers as she walks over to her metallic fridge and opens it. She pulls out a can of beer and shows it to me quickly. "This'll do, right?"

"I-I guess so" I reply sheepishly.

"Cool," Kalani reaches down, pulling out pack after pack of beer. "My Dad said I'm old enough to make my own decisions now, so I'm pretty sure he'll be okay with us taking this." she says calmly. When Kalani's decided she's going to do something, she's going to do it - so there's no point in even trying to stop her or change her mind.

"Oh – okay."

We take the cans outside onto the lawn, where we will be holding the main part of the party and place them down on a garden table.

"There" Kalani says, placing the last can down and seeming rather impressed with herself for a reason I am unsure of.

I nod and make my way back inside, Kalani following.

We go upstairs to Kalani's room, a place I have been more times than I can count, but today I look around and see all the things I've never truly looked at before.

I look around me to see the true delicate design of the place.

Her huge, double bed lies in the middle of the room, full to the brim with pillows and blankets, all lain neatly and precisely in size and colour order. At the end of the bed is a purple chest. It is painted intricately with silver designs. The swirls of the pattern lead down to the bottom of the chest, where a silhouette of a young girl with a flower crown planted on top of her head is painted.

On her desk at the other side of the room is a large silver iMac with a mouse and keyboard sat in front of it. To the side of the desk are hundreds of coloured pens and pencils, and stacks of paper with drawings all over them.

"These are amazing," I say, walking over and pulling a picture from the pile.

"Oh, it's nothing really." Kalani blushes.

"No, really, I never knew you were such an amazing artist." I counter-argue.

Kalani pulls the piece of paper from my hand and sets it back down on the pile, pushing the edges inward with her hands to make sure they are precisely in line.

"Thanks" she replies quickly, obviously a little embarrassed.

I smile at her and take her hand, squeezing it. "I'm so excited for tonight, it's going to be great."