Freaks

28 • party time

❝grow old along with me. the best is yet to be,
the last of life, for which the first was made.❞
ｒｏｂｅｒｔ ｂｒｏｗｎｉｎｇ

___

   ＷＩＴＨ the flashing neon lights, multicoloured streamers and thumping bass beat thrumming against our skins, it is almost easy to forget that we are being watched.

Placed in strategic positions around the room are six security cameras, monitoring our every move, making sure the party doesn't get too out of control. I know I shouldn't be thinking about them. I should be trying to concentrate on the party. Or at least, Willow—it was her birthday after all. But considering the ever-nearing mission am I about to execute, I can't help it.

I'm nervous.

And not even the smell of the cakes from Aunt Victoria's bakery (which I'd managed to convince her to ship over here) or the excitement buzzing off my friends around me can distract me from my worries for long enough.

"Congrats, Willow, you're officially an adult. What are you going to do with that terrifying thought?"

At the sound of his voice, my eyes shift to Markus who envelops Willow in a hug. In his hands, behind her back, is a small, flat, gift-wrapped box which he hands to her at the end of their friendly embrace. So he did get her a gift after all.

"Markus!" Cass chides, "You're not supposed to say things like that."

"Oh, young, innocent Cassandra. You'll understand when you're older," Markus retorts, receiving a questioning look from all three of us.

Cass rolls her eyes, nudging Markus out of the way so she can hug Willow instead.

"Happy birthday, Wil," she says, grinning as she squeezes Willow's shoulders. Then in a murmur, she adds, "I don't know how you put up with him alone for so long."

"Heard that," Markus snaps back, though not looking particularly offended.

"You were supposed to," Cass replies, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Save World War Three till later," Willow says, laughing. "Thanks guys. All of you. This is amazing. I honestly wasn't expecting a surprise party as big as this one. And even the way you led me in here was genius."

"Oh, that was all Emma," Cass replies, bringing me into the group hug.

"Really?" Willow's eyes flicker to mine.

"It was a group effort really," I say shrugging.

Just under an hour ago, the three of us were sat around a cupcake in the deserted dining area, watching as a disappointed Willow blew out her sole birthday candle. You didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know why Willow was disappointed—we had spent the entire day downplaying her birthday, and even then, the guys hadn't even shown up to watch her cut into her 'cake' and neither Cass nor I had done as much as give her a birthday card.

What Willow didn't realise was that the reason for half our table's absence was that they were finishing off the final touches on the Rec Room. We didn't reveal anything until Willow was about to take a bite out of her cupcake: