Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn Birthday

Chapter 14

“Why aren’t you happy?” Nina cocked her head to the side, still smiling. “It’s your birthday, you’re ten today!”

“The thing is, Nina,” Dawn said as she collected their presents and led them down to the basement. “There are three other kids turning ten today too.”

Mae had managed to sneak Ricky out of the basement without the gymnastics girls noticing him. She’s pushed him out the backdoor.

“Don’t come back, Ricky!” She called as he ran down the block to Stanky’s. “You have your own party to attend to!” She shut the door and turned to the basement. Dawn, Nina and the other girls were just coming downstairs.

Dawn put the presents down on the buffet table and switched on the music.

“Why are you still wearing your leotards?” Mae asked Nina.

“We just had gymnastics practice.” Nine said, bubbly and upbeat. “We didn’t have time to change. We ran into the cheer girls on the way here, actually. They just finished practice as well, so they’ll be showing up in their uniforms too.”

“Where are they, then?” Mae asked.

“They stopped by Stanky’s for a while.” Nina shrugged. She picked a pretzel out of a bowl on the buffet table and popped it in her mouth.

“Stanky’s?” Mae sighed. The cheer team was never going to come this way. They were all over Dicky. “I’ll go get more snacks.” Mae walked upstairs. She came back down holding three bowls, one in either hand, another held in the crook of her elbow. Following her was a group of girls in multicolored shirts and khaki pants. The math girls.

“Hey, guys!” Dawn said somewhat happily, rushing to the girls. “Gifts go over there.” She pointed. The math girls grinned and piled their gifts atop the gymnastics girls’ boxes.

“Happy birthday, Dawn!” A girl called Anna hugged Dawn happily. “What did you get on the test? …You do remember the math test last week, right?”

“Yeah, I do!” Dawn said, gritting her teeth a little and smiling forcedly. “I tried to forget about it, but now I remember! Thanks, Anna!”

“No problem, Dawn!” Anna skipped away happily. Suddenly, a girl in a purple and green miniskirt and a gray tank top bounced to the top of the stairs so she could see the entirety of the basement from her perch. She scanned the room and spotted Dawn, then grinned widely and planted her purple-and-green pom-pom clad hands on her waist.

“Dawn!” The cheerleader cheered, hopping down the stairs and spelling out Dawn’s name with her arms. “H-A-P-P-Y, birthday!”

“…Thanks? Sylvia, where’re the others?” Dawn asked.

“They’re all over at Stanky’s.” Sylvia said, still in her preppy cheer voice. “Celebrating your birthday!”

“But I’m over here.” Dawn explained.

“Sure you are.” Sylvia said happily. “But they’re over there. That’s what I don’t get.” She jumped down. “Why’re you celebrating the same birthday in different places?”