After four hours of dictating instructions to everyone, Peter was euphoric. He was pacing around his best friend's living room with a clipboard, wearing his favorite forest green long-sleeved shirt with jeans and loafers. His friend Liz was wobbling on a ladder, attempting to hang a banner with a stupid pun on it. He was about to tell her that the banner was sideways when his friend Mary nonchalantly walked into the room.
"Mary! Where have you been?! I need you to help set up for the party!"
Mary rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry Pete. I was cleaning my room, which, admittedly, I haven't done in quite a while. Plus, everything looks great. Charlotte will love it. You're definitely overthinking this." She began to pull her dark hair into two pigtails. Her white sundress made a swishing sound as she pulled Peter into a quick hug.
Liz groaned and jumped off the ladder. Pulling out a sharpie from her back jean pocket, she sat down in the middle of the living room and began to doodle on her shoe. Noticing the horrified look on Peter's face, she brushed back her dirty blonde hair, and began to draw with a greater passion. "If both of you would just shut up so we can get this damn party set up, that would be great."
Unfortunately for the girls, Peter began to panic. His need to control the situation had taken over, and he began to frantically correct Liz's crooked banner. "Everyone, we need streamers. Freddie was supposed to bring the streamers. W-where is he?"
Mary looked to Peter in utter confusion. "Why would I know?"
"I wasn't asking just you!"
Mary walked towards Peter and put her hand on his shoulder. "Pete, listen. Today is the day that Charlotte comes back after two months of being in Europe. So, we planned a thing. We've got been decorating since... 8 am. It is now noon. We have ...hung one banner. I think it's time to call it a day."
Peter smacked her hand away and began pacing again, "Well, I'm going to go drive to Freddie's and see if he's home. I've called him three times now, so this is the only thing that I haven't tried yet."
In an attempt to distract Peter from his rampage, Mary began to update her friends on Charlotte's best friend. Mary didn't quite understand their friendship, but she wasn't about to judge her twin's favorite person. "Guys Danielle just texted me. She's on her way!"
Peter, still hyper-focusing on the decor, practically screamed at Mary, "tell her to bring streamers, just in case!"
Liz couldn't handle Peter's annoying panic attack any longer. She stood up and slapped him across the face. "PETER! She's bringing all of the food, and the cake you moron! She doesn't have time! I'll just call Devon, he'll drop everything for me. Isn't that what boyfriends are for."
Just as Peter was about to burst into tears, Danielle burst through the front door without knocking. As per usual, her straight, brown hair was highlighted with purple, and she was dressed in all black with heavy eye makeup. "Has Peter taken control of the situation yet?"
Mary laughed. "You already know the answer to that Dani. You can set the cake...there, and help me with these streamers."
After another hour of setting up, Devon had arrived with a car full of streamers. Peter had finally reached Freddie, who had supposedly forgotten about the party. When he knocked on the door, Mary had quickly put him to work, while reprimanding him. "Freddie, you had a job to do!"
"Okay, I'm sorry. I brought cookies..."
Mary giggled. "All is forgiven then! Here hang this up. Thank goodness you're the complete opposite of Pete.
All of a sudden, Danielle climbed onto the kitchen island in order to catch everyone's attention. "Listen up guys. Charlotte texted me to tell me that she's ten minutes away. I don't care what you do with your time, but please don't touch the popcorn until she gets here, You know how important that is to her."
Mary, clearly offended that her twin didn't message her before Danielle, began to attempt to calm down a screaming peter.
"Charlotte is coming! CHARLOTTE IS COMING! EVERYONE HIDE!"
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting in darkness, Charlotte walked into the living room, followed by her parents.
Oh, right.
(The door opens and Audrey, mom, and dad walk into the room)
"SURPRISE!"
Charlotte screamed and dropped her purse, running straight into her twin's arms. "Mary, I missed you like crazy!" She held her sister at arm's length to examine her and frowned. "Oh, you've stained my white dress. Shocker." Mary snorted, but before she could say anything, Charlotte had already moved on to Danielle. The two embraced, and Mary couldn't help but feel jealous of her friend. She couldn't wait to spend one on one time with her sister, however, Charlotte was busy greeting all of her friends, including Devon, who she did not like very much at all.
