She Smiled

Chapter 3

Lacey walked back to the center of the room where her parents had already cut the homemade red velvet birthday cake. Noelle had already ate-no, destroyed, her piece, while Andrew sat next to her eating at a normal pace. Lacey took her seat across from the two as her mother silently handed her a piece.

"So Lace, what exactly are you planning to do after we leave your house?" Noelle chimed.

"Noelle, don't even try to psyche me out. Andrew already spilled the beans." I smirked back at her. Noelle turned to Andrew, a look of fake betrayal on her face. Andrew threw his hands up just in time to guard Noelle's smack that was intended for his chest.

"I did not spill the beans. I told you there was a surprise. I never told you where it was." Andrew reminded Lacey.  She scoffed. Though she had pulled out her best puppy dog eyes and dead-end threats, Andrew would not give up where they were going.

As her parents finished up their cake, Lacey and Noelle got up to begin helping her mother clean up from the party. Andrew remained with her father to discuss things like sports and college.

"Now Lacey, I know your friends have something in store for you tonight, but as your mother-" her mother was off on one of her lectures about responsibility and behavior and self respect. Andie Marshall was the 42 year picture of a Mama Bear. Her mom jeans, Walmart polos, and slightly graying blonde hair may not have looked too menacing, but if you got her mad enough, she would gladly grill, broil, and bake your rear end and feed you the final product.

Lacey loved her, but every move she made was made with a lecture with some deep life lesson as the result. Lacey loved her mother, but she was glad that she was actually getting to go somewhere besides school without her mother breathing down her neck.

"...and that girls, is why you should never let strangers buy you dinner." Andie finished her rant.

"Okay Mom... I get it. Hand over drinks, don't let strangers take me into dark rooms, be careful of food offered by anyone..." Lacey groaned. Andie turned to her beaming, obviously proud that her years of chiding had been worth it.

"Well, it looks as if we're all done here. You girls go save Andrew from your father." Greg Marshall was just like Andie in the sense that the both had a knack for telling tales starting with "In my day...". As Lacey and Noelle entered the living room, he was in the middle of telling Andrew about the first time he got a CD player.

"Drew! We're leaving." Noelle said as she turned to get her coat from the hanger next to the door. He said goodbye to Lacey's father and joined the girls on their way out the door.

"Oh! Lacey, before you go..." Lacey turned to see her mother poking her head out of the ajoining kitchen, fully expecting another lecture. "...have fun." She gave Lacey a knowing look.

"Thanks Mom." Lacey replied, giving her the smallest smile of appreciation.

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Twenty minutes later, the three friends were boarding their local metro, eager is ever.

"Soo... where are we going Noelle?" Lacey asked.

"Hmm...I think a night at Fire is in order for our birthday girl. What do you say Drew?" Andrew grinned from ear to ear as they waited for Lacey's response.

"Haha, funny Noelle. Theres no way we can get in there. You have to be 18."

"Lace...you know me better than that. Do you really think that I don't have a plan?" she replied cockily. With that, Noelle reached into her purse and pulled out what appeared to be all three of their drivers' licenses.

"How exactly are these going to help?" Lacey rolled her eyes.

"Look at them a little closer." The cards were in fact, not their licenses, but fake I.Ds. Andrew's stated he was 19, while Lacey's and Noelle's said that they were 18.