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She bolted up, scrambling around to find her clothes. When she pulled on her bikini, while not caring that I was staring at her, she turned to me with a knowing smile. “This is going to be the best birthday ever.” She kissed me and hurried out.
I hoped so. I wanted it to be. But I couldn’t shake the feeling the house gave me.
Dexter
I showeredand put on some shorts and a shirt before heading down to see who was there. Music was playing, food was set out, and when I stepped out onto the deck, Tracey looked up from her post next to the grill that Ralph was working.
Ralph.
We were all gonna starve.
I laughed at the sight of him in an apron with a fake chef’s hat on. “What’s going on?” I asked as I grabbed a chip and sat at the table.
“Late night, bro?” Ralph waggled his brows behind Tracey’s back, and I was glad she didn’t catch it.
I shrugged and looked around. There were people on the lake, people I recognized from school. A few of them, I knew, talked to Noa regularly. While she told me she didn’t have friends in the true sense, she was definitely great at talking to people.
The back door opened, but I sensed her before she walked out. Blue hair tucked into braids that wrapped around her head, a white dress, and sandals. I blinked a few times, trying to come up with the right compliment.
“Look at you, Noa, looking all hot,” Ralph yelled from in front of the grill.
That wasn’t it.
I threw a chip at Ralph, telling him to shut up. Then I stood, walked to her, and kissed her, and she tugged at my hair playfully. “Just like an angel, Blue.”
I heard people coming up the steps, and when they saw Noa, they chattered animatedly, grabbing her and leading her down to the rest of the guests.
“Don’t worry” Tracey said, coming up beside me, both our eyes watching Noa. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
I placed my arm on her shoulder. “Thanks. Sometimes I wish she didn’t have to be watched. But the truth of it is, I’ll probably always do it, even if she’s been sober twenty years.”
“It isn’t easy. But as long as you love her, and the good outweighs the bad, you’ll be fine.” She clapped her hand over my shoulder. “Now let’s make sure Ralph doesn’t burn this house down.”
The party was in full swing. People were eating, dancing, and swimming, and every time I caught sight of Noa, she was laughing. I looked at the table bearing gifts, smiling at my small package among the bags and boxes.
I was watching Noa from the deck when I noticed someone walking up the lawn. I jogged down the steps and made my way across the grass, stopping when I saw who it was.
“Hey, Tim! I didn’t think you’d make it,” I said, happy to see him.
He had a poorly wrapped box in his hands and offered it to me. “Thanks for inviting me, bro. I don’t know if—I don’t want to ruin her party or anything,” he said, his eyes shifting to all the people.
When I looked behind me, I saw Noa heading toward us.
“Everything all right?” she asked as she walked up. She saw the box in his hand and smiled. “You’re here for the party, Tim? I didn’t think you’d seriously show. Come on!”
She brought him to the patio to eat and then took him to the dock where she’d been almost the whole time. They were engrossed in conversation for a good half hour before Tracey decided it was time to get everyone together.
“All right, everyone,” Tracey called from the grass after the sun began to fade. “It’s time to sing happy birthday and open presents!”
I went inside and grabbed the cake covered in birthday candles and a few sparkling ones. Ralph came in after me and helped light each one. He stepped out before me, starting off the singing.
“Happy birthday to you,” I sang, my eyes on Noa’s, whose were filling rapidly.
She fidgeted while everyone sang, having no idea how to handle it. When the song was over, she took a deep breath and blew out the candles, the sparkling ones still going, casting a shimmer over her. She was breathtaking and I was wonderstruck.
People clapped and I blinked away as Tracey grabbed the cake to start cutting. When everyone had a piece, she sat Noa down to begin opening gifts.
There were clothes, soaps, and lotions—weird girly things that showed how little people knew Noa. When she got to Tracey’s gift, her fingers shook as she lifted the taped edges of the wrapping paper. Once it was completely unwrapped, she sat there looking at it. Finally, she got up and hugged Tracey.
