"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Kendall shouted as I walked into the kitchen.

I laughed and thanked her.

"I have to get to work but I have a surprise for you later today!" she mentioned.

"What kind of surprise?" I asked.

"Well if I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise now would it, twenty?"

Today, I unfortunately had to go to work. I don't work where typical young adults work like the grocery store or some small restaurant. I have a well paid internship at a law firm. So, I'm required to dress pretty professionally, including heels which is uncomfortable for me seeing as I'm already tall.

I just put on a loose fitting champagne blouse that showed a little cleavage and hoped no one would notice since it was the only good shirt that was clean and not wrinkled, with tight black dress pants and black heels. I hoped today they wouldn't have me running around everywhere.

I went outside to hop into my car and you could probably guess who I saw outside with a cigarette in his mouth and rolling up his watering hose.

I pretended to not see him and instead got in my car and drove off.

____________________________________

"Leyla, can you get me a cup of coffee, my love? Two creams two sugars," asked Marissa.

She was one of the nicest people I worked under. She was even the first person to text me happy birthday this morning. I gladly get her whatever she asks for.

I went over to the coffee machine and started fixing her cup.

"Happy birthday, gorgeous." The sound of that voice was enough to make me want to punch this table.

Jonathan. The man that flirts with me not because he wants to date me but because he's a whore that thinks with his penis. I'm one of very few women in the office that have not let him lay in my bed.

"Good morning." I said passive aggressively.

"You're so harsh to me. What did I do to make you that way?"

"Exist."

"Ooo OUCH," he laughed. "Soo, tonight..."

'Tonight?'

"I can't wait to see what you slip that perfect body into," he stated.

"Jon, WHAT are you talking about?" I asked.

His eyes widened like he realized he did something wrong.

"Shit. Sorry, umm wrong person." he claimed.

"Get away from me." I said as I grabbed Marissa's coffee, cream, and sugars and brought them to her.

____________________________________

The day was annoying and busy as it usually is but it was finally time to leave.

My feet were fucking killing me.

"See you later tonight, Leyla." That was the third time someone had told me that while I was getting ready to leave.

'What are you people-...no'

"...No no no no no, GOD NO!" I accidentally yelled aloud.

I hurried up and raced outside to my car then drove as fast as I could back home.

"KENDALL!" I shouted. I knew she was home because I saw her car in the driveway.

"Yes?" she asked after coming out of the hallway.

"Did you plan a party?"

"Awww who told?" she asked and pouted.

"EVERYONE?! Next time you wanna plan a surprise party, let's make sure to mention to the guests that it's a SURRPISE. Like five people from work told me they'd see me tonight."

"Oh-...I thought it was a given," she claimed.

"And JONATHAN?? You invited JONATHAN???"

"What? No. Ew."

"Oh,"

Then he must've heard from the other people at work.

"Well I'll be in my room. Call me out when it's over." I told her as I walked in that direction.

"What?! Noooo," she said and ran to get in my way.

"The party is for you. You have to come." she begged.

"You know how I feel about parties and large groups of people. Especially large groups of people in small spaces."

"Yeaa, but this one is only filled with people you know. So I thought it would be okay."

A knock sounded on the door and I went to open it.

"We brought food and drinks." It was Jesse and Cameron holding several grocery bags filled with alcohol and snacks.

"Happy birthday, little sister." Jesse said then kissed the top of my head as he walked into the house.

"Happy birthday, bae." Cameron smiled and followed Jesse inside.

I shut the door behind them.

"I'll be in my room."

"Getting changed I hope!" Ken yelled after me.

"Yea, into my pajamas." I stated.

"Don't be like that," Jesse sighed.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like that. All timid and shit. Just relax, have fun with us. It's your birthday. Vibe." he instructed.

I groaned. "Fine."

"Oh, when he puts it into boy terms, you listen!?" Ken assumed and I laughed.

"I don't even know what to wear." I mentioned.

"I HAVE THE PERFECT DRESS! Come with me!"

She grabbed my wrist and yanked me to the back of the house and into her room.

"You two open the door for guests!" she yelled back at the boys.

"Got it!" Cam shouted.

____________________________________

"Try this on!" She'd pulled a fitted black dress with thin straps off of a hanger and handed it to me.

"This is...tight." I said as I held the dress in my hand. I could tell just from how shrunken it was when it wasn't on a body.

I paused as I heard loud music start to blare throughout the house.

Our neighbors are going to hate us.

"Try it on!" she demanded.

"Alright. God." I said and turned around before I began stripping down.

I slipped the dress on which was a struggle because I was right about it being tight.

"Tada." I said unenthusiastically.

"Dude."

"What?"

"You're hot." she complimented. "Turn around."

And I did. While I was mid turn, I felt a smack to my ass.

"Ow!"

"What? You got a nice ass," she stated.

We heard the doorbell ring and when Cam or Jesse opened the door I could hear that a good bit of people piled in.

"It's startiiinggg," Kendall sang. "I'm excited. Might get drunk and hit on your brother."

"You hit on my brother when you're sober." I stated and she shrugged.

"We need to fix your makeup and hair and you need shoes." she said, changing the subject.

She yanked me into the bathroom and demanded that I sit down.

After we were done painting our faces and doing our hair, we went to my room to find shoes.

The doorbell rang again.

"Do you want to wear heels?" Ken asked.

"I've been wearing heels all day. Can I just wear slippers?"

She gave me a like my question was ignorant.

"Fine. Give me the black ones that tie up the ankle." I instructed. She tossed me the shoes and I began putting them on.

"What're you gonna wear?" I asked her as I finished tying the first heel.

She left my room then came back a few seconds later with a halter crop top and pencil skirt set with heels to match.

"You like?" she asked.

"I love."

She hurried up and got dressed then we left my room to head to the living area.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!" The room shouted and I blurted a thank you then everyone went back to their drinks and partying.

"You look fantastic." That annoying voice again.

"Thank you, Jon."

"Care to drink with me?"

"I'm not of legal drinking age, Jon." Plus, I hate the taste of alcohol.

A knock at the door sounded.

"I got it!" I shouted to get away from Jonathan.

I walked over to the door and began opening it.

There stood in a dress shirt with the top button undone and dress pants was Elijah. He spit his cigarette out and stepped on it. Bit rude but okay.

"Hi." I greeted.

"Hi." he repeated as his eyes trailed down me like before. He had his hair combed back with a few loose strands in front of his face. I'm assuming he'd recently gotten off of work.

"So...Kendall invited you?"

"Invited' is a loose word. More like she threatened me until I said I'd show up. Happy birthday," he said as he slid his hands into his pockets.

'Whyyyyyy???' I scanned the room and looked for Kendall who was looking at me with a wide smile on her face and a thumbs up.

"Thank you and I'm sorry about that. She's a bit...enthusiastic." I said and opened the door more to let him in.

"It's fine." he replied as he took a step inside.

"You remember Jesse and Cam," I said and gestured towards them as I closed the door.

"Yea, Jesse's the one that doesn't like me and Cam likes my scar. Correct?"

"Who said Jesse didn't like you?" I asked.

"The expression on his face."

Before I could answer, Kendall had skipped over to us.

"Hey, welcome!" she told him.

Cameron and Jesse came over as well.

"Glad you could make it, big guy!" Cameron said and slapped Eli's bicep. Eli looked at his bicep where Cameron had hit him and then back at Cameron. But Cam was of course oblivious to the fact Eli didn't enjoy him putting his hands on him and just stood there staring at him with a large smile.

"What's up?" Jesse asked but in a passive aggressive tone.

"Hey." Eli replied. They have such intense energy around each other. It was kind of scary. I keep feeling like they're gonna throw a punch soon.

"Sooo...who's hungry?" Ken asked and directed us into the kitchen.

...

"So, Eli, what do you do?" Ken asked.

"I work at a law firm."

"Really?!" Ken asked enthusiastically. "So does Leyla!"

"It's just a paid internship."

"Yea but I'm sure his is an internship too," she assumed.

"It isn't." he responded.

"Wait so you have an actual job at a law firm?" Ken asked.

"More or less." Eli answered vaguely.

"Dude's probably an assistant," Jesse laughed.

"No, but I do have one," he replied.

"Wait. You have a job at a law firm and make enough to have an assistant but you live...here?" Cam asked.

"I'm only one person. I don't see the need to have a large mansion. Also, I grew up here." Eli explained.

"Hm. Interesting." Ken stated.

'Very'.