Saturday afternoon I took Linda shopping as planned, with the prospect of finding the best little silver dress for her. I had made her stop at my house first, where I did her makeup. I painted her eyelids with shimmers and added some rhinestones around her eyes. Linda was a bit skeptical of course, but freshman girls were easy to fool.

"We are celebrating your birthday, aren't we? It's the perfect time to glam up." I had also brought the Swarovski tiara my parents had given me when I celebrated my fifteenth birthday and hid it in my bag. I would put it on her after we arrived at the party.

Once at the department store, I found several pretty little chiffon dresses, but those were very girlish. Linda would want to look grown-up, I decided. It would be her statement. That she wasn't a little girl anymore and she was ready for new experiences.

I settled finally on a sultry dress with a generous sampling of silver sequins. The dazzling sparkle made it look party-ready, and I urged Linda to try it on. I was afraid silver sequins had the potential to make a person look like a has-been diva on Sunset Boulevard, or like a magician in a Broadway musical, but Linda was young, innocent and sweet, and she wore it like a dream.

"Lindy, you look fabulous," I said, pretending to wipe away a tear. "This must be how your dad will feel like when he gives you away at your wedding."

She giggled. "I like it, but I'm a bit self-conscious."

"No birthday girl is supposed to feel self-conscious," I advised as I paid for the dress. "You should feel as fabulous as you look. Now let's find the right pair of shoes."

I convinced her to keep shopping in her party outfits, and then we found an outdoor café to have tea and snacks. We both put on oversized shades and I suggested we pretend we were celebrities.

As soon as someone came our direction, I started my act.

"Oh no, you recognized us. We really just want a quiet afternoon to ourselves. How about I just sign your t-shirt?"

It worked like a charm. People were so easy to maneuver. We managed to give out some autographs and even got our photos taken a few times. I signed my name Nina and when one girl asked me if I was Nina Dobrev, I didn't bother correcting her.

"That's such a riot!!" Linda said in between breathless laughter as we headed back, her face flushed and her eyes darting in excitement. "Shopping with you is the ultimate dream, Flora."

She was so easy to please I wondered why we went to so much trouble to plan a surprise party. "I had a lot of fun too," I said. I liked the look on her face. I liked that I was capable of making someone happy, and in return I felt immensely rewarded.

"This is so much better than cooking a birthday meal with you-know-who," Linda said. "I had the best birthday of my life!"

"Lindy, I'm glad to hear that." Just you wait.

Once in my car I texted Sean and told him the eagle would land in twenty minutes. When we arrived at the house there was no sign of anything going on and for a second I almost thought the whole thing was cancelled. But when we threw open the door, the lights came on and music started blazing, and numerous smiling faces swarmed before me as people yelled out happy birthday.

The room looked like an arctic dream, with magical lights and shapes of snowflakes dotted over the ceiling. My head swirled a little, like I was on a merry-go-around ride, and all I saw was glamour and sparkle.

Linda turned to me and her tears fell instantly. I felt a little like crying myself, like I had just given birth to a small baby and it's the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was completely worth it, every minute, every cent. This moment would be frozen in time, tucked away safely in my memory bank.

"D-Did you plan this?" She covered her mouth with her hand. "I can't believe it!"

"It's totally Sean's idea, but everybody helped," I said. I took out the tiara and planted it on her head. "Now you have the best birthday of your life."

***

As some of Linda's middle school friends came over to talk to her, I quietly slipped out the front door. I wasn't in costumes yet. Actually I had been wearing it underneath my clothes and I went to my car to change. I had on a white corset and a skimpy white tutu that didn't really cover anything, completed with garter belts and long beads of pearls around my neck. I also took out a set of fluffy wings from the car trunk and put them on, and then I went back in to find Sean.

Seeing me, he looked bewildered and perhaps a bit taken aback. I noted with satisfaction that he had bothered to dress in accordance with the theme, with a light gray blazer and he even went as far as putting on a cute blue bowtie.

"Glad to see you have put some effort in dressing up," I said, strolling over to talk to him.

"Not as much as you did, obviously," he said, glancing away. He clearly had no idea where he should look to appear polite, and my gaze was more daring than ever. I was basically just wearing lingerie.

"Me? I didn't really go to much trouble. I dress like this for bed every night," I said innocently. "But of course it's a bit hard sleeping on my back with the wings."

He laughed. "Anyway, everything went according to plan. You are a pro. I know I can count on you."

"You can always count on me to have a good time." I gave him a sultry look, edging closer.

He pretended he didn't hear me. "What are you supposed to be anyway? I thought you said fairies in winter wonderland. I imagine fairies don't have that kind of wardrobe."

"This is like a more modern, Victoria's Secret angel style fairy," I explained. "Do you like it?"

Of course he liked it. He just didn't know how to admit it. "I have trouble talking to you when you are wearing something like that," he said. "Or not wearing, I should say."

I chuckled suggestively. "Why? Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"You make me...think evil thoughts," he admitted. "I think the fairies would be angry."

Is he flirting with me?

"I want to collect my first wish," I said abruptly as a spur-of-a-moment idea hit me. "Let's go make out in your bedroom."

His eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"I don't throw around my wishes, Sean."

"I can't leave the party, Flora. I have to supervise it," he protested weakly. "In case things get out of control."

The only thing getting out of control was his hormones, obviously.

"Fine. Then let's just make out in the living room." I crossed my arms defiantly.

He searched my eyes and knew that I meant business.

"You know you owe me," I pushed.

He hesitated for a few more seconds as if I was asking him to donate his liver. Finally he said, with the tone of a martyr, "Fine, let's go."

Jeez, was kissing me that awful? Sean wasn't exactly jumping at the chance like I expected, the way a golden retriever was expected to jump at a meaty bone, but then again he was probably just playing it cool. As we passed Sandra I called out brightly, "Sandy, would you watch the party and make sure no one does anything stupid? Sean and I have some business to attend to."

"Sure." Sandra nodded, catching my eyes and smiling her evil fairytale stepmother smile. "No one will dare attempt anything under my watch."

***

Once inside his room, Sean looked at me and sighed. "Flora, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" I asked innocently, taking off my wings.

"You know what. Coming on to me all of a sudden. I have a feeling something malicious is going on."

"I just want some fun."

"I thought you had your fun with me."

"The fun is not over until I say it is," I said menacingly. "And you have to hold up your end of the bargain without asking me so many questions."

He sighed again reluctantly. I challenged him with my unfaltering gaze until he came over and stopped before me. My heart started pounding wildly despite my resolve to conduct this in a business-like matter.

"Close your eyes, Flora," he ordered me in a demanding way as if he was the one who suggested this.

I did as I was told. I could feel him moving closer, but he was in no hurry, deliberately making me wait until I was almost jittery, then I felt his lips on mine.

He tasted exactly as I remembered. He was soft and warm and gentle, applying just the right amount of pressure. The clean scent of him teased me. He took his time, kissing me languidly, neither rushing nor stalling. My lips parted on their own, and gradually it had started to feel like before.

I missed everything about it. I missed this so much I almost felt a sob rising as I thought about just how pathetic I was, how much I wanted him and how desperate I was to force this on him, hoping it would cajole him a little more into liking me, and how hard I had always tried to win him and how rejected I felt that I could never have him the way I wanted.

This feeling soon passed, and it was nudged aside by something more powerful. He moved his hand to the small of my back and rested there, and his other hand ran through my hair as he tugged at it softly. He pulled me in very close, and my arms went around his neck naturally.

I let the kiss go on, fighting against waves of nostalgia. The memory of our first kiss overlapped with this one, and I reminisced about how I had lain on top of him and the way our bodies pressed together. I had a sudden urge to push him down on his bed again, and I would rip off his bowtie and tear open his dress shirt and run my hands over---

I pushed him away abruptly, knowing I was on the verge of doing something really stupid.

"Glad to know your techniques have not gotten rusty," I croaked, trying to act like this was all just simple fun for me. My throat felt dry. "That was a wish well-spent."

He looked at me dazed, lips parted slightly, waiting to be kissed again. "Thank you. That was enjoyable for me too," he said after some time, not understanding what trick I was pulling.

"That's one wish done and one more to go. I let you off pretty easy, don't you think?"

Confusion swarmed in his cloudy blue eyes. "Flora....why?"

Jeez now he wanted to talk. I needed to get away from him fast. "We better get back to the party."

"I want to talk to you," he said, not giving up.

"I'll let you know what else you need to do." With that I briskly picked up my wings and left him. I wasn't entirely sure if I had won this round.

***

There was so much excitement going on I really didn't have much time to admire how amazing every little detail was. After I escaped from Sean's sex appeal narrowly, I went back to the living room to inspect everything. I was picking up a cupcake when Sandra came over.

"So, great party," she said, and as she eyed my angel's getup, she added, "Great outfit too. I bet he was pretty impressed."

"I think things are finally heating up, Sandy. Thank you so much for all your help," I said. I quickly filled her in on the latest development.

"Do you really expect him to fall in love with you after one kiss?" Sandra said scornfully, staying true to her character. "Sean is not a Disney princess."

"Don't you worry, Sandy. I know what I'm doing, and I'm so going to win this bet," I said, partly to remind myself.

"Yes, I know, but I kind of wish you could win. I'm mad about the way he treated you. It's really horrible of him to suddenly break up with you over nothing. Sorry, agreed to break up with you." Sandra was kind enough to emphasize that I brought up the breaking up. "Anyway, I think he deserves it. Sean is a good friend but a real lousy boyfriend."

"He's not that terrible," I protested. "When we were still together he was really sweet to me."

"Well, last impression counts. The way he ended it was not forgivable." Sandra studied my face. "Honey, you're not falling for him again, are you? You can drop out of this bet anytime you want and I won't hold you to it."

"Sandy, are you nuts?"

"A secondhand outfit isn't worth all the heartache," she advised. "I can't help thinking that this is a shitty idea. I have a bad feeling that he'll break your heart again."

"No, if anyone's getting hurt this time, it's him."

"I think Sean has a real powerful effect on you. Let's just admit he's an admirable opponent and leave it at that. Don't tell me you didn't enjoy kissing him just now."

I did enjoy kissing him, but that was nothing to be so alarmed over. "I can have a little fun combining business with pleasure, right? Don't worry, Sandy. This is still strictly professional. After the first bout of Seanitis, now I have immunity to him."

"I hope so. I think it's a bit scary the way you're attracted to him. I much rather enjoy watching you treat guys like chewed bubblegum."

"And that's exactly how much he means to me," I lied. Strangely I felt sad talking about him like that. "So tell me what to do next?"

"Next you will have to act really, really distant. Snub him for two whole weeks. You can hang out with a group, but you don't say anything suggestive to him. You have to be friendly yet indifferent," Sandra clarified. "In fact, when in doubt, just think: what would Sandra do?"

I laughed. Sandra wouldn't have gotten herself in this mess in the first place. No one ever broke up with Sandra.

We looked at the large black-and-white photos hung on one side of the living room wall, and I had to admit Daniel knew what he was doing. Linda did look like a celebrity. I guess Dan would have a much more promising career as a photographer rather than a painter who drew naked girls. I walked from one end of the wall to the other, smiling appreciatively, then I saw several of Sandra's photos taking up an outrageous amount of space.

"Isn't it a little early to advertise for prom queen?" I eyed her. Daniel had managed to make her look like Grace Kelly.

"Hey, he's the artist, he decides what looks good up there," Sandra said arrogantly. "There's one of you too."

I followed her gaze and saw a small picture, about one-tenth of the size of Sandra's portrait, also in black and white. It was of me and Sean in the cafeteria, sitting together. I was caught throwing my head back and laughing, mouth opening ridiculously wide and showing too many teeth. Sean looked as handsome as he always did, and he was looking at me with unmasked affection. A tolerant smile tugged at his lips that seemed to say, "I don't know what to do with you, but please stay just the way you are."

I felt myself lost and speechless.

If that's not love, then I don't know what is.