I had been wearing that skirt for the whole day and with the shopping spree, I didn't have much time to change for a new one. Thankfully, the skirt was with frills which were detachable, making the length change to a miniskirt which looked okay for the party tonight. Though I had rolled my eyes when Lily and I had brought it from the flea market, I had now found it handy.

I went to the washroom and pulled the zipper free so that the skirt now landed mid thigh. I looked at the mirror that was put. My hair was a mess and my eyes looked as if they were in need for some desperate sleep. I sighed and quickly washed my face. I pulled my hair into a braid and stuck it at the top of my left ear, making it seem like a bun. I pinched my cheeks to get some color and then got out.

That should me more than enough makeup for a kid's birthday party.

"You look wonderful, dear." Mira stopped short as soon as she saw me out of the washroom.

"Do you want some lipstick or something?" Monica asked as she packed few cup cakes into a box, not bothering to look at me. "There might be possible guys for you."

I rolled my eyes at her. "I'm on duty here." I specified.

After shopping with Robert, I had gone home to cook dinner for Dad. Though he told me that it was fine and he would order pizza, I was reluctant and made him some instant soup and vegetable rice to go for it. I had then completed my daily sessions in the track and finally made my way here.

To tell that I was tired was an understatement. I still had a few assignments to complete for tomorrow and I was planning to stay up late to finish them off. But a bigger part of me was against it. It screamed for some sleep so that I wouldn't be dying in the field tomorrow.

"Whatever you say, Scar." Monica grinned.

"Girls, you need to behave." Mira lightly scolded, but a small smile played on her lips. I could tell that she was way more excited than we were. "It's only a girl of ten having a party. Once we place our items there, we get our cash and leave."

"Or we could stay." Monica added playfully and I stuck my tongue out to her. "If the guys are cute." She mouthed when her mother was not looking at us.

I snorted. "Don't you have a boyfriend?" I teased, as I took the boxes to place in her car. Since it was the first one, we had decided to take her car and finish the job. No extra workers required. "Besides, they are all kids."

"Don't you pull that boyfriend card on me!" Monica said as her mother uttered something under her breath that meant something along the lines of new generation and their lifestyles.

I knew Mira liked Monica's boyfriend. His name was Clark and I had met him a few times when I was in the café. According to Mira, Clark had proposed marriage and had asked Mira's blessings, but Monica had said that she still needed time. With the way she looked at him, I knew she loved him, but what was stopping her getting into the marriage loop was still in the unknown waters.

"If they don't invite, then just take all the cakes back." Monica shrugged and I laughed at that.

All three of us made rounds to the car and back door, making sure that we put all the ordered cupcakes in a stack, each neatly packed in a small aluminum tin foil.

We had calculated the exact time to reach the place and according to our calculations, we were still gaining by half an hour. But being the jittery bird that Mira was, she made us run once we had packed, not even letting us have a cup of coffee before we left. "You can have all sorts of drinks there." She waved her hands when we mentioned something to eat.

It took around half an hour for Monica to drive from the café to the designated spot. When we almost neared the locality, it felt familiar though I didn't remember anything about it. As I pondered about it in my head, I didn't recognize when Monica had put the breaks and had got down from the car.

The house looked pretty empty for a party home, with only glittery lights dangling out in their porch. It made me wonder if we were in the right place after all. But then again, it was hardly eight and the parties began way too much into the night.

The area looked posh with big houses and some of them even had their own swimming pool. When I looked one house from the other, I couldn't see the difference. They all looked the same.

"Day dreamers are inside, pretty girl." She whispered when I didn't join a helping hand. I let out a sheepish grin and made my way out.

When we knocked at the door, a little girl with a tiara on her head opened with a bright smile on her lips. When she looked at our hand, each carrying a plate full of foiled cake, she shouted, "Cakes are here!" and then let us in.

Mira accompanied us and with her enthusiasm, she made us feel like a thousand years older than her. When we had finished one round of dumping the cakes into the kitchen, Mira would have completed three rounds of the same. Within another half hour we had put all the packed items into their kitchen counter.

"Mrs. Kapoor!" A lady dressed in formal clothes came to us, greeting Mira. "I'm so glad that you already set up here. The kids were hungry."

"No problem." Mira smiled genuinely.

The lady looked at us, with the same smile which didn't falter even for a second. "Hi girls, I'm Lenny Thompson. It's my daughter's birthday. Why don't you guys stay for her cake cutting ceremony?"

The name Thompson seemed familiar. The fact that I was not able to recognize it seemed like an itch I couldn't reach.

Monica shrugged. "Sure. Thank you." She smiled.

"The boys are in the first floor having a party of their own." She glanced at the twirl of staircase behind her with a small giggle. "You can visit them too." She eyed Monica and me weirdly. "Mira, come with me, I'll get you the check for the cakes."

With that she clicked her heels and off she went with Mira in her tow.

"Wow," Was all Monica said, when they were out of hearing distance. "That was welcoming."

I snorted and looked around. I had definitely been here before. The same chandeliers, the glass doors leading to the open garden outside, the dining table placed right across the kitchen and not so far away from the stairs. There was something that I had been missing out.

"Mom said cakes are here, guys!" A familiar voice called out and with a delay of ten seconds, it made its appearance. "Scarlet! What are you doing here?"

"Brian?" I asked confused.

Then it hit me. Hard. 

Everything seemed to fall back into its place and I knew exactly where I was. It was Brian Thompson from school, the jock who played for the school team. The same guy in whose team James played. The same guy who had asked me to go to his party, where I had found Nick kiss another girl.

I couldn't believe that my brain had automatically switched off all the things that had made my heart sore. Brian looked as confused as I was. I couldn't blame the guy. If someone had run out after having a good tine with me, I would be looking at the person with the same wonder in my eyes.

He shook his head with a smile. It was very strange how his expressions soon changed from being confused to being friendly in less than a minute. "I'm sorry," He said. "I'm glad you came. I don't know how I didn't realize that I hadn't invited you. Well, it all worked out for the best, right?"

Just then, his so called friends descended down the stairs with their girlfriends attached to their hips. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. They were all mostly football players with a popular cheerleader at their side. Brian pointed at the kitchen and most of them made their way there. The cakes were selling faster and the party had still not begun.

"I was with the cakes." I pointed to the kitchen where the cakes were all placed in a trendy fashion. "Mrs. Thompson said we could stay till the cake was cut, so..." I stopped explaining how I had ended up in his place unannounced.

"That's great." He beamed.

"Scar!" Lily had somehow managed to get to me. She hugged me like it had been a decade since we saw each other while we had met just this evening.

"Hey, Scar." James messed my already messy hair and gave me a small grin. "You made it huh?"

When I actually took a step back and observed, it seemed like the whole school was here... and it was Brian's sister's birthday. I had hardly seen her friends. But that also meant, Nick was here too. Nervousness crept through me. Like I had made a mistake going out with Rob rather than with him.

"Seems like it." I shrugged. "Why don't you guys try those cakes? They are yum!"

They all nodded which I considered as affirmative and sat back. I heaved a sigh. Being queasy, I had made myself so busy all day, avoiding Nick like plaque. And now here I was in the same house, with an affinity to meet him in any minute.

"Aren't you a party glam?" Monica, whom I had almost forgotten, twinkled her eyes at me. "I mean, look at you! You know everyone here!"

"We go to the same school." I said rolling my eyes. "And it was only three people who recognized me."

"Still." She nudged me with her shoulders. "Besides, you know all the hot guys. I bet the first one likes you."

"Brian? No!" I almost screamed. We hardly knew each other and it was only once that we had talked when he invited me to his party last time. We hadn't even spoken to each other ever since. "No." I said a little confidently.

"Whatever you say, honey." Monica said, but the sparkle in her eyes yelled otherwise. "Look, here comes another one." She nudged towards the stairs.

Just like that I came face to face with the devil. "Hey Nick." I smiled, trying to catch the butterflies in my stomach which had started to flap their wings.

"Hi," He smiled. The last I saw him was when we drove away in Robert's car. He had looked distant. If that feeling still existed, he never tried to show. "I didn't know you were invited too. Glad you are here."

It was as if he was letting out a breath of relief seeing me there with him and I had to wonder why. I gave a slight shrug with a smile. "I was actually with the cakes." I eyed the cakes that we had brought. "In all honesty I'm working now, and I wasn't invited."

"Oh," He said and a small wave of wonder went past him eyes and he sure covered it up as soon as it had come. His hair was frazzled and I didn't know if it was the light or the fact that we hadn't been this close after our date, but he looked good. His lips were red with a tinge of red wine lingering on it and his eyes were a dark green and I couldn't muster what they were trying to communicate.

Someone nudged me and I realized that it was Monica. For a tiny moment I had forgotten everyone around and it was only him and me in the room. I looked at her and she gave a roll of her eyes with a mischievous smile.

"Sorry, this is Monica. I work for her mother. And this is Nick." I introduced. They both exchanged a tight head nod without much of talking.

We heard someone clink their glass and suddenly there was pin drop silence with everyone staring at the one who clank their glass. Mrs. Thompson walked down with Mira by her side. She said something to Mira before joining her husband who was waiting for her to do the announcement.

Seeing Mira alone, Monica gave me a head nod, the one which told me that she was going to be with her mother. Nick stood next to me and when he saw Monica leave, his smile widened by a fraction. "I'm really glad that you came."

I took his hand in mine and smiled. Though I was trying to avoid him, his once glance had hooked me and I was more than glad that I was here, with him.

"Thank you all for gathering for my daughter's birthday. We wanted to make this a grand one because she is going abroad for her education." Mr. Thompson said. "Though most of you are Brian's friends, who have no clue who this little girl is," Everyone laughed at that, while Brain lifted his glass up acknowledging it. "I hope that everyone enjoys tonight."

Everyone clapped their hands and cheered as the cake was cut. They left it on the table and welcomed anyone who wanted to try them. They also announced about our cup cakes which were a specialty.

The party had officially begun and all the elders, who weren't much, lurked on the ground floor too lazy to climb the stairs to go up. But I was sure the youngsters were happy about it because that's where the actual party was held.

"Let's go up." Nick whispered in my ear and I saw that all of my classmates were going up. I nodded, not bothering to give back a reply.

As I reached the stairs, Monica and Mira stood there with the birthday cake. "We were just going home, dear." Mira said when she spotted me. "Do you want a ride?"

"Does she look like she needs one, mother?" Monica spoke loud that I turned crimson.

Mira noticed how I had hooked my arm with Nick's and smiled as if telling herself that it was young love after all. "Very well then, stay safe."

"You know exactly what she means." Monica hummed and Nick burst out laughing while I screamed her name turning beet red.

"We will, won't we?" Nick joined their team, laughing along with them.

Without knowing what else to say, I grabbed Nick's arm and pulled him towards the staircase, leaving the girls alone with a fake smile. When we reached higher ground, most of our class people were there with a random song playing on. Though it was not as loud as before, it was still a party with dark interiors, making sure that it left a few corners for the horny teenagers to get down to business.

I soon met Lily, James and Brian forming a group and talking. Nick and I walked up to them.

"Scarlet!" Brian said putting his arm around my shoulders, pulling me away from Nick. I could see Nick's eyes turn solid, not leaving me for a second. As if I was his prey in the field. "You keep ditching me in my own party. Every. Time."

He was drunk.

Lily and James watched us with amused expressions, both having a bottle of beer in their hands. Nick was the only one who stood like he was about to strangle Brian any moment. The look alone in his eyes was funny and I couldn't help smile too. If he only knew that I had my eyes only for him.

As funny as it might sound, Nick pulled me towards him. Sensing the jerk, Brian pulled me back. And suddenly, I was in the tug of war with Nick and Brian.

"I like you, Scar!" Brian said, pulling me towards him with much force that I fell on his chest. "Didn't you get the hint all this long?" He asked, ignoring my open mouth as three pair eyes stared at us.

My hand was still lingering on his chest, trying to hold myself together, while he held his on the small of my back. His eyes were so close to mine that I could see the drink making his pupil dilate. His face was clean shaven and for the first time I noticed how smooth his hair was.

"I kept movie tickets under your table." He almost whispered. "I sent you invites for the game I was playing. I had even asked you on a date and was waiting that you would come. But you never did. For any of them."

He had sent me? The question lingered and I turned around to see my best friends to see if they knew anything about it. But I was pulled back to stare back into those black eyes.

"I was heart broken that you hadn't come. So I stopped everything. And now that you are here, you have no idea how much I'm liking it."

"Brian, that's enough." Nick stood putting a hand on his arm. "You are drunk."

It felt as if someone else was fighting my fight and I stood there dumbly, not knowing what else to do.

"It's been long enough that I manned up!" Brian was raged. He shrugged Nick's hand off his shoulder and pulled me further, protectively. "I really like you, Scar!"

"She likes me! And I like her!" Nick burst out loudly, making sure that all the people heard him right. "And she doesn't entertain any other guys." He whispered menacingly and pulled me away.

I stumbled on my way as Nick pulled me into the balcony. I turned around to see Brian breathing heavily and finally gulping what was left of a drink that was placed on the table. James and Lily, went to his aid and I was half grateful for them.

The cool air hit me as we made our way out. At the ground floor, near the swimming pool, all the elders had gathered around holding a glass on their hands. They were talking animatedly among each other, giving out fake smiles and head nods as and when necessary. I turned around to face Nick.

"What the heck is happening?" I asked.

Nick's face had turned pink out of frustration, a small bead of sweat forming on his forehead. He refused to look my way and breathed heavily, trying to control his temper. His fists clenched and relaxed involuntarily. I heaved a sigh.

I moved further away from him to give him more space.

"Scarlet," Nick's voice was almost pleading. "I really like you. I don't like it when someone else, when some guy... makes a move on you."

My breath hitched. It was everything that I wanted to hear from him. But the way he was putting it, made me wonder if he was actually telling the truth. It seemed like he was telling me all those stuffs only to make sure that I stayed around him.

Nick slowly took my hand in his and turned me such that I was face to face with him. "I do." He confirmed.

His face showed pure sincerity and solemnity that it was too difficult to not to believe him. His eyes were desperate and his lips trembled. Boldly, I put my right hand on his cheek, caressing it.

I had imagined this scene so many times in my head and I thought I was ready for it. But, no. No amount of such cheesy scenes were enough for me to gather my strength to face him.

"You know I do too." It was almost a whisper and I dared to look into his eyes. They were filled with different emotions and I wondered what overcame the other. But before I knew it, I felt him lean in and all my dreams seemed to come true.

Just like that, our lips touched, not too fast, not too slow. It was gentle.

In all my dreams, I had imagined it to be hot and electric, numbing my senses and making me go weak in my knees. But now, as I stood with our lips locked, there was no such intensity, no butterflies in my stomach and no lifting my left leg up in joy as they showed in the movies.

Nothing.

I opened my eyes and looked at him. His eyes was closed and suddenly, I saw something else. The emotions were strong. I could see love, concern and a little of... determination? As if he was going to prove something to someone.

I put my hands on his chest to push him away. But before I could make a move, he opened his eyes, as if he were in deep pain and tentatively pushed me a little. I looked at him in confusion.

"Nick... I..." I stumbled with my words.

"I'm sorry, Scar." He looked away. The determination in his eyes were swept away and was replaced with humiliation. I could tell that he was struggling with himself and it was more like he was talking to himself than to me.

"You are scaring me, Nick."

I tried to hold his hand and he let me. He looked at me and I almost saw tears in his eyes.

"Scarlet, I tried, but I can't." He said, his voice almost a whisper. "It's not easy and I'm fighting with myself to like you, just like you like me."

"You don't like me?" I asked, taking a step back.

"No, Scar. I love you... But..." He looked away. "I think... I think I'm gay."

---

A/N: Da, da, da, da! Imagine all those da-s in a singsong voice. Oops, it sounds terrible now. So, what do you think of this new revelation? Oh, my God! Nick is gay! I can't wait for you to read the next chapter!