Check this out,” Emma told Cassidy when they met up in the art and graphics department after school.
Cassidy studied the promposal poster that Emma had been working on and nodded. “That looks really good, Em. How’d you get a photo of the bike and camping gear taken up in the mountains like that?”
Emma explained how she’d photoshopped the prize photos over an outdoor scene. “Mr. Rajini helped me with it. Not bad, eh?”
“I like the caption too.” Cassidy read the words on top. “See how far a promposal can really take you.” On the bottom of the poster were details about winning the prize with the most creative promposal.
“Mrs. Dorman is organizing an online vote for the student body.” Cassidy picked up a glossy poster. “Are these ready to go up now?”
“That’s why you’re here.” Emma handed her a roll of masking tape. “Let’s plaster them all over the places where the guys like to hang most.” She made a face. “Not that it’ll do much good. I already gave Isaac a heads-up about this. I thought it might tempt him to come up with a promposal, but I’m not holding my breath.”
“Maybe it takes time to get a really good promposal going,” Cassidy said as they headed down the hall.
“Well, I’m starting to dream up some pretty good ones myself,” Emma confessed as they started to tape a poster next to the guys’ restroom. “I just hope I don’t have to use them.”
“But maybe you’d win the bike.”
“Maybe.” Emma brightened.
It was 4:30 by the time they finished hanging the last poster. “We better hurry on over to your grandma’s,” Cassidy told Emma as they got their stuff from their lockers. “Bryn plans to get Devon there by six.”
“That was nice of Bryn to take Devon dress shopping with her,” Emma said as they headed outside. “I could tell that Devon was feeling blue. And I felt like such a rat when she casually mentioned her birthday this morning and we all acted like it was no big deal.”
“Yeah, me too. Poor Devon.”
“Well, she’s probably having fun looking at prom gowns.” Cassidy unlocked her car. “Although shopping with Bryn is not for the faint of heart.”
“I’m sure Devon can handle it.”
“Did you finish that painting for her?”
“Yeah. I stashed it at my grandma’s yesterday, along with some balloons and crepe paper that was left over from a party at Mom’s work.”
“And your grandma really didn’t mind making us dinner?”
“No, she insisted,” Emma assured her. “But I promised we’d do the setting up. Bryn and Abby can do cleanup.”
“Do you think Devon will be surprised?”
“I think she’ll be shocked. No one has said a peep about it.”
“Well, hopefully Bryn won’t open her mouth either.” Cassidy turned into the driveway, then backed out. “I guess I should park a ways away, huh?”
As they went inside, Cassidy held up the package that she’d wrapped yesterday. “I’m not sure what Devon will think of this,” she said with uncertainty.
“What is it?” Emma asked.
“A Bible.”
Emma looked surprised.
“I know,” Cassidy said. “She’ll probably hate it. But it’s in really easy-to-understand language and it has lots of study helps.”
“I think that’s a nice gift,” Emma assured her. “Even if Devon acts like it’s not so great . . . well, don’t take her too seriously. Remember, she’s Devon.”
“Right.” Even so, Cassidy was already regretting her impulsive choice. She didn’t want Devon to think she was preaching at her. Cassidy said a silent prayer as she followed Emma inside, setting the package on a living room table where several other wrapped presents were already waiting, some from Emma’s grandma and one that looked like the painting Emma had made. Even though it was silly, Cassidy took the time to bury her package beneath the other gifts. At least she could delay the disappointment.
“It’s so sweet of you girls to do this for Devon,” Emma’s grandma said as they joined her in the kitchen. “She’s been very quiet lately and I’ve been worried that she might be sad.”
“Or maybe she’s just thinking about things,” Emma said.
“Well, her mother never calls.” Emma’s grandma sadly shook her head. “I’ve told Devon to go ahead and make the first move and call her mom, but she just refuses.”
“What a beautiful cake,” Cassidy said when she spied the layer cake. The frosting was a buttery yellow and it was decorated with real flowers and hot pink birthday candles. “Devon should like that.”
“And it’s carrot cake,” Emma’s grandma told her. “Devon’s favorite.”
“Is that lasagna?” Emma asked as she peeked in the oven window.
Her grandma confirmed this, then sent Cassidy and Emma into the dining room to set the table. “I’ve put out a nice linen tablecloth and the good china,” she called. “And I’ve got a bouquet of yellow rosebuds and some pink candles for the candelabra too.”
“Pretty formal shindig,” Emma said as she and Cassidy began to smooth out the tablecloth. “I’m starting to feel jealous. Grandma hasn’t gotten out the good china for me.”
“You’re not seventeen yet,” her grandma called from the kitchen.
Emma laughed. “Oh, I didn’t know that was the magic number.”
After the table was set, Emma and Cassidy blew up balloons and draped the living room with crepe paper. It was a little before six when Abby and Felicia arrived, and that’s when they turned off all the lights and hid in the shadows, waiting to surprise Devon.
“Do you think she’ll be surprised?” Felicia whispered in the darkness.
“I hope so,” Emma said quietly.
“But, knowing Devon, she might play it cool and act like she expected it,” Cassidy told her.
“I hear something,” Abby warned them.
The door opened and, as they’d previously agreed, everyone silently counted to five and then Emma turned on the light switch and they all leaped out, yelling, “Surprise!”
“What!” Devon leaped back, obviously surprised.
“Happy birthday,” they started calling, rushing out to hug their shocked friend. Bryn was coming in behind her now, and suddenly Devon was crying. She wasn’t just crying, she was sobbing.
“Oh, Devon,” Emma said with worried eyes.
“Did we frighten you?” Felicia asked.
“Are you okay?” Emma’s grandma said with concern.
“I—I’m fine,” Devon sobbed. “I—I’m just so surprised.”
“Well, that’s the point,” Cassidy said as she hugged her again.
“But we didn’t mean to scare you to death,” Abby assured her.
“I never had a surprise party before.” Devon blew her nose on the tissue that Emma’s grandma had handed her. “In fact, I never had a real birthday party before.”
“No real birthday party?” Cassidy asked.
“Now that you mention it, I don’t ever remember you having a birthday party either,” Emma admitted.
“Anyway, sorry to fall apart.” Devon stood up straighter. “This is really sweet, you guys. Thanks!”
“It was Cassidy’s idea,” Emma said.
Devon turned to Cassidy with a slightly astonished expression. “Really? You thought of this?”
Cassidy shrugged. “Well, when I heard it was your birthday . . . it seemed like a good idea.”
Devon hugged Cassidy again. “Thanks, Cass, you really are a friend.”
Cassidy just nodded.
As the party progressed into dinner, Cassidy could see that Devon was really having a good time, but as the group moved to the living room to open presents, Cassidy was feeling nervous. As Devon opened the first gifts—slightly frivolous items, but obviously things she liked—Devon graciously expressed thanks.
“Oh, Emma,” she said as she peeled the paper away from the painting. “I love this. Did you really paint it yourself?”
“I was trying to imitate van Gogh,” Emma confessed, “but maybe I should stick to my own style.”
Devon held up the painting for everyone to see, and Emma looked relieved as they all praised it. Cassidy was feeling even more nervous because hers was the only gift remaining. But just as she was reaching for it, Bryn held a shiny gold bag toward Devon. “Now this!” Bryn announced with a twinkle in her eyes.
Devon took the bag and, opening it, slid out what appeared to be a shoe box. “Are you kidding?” she said as she removed the lid. She held up a pair of gorgeous strappy silver sandals. “How did you do that?” she asked Bryn.
“When you went to use the restroom, I bought them and they let me slip them into my oversized bag. I thought for sure you’d notice how fat it looked.”
“I never even noticed.” Devon was already pulling off her shoes and slipping her feet into the silver sandals. “They’re perfect.”
“And they’ll go with almost any prom gown,” Bryn proclaimed.
“One gift left,” Emma announced just as Cassidy was considering tucking the last package under a couch cushion. “It’s from Cass.”
Cassidy controlled herself from rolling her eyes. “And if you don’t like it, I think you can exchange it,” she said quietly.
Devon took her time to unwrap it and when she saw that it was a Bible, her expression grew serious. Or maybe it was grim. Cassidy wasn’t sure.
“What is it?” Abby asked.
“A Bible,” Emma told her quietly.
“Thanks, Cass,” Devon said in a somber tone.
“Really, you can return it,” Cassidy assured her. “I just thought that maybe you didn’t have one and I really like having—”
“I’m going to keep it,” Devon told her. “I like it. I really do.”
Cassidy let out a small relieved sigh.
“You guys are the best,” Devon told them. “This is the best birthday party ever.”
“You said it was your only birthday party,” Abby reminded her.
“Yeah, so it could be the worst one ever too,” Emma teased.
“No way.” Devon shook her head. “It’s the best. I swear it is.”
“And we still have birthday cake,” Emma’s grandma announced.
As they went into the dining room for dessert, Cassidy felt relatively certain that Devon had meant what she’d said. After all, Devon was the kind of girl who always spoke her mind. She’d said that she liked the Bible and that she intended to keep it. That was enough for Cass.