Giving Up the Ghost by Phoebe Rivers Page B

Lady Azura. Both of whom knew enough to hang in the back with the few other adults who were there. They knew it was a kid party. But I was really happy they were there.
    I had to sit down. I staggered to a chair.
    Suddenly Lily was right in front of me. “So were you truly, genuinely surprised?” she asked eagerly as she pulled up a chair and plopped down next to me.
    I nodded. “Um, yes. Yes, I definitely was.”
    â€œLady Azura was a huge help,” Lily prattled on. “She and I talked about what your favorite cupcakes were, and what food we’d have, and of course your dad wanted to help too, and he suggested he take you to the aquarium today because what would I have done if you’d just shown up at my door?”
    â€œI had no idea,” I said. “I was so thrown off because I . . . I thought you and Miranda went shopping for Jayden’s present yesterday!”
    â€œWe did, but we went shopping with him, not for him! He needed help picking something out for you!”
    I sat back, stunned. “Oh. I thought—” I thought back on the chain of events of the past few days. Now it all made sense.
    Lily’s face grew serious, and she scooted her chair closer. “You of all people are not an easy person to surprise,” she said in a low voice.
    Just then Jayden loped over. “Hey,” he said, grinning. “Recovered yet?”
    Lily jumped up. “Got to go help Mom unload the cupcakes from the car,” she said, and raced away.
    Jayden occupied the chair Lily had given up. “So, were you surprised?”
    â€œJust a little!” I said, laughing.
    He laughed too, and then held out a small wrapped box. He pushed it toward me. “Here,” he said. “I got you a little birthday present. No big deal or anything. Just a little something.”
    I was so glad I had a present for him too. “Well, I got you something too, because I was the only one who didn’t get the memo that this party wasn’t for you!” I said, placing my wrapped picture in front of him.
    He grinned. “You first,” he said.
    I had to stop myself from tearing away the paper. Instead I calmly peeled away the paper to reveal a small brown box. Inside was a charm. Of a soccer ball.
    â€œTo remember me by,” he said. “They had all these charms, and I wasn’t sure which one you would like best, so I chose the soccer ball because that’s my favorite sport. Remember the times you took pictures of me playing?”
    I smiled shyly and nodded. “Thanks,” I said. Little did Jayden know, I had joined the school paper as a sports photographer just so I could take pictures of him playing! Blushing slightly, I showed him the bracelet Lily had given me.
    â€œYeah, I know. We all went shopping together,” he said. “Good thing, too, or I would have picked you up some dumb thing, like golf clubs or something.”
    The charm had a little clasp on it so I was able to hook it right onto my bracelet.
    â€œYour turn,” I said after I held my wrist out so we could both admire the new charm dangling from my bracelet.
    He tore off the paper and stared at the picture.
    â€œThis is awesome,” he said quietly. “You did this?”
    I nodded, trying to read his expression. What did he really think? What if he thought it was too personal? Too silly? Maybe his friends would tease him about it. Maybe it was not what normal girlfriends gave to normal boyfriends. . . .
    â€œThis is like, totally, completely awesome. I can’t wait to show it to the guys over there. I’m going to be reading about you in the art section of the paper in a few years,” he said, marveling at the picture. “You’re really talented.”
    â€œThanks,” I said, feeling myself blush up to the roots of my hair.
    My dad and Mrs. Randazzo carried out a big stack of pizza boxes, and everyone ate pizza for the next