Page 47 of Next to Everything We Wanted

“More like ready to die,” Hayden grumbled.

“We look so cute!” She flopped one of his bunny ears and giggled. “Especially you.”

Hayden’s cheeks turned bright red. “Thank you.”

Caleb whispered something to Oliver, and they both shared an eye roll.

Hayden shot them a glare. “Friends don’t whisper about friends.”

Now I rolled my eyes. Hayden and Arielle had been-there done-that, though we were all convinced that they’d get back together someday. With their bubbly personalities, they were too perfect together. Plus, Arielle really enjoyed the keyboard lessons Hayden gave her in preparation for taking Caleb’s place when he went to New York in the fall.

We went into the room where the birthday party was being hosted. It was much bigger than I’d expected, decked out with cheerful decorations and party favors. Kids in all sorts of costumes—cats, dogs, lizards, turtles, insects, barn animals— bounced around the room, speaking to each other at the top of their lungs.

Yeah, not our type of crowd.

“Like Airplanes?” a woman with auburn hair asked as she approached us.

“That’s us,” Hayden said, offering his best smile.

The woman grinned before shaking his hand. “Gail. Thank you so much for coming. My daughter Chrissy loved your Battle of the Bands performance and begged me to hire you.”

“We’re happy to be here,” Arielle said. “Thank you for hiring us.”

Gail nodded to the stage. “Your instruments are already set up. You can get ready backstage.” She looked at her watch. “There’s still fifteen minutes before the party starts.”

We thanked her before starting to head backstage.

“Hi, Oliver!” a girl shouted from one of the tables.

We turned around to notice Oliver’s sister Mollie wave at us, decked out in a glittery pink butterfly costume. Bella sat next to her, wearing a blue costume that matched her sister’s. They both grinned at us with their missing teeth.

Oliver’s jaw dropped. “You have to be kidding me.” He walked over to their table, and we followed him. “Thiswas the party Dad dropped you off at?”

“Uh-huh,” Mollie said. “What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like animals?”

“We’re performing here,” Arielle said with a cheery smile. “It’s our first birthday party gig.”

“And maybe our last,” Hayden said flatly.

Mollie’s blue eyes widened. “Yay! What songs are you going to sing?”

“Songs that will make us die inside,” Oliver muttered.

Mollie giggled. “That’s going to besofunny.”

Bella picked up a small phone with a green case. “And we found this in your room, so now we can take videos of you performing!”

“You stole my old phone?” Oliver groaned. “Our career is over.”

“Now you’ll never get a new girlfriend,” Caleb said, making a pouty face.

“Neither will you,” Oliver shot back.

Caleb held up his hands. “Sheesh, wrong side of the bed?”

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, I’m just . . . It doesn’t matter.”

Mollie and Bella exchanged a confused look before shrugging.