Surprise

Jazwa looked at the group of teenagers hanging out together and looked away quickly, to hide her disappointment. Her pet cat, Stella meowed and pressed her body against Jazwa’s feet and settled herself comfortably. 

“What have I done?” she asked Stella in a small voice as she carelessly stroked her head.

She closed her eyes and tried to block all the horrible memories that were about to spill out of the sack that she so badly wanted to seal. However, it was impossible. Soon she was engulfed by a tidal wave of the day’s incidents. She was so lost that she didn’t even notice the small crowd of boys and girls of her age, pointing their finger at her, at the same time trying to keep a low profile which surely would not have been successful if she had paid attention.

“Hey, where are you?, Jazwa said in a cheery voice. 

“Who is this?” replied her best friend. 

“Come on, stop pulling my leg, it’s me”, she tried again. 

“Look, I think you have got the wrong person, bye, Malsha replied curtly and hung up. 

Jazwa stared at the phone for several minutes and rang back again. Malsha didn’t even answer her call. She wondered what has happened to her best friend and couldn’t think of anything.

So she went over to her house and rang the bell. Malsha’s mother answered the door and said, "Well hello dear, what are you still doing here?"

“What do you mean’, Jazwa asked confused. 

"Well, your gang was here a few hours ago, they all were planning to do something extravagant, I suppose, from what I have over heard", she said and smiled at Jazwa kindly. 

Jazwa didn’t know what to say because her friends have never ever gone anywhere without her. 

“Well, I have to go now, b-bye, Jazwa stammered and ran down the steps. 

“Oh no, is it something I said, she said to herself and quickly went inside and dialed her daughters mobile number.

“Surprise", her friends screamed at the top of their voice. Jazwa was so startled that she nearly fell off the bench that was sitting on. 

“Hey silly girl, we were going to surprise you’, Malsha said. 

“Yeah, we were just buying a cake when you called", Neelam explained. 

“When mom called we all got so worried", Malsha said. 

“Thank god, I thought you guys deserted me on my birthday", Jazwa said. 

“Come on, we would never do that", Rifdha said in a happy voice.

“Now, lets go to your house and eat this yummy cake we bought for you”, said Malsha impatiently.

 “Oh, I have a better idea, let’s stuff our faces right here in this park", said Jazwa and they all laughed and went to Jazwa’s house. 

They sang the birthday song as Jazwa cut the cake and gave her the presents they have bought for the birthday girl.