I twirled the knife, watching the glare of my reflection on one side, the other smeared with red, caught in a daze. Then I smiled and smeared my finger through the red and could see the gleaming eyes of a stranger behind me. I took a lick of my finger; it tasted sweet, surprisingly sweet.

"You coming?" she said, and I turned my head around down at her.

"Yeah, I'll be right there,” I replied, rolling my eyes. I grabbed the knife and slipped it into the side of my apron, splattered with a pink, like paint. I dragged my feet down the dark hallway and remembering the taste, still lingering in my mouth. My eyes darted from the floor, to the ceiling, then the door. My hand trembled with excitement, and then I rushed towards the door to open it.

"He'll be here any minute!” she exclaimed, and as I looked to the window, I saw him. My heart jumped, then sped up to short, small beats, breath heavy, and I hid by the entrance, behind the door stopper. In a whisper, I counted to ten, and although it seemed like days, it finally came and I could hear the unlocking of the door. It opened wide, and all of us took our chance. Leaping out of our hiding spots, we shouted, “Surprise!”

"Whoa, wasn't expecting that,” he laughed. I rolled my eyes, then grinned, and gave him a high-five. “Or that,” glancing at my side pocket. “Borrowing my kitchen knives, lately.”

"Hey! I had to cut the cake, get it all ready. I mean…You didn’t think we’d let you get away with sitting home for your birthday? Doing nothing?” I teased.

"Sorta sharp knife to cut a cake? Unless you bought one as hard as last year’s!” he blurted out.

"This thing? Couldn't hurt a fly!” I exclaimed, laughing, and he gave me a strange look, as if he wasn’t so sure. “C’mon, let’s celebrate!” Flashing my fakest smile. This would be a night none of us would soon forget.