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Chapter Five

"You know, it sucks not seeing you at school."

I was slow dancing with Garrett and I felt like pinching myself. I smiled up at him.

"I miss school."

"Seriously? I would kill to travel all over."

I laughed. "It's not as glamorous as you think."

We both smiled and I felt his hands press against my back. Noah and Ally were dancing nearby. Noah picked up a piece of her green hair and she laughed.

"Are you going to come back to school?"

I focused back on Garrett. His breath smelled like spearmint Tic Tacs.

"I plan on it. When I start recording again I'm going to do it after school."

"Awesome." He paused. "Maybe we can grab a pizza or something soon."

A pizza. Or something! Soon!

"I'd like that."

The song ended all too soon.

"Thanks for the dance," Garrett said. I smiled.

"Thank you."

"Brooke?"

I turned. Uncle Brian was right beside me. He was looking around, frowning slightly.

"Where's Kay?"

"I don't know."

"If you see her, point her in her mom's direction," Brian said. He pointed towards one of the tables set up on the second floor. Leighanne was sitting there with a drink talking to Liv.

"Sure thing."

He disappeared and I wove my way through the bodies. I didn't get very far before I was stopped for a hug or a quick chat. My drink disappeared and I decided that, before the cake was rolled out, I should go refresh my makeup.

Of course, the lines for the bathrooms were ridiculously long. I skipped the first floor bathrooms all together. The second tier bathrooms were just as bad. I went up to the third tier. The woman's restaurant had a big 'Out of Order' sign on the door. Considering I just needed a mirror, I decided to go in anyhow.

I pushed the door open and stifled a gasp.

Kay was propped up on the bathroom sink, her skirt hiked up, her heels on the floor. Most of her weight was being supported by the guy that her legs were wrapped around. A familiar guy...

James.

His head was currently buried in her chest and her hands were in his hair and...

I quickly went back out into the hall. I leaned against the wall, my face flushed. I couldn't tell whether they were just making out or...

I had two options. I could just walk away like I never saw anything and raise the odds of her getting caught by someone else. That someone else would either rat her out or, if it was her dad, probably put her in an all-girls boarding school.

Or, I could be a wonderful best friend and warn her that her dad was looking for her.

I took a deep breath. I had to go with option two. I opened the door a crack.

"Kay!" I said in a loud whisper. There was a moan and then a fumbling. "Your dad's looking for you!"

"Damnit. Okay, thanks. I'll be out...in a minute."

I was a good friend, but I also didn't want to take one for the team. I decided my job was done. I headed back to the second tier and waited my turn in the bathroom line.

By the time I finished with my makeup and made it back down to the lower tier, dad was ready to bring out the cake. He hopped up on the DJ stand and grabbed a mic.

"Miss Brooklyn, where are you?"

I waved my arm and people parted as I made my way up to the dias. I held out my hand for the mic and dad passed it to me.

"How's it going everyone?" I shouted. Everyone clapped. "I want to thank you guys for coming out to help me celebrate my sixteenth birthday. I love you all and I hope you're having a blast!"

A loud cheer greeted my comment. I laughed. "I also want to thank mom and dad for the party. I love you guys with all my heart."

I glanced back at dad. He smiled. Mom blew me a kiss. I handed the mic back up.

"And now, it's time for cake!" dad announced.

A huge cake was wheeled out. It was amazing. Mom loved those bakeries that did really unique cakes and she had gone all out for mine. A big '16' in pink and white was right on top. Each individual layer had little sculptures of all of my favorite things: a microphone, jewelry, lipstick, Monopoly, a picture frame, etc. The cake was wheeled right up to me and I spent a couple seconds walking around admiring it. I couldn't stop smiling. Sixteen lighted candles were scattered throughout.

"Happy Birthday to you..."

Dad started the chorus and everyone chimed in. When they were done, I ran around the cake blowing out each candle. Everyone clapped.

"You like it?" mom asked. She squeezed my arm.

"This is awesome. It's got all my favorite things," I said. I pointed at the little dogs snuggled up in minature sugary dog beds.

"There's a surprise on that cake for you," dad said. "Can you find it?" I looked at him and then looked back at the cake. I walked around it again.

On my third time around, I saw it. It looked like one of those little kids wind up cars with a key stuck in the top. Except this key was real. I pulled it out.

A car key!

My eyes widened. Mom and dad were grinning. I had gotten my driver's license a couple months ago, but dad said I'd have to drive the 'mom-mobile' because it was 'good practice.'

"Are you serious?!" I squealed. Dad laughed and pointed.

The front windows of the club had been curtained to keep photographers from taking pictures of the event going on inside. A couple workers yanked those curtains aside.

Right outside was a brand new sleek black car. I couldn't help it; I jumped up and down.

"You're serious! You're serious!"

After that, it took me quite awhile to calm down. Noah started complaining that he better have a key on his cake next year. Landon wanted to go out and sit behind the wheel. Peyton wanted to know how fast it could go and when the cake was going to be cut.

When things finally settled down and the curtain was back in place, dad grabbed the mic one more time.

"And now, I'd like to have a special dance with my birthday girl. Brooke?"

I nodded and held out my hand.

As if on cue, My Girl started to play. Dad wrapped his arms around my waist and we started dancing.

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day...

"Thanks dad," I said. I glanced up at him. I was pretty sure my dad was the most handsome guy in the world. He never seemed to age. He laughed.

"Was it memorable?"

"Absolutely. I couldn't ask for more."

I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees...

"I saw you dancing with a tall guy earlier," dad whispered. I blushed.

"That was Garrett. From school."

"Nice guy?"

"Totally nice."

I squeezed my arms around dad's neck playfully. He smiled and kissed my forehead. When he looked at me again, I saw that his eyes were misty. I knew what that meant...

I don't need no money, fortune or fame. I got all the riches baby, one man can claim...

"I was the proudest guy in the whole world the day you were born," dad said softly. Tears sprang to my eyes. Dad was sentimental where I was concerned and it always made me cry when he said stuff like that.

"Dad..."

"Don't forget about me when I'm all old and gray."

I laughed. "You'll never be old and gray."

My girl...

The song ended and everyone applauded. I hugged dad tightly. He smiled and kissed my hand.

"Happy Birthday, baby girl."