My Birthday Night Turned To Hell

"Okay, guys, it's eleven forty-two. Eighteen minutes left of my birthday."

I smiled at the phone propped against the vase of lilies on our dining table. The smile felt stiff now, like makeup left on too long.

The comments rolled up the screen.

**"Where's Ethan??"**

**"Girl, he's not coming."**

**"Maybe he's stuck in traffic! Don't listen to the haters, Nora!"**

My name is Nora Quill. For two years, my best friend Kiara Dunmore and I had run *Nora & Kiki* together. Couples content, outfit hauls, apartment makeovers. Half a million followers. Tonight was supposed to be our biggest stream yet. My live birthday surprise from my boyfriend of four years.

Kiara had planned the whole thing with me. She'd picked the dress I was wearing. She'd texted me at six.

**Kiara: He's got something BIG planned. Don't you dare cry off your lashes.**

That was the last time I heard from her.

"He's probably just running late," I told the camera. "Ethan's the kind of guy who'd rather show up perfect than show up on time."

I didn't believe it as I said it. I said it anyway.

I tapped his name again. The phone rang four times and dropped me into voicemail.

*"Hey, it's Ethan Marlowe. Leave it at the beep."*

I hung up before the beep.

**"That's the 9th call. I counted."**

**"No cake? No flowers? On her BIRTHDAY?"**

**"Kiki isn't here either lol"**

My thumb froze over the screen. I read that last one twice.

"Kiara's sick," I said quickly. "She told me she'd watch from home."

That was a lie too. She hadn't told me anything.

Then a new comment popped up, highlighted in gold because the user had paid to pin it.

**"Nora I'm so sorry but I'm literally at Maison Verre on 5th right now. Ethan is here. He's with a woman. They're sharing dessert."**

The chat exploded.

**"WHAT"**

**"Pics or it didn't happen"**

**"Oh no oh no oh no"**

I stared at the pinned comment. My mouth was dry. My face was still smiling, and for some reason that was the worst part. I couldn't make it stop.

"That's... funny," I heard myself say. "Ethan hates French food."

Another comment slid in.

**"Corner table by the window. He's wearing a navy suit."**

I had bought him that navy suit. I'd picked it out for tonight.

"Okay! That's it for tonight, everybody. Thank you for hanging out with me."

**"NORA DON'T GO"**

**"GO GET HIM QUEEN"**

I ended the stream. The screen went black, and in it I saw my own reflection, lipstick perfect, eyes wide.

I grabbed my keys.

---

The cab smelled like pine air freshener and old coffee.

"Fifth Street. Maison Verre. Please hurry."

The driver glanced at me in the mirror. "Big night?"

"My birthday."

"Happy birthday, then."

I laughed. It came out sharp and strange, and he didn't say anything else for the rest of the ride.

I called Kiara on the way. She didn't pick up. I called again. Straight to voicemail, like she'd turned her phone off.

Like she didn't want to be found.

---

Maison Verre glowed gold from the street. Candles. White tablecloths. A violinist near the bar.

The hostess stepped in front of me. "Good evening. Do you have a reservation?"

"I'm meeting someone."

"Under what name?"

I didn't answer. I was already looking past her shoulder.

Corner table. By the window.

Navy suit.

Ethan sat with his back half-turned to the room, his tie loosened the way he only loosened it when he was relaxed. Really relaxed. He hadn't looked that relaxed with me in months.

Across from him, a woman leaned in. Long dark hair. A gold bracelet on her wrist.

I knew that bracelet. I'd given it to her for her twenty-fifth birthday.

Kiara.

She laughed at something he said and reached across the table. He caught her hand. Then he leaned forward, and she met him halfway, and they kissed like they'd done it a hundred times before.

Between them, on the white tablecloth, sat a cake.

Pink frosting. White roses piped along the edges. Gold letters across the top.

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NORA.**

My cake. Sitting there while they kissed over it.

"Ma'am?" The hostess touched my arm. "Ma'am, are you all right?"

I walked away from her.

My heels hit the wooden floor hard enough that a couple at the next table turned around. Ethan didn't notice. Kiara didn't either. They were too busy.

I stopped beside their table.

"Is that chocolate inside?" I asked. "Or vanilla?"

Ethan jerked back so fast his chair scraped. Kiara's hand flew to her mouth.

"Nora." His face went white. "Nora, what are you... how did you..."

"Half a million people told me where to find you." I tilted my head. "Didn't you know I was live tonight, Ethan? Kiara knew. Kiara planned it."

Kiara stood up. Her voice came out soft and shaky, the way it did in our sponsor videos when she wanted people to feel sorry for her.

"Babe, please. This isn't what it looks like."

"Really?" I looked at her lipstick, smeared across Ethan's mouth. Same shade as hers. "Because it looks like you were kissing my boyfriend over my birthday cake."

"We were going to bring it to you," Ethan said quickly. "We were just... talking first. About your surprise."

"With your tongues?"

Someone at the next table snorted. Ethan's jaw went tight.

"Keep your voice down," he hissed. "People are staring."

"Let them."

I picked up the cake.

It was heavier than I expected. Three layers. The kind of cake you order two weeks in advance. He'd planned this. He'd planned all of it. The cake, the dinner, the kiss.

Just not with me.

"Nora," Kiara whispered. "Don't."

I smiled at her. Really smiled this time.

Then I smashed the cake into both of their faces.

Frosting splattered across Ethan's navy suit. Pink roses smeared down Kiara's cheek and into her hair. Kiara screamed. Ethan stumbled back into the window, choking on sponge cake, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.

The whole restaurant went silent. Even the violinist stopped.

"Are you insane?" Ethan sputtered. "Nora, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Happy birthday to me."

I dropped the empty cake board on the table. It clattered against a wine glass and knocked it over. Red wine soaked into the white tablecloth like a spreading stain.

Kiara was crying now, real tears cutting tracks through the frosting. "You've ruined everything. You didn't even let us explain."

"Explain what? How long?" I looked from her to him. "How long, Kiara?"

She didn't answer.

That was an answer.

I pulled out my phone and tapped the camera icon. The red dot lit up.

Ethan's eyes went wide. "Put that away."

"No."

"Nora. I'm serious. Put it away right now."

"So am I." I held the phone up, steady, framing both of their frosting-covered faces. "Smile, you two. I'm recording everything you've done."

Kiara lunged for my phone.

I stepped back.

"Go ahead," I said quietly. "Grab it. I'd love for everyone to see that too."

Her hand stopped in midair.

And behind her, Ethan was already pulling out his own phone, his thumb moving fast across the screen, his frosting-smeared face suddenly calm.

Too calm.

"You want to post something, Nora?" he said. "Fine. But you should know what Kiara and I have on *you* first."