Tag, You’re IT

~Chapter 1~

"...So I'd really appreciate it if you came," Martina said, inviting Delilah and me to her little sister’s birthday party. Even though we weren't that close, she usually invited us to most places, and Mira, her sister, wasn’t very social, so she didn’t have many friends to invite.

"I don't know... The English essay is due today, and I really have to proofread it. You know how strict Mrs. Tret can be. If I turn the essay in a second after 11:59, she’s going to mark it late." I said, trying to turn down the invitation. I had already completed my essay and reviewed it, but I needed an excuse. A toddler's birthday party was just not my scene, even though I knew that Tina was just trying to be a good sister.

"Yeah! Plus it's Friday, so there's curfew…," Delilah agreed.

"Come on! It's an 11-year-old’s birthday party. It's going to end at 8, at most. And you know how much Mira would love to have you there! Just this once? Please?" Tina tried again, exaggerating the end.

"Fine, but 8 at most cause I need to get home!" I said finally giving into her. She had taken up most of the lunch discussing the party, and knowing her, she wouldn't let us go until she heard a yes.

"Yay! You guys are the best!" She exclaimed, running off.

[———]

"Come on! Keep up old lady," Delilah taunted from the lead on her bicycle. We usually rode the bike home, since the bus gets too crowded during the afternoon. Lilah was in the lead, being sporty and all. I was behind her, huffing and puffing while pedaling, and it didn't help that it was 92 degrees outside.

"Or maybe you could slow down? I am extremely exhausted!"

"This is why you should join me on my daily runs," Lilah I would totally do that, except for the fact that she does it at 5 in the morning. I'm not about to wake up that early and steal myself the opportunity to sleep for another whole hour just to run 2 miles around our neighborhood.

"Or hear me out, we can take the bus on hot, sunny days like today so that I don't pass out in the middle of the street?" I sarcastically said, but was very much serious, while parking my bike in the garage of our 20-year-old house.

"Oh my god, Nad! We totally forgot to get a present for Mira!"

"It'll be fine. We'll just get her a gift card on our way there," I replied coolly.

"Nadine. She's turning 11." I turned around to see a are you serious? look on Lilah's face.

"7-year-old kids are turning out be geniuses nowadays, and who would know what Mira wants better than Mira herself?"

"Ugh! You're so lazy!"

"Mhmm, now tell me something I don’t know."

After our little roasting session, if we can even call it one, I arrived at my home and waved my bestie goodbye. It wasn't for long, though, cause of our acceptance to Mira's birthday. I entered the noisy house, with my sister watching TV and my mom washing the dishes.

"Hey, sweetie! How was school?" Mom asks.

"School was fine, oh, and Martina invited me to her sister's birthday." Invited ha, more like forced.

"Oh, alright!"

Hearing her reply, I went upstairs and into my bedroom to freshen up and get ready. On my way, I heard my dad on his daily office call and sighed. Everyone's so busy these days, and from that thought, I was reminded of my homework, on which I internally groaned.

[———]

"Yes! I'm done," I sighed, satisfied with myself. I had completed all my homework, even the one due the day after tomorrow because I didn't want to procrastinate this time. Grabbing my phone on the screen, I saw 13 missed calls from 🤪UrBestie😜. I usually put my phone on silent when I'm doing school-related work because I easily get distracted from TikTok and stuff. Taking a deep breath I call her back, waiting for the lecture on how unreliable of a friend I am.

"Miss Wershaw! You better have a good explanation for why you missed thirteen, THIRTEEN, call for your best friend. You know, a friend I'd understand, even your mother I'd understand, but me? And you better not have been doing your homework! Miss girl, you have straight A+'s in all your classes, even CHEMISTRY, and you're out here doing your homework on a party night. So, what had been keeping you so busy?"

I remained silent for a bit, not because I felt bad, but because I was trying to think of an excuse that would seem believable.

"Chill, girl! I was in the bathroom, getting ready for the party."

"Really? Nadine was getting ready for a party on a school night? Girl, you cannot lie to save your life."

"Heyyy, I thought it was a decent lie, not my fault you know me since, I don't know, like forever?"

We both chuckled and then got on FaceTime to decide which outfit to wear. I didn't put much thought into mine, mostly cause it was a toddler's birthday party. At around 5, Lilah came to pick me up, and we rode to the store to get the girl a gift, and might I add, which took forever.

"I still think we should just give her a Walmart gift card."

Lilah sighed, saying, "How cheap are you, girl?"

"Newsflash! Your girl is broke, and there ain’t nothing wrong with a Walmart gift card."

"Ooooh! Isn't this jewelry set perfect?"

"Umm... it's great, and all, but are you even sure she like jewelry?"

"I mean, didn’t Martina talk about how her family loved jewelry? Plus, I used to love shiny things as a child!"

“Just because you loved them, doesn’t mean everyone does…” I commented, not in a rude way, but rather in a truthful manner. Lilah knew that.

“Well then, do you want to suggest something different? Cause I don’t see you looking around.”

"Ugh! Fine! Let's take it, but you're paying cause I'm not spending $22."

[———]

Standing in front of the door, I knocked lightly using the silver handle, and then took a step back adjusting my dress to look presentable. With a click sound, the door swung open while creaking to reveal Mrs. Wash in a navy blue, knee-length dress.

“Welcome ladies! You both look so beautiful!” She said opening the door completely to reveal the inside of the mansion. Martina’s family was rich, and I don’t mean rich, I mean RICH. But even then, Tina preferred to not have a lot of friends, and the only reason we were friends in the first place, was because Lilah and I helped her get out of trouble, for personal reasons, in 7th grade.

“Hi, Mrs. Wash. Thank you for inviting us!” Delilah greeted the mother, as I entered the house with the wrapped present and a smile.

I crouched down to Mira’s level to hand her the present and said, “Happy Birthday Mira!!”

“Thank you :)”

“Wow! I love your dress and you look so cute in it!” Delilah complimented, walking up from behind me.

“Thanks, but I don’t really like it,” Mira replied.

“Oh, why?” I asked the child around a foot shorter than me.

“It just has a lot of sparkles, and the jewelry is like kind of heavy” Mira said with a smile, and Lilah and I shared the same look. I think it’s just great that we happened to get Mira the one thing she doesn’t like. You know maybe I should’ve gotten the gift.

“Let’s just hope she opens the gift after we leave…” Delilah whispered into my ear.

I turned around to get a good look at the room and turns out we weren’t the only old kids. On the contrary, there were quite a few, and some of them were from our school. But then again, there was an abundance of middle schoolers and toddlers running around, which made me wonder how Tina even invited these many people.

Seems like Lilah had the same thought saying, “I bet the Washes paid the children to come, because there is no way, and no offense, Mira has these many friends.” Ha. Rich people.

“Come on kids! It’s time to cut the cake, and sing happy birthday!” Mrs. Wash yelled through the room, but it still wasn’t very audible because of the screaming of children. Suddenly a child grabbed onto my leg and started shaking it, which caught me off guard. Very off guard.

“Get it off, GET IT OFF!” I panicked while asking Lilah to get the thing off.

“Chill girl. It doesn’t do anything,” she replied calmly while pulling the child off. One of the reasons I do not want to have children. If you think about it, children are a waste of money and time. You do work for them, feed them, buy stuff for them, pay rent for them, and in the end what was it for?

“I don’t care if it doesn’t do anything, I don’t want it hanging on to my leg. That’s creepy, adult or kid.” I said walking towards the huge table, with a cake in the center. It was a 3 tiered cake with flowers all around, and I doubt that was Mira’s choice.

Tina lit the candle number and Mira walked up to climb the stool because the cake was taller than her. Mira closed her eyes and whispered something, which was probably her wish, and then blew out the candle. The whole room burst into the Happy Birthday song, but halfway through, the lights got cut off.

The mansion went dead silent.

“Oh! We probably just had a power cut. I’ll go check the power system,” Mrs. Wash said, but her voice wasn’t very convincing. Just as she was about to leave, a sound erupted throughout the house.

“Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday my dear, Happy Birthday day to you!” The voice sang through the speakers, but nothing about it was sweet. Nothing about it was warm, but what it was, was creepy. It was like a high-pitched voice singing, but not in a good way. The room was still silent, the only voice heard was the creepy singing.

Even though the room was pitch black, I could see bright eyes all around the room, where some were confused, while some were scared. Beside me Lilar whispered, this time confused and afraid, “What is happening?” That’s what I was wondering too.

What was happening?