Anna was already worried before Lily even called.
Not about school. Not about homework.
About clothes.
After school that day, she stood in front of her wardrobe again, pushing hangers aside like magic might make something suitable appear. It didn't. Jeans, simple dresses, skirts she'd worn too many times — nothing felt right.
Her phone buzzed.
Lily: Don't even think about arguing. We're picking you up.
Anna groaned.
Argue about what? she typed.
Shopping. Obviously.
Great.
Later that afternoon, Lily and Linda were already waiting outside her house.
"This is not necessary," Anna said, sliding into the back seat.
"It is," Lily insisted. "You need proper clothes."
Linda leaned slightly toward her. "We just don't want you stressing tomorrow."
"I'm not stressing," Anna muttered.
"You pulled out your whole wardrobe yesterday," Lily said.
Anna blinked. "How do you—"
"You sent a picture," Lily interrupted with a smirk.
"Oh."
The car drove off. For a few minutes, it was quiet. Then Lily leaned forward dramatically.
"Guess what?"
"What?" Anna asked cautiously.
"Transfer student."
Anna frowned. "What about him?"
Linda, as usual, spoke calmly. "Daniel."
Anna blinked. "Wait. Who?"
"You don't know his name yet," Lily said, laughing. "He's new. Transfer student. Joined our class yesterday."
"Oh." Anna leaned back. "And…?"
"And I told him about the party," Lily added quickly.
"Obviously," Linda said quietly, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"You didn't tell him to come?" Anna asked, surprised.
Lily rolled her eyes. "It's a birthday. Of course he's coming."
"And you like him," Anna said flatly.
Lily made a face. "Maybe a little. Don't say anything."
Linda tried not to smile. "She's clearly noticed him."
"You two are ridiculous," Anna muttered, though she couldn't hide the small smile forming anyway.
Then Lily shifted, tilting her head. "Speaking of people… how's Gabriel?"
Anna groaned. "There's nothing. He just sits beside me in class."
"Right… but you don't seem annoyed," Lily teased.
"I'm not. Nothing's happening," Anna said, though she felt a faint warmth rise to her cheeks.
Linda just nodded quietly. "That's good."
Anna didn't argue, but she didn't feel completely convinced herself either.
The mall was loud. Music thumped through every store. People rushed past. Anna felt slightly out of place.
"Relax," Linda whispered. "We're just looking."
"I feel like I'm being upgraded against my will," Anna muttered.
"You are," Lily said cheerfully.
They started picking dresses. Most were obviously too dramatic. One looked like something for a wedding. Another was tight in all the wrong places. Anna refused to even step out of the fitting room with it.
Finally, Linda handed her a simple dress.
"Try this one," she said.
Anna hesitated. Then she did.
When she stepped out, Lily stopped in her tracks. "Okay… wow."
Anna looked in the mirror. It wasn't flashy. Not attention-grabbing. Just… comfortable and like herself.
She gave a small nod. "Fine."
Lily grinned. "Perfect."
Linda simply nodded, as she always did when she approved quietly.
They bought the dress, and Lily added shoes before Anna could protest.
On the way back, the teasing started again.
"So if Daniel talks to me tomorrow," Lily began, "I'll act normal."
"You don't know how to act normal," Anna said.
Linda chuckled quietly.
"And if Gabriel talks to you?" Lily shot back.
Anna rolled her eyes. "Why are we like this?"
"Because it's fun," Lily said.
Linda leaned back in her seat, calm as ever. "Don't overthink tomorrow. It's just a party."
Anna nodded slowly. "Just a party," she repeated quietly.
That evening, Anna sat on the floor of her room, the small gift bag she had hidden earlier in front of her.
Choosing the gift had taken longer than expected. She had walked around stores alone, picked up items, put them back, changed her mind several times.
It had to be meaningful. Not expensive. Not flashy. Something that reminded all three of them — Anna, Lily, and Linda — of years of friendship, late-night talks, small fights that didn't matter, and secrets shared in whispers.
She peeked inside the bag once more and smiled softly.
Yes.
It was perfect.
She closed it quickly and slid it under her bed. No one — not even Lily or Linda — would see it until tomorrow.
Anna lay back against her pillows, staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow would be busy. Loud. Full of music, people, new feelings, maybe even surprises.
But for now, in her room, it was quiet.
And it felt… good.