Chapter 120: The Birthday Party II
Chapter 118
The dance floor was already set up when we arrived—bright lights, speakers booming, and five Dance Dance Revolution arcade machines lined up side by side. A woman stood nearby with a clipboard, marking down each winner and updating a scoreboard on the wall. A crowd had started to gather, forming a semi-circle around the setup.
Carly was the first to jump up onto the stage. "I call first round! Who's brave enough to face me?"
Freddie raised his hand. "Let me show you what I got."
"You sure?" Carly smirked. "Because I don't plan on going easy."
I stayed back with Laura, watching as the two of them picked their songs and prepared to start.
At that moment, Charlie showed up and gave me a quick hug. "Happy birthday, kid," he said with a grin.
"Thank you, Uncle Charlie," I replied. "You don't need to stay. It's a teens' party—there aren't any single moms here."
"I'll stay until the cake," he said. Then he leaned in and added with a smirk, "But there are some beautiful waitresses, attendants, and even a beauty security guard."
I laughed. "Just don't make too much trouble."
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As time passed, the party kept getting better. At one point, there was even a tug-of-war game happening in the pool—three people on each side, pulling with all their strength until one team inevitably splashed into the water.