It was the morning of my best friend Becca's birthday.  My friends and I had been planning all week to create the very best birthday surprise that a humble group of kids could put together.  The year before Becca had made an entire birthday surprise for me to celebrate my first day in the double digits.  Becca had been my friend practically since birth.  We shared the same birthday, and had often times been confused as sisters since we were practically identical.  Becca cared about me so much she showed it by making a huge deal at her sweet 16 party.  She had made a batch of her homemade cherry gel icing that I have had a sweet tooth for since she perfected it.  Then during her party before everyone started to sing the most well know song on earth, "Happy Birthday" she picked me up, placed me on her shoulders, and started to write my name on the cake with her famous icing.  I practically fell off her shoulders with excitement because not only was I invited to a 16 year old's party, but I was being recognized. I had a great time spending the day with Becca.
So this year I knew I had to go all out.  Becca had just recently gotten a repaired and totally decked out car from her current boyfriend Jeffrey.  Jeffery was the coolest guy I knew.  He was a total car genius, and he really respected me despite the age gap between us.  Since he was the only somewhat adult that knew Becca as well as me, I made sure he pitched in for this great surprise.  His younger brother Caleb was also on the "committee of the birthday surprise" as I called it.  Caleb was a year older than me but has been one of my closest friends besides Becca.  He always stuck by me, and has become completely accustomed to my tomboyish personality.  Despite being one of my good friends, he was one of the reasons I didn't have many.  Especially when it came to the girls at our school, I wasn't the most popular one.  Everyone was jealous that I got to hang out with Caleb.  I never saw why they were so jealous.  I knew he has liked me for some time now, but he knows I don't want a boyfriend.  I made that very clear when he asked me out the first time.  I had explain I didn't want a stupid little kid relationship like all the other girls do.  I was waiting until I was 16, which was when Becca had started dating.  He said he understood, and that he would accept being banished to the friend zone.  His only request was that I would let him take me out on a date the day I turned 16, and then I could decide if I wanted him to be my boyfriend.  We shook on it and just continued our lives, with the occasional flirt, and asking if I changed my mind, from Caleb.  So hopefully I would have a boyfriend the day I turned 16 so I could be just like Becca. It would be awesome if we could be dating brothers.  I would love to be related to Becca since everyone already thinks we are sisters. 
Sorry for all the side notes I can go overboard sometimes.  Anyways back to the birthday surprise.
Jeffery and I had been working on the location for the last few weeks.  At first we wanted it to be at the local park, but then Jeffery opened up the possibilities by offering to drive Becca and the entire crew to our surprise location.  Which would be amazing.  So that night the surprize group planned to meet at the park to figure out the final ideas when it came to all the details.
At 5:00 that Saturday evening, I ran outside with my helmet in hand.  I walked around my plant-covered porch to tell my Papa that I was going to the park to finish the surprise for Becca.  He turned, looked up and waved goodbye.  I then petaled as fast as I could, passing Caleb's house to see him running along side me.  His sandy hair bounced as he tried to keep up with my bike.  I started to laugh as he gave me a funny face.  My bike zoomed down the hill, and around the corner as I left Caleb in the dust.
I took the final turn, and parked my bike by the lone park light.  As I unbuckled my helmet, Caleb rounded the corner on the back of his brother, Jeffery's newly fixed navy pick up.  The bumpers were still busted up, but you could tell Jeffery had put many hours into it, which he was rightfully proud of.  I ran alongside the truck until they came to a stop.  Caleb then dismounted from the truck bed using my shoulder as an aid; almost knocking me off balance. 
"Why are you home so early from work?" I asked Jeffery since I knew he normally comes home for 5:45, which was the original meeting time.  In our neighborhood privacy didn’t exist.  We all knew each other’s schedules, so it was really easy to tell when something was wrong.
"Chunky let me go.  He thought it was sweet I was helping out his little Cal," Jeffery replied as he ruffled my hair.
Jeffery’s hands still smelled of oil and Chunky’s shop.  When he stop ruffling my hair it fell in my face.  In a hurried attempted to fix I felt my face growing hot as I hoped Caleb wouldn’t laugh at me.
"How's Chunky doin?" I asked trying to get the focus off of me.  However I was genuinely curious since I haven’t been down by the shop in awhile.
Caleb cut in, "He's good.  Cally, I got a question for you."  He paused glancing side to side as if he was going to tell me some big secret, "Have you reconsidered the whole friend zoning me for another five years?"
Jeffery then bursted out laughing, "Dude, you are seriously waiting for her to turn sixteen just so she would consider dating you?  I thought this whole little kid crush stuff was over and done with."
Caleb looked away in embarrassment.
I felt my face start to turn red from a mixture of laughing and blushing.
Jeffery started to chuckle and and put Caleb in a headlock to give him the nuggie of a lifetime.  With Caleb and Jeffery standing next to each other you would have never know that they were brothers.  Jeffery had dark brown hair, with very chiseled features and green eyes.  Caleb’s face wasn't too square, but also not to the point it made him look chubby.  Caleb had Sandy blond hair and piercing blue eyes.  I’ve only ever truly looked him straight in the eye once, which was when he made me swear to him that I would give him one date on my sixteenth birthday.  His eyes swirl with colors of the ocean. Just looking at them you could drown which is why I avoided looking at them for too long.
After some more teasing we then walked over to a picnic bench and waited for Jenny, and Maria to arrive.  I didn't know Jenny or Maria very well but they were fun to hang out with when Becca invited me to their California Beachside photography club.
Jeffery sat down and said, “I’ve been thinking that we should have a tent party on the beach.”
"It should be right at sundown so we can take cute pictures of the birthday girl and her boyfriend," Maria stated as she jumped up behind Jeffery.  "Hey Cally," she said as she walked up to me to bop me on the nose.
"Didn't see you guys coming," replied Jeffery, trying to play off that he wasn't startled by Maria's sneak attack.
Staring at her phone Maria said,"Jenny picked me up from work, so I didn't have to waste fifteen minutes walking here."
"Oh my God Jenny did something nice that involved human socialization.  What a shock!  This needs to be documented," Jeffery said.
"So what's the plan?" Jenny asked as she took a candid shot of us scheming at the picnic table.
When she talked we all look over and silenced ourselves.
Examining her handywork, "That one is going in the memory yearbook."
Caleb smirked, "How much does that book weight by now?"
Jenny's book of memories was a huge scrapbook she made of the things we have all done as friends.  She used it to practice her photography, and designing skills.
"Okay let's actually get something done.  I have to go meet Bradley to get his Physics notes," Maria said, trying to hurry the meeting.
"Why can't you ever pay attention in class, or are you just too busy staring off into the wonderland called the back of Bradley's head?" Jeffery said trying to get a rise out of her.
"Oh leave her alone. Her current physics grade is enough of an excuse to cut the meeting short," said Jenny.  She worried too much about Maria failing her classes, and losing her part as the Student Body President.
"Well once everything is clarified you can go run off to your dear sweet Bradley," Jeffery smirked and glanced towards Maria as her face quickly turned as red as a tomato.
Maria lightly punched Jeffery’s shoulder, "Stop it you jerk!"
Jeffery turned back to Maria,  "Save the love taps for Bradley.”
"Stop it you two," I cut in wanting to finish the plan before I was late for dinner.  There was no way I was missing my mom's dumplings.
Jeffery turned around, put his elbow on the table and gestured his hand forward, "Okay, back on topic.  I'm planning on driving you all to the beach at 4:00pm to get decorations, food, and the tent set up for Becca's arrival.  I'll also bring Caleb and Cally with me to make it seem like I forgot, and we are just going to the shop."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Jeffery reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumbled list.  Pointing to each person as he read the list, "Maria, I'm putting you and Jenny in charge of picking out decorations, and picking up the food.  Caleb and Cally will be our fabulous actors.  I plan to get to the beach at 5:30pm.  So please be ready for when we get there."
The group discussed some slight detail about the cake and decorations, but other then that we had the whole plan ready.  Now all we had to do was carry it out in perfect order tomorrow.
Around 6:00 we all parted ways with our final plans in place.  Maria and Jenny waved goodbye as Jenny pulled out, and turned out of the park.
"Do you want a ride back up, Cally?" asked Jeffery.  "I can fit your bike in the bed.  You and Caleb would just have to hold it steady."
"I'm good.  Exercise can't hurt me.  Plus I'm not late for dinner or anything.  Thanks for the offer though,"
"No problem.”  Jeffery then turned to Caleb,  “You coming?"
"Nah, I'll walk Cally home.  Just don't eat my dinner, I'm starving," Caleb said placing his hand over his stomach.
"Okay, see you at home," Jeffery waved as he pulled out and drove up the street.
I waved goodbye and turned to Caleb, "You could have gone home.”
He turned to face me and smiled, "It's not a bother, plus I have to be a gentleman."
We raced over to my bike, touching the park light in unison.  I unstrapped my helmet, put it on, and strapped it around my chin.  Caleb waited while I grabbed the handle bars as if I was mounting it.
I rethought the situation and stepped back down onto the sidewalk "I'll walk with you if you want.”
He looked up, "Wait, really?! I thought you'd leave me in the dust again.”
"Well I guess I have to be a lady at some point."
As we walked up the street passing a few joggers, and evening walkers we sat and enjoyed the quiet California suburban sunset.  With it's beautiful blend of blues, purples, pinks, and yellows, as the sun was preparing to calm down its bright rays.
Caleb broke the silence, "Happy early birthday, Cally."
"Why thank you," I replied. "I'm seeing you tomorrow so you could have told me then."
"I know, I just felt like I needed to say it because all the focus will be on Becca tomorrow," he said as he looked down at his torn up blue sneakers.
"Oh, well we've never had an issue sharing a birthday, so I don't see why it would change this year."
"Yeah I guess," he muttered.
We were nearing our street when he jumped in front of me and said "I know this is weird, but I just have to say it, I love you, Cally Lucied."
This was the second time I had ever looked into the blue ocean eyes of Caleb Sanders.  It happened again.  All I could do was stare into them and drown.  I couldn't move, I was swirling around in the colors of the ocean.  The next thing I knew the ocean grew wide and brightened.  It was as if a car had pulled in by the shore line beyond his iris.  My arm was grabbed and pulled away as screams, and clashes of metal echoed in my mind.
I could feel nothing, I could hear nothing, and the last thing I saw was the blue ocean eyes of Caleb Sander, and as fast as he could blink my world went black.