OFF THE ICE, INTO MY HEART

“Shh, be quiet, he'll be here any moment.” Lena's voice dropped almost to a whisper. “I can imagine how surprised he will be. Thank God I asked for his spare key before he left for work.” A wide smile spread across her face as she couldn't take her eyes off the decorations. The living room was decorated with ribbons, candles, and fairy lights that gave the entire place a warm glow. The air was filled with the aroma of mouthwatering food, and she made sure only his favorite dishes were prepared. There were mashed potatoes, French fries, barbecue, and cheesecake, which made everyone's stomachs growl. A big white banner was placed on the wall that read: Happy Birthday, Ethan. It was almost time for the surprise, and Ethan hadn't arrived yet. She glanced at the clock: 8 p.m. He should have been here by now. She fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve. She couldn't stay still, pacing back and forth with a heavy sigh, for what felt like the hundredth time. “He isn't back yet." Someone behind her whispered. Her eyes rolled in frustration; every second that passed felt like a lifetime. He was far too late. “We are starving," another voice spoke up. “Looks like we are going to eat his birthday cake without him,” teased another guest. Her gaze shifted toward the cake sitting on the counter. It was a stunning two-tier cake decorated in purple and blue, with each tier having a different flavor. No way would she allow them to eat the cake she prepared without him being present. “Shh, be quiet. You will ruin my surprise.” Her hands curled into fists; one more word, and she wasn't sure she would be able to stay silent. “Why don't you call him?” Ethan's gym buddy said, a bit of concern in his voice. “If she calls him now, then this birthday plan won't be a surprise anymore.” Thank God for Emma, her best friend, for saying that. At least she was the only one with a working brain. Lena knew how long it had taken to set up this birthday party, from inviting his gym buddy to be part of the surprise to persuading his boss to also be present. He had better be back because no matter what, she was going to wait, even if all the guests had gone. After waiting longer than expected, just as her thumb hovered over the call button, the sound of an engine echoed outside. Everyone froze. She peeked through the curtain. A car was pulling into the driveway. “Quiet, he's here,” she whispered. Lena quickly turned off the light, leaving the room in complete darkness. As everyone went into their hiding places, some behind the couch and others under the table, a few guests held party horns while others clung to fake trumpets, ready to make as much noise as possible the moment he walked through the door. The door opened, and Ethan's footsteps echoed through the room. His steps were unsteady. He knocked something over as the lamp fell off the table with a loud crash. A series of crashes followed, echoing through the house, probably while he was looking for the light switch. The rustle of fabric filled the room, followed by a low murmur. Lena waited until he was fully inside. Then she turned on the light. “Surprise!” Everyone shouted in unison, jumping up from their hiding places. The words had barely left their mouths when a stunned silence swept through the room. Smiles faded from their faces. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the shocking scene before them. Ethan wasn't alone. A beautiful red-haired woman was with him. They were kissing passionately, her hand beneath his pants, stroking his c**k slowly. Her blouse was unbuttoned, his right fingers squeezing her breasts, and his left arm gripping her butt. Saliva was exchanged as their lips brushed against each other, drawing her closer to his c**k. They both turned to the crowd, their mouths falling open in shock. WHAT THE F**K “Ethan.” Lena's chest ached as though something inside her had cracked. For four years, she'd driven three hours just to be present at his reality show. Four years of cooking his favorite food while he was sick just so he wouldn't starve. All this time, he had been with someone else. “f**k, you never told me she was planning a surprise party for you.” Her voice faltered. It was her childhood friend, Sophie. The same woman who had her hands inside Ethan's pants a few moments ago. The same woman who was also supposed to be on the guest list but gave an excuse that she would be out of town for an interview, only to find her here kissing her boyfriend. She couldn't help remembering how she let Sophie stay in her apartment when her home was destroyed in a fire. “What’s are best friend for? I'm always here for you,” Lena had told her on the day Sophie pleaded to stay with her for a month. She recalled how she refused to let Sophie pay a single bill while staying with her, how she had stayed up all night comforting her after all of Sophie's belongings were destroyed, thinking she was helping Sophie, only to receive this in return. “Sophie, you’re with my boyfriend.” Tears streamed down her face. “Babe… I can explain. it's not what you think.” “What the f**k do you expect me to think? It's all clear. "You're cheating on me." She released a shaky breath. And with my childhood friend, of all people.” “Now it’s all clear to me why there were all those excuses and unanswered calls. This was the person you'd been giving all your attention to, Sophie.” “I think I need to leave you guys to sort this out.” Sophie buttoned her shirt and turned toward the door to leave, but she felt a hand grip her arm. “So this is the interview you told us you were going to? At Ethan's f*****g apartment, kissing your childhood friend's boyfriend shamelessly?” Emma's voice trembled with anger as she spoke. “You're just a pathetic prostitute.”