Chapter 3: Birthday Surprise
957 Words
Chapter 3: The Birthday Surprise
The days passed quietly, but something big was brewing in secret. August 24th was approaching, and no one except Rebeka and Anuvob knew how special this date was.
It was a coincidence no one could have predicted. Ayesha and Soccho shared the same birthday. 24th August. And neither of them knew that the other had a birthday on the same day.
For the past two weeks, Rebeka and Anuvob had been planning something massive. Whispering in corners, ordering decorations online, booking restaurants, hiding gift boxes under their beds. Every time Ayesha or Soccho asked, they just smiled and said, “Nothing. Just boring stuff.”
Finally, the day arrived.
At 10 PM, Ayesha was lying on her bed scrolling through her phone when her phone buzzed. It was Rebeka.
“Ayesha, you need to come to campus right now,” Rebeka’s voice sounded panicked. “It’s an emergency. Soccho and Anuvob are fighting. It’s bad.”
Ayesha sat up immediately. “What? What happened? I’m coming.”
At the exact same time, Soccho got a call from Anuvob.
“Bro, you have to come to campus now,” Anuvob said, his voice tight. “Ayesha and Rebeka are having a huge fight. I don’t know what to do.”
Soccho grabbed his jacket and ran out. “I’m on my way.”
Both of them reached the campus gate within 15 minutes, breathing hard. The campus was dark and empty. Not a single light was on. Not a single person was there.
“Hello?” Ayesha called out. “Rebeka?”
“Anuvob?” Soccho shouted.
Silence.
Before they could process anything, they felt hands covering their eyes from behind.
“Shhh. No talking,” Rebeka whispered in Ayesha’s ear, laughing.
“Eyes closed, bro. Trust me,” Anuvob said to Soccho, already grinning.
“What the hell is going on?” Ayesha tried to turn around but Rebeka held her tighter.
“No peeking,” Rebeka said.
They were led through the dark campus paths, stumbling a little, completely confused. The only sounds were their footsteps and Rebeka and Anuvob trying not to laugh.
After 5 minutes, they stopped.
“Ready?” Anuvob asked.
“3... 2... 1...” Rebeka counted.
The hands came off their eyes.
Ayesha gasped. Soccho’s jaw dropped.
In front of them was the most beautiful setup they had ever seen. The entire rooftop of the campus building was decorated with fairy lights, balloons in blue and pink, and big banners that said “Happy Birthday Ayesha & Soccho”. There was a long table with snacks, drinks, and in the center, a two-tiered cake that looked too beautiful to cut. The cake was half chocolate and half vanilla, with their names written in gold.
Music was playing softly. Their other close friends were hiding behind the decorations and jumped out shouting, “SURPRISE!!!”
Ayesha’s eyes filled with tears. “What... how...”
Soccho just stood there, stunned. “Is this for us? Both of us?”
Rebeka hugged Ayesha tightly. “Happy Birthday, you i***t. We planned this for weeks.”
Anuvob clapped Soccho on the back. “Same to you, bro. 24th August. Same day. We couldn’t let it go normally.”
The clock struck 12. Everyone started singing. “Happy Birthday to you...”
Ayesha and Soccho cut the cake together, their hands touching over the knife. The cake was the best they had ever tasted. Sweet, soft, and full of love.
After cake, came gifts. Rebeka gave Ayesha a beautiful watch and a handmade card. Anuvob gave Soccho a pair of headphones and a letter.
“And now,” Rebeka announced, “since we spent so much money on this, you both owe us treats!”
Everyone laughed.
“Lunch tomorrow is from Ayesha’s side,” Anuvob said. “At that new restaurant.”
“And dinner tomorrow is from Soccho’s side,” Rebeka added. “My favorite place.”
Ayesha and Soccho looked at each other and laughed. “Deal,” they said together.
The next day, the celebration continued. In the morning, Ayesha gave Soccho a gift first — a custom hoodie with a quote he always said. Soccho’s eyes lit up. In the evening, Soccho gave Ayesha a gift — a diary with a lock, with “For all your stories” written on the first page. Ayesha hugged him so hard.
Their other college friends also came with small gifts and wishes. The whole day was filled with messages, calls, and photos.
But the best part was still left.
In Bangladesh, birthdays are not complete without a little madness. So early the next morning, all their friends dragged Ayesha and Soccho out.
Before they could understand, eggs were cracked on their heads, mud was smeared on their faces, and everyone was laughing and running around. It was messy, it was loud, and it was perfect.
That’s how birthdays are celebrated here. With chaos, with love, with people you care about.
That night, sitting on the rooftop again, just the four of them, Ayesha looked at the sky and said, “I’ve never had a birthday like this before.”
Soccho nodded, wiping chocolate off his face. “Me neither. This was... the best one.”
Rebeka leaned on Anuvob’s shoulder. “See? Told you it would be worth it.”
Anuvob smiled. “Best surprise ever.”
And as the lights of the city glowed below them, Ayesha and Soccho realized something. They started the day as two people who didn’t know they shared a birthday. They ended the day feeling like they shared something much bigger. A memory. A bond. A surprise they would never forget.
- Writer
