“Morning, my friends! Wake up now, for today we’re going to see my parents and have breakfast at theirs. Hurry up!” Sheryl cried to a bunch of sleepyheads in the bedroom.

She had brought her college friends home for the winter break. Her parents owned a flat in the city and had her live with her friends over there, while they lived in nearby town where her father was offered a bungalow given his high post. Sheryl had no idea why even her mother didn’t come to see her friends at the flat, and decided they’ll go surprise-visit them today.

They’re five people, so they booked a cab and reached her father’s bungalow in an hour. She saw three-four cars in the driveway, one his own, one by the company, and she didn’t know the rest. The watchman knew his sir’s daughter, so he let them all pass. Sheryl saw a man facing towards the lawn unknown of their presence and ran to hug him from the back. “Look who’s here,” she said.

“Sheryl?” A voice called out. It was her father, at the stairs.

She got puzzled as who he was was who she hugged, and quickly let go to see a young man in his 30s, smiling to her.

“Dad, hi. He wore the same shirt so I — Sorry, sir.”

“Oh, dear daughter. Welcome to her friends. Sheryl, we have the CEO’s birthday party here tonight, and I was busy with all that preps, so your mom and I couldn’t come see you all. How are you, kids? You comfortable at the flat?”

“Hi, Sher. I didn’t expect to see you here today.” Another familiar voice crept out of the house.

“Manny! Hi, hi. How come you’re here?”

“It’s my uncle, the CEO. And his son, who you hugged. We came to oversee the prep.”

She took a minute to absorb the information. Then she told her dad that she expected her friends to have breakfast here, and later go for sightseeing. But he said he and his mom, and the househelp are all busy and can’t host them presently, and he’s sorry. Manny’s dad came out and provided a solution. He asked his son to take all the guests home and feed them. He agreed. Manny’s dad also invited them all to the party.

“Take my driver with you, Sheryl. And another car?”

“It’s fine, uncle. I’ll take mine.” Manny’s cousin said.

They all got seated: Sheryl, Manny and the cousin in one, and her four friends in the other. “I’m Sanjay, nice to meet you.”

“Sorry for earlier.”

“OMG, did you notice the sparks?” It was her friend, Lara, saying to the other three. “Manny is that school friend, school crush of Sheryl’s. See? And that cousin, you should have seen his eyes when she hugged him. He was all flustered! Oh, this is so cute.”

“Yeah? Set them up then,” Vera said, sarcastically.

Manny’s mother provided them with breakfast, and then she also took leave to oversee the party decorations. Sheryl told Manny that she won’t attend the party as she had her friends who wanted to roam about. Besides she didn’t bring any dress. Sanjay proposed they all go shopping. And Lara instantly agreed and made her friends say yes too.

Sheryl reluctantly gave in. They all went shopping in the nearby mall and bought clothes. The one Sheryl selected was a bit too expensive and above her debit card limit, which Sanjay noticed and paid instead. Sheryl awkwardly thanked him and they all went home. Lara then approached him and Manny, and indirectly told that Sheryl’s single.

“She’s cute, your friend. I like her. Manny? What do you say? Am I too old for her?”

“Shut up, bro,” Manny said, thinking it was nothing but a funny joke.

At the party, Sanjay approached Sheryl and said she looked pretty. Sheryl smiled and before she could reply, the CEO got up and said, “Thank you, my dear friends for this amazing party. I’m so happy. So I’ll return this happiness by an announcement. My son, Sanjay, he’s betrothed! Surprise! Haha. Here, son, come and meet her. It’s your childhood sweetheart.”