The school courtyard buzzed with the usual morning chatter — the sound of sneakers squeaking on the tiled floor, laughter echoing through the open hallways, and the faint rustle of leaves from the old banyan tree at the far end. Students hurried past with books clutched to their chests, some rushing to class, others lingering in little groups, gossiping about everything under the sun.
Among them, Areej slipped in through the main gate, her hair slightly messy from the morning rush, her schoolbag bouncing against her back. She spotted her friends waiting near the lockers and jogged over, a bright smile spreading across her face.
"Why are you running late?" one of her friends asked, raising an eyebrow.
Areej leaned in, lowering her voice as if she was about to share the most important secret of the year. "It's my sister's birthday," she said, her eyes glowing with excitement. "We're going to have an amazing celebration. She's done so much for us… now it's my turn to make her happy."
Her friends exchanged knowing smiles. "Alright, but if you want it to be a surprise, you'll have to keep her distracted somehow. How are you going to manage that?" asked her closest friend.
"I'll send her somewhere," Areej replied, already imagining the scene in her head. "That way we'll have plenty of time to set everything up without her suspecting a thing."
Her second friend tilted her head. "Hmm… sounds good, but how exactly will you pull it off?"
A mischievous smile crept across Areej's face. "Just leave it to me," she said confidently, already planning every little detail in her mind.