After the long and exhausting day of the race, Max barely remembered climbing into bed. He fell asleep instantly, sinking into the deepest sleep he had in weeks. His body was tired, but his heart was full. Winning first place felt like a dream—and tomorrow was his birthday.
When morning finally came, Max opened his eyes and panicked.
He was late for school.
Max shot out of bed like lightning, rushing around his room, pulling on his uniform with one hand while brushing his teeth with the other. He grabbed his backpack, combed his hair quickly, and hurried downstairs.
As soon as he reached the kitchen, his mother turned around with a smile and wrapped him in a big warm hug.
"Happy birthday!" she said brightly.
Max blinked in surprise, still half-panicked about being late. "Thanks, Mom," he said, hugging her back.
"You're welcome," she replied. "Since today is your birthday, I made your favorite dish for school. And because you were so tired from the race yesterday, I let you sleep a little longer."
Max stared at her. "Thanks… but you knew I woke up late?"
His mother laughed. "Yes, I did."
"Oh… okay," Max replied, finally relaxing a little.
He grabbed his lunch, hugged her again, and rushed outside to the waiting limo.
The driver stepped on the gas immediately, and Max reached school just in time. The assembly had only just started, so he quickly dropped his bag in class and ran to join the other students.
Since many students weren't at the competition yesterday, the principal took the microphone and announced the winner.
"And the first-place runner of yesterday's interschool race is… Max!"
Gasps and cheers spread around the assembly ground. Some students turned around excitedly, trying to spot him.
"Max, please come forward."
Max stepped out of his line and walked to the front. Everyone clapped—some loudly, some politely, and a few with big smiles. Max felt shy but proud at the same time. The principal congratulated him, patted him lightly on the back, and Max returned to his line.
The rest of the school day moved fast. They had lessons after lessons, and Max spent most of them thinking about the party waiting for him at home. Only two minutes before closing time, Max was chatting with Elliot and Moses when the closing bell rang.
Instant chaos.
Everyone rushed out of class—some because they were excited for the party, some simply because school was over. Max grabbed his bag and ran toward the limo, wanting to get home as quickly as possible.
When he got home, the first thing he did was shower. He wanted to smell fresh and look his best. After bathing, he changed into his house clothes—a comfortable but nice outfit perfect for his birthday celebration.
Not long after, the doorbell rang.
Elliot was the first guest to arrive, smiling brightly and holding a neatly wrapped present.
"Happy birthday, Max!" he said, stepping inside.
Soon, the house became lively. Guests began arriving one by one. It wasn't only Max's friends and their parents—his mother and father had invited several of their own friends, along with their children. And even though the vice principal hadn't arrived yet, nearly everyone else was there.
With each person that came, Max received birthday presents—boxes wrapped in colorful paper, bags tied with ribbons, and even some homemade gifts. Max's smile grew wider with every gift handed to him.
At one point, Max was chatting with a boy he didn't know very well. The boy's father was an old friend of Maximus, and as they talked more, Max realized something surprising—they liked the same things. The same games, the same cartoons, even the same sports.
By the time they finished talking, Max had already added a new friend to his life.
Later, Max walked over to find Elliot and Moses, who were enjoying the decorations—balloons in blue and white, colorful banners, birthday lights, and a huge "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX" sign above the dining area.
"How do you guys like the decorations?" Max asked proudly.
Moses nodded. "They're fine."
Elliot smiled. "Yeah, I agree with Moses. The decorations are really beautiful."
Then Moses rubbed his stomach. "So… when are they going to open the presents and cut the cake? Because I'm hungry."
Max laughed. "Alright, I'll ask my mom."
He ran to the kitchen, spoke with Sophia and his mom, and then rushed back to his friends.
"Five minutes before we start opening presents," Max announced.
Elliot nodded immediately. "Okay, I can wait."
Moses sighed dramatically. "Five minutes feels like fifty."
Max laughed again. His friends were silly—but that was why he loved them.
His birthday was just beginning, and already, it looked like it was going to be one of the best days of his life.