Today.

Today.

What was today?

OF COURSE! How could I have forgotten?

It's Toadette's birthday!

I jumped out of bed with a start.

"Oh no, oh no, oh NO!" I started stressing out. I ran over to my closet to put on my blue vest, but I accidentally put it on backwards. I took it off and put it back on again. No...it was right the first time.

I ran back over to my bed to put on my white cap with red spots. It didn't quite fit right...strange. Usually it fits perfectly. Did my head grow, or shrink, or something?

I put my left foot in the right shoe. That's how it works, right? No...

I finally had my shoes on right. Wait, my vest is on backwards. No, wait, it's on upside down.

Ok, ok! I'm dressed! I'm ready to go outside.

I ran outside and down the road to the store. I'm a lot faster than Mario and Luigi. Ok, not a lot. I may be faster, but I'm not nearly and great of a hero as those two.

I arrived at the store.

DARN IT! I forgot to bring some money!

I quickly dashed back home to get my YoshiBank. I thought I saw a few Toads look at me strangely.

I panted as I arrived back at the store.

NO! The line got longer while I was gone! Now there's like, TWENTY PEOPLE in the line!

I waited patiently for my turn. Well, as patient as a normally polite, yet lovesick Toad can be. Wait, oops. I didn't mean that.

I was next. I stared out the window to see her.

A female Toad with a pink dress, red vest, and pink mushroom cap with white spots and pigtails. Her pretty face turned towards the window and I quickly hid behind the gumball machine.

Oh, no, no, NO!

Some big guy behind me just cut in front of me. I would politely ask him to move, but I could never face him! I would just have to wait a little longer.

My face felt hot as the female Toad walked into the store, humming to herself in a happy tune. I crouched down so she wouldn't see me. After all, I wanted it to be a surprise.

Wait. Wanted WHAT to be a surprise. Oh NO! I forgot to decide on a gift for her! I panicked as I realised it was my turn to order and I looked around nervously as the elderly man behind the counter looked at me in concern.

"Yes? Young lad? What would you like to buy? Some stress pills?" he asked.

I held my head in pain as I panicked and ran off.

...

I was pacing through the park, muttering to myself. How could I let this happen? I mean, I'm just a Toad! How could this happen to me? I just wanted to get Toadette a gift for her birthday.

I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Hey, Toad, is that you?"

I froze. I looked behind me. Toadette was standing there.

"Uh, hi!" I said nervously, trying to get away as quickly as possible.

"Do you remember what day it is?" she asked. I could've sworn she winked at me.

"Uhh...Saturday?" I stammered nervously. NO! Why did I say that!?

"Yeah. It's Saturday." Toadette frowned at me before walking away.

"Just a plain old day in the Mushroom Kingdom." I heard her say as she walked off, "Today means nothing more to you."

I'm so ashamed of myself. I actually put my head in my hands and cried. I messed up. I'll never be able to make it up to her. Now I know what songwriters are talking about in their heartbreak songs.

Wait!

Songs! Toadette likes music! I remember in one of our parties a while back, I built a special table for Toadette's music recital!

Oh, but what's the use? I'm no musician, nor am I a good singer? I've got a weird scratchy voice. I wish I still sounded like a cute young boy like I used to.

I guess I'll have to think of something.

...

I finished building the stage. It's located in the Princess's castle.

"Wow, Toad, that stage is coming along nicely!" said Peach, "So, remind me again, why are you doing this?"

"Well." I started, "I want you to go get her and bring her here. Yoshi and I will do the rest."

"Sure, I can do that!" Peach giggled. She turned to the direction of the kitchen.

"Yoshi! Can you come out of there, now?" she called out.

Yoshi the dinosaur walked out with a half eaten box of oreos.

"Ohhh, but this tastes so gooood!" he whined, "Fine, I'll stop eating. Just let me have one more bite."

Peach sighed.

"Ok."

I giggled as Yoshi stuck his tongue into the box and grabbed all the oreos. He stuffed them into his mouth.

"Ok, so what are we doing again?" he asked me with his mouth full.

I sighed.

"You're going to sing and play guitar while I give Toadette her present. Here's a script." I handed a piece of paper to Yoshi.

He looked at it.

"'Toadette the pretty little shroom, you are a nice mushroom?' Toad, you just rhymed shroom with mushroom? They're pretty much the same word!" Yoshi said.

"I know! I'm no songwriter!" I exclaimed, exasperated, "Please don't make this any more stressful than it already it!"

I quickly ran out of the castle.

...

As I ran down the street to the store once more, I realised I didn't have my YoshiBank. I figured I probably had left it at the store, so I didn't panic too much. I could just go and get the money from there.

While I was waiting to cross the street, I overheard voices coming from behind me. I turned around and no-one was there. I looked around the corner and I saw Toadette and Mario. I quickly ran back to the crossing so they wouldn't see me.

I could still hear them talking.

"Oh, Mario, that's so nice of you to do that!" came Toadette's voice.

"Awww, it's nothing. I mean, someone's gotta return a little boy's money before a thief steals it." Mario replied.

Ohhhhh...don't tell me Toadette still has a crush on Mario...I thought that phase passed. But what girl wouldn't want him? I mean, he's one of the most generous guys out there! He's always doing good deeds without expecting anything in return, except maybe a pizza or a bowl of spaghetti. And now he's going to give a little boy his money back?

I just realised that the light has been green this whole time and now it's flashing red. I quickly ran across the street, completely forgetting my road rules and screeching to a halt outside the store for the third time this morning.

"Why hello again, lad." said the elderly Toad behind the counter. I was lucky there was no line this time.

"Hi, uhhh, is my YoshiBank here?" I asked, "I-I kinda need it to buy something, and I think I might've left it here last time."

"Sorry, sonny, but it's not here." the old man said.

"Wh-what?" I cried out, "B-but I NEED it!" I wailed, "You don't understand, I NEEEEEED IT!"

"Calm down, lad, I'm sure you'll find it." the elderly man tried to comfort me but it was no use. All the money I owned was in that YoshiBank. I could go bash blocks but that would take FOREVER to try and get the amount I had before.

"Ahem." a gloved hand tapped me on the shoulder. I whirled around to see Mario.

"Mario!" I almost choked.

"Looking for this?" Mario handed me...wait for it...

MY YOSHIBANK!

"Mario, thank you so much!" I cried tears of joy as I hugged him. Mario hugged back. So I was the little boy Mario and Toadette had been talking about.

"Okey dokey, let's-a-go back to the Princess's castle!" Mario said, looking down at me.

"Wait!" I cried out, turning back around to face the man at the counter, "I would like..."

...

I walked into Peach's castle with Mario, to see Luigi, Yoshi, and Peach chatting.

"I want this to be PERFECT!" I announced to everyone, "So PLEASE don't make any mistakes!"

"Wha?" Mario and Luigi chorused at the same time.

"Ok, you two just sit in the audience along with the Princess." I said.

The brothers looked at each other in confusion before sitting down in some chairs next the Peach, who had also taken a spot next to Mario.

"Ok, Yosh, have you memorised your script?" I asked.

"Yup." he said, "I'm ready!"

He jumped onto the stage and put on the guitar strap.

"Ok, now we just need Toadette." I said nervously.

Right on cue, there was a knock on the door and Toadette walked in.

"Hey, um, Peach, can I please borrow some icing? Since no-one bothered to bake me a cake I figured I might as well make cupcakes for myself." Toadette walked in, "At least most of you gave me presents." She walked over to Peach, who handed her a bottle of icing. Toadette was about to leave when I pointed to Yoshi.

"Hit it, Yoshi!" I exclaimed so loudly that my throat hurt.

Yoshi strummed a few awesome sounding chords on his guitar. Then, he started singing.

"Toadette the pretty little shroom, you are a nice mushroom!" Yoshi sang in his chipmunk sounding voice, "Everything about you is perfect! If someone asks me a question, I'll be correct when I sayyyyyyyy...!"

"Toad! I forgot the next line!" Yoshi whirled around to look at me. I was startled as Yoshi's guitar neck whacked the curtain and everything toppled over on top of us.

"Ok, this is ridiculous." Toadette turned around and started walking away.

"Why is Yoshi hitting on me? I thought he had a crush on Birdo." Toadette opened the door. Yoshi poked his head out from underneath the curtain upon hearing that, and blushed.

Toadette started crying as she ran out the door.

"I just wanted the one gift I want the most!" Toadette wailed as she ran out the door and left the castle.

I hate myself. I don't like to use that word, not even with Bowser. But I truly hate myself. I made the most beautiful girl in the world cry. ON HER BIRTHDAY!

"I'm such a monster!" I cried. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi all looked at me. Yoshi stuck his long tongue out and ate a berry that was growing on a pot plant ont he windowsill.

"No, you're not." said Peach, "You're a very sweet boy who's one of the most loyal servants I have!"

"You're a great friend Toad; you're very friendly!" Yoshi smiled at me before eating another berry.

"Hey, Yoshi, leave some berries! They're for display, not food!" Peach stopped him.

"Sorry..." Yoshi said, embarrassed.

"B-but I made Toadette cry...I'm such a meanie to do that..." I started crying myself, "If I was Toadette, I would never talk to me AGAIN!"

"Toad, don't think of yourself that way! You're very friendly, nice, loyal, polite and helpful! And I hate to see you upset." Luigi put his hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, Toad, go and talk to her!" Mario said, walking over to me and Luigi.

"I...I can't...she's gonna yell at me..." I cried, my head still in my hands.

"No." said Mario, "Trust me, only you can fix this." Mario said. He looked at me in a way that told me he was right. I loved my friends. They always knew how to cheer me up.

I looked at them all with tears in my eyes.

"You really think I can fix this, guys?" I sniffed.

"Sure!" they all said at once. Yoshi stuck his tongue out to eat another berry but Peach grabbed his tongue and tied it in a knot.

"OWOWOWOWOWOW!" Yoshi cried out in pain.

"Alright." I started taking deep breaths, "I'll do it."

I ran outside. I knew I could cheer her up, because I had it. I had the gift that she wanted most. She had always talked about it whenever she saw a poster of it.

...

I saw Toadette walking through the park. No-one was there except for us. I gulped nervously.

"Uh...hi...?" I approached her cautiously.

"Hi Toad." she said. Her voice did not sound angry, happy, or sad. It just sounded calm.

"Um...Toadette? Are you mad at me?" I asked nervously, "I can totally understand if you are. I did a terrible thing."

"Yeah. You didn't even remember my birthday." she said, not turning around.

"Actually..." I started.

Toadette began to walk away.

I watched her go. No. I couldn't.

I cleared my throat.

"Toadette the pretty little shroom, you are a nice mushroom." I sang quietly, slowly, and sadly. I was surprisingly better than normal, "Everything about you is perfect! If someone asks me a question, I'll be correct when I sayyyyyyyy...!"

I turned up my voice volume slightly.

"Toadette is the best. She is very sweet. She is definitely someone you would want to meet. If you don't, you'll regret it, if you say 'forget it!', cause...she is Toadette...she is Toadette..." I trailed off, unable to say any more words.

Toadette turned around to look at me.

"I did remember your birthday." I sighed sadly, "I got you this."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a miniture violin and gave it to her.

"Press that button." I said. There was an awkward eerie silence and all I could hear was the wind blowing and my heart beating.

Toadette pressed the button and violin music started playing. Toadette then noticed that her name was carved into the violin in cursive.

Toadette looked up at me.

"You've been talking about how much you want it, so here." I put my hands in my pockets and looked down shyly.

Toadette put the violin in her pocket and smiled at me.

"Thank you, Toad! However, that wasn't the gift I meant." she looked me in the eyes. Then she bit her lip and looked down. My heart skipped a beat.

"Oh, ok..." I turned around and walked away.

I heard footsteps behind me. Very fast footsteps.

"Huh?" I whirled around only to have Toadette leap on top of me. We rolled around on the grass until we were both lying on our backs on the grass. We both sat up and looked at each other.

I was blushing. I didn't want her to see it, so I looked away. But then, I realised she had been blushing too.

Toadette looked at me.

"Listen, I'm sorry about getting mad at you before. Really, I had no idea you cared this much, to get me the SECOND BEST gift I ever wanted!" she looked at me with sincerity in her eyes.

"Um, uh, if you don't mind me asking...what's the first?" I looked her in the eyes.

Without speaking, Toadette gave me a peck on the cheek before looking away, blushing and smiling with half closed eyes.

I looked up at her as she stood up and skipped away, not looking back.

I stared after her and touched my cheek where she kissed me.

Does she like me? What could the gift have been? Could it have been...me?