Silly Lizzie

School is fun.

It is easy to learn.

Being smart is good.

Liz Sutton grew up knowing these things, she was sure of them. However, at the moment she couldn't concentrate on the lesson. She was watching as Professor Smith was lecturing them about small Central European countries like Liechtenstein or Hungary. She heard that he was speaking, but she just couldn't understand what he was saying, even though he was speaking in English at the moment.

She looked down to her exercise book where instead of the information about Central Europe with her small letters a sentence stood.

Happy birthday, Lizzie!

She looked ahead where Bex and Cammie were sitting next to each other, taking notes quickly. She looked down once again and she didn't have a bigger desire than to run out of the classroom, leave the Gallagher Academy behind and go home to Alabama, where she truly belonged.

The idea that two girls thought of her as their best friends seemed ridiculous at that moment.

The idea of a spy school was unbelievable at that second.

The idea of her worst birthday ever seemed really real on that day.

She was always an outcast, the teacher's pet, someone who didn't have friends. Why would that change just because she went to a secret school?

Her last six months seemed like a dream, it was completely different from what has she lived through already. She thought that she got what she always wanted: friends.

Geniuses can make mistakes too.

When the lesson ended she ran to their suit as fast as she could, using the secret passages found by Cammie. She threw her bag away not caring about her books for the first time since she was able to read (which happened way sooner than usual) and opened the door of the bathroom. She just shut the door after herself and cried.

She wanted to be with her family; she wanted her parents to tell her how proud they are of her, to tell her how much they loved her. She wanted to hug her little sister, Ellie and smile when she gave a drawing about the two of them to her.

She just wanted to go home.

Liz still had a lesson, Research and Development, one of her favourites so she washed her face with cold water and got her books. She slowly reached room 3A, just before the class started.

"Hey, Liz. Where were you? Is it true, that the Headmistress wanted to speak with you about a special class?" Tina Walters asked her as soon as she reached the door of the classroom.

"I was in our suit, I have left a book there and I don't know what you are speaking about, Tina. I haven't seen Headmistress Morgan lately," Liz answered quietly.

"Liz, can you help me with my Advanced Encryption homework after class?" Eva Alvarez appeared playing with her long black hair. She just nodded half-heartily as she wasn't really paying attention at that moment.

"Of course, Eva," she told the other girl."We could meet up in the library, in the usual place," Liz said in a not very enthusiastic way. Before Eva could react Dr. Fibs appeared and asked them to go in the classroom. Liz did what she was told to but for the first time since she first entered that room her eyes didn't light up and a smile didn't appear on her petite face.

"Hey, Liz, where are you sitting?" Bex asked when her small friend didn't take the place next to her as she always did.

"I just didn't pay attention," Liz muttered and sat down next to the English girl.

"It's such a special day, don't you think?" Cammie asked from Bex's other side and Liz looked up. Maybe they didn't forget it? Maybe they actually realized what day it was? The blonde-haired girl's heart started beating quicker.

"It is." A smile appeared on Liz's face.

"Dr. Fibs said he is going to teach us something very special. What do you think it will be, Lizzie?" Cam asked and Liz forgot how to breathe. So they really didn't know what 24th February meant for her. They were interested only in Dr. Fibs' stupid experiment (which she would love any other day). For a moment she really thought that maybe, just maybe they knew that it was her birthday.

"I don't know," she muttered and looked down. At least in the right moment Dr. Fibs appeared with a smile on his face and he started to lecture them enthusiastically about his new invention. Moments seemed to pass way too slowly and when the lesson actually ended she had to remind herself that she needed to help Eva and she couldn't just cry in their suit.

"It was very interesting, wasn't it, Liz?" Eva asked as they were walking towards the library together.

"It was." She nodded without much enthusiasm in her voice.

"Encryption isn't for me." Eva grimaced and a light smile appeared on Liz's face.

"It's not that hard." She shrugged.

"You are a genius Liz, nothing is hard for you," Eva said as it was completely obvious and Liz rolled her eyes. Nothing was hard for her? It had to be the joke of the century. Except learning, she found everything hard, even things which were easy for others...

"Of course," she muttered when they sat down to a desk. "How much did you understand from the lesson?" Liz asked the other girl.

"Not much." She shook her head and Liz started lecturing her, explaining the parts she didn't really understand more. Liz was happy she had done some pre-reading lately as her mind was somewhere else during that day's class and she couldn't have helped Eva.

"Ah... I think I have just got enlightened," Eva said with a big smile on her face after an hour of detailed explanations.

"I'm happy that I could help," the birthday-girl replied, but her tone suggested she was everything besides happy at that moment.

"So... can you give me that book you have talked about?" Eva asked as she started putting her books back to her bag.

"Yeah, I will give it to you during dinner. It's in my suit," Liz said and Eva seemed to think hard for a moment.

"I will need it for my History of Espionage homework for tomorrow. Couldn't I accompany you?" She asked slightly desperately but Liz didn't notice, she was thinking how much she hated that day so she just nodded weakly.

"Did you know that in a month it's going to be my birthday and I'm making a big slumber party? Of course you are invited as well, Liz," Eva chatted happily during the way back to Liz's suit.

"Thanks, Eva," she said and she felt that her eyes were once again watery. She didn't need a big party, of course she didn't. She just wanted her friends to say 'Happy birthday, Liz!'

She didn't need any presents; she didn't even need everyone to know it was her birthday as after all there were a lot of girls in their grade. She just wanted Bex and Cam, maybe even Tina, Anna, Courtney and Eva to remember that it was a special day (and no, not because of Dr. Fibs invention, even if as a scientist and genius, Liz understood how much his invention meant to the World).

She just wanted someone, anyone to give her a big smile and say enthusiastically 'Happy birthday'.

"What are you going to do now?" Eva continued chatting; probably she didn't even realize how close Liz was to break out in tears.

"I'm going to do the rest of my homework and I'm going to learn a bit, I guess," Lizzie said quietly, but not really honestly.

"It's a shame..." Eva said slightly mockingly and mysteriously and Liz looked at her questioningly. She nearly did that every afternoon. Nearly everyone did that in the Gallagher Academy every afternoon. Why would it be a shame?

When Eva didn't answer to Liz's questioning look she asked," Why, Eva?" Eva smiled mysteriously and reached out for the doorknob and opened it. The room was completely dark and when the two of them entered the room big shouting started.

"SURPIRSE!" The whole seventh grade shouted and Cammie turned the lights on.

"Is it an answer to you?" Eva smiled. Before Liz could answer Bex and Cam ran to her and hugged her tightly.

"Happy birthday, Liz." They said together, at the same time. Then sequentially all the girls who has started Gallagher Academy with them hugged her and greeted her.

"You didn't forget my birthday?" Liz asked her roommates after they took place.

"Seriously, Lizzie? How could we ever forget?"Bex laughed as it was the most absurd thing she has ever heard and Liz's heart started beating more quickly.

"You really thought that we don't know when your birthday is? Silly Lizzie..." Cammie looked at her as she couldn't believe a genius like Liz could ever say something that stupid.

"Well... you didn't say anything and I thought that maybe..." Liz started and then the two other girls laughed.

"It's called a surprise party, Lizzie," Bex said easily and Cammie nodded in agreement.

"I just... I never thought you would make a party for me..." Liz stated feelingly.

"Lizzie, I've never thought that I would say, but as much as you are a genius, you are just as much an idiot."Bex shook her head."We are your best friends, of course we remember your birthday and of course, we make a party for you. That's what best friends are for," Bex continued and Liz hugged her.

"Hey, I don't get a hug too? Just because Bex called you an idiot she got one?" Cammie asked in mock-resentment as a reply Liz let Bex go and hugged Cam too.

"Thank you," she told the other girls who just nodded with a smile.

"Can we start the party?" Tina appeared and asked Liz who nodded with a big grin on her face.

"Of course, Tina," she said and the other girl turned the music on.

"Let the party begin!" Eva yelled and every girl laughed at their black-haired friend, sister, because that's what Gallagher Academy made them, sisters...

"We should start with the presents," Cam said and with a smile she grabbed a neatly wrapped package." I hope you like it. You can give the other parts whoever you want to give" she said and she gave the present to Liz who opened it slowly, trying not to tear the wrapping. A small box was in the wrapping which she opened carefully and she found three medals and one necklace for one of the medals.

The three medals said:

BEST

FRIENDS

FOREVER

She grabbed the one with the 'FRIENDS' word on it and she put it on the necklace and put it on her neck, brushing her hair aside then turned to her friends.

"It's beautiful, Cam", she said and she looked in her friends' eyes. "That's for you Cammie." She gave the medal with the word 'BEST' to her 'chameleon' friend and then she turned to the other girl." And that's for you, Bex," she turned to the beautiful English girl and gave the remaining medal to her, in which the word 'FOREVER' stood.

"You don't have to give to us, Liz," Cam said but Liz just shook her head with a smile.

"But guys, you are my best friends," she said as it was completely obvious and for Liz Sutton it was, completely obvious.

"Thanks, Liz and happy birthday to you," Bex said and looked at the blonde-haired girl.

"It is happy, because of you, girls," she easily stated.

"I want to give my present to Liz too, guys. Don't expropriate her Cam, Bex." Tina Walters appeared with a grin on her face.

"She is right; I hope you will like your present." Anna said and the small girl with a present looked at Liz happily.

That was the moment when Liz understood that it wasn't her worst birthday... No, it was really far from it.

It was her best birthday.

After years without friends, she gained not one, or two, but a whole grade.

She also realized that she didn't just gain friends, but she gained sisters.

She got sisters, who would do anything for her.

That was the moment when Liz Sutton's life changed...