It was Amber's birthday and everyone pretended to have forgotten it. Amber was very depressed and didn't know that her friends were planning a surprise party for her. They had hid every package that came with the post somewhere Amber couldn't fnd it. Amber didn't suspect a thing and when the evening finally came Lily and Patricia took her downstairs with them and then everyone came out to scream surprise. Amber was so happy she was jumping around and of course Willow was the first one to give her a birthday hug.

Amber had many presents to open and last but not least she opened a small box with a beautiful bracelet inside. Alfie claimed it to be from him and Amber was so happy. She loved the bracelet. The party was a success. They danced, they ate and had a lot of fun. Even Fabian who was very depressed about Nina looked a bit happier. Mara and Jerome were dancing together and Lily was sitting alone at the table. Amber came up to her and asked what was wrong.

"Nothing." Lily said and smiled. "By the way I haven't thanked you for hugging Victor the first day of the term."

"Oh, that's okay. I know this stuff and I didn't want you to be embarrassed." Amber said. "Look what Alfie gave me." she said and showed her bracelet.

"It's beautiful." Lily said and thought it looked like some Egyptian design.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Amber asked after a while, when she had admired her bracelet long enough.

"Alfie?"

"No, Victor of course."

"Oh, well…"

"Look, I know this stuff. If you have any problems, just ask me, cause I'm the expert in relationships and stuff."

"It's just. I don't know what to do."

"Okay. I got this. Here's what you'll do: ask him out."

"Are you crazy? What if he says no?"

"Then, get over it. He's not worth your time."

"Ask him out? That's what you would do, is it?"

"No. You see, Victor is totally not my type. But if he was, I would."

"Do you think I'm crazy?"

"A little. But that's okay. You have to ask him out."

"But isn't it strange if I'm the one who asks him out?"

"Maybe. But, just tell him how you feel. That's simple."

"Um… like hi Victor, I love you?"

"Yes. Honest and straight."

"But what if he doesn't like me?"

"He does. I mean why would he have kissed you last term if he didn't?"

"Yes. But it's a long time ago. What if he forgot me?"

"He's always nice to you. Much nicer than to any of us. He likes you, take it from Amber. The way he hugged you, I saw his eyes. He was moved."

"Really?"

"Really."

Lily smiled a bit.

"Okay, so imagine I'm Victor. What would you tell me?" Amber said.

"I don't know."

"So miss Frost, you wanted to tell me something." Amber said with a deeper voice.

"Um… well I you, I, um…, you look nice today."

"Really?" Amber said with her normal voice. "Oh, please. Okay, you'll be Victor and I'm you."

"Okay."

"So?"

"Ah, um… miss Frost, you wanted to talk to me." Lily said.

"Yes. Look, Victor. I have something important to say to you. You see, I like you, a lot."

"You do?"

"Yes. So I suppose we're like boo boo then."

"Um… I don't think he would understand that."

"Fine. We're like together then, aren't we?"

"I don't think it's that easy."

"Do it your own way. But you get the point."

"I'm not sure."

"What is that noise in here?" a voice called from the front door. It was Victor who had just come from a meeting. Nobody seemed to care, until he came in and stopped the music.

"It's Ambers birthday!" Alfie said and put the music back on.

"Lewis, turn that thing off!" Victor shouted. Alfie turned it off.

"Victor please, it's my birthday today." Amber pleaded. "It's not even ten o'clock yet."

"Victor, let the children have their fun." Trudy said when she came in. "I'll look after them so they won't do any harm."

"Very well then." Victor grunted. Alfie turned the music back on and the party went on.

"Oh, Victor. Lily wanted to talk to you." Amber said to him before Lily had a chance to stop her.

"About what?" Victor asked.

"Um… um… it's that… I'ts… eh…a…" Lily stuttered.

"It's private." Amber whispered to her.

"…private thing." Lily finished her sentence.

"All right. Follow me then." Victor said. Lily sat and stared at him.

"Come on." he ordered. Lily stood up and gave Amber an angry glance. Amber looked pleased and showed thumbs up for her friend. Lily followed Victor into his office. He asked her to sit down and closed the door.

"So, tell me Lily, is there something bothering you?" Victor asked and sat in his chair opposite to her.

"Actually yes." Lily said.

"What is it?"

"It's you." Lily answered before thinking. Then she regretted she said that.

"Me?" Victor asked confused.

"Well, not exactly you, but… um…"

"Yes?"

"It's just…"

"Whatever it is. You can tell me." he said a little kinder.

"I'm afraid…" she started. How was she gonna say this?

"You're not afraid of me, are you?" he asked and placed his hand on her hand to comfort her.

"No, of course not, I…" She looked at his hand on top hers and got a little courage. She took his hand into hers and held it with both hands.

"I…"

"Come on. It can't be so bad, can it? Just spit it out."

Lily took a deep breath and she didn't even notice but she squeezed his hand and panicked and spoke without pausing.

"Okay. Victor, I like you. I like you a lot. And I think of you all the time and I want to hug you all the time and be beside you and I don't know if you like me but you kissed me last term and it was so wonderful and I think you're the most handsome man ever and-"

"Stop!"

"Oh, god…"

"You talk too fast. Slow down a little bit."

Lily was panicking. Her breath was fast and she looked like she was about to have a breakdown.

"Lily, breathe." Victor said calmly.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't breathe. Or yes, she did, but she didn't get any air. Victor looked concerned and all Lily could think of was to leave the room, quickly. So she stood up and turned to the door and suddenly she felt very dizzy and she almost fainted, but thankfully Victor had got up and stood right behind her to catch her. She fell right into his arms. She looked at him still a bit scared.

"Calm down." Victor said. "I didn't quite catch anything of what you just said." he continued and looked her in the eyes.

"Kiss me" she said again before thinking. Victor looked a bit surprised but after a moment he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I-I can't believe you just did that." Lily said confused.

"I'm sorry. I thought you wanted to." Victor said and started clearing his throat again and released his arms around her.

"No, wait. I did." she said and placed her arms around his neck. "Just, wasn't really prepared for it."

They looked at each other and Lily leaned into another kiss and Victor answered it. They deepened the kiss and stood there for a while. Then they heard a slow ballade playing downstairs and started to dance to it slowly.

"I just wanted to say, I really like you, a lot." Lily said after a while.

"I like you too, Lily." he whispered softly in her ear.