I unbuckle my belt and lie on the seat staring at the stars. Mina must have been planning this day for weeks. I can't believe what she's done. She probably wanted to go out with a bang for when she finally leaves in search of Rowena. Not that I'd ever forget her. She's my best friend. She's a part of my family. I'll always need her. I think of Dean and wonder what he would have thought of my special day. I don't think he's into fairies, unicorns and rainbows. I know he would have liked the tourney, but what about sushi?! I don't even know if the man likes sushi for goodness sake! There's so much of him yet to uncover and I can't wait to do it. Lastly, I think about Tyrion. I know he doesn't... didn't like fairies, unicorns, rainbows or sushi but he would have endured it all to make me happy. That's the kind of friend he was. I do miss him, and I send off a little prayer to the universe. I hope he can hear me. I caress my finger over the ring Castiel gave me. Sending him, Sam and Dean a little love. I hope they can figure out what is going on with this big case. Then I make my mind go blank and stare at the stars, just relaxing.
Someone bumps into the limo making it jostle and I get up from the seat. A couple is making out against it and trying to open the door. Great. I roll the window down. "Um, hey, someone's in here, ya know," I say hotly.
"Sorry!" The girl says startled. "We didn't know."
"Hey, you think we could borrow this?" The guy butts in.
"Ugg! NO!" I say disgusted and roll up the window. Shaking my head, I buzz up front hoping the driver is still there.
He rolls the partition down and says, "Yes, Khaleesi."
"How long are you supposed to stay here?" I ask him nicely.
"Just until you go into the party, Miss. Then I get to call it a night," he responds.
"Oh my! What time is it? I should let you go." I say awkwardly.
He chuckles to himself. "It's only about nine. Take as long as you need. It's your special day, so don't worry about it."
"Well thank you for driving me around today. It was really awesome having a limo. I've never had one before." I tell him. "I think I'll head inside now."
"Look your friend Mina is coming out here," He comments. "Do you need any help?"
"No. Mina's got me. Thanks again." I say and open the door to a smiling Mina; the couple had wandered off to their own little corner of the world.
"I was starting to get a little worried when I hadn't seen you yet, but Max found me and said you needed a little me time. You okay?" She asks me.
"Never better," I say getting out of the vehicle and stringing my arm through hers. "Take me inside so I can see what you prepared for me. I'm sure it's amazing!" I add with a goofy grin on my face.
She takes a walkie from her hip and speaks into it. "Okay, people it's go-time in fifteen seconds." I hear her say. The familiar rumble of bass I've been hearing since we arrived stops and the flashing lights cease. We reach the door and Mina opens it. All the lights are off but I can see its full of people. She takes me in a few feet then stops. "Wait here," She whispers and disappears into the crowd. I stand listening to people's hearts beating fast and their breath coming out ragged. There's a flash of light than a thousand balloons fall from a net as everyone shouts, Happy Birthday! There's a sea of faces surrounding me as they gently push me further into the room. And it is a room now. They plexiglass rink has been disassembled. A dance floor, complete with disco light up floor is in the center. A giant disco ball hangs over the center as lasers pass over it making the colors bounce around the room. The house lights are slowly brought up and I see a corner with a silk trapeze artist. The other corner holds a DJ. The biggest one in town. DJ Shockwave, who often has underground shows and I've been wanting to see for ages! My mouth drops open in surprise. Then I notice along the back wall are cages. Men, women, all scantily clad, painted with intricate designs and black light.
Shockwave takes the mike and speaks, a garbled tone. "The guest of honor has arrived and this first song is for her, it's one of her favorites." Britney Spears, I Wanna Go comes blaring out of the speakers and I get swept up in a rush for the dance floor. Mina and Max magically appear at my side with glow sticks and we dance. And dance and dance some more. Everyone is getting into it; DJ Shockwave is on fire remixing old favorites with new beats. New favorites with old beats, a plethora of music really, from all decades. The disco ball is brightly lit, the glow sticks and black light react with the lasers and smoke that appears. It's amazing! I'm having the time of my life dancing the night away. Max periodically appears with water making sure I stay hydrated and Mina makes sure I sit out a song or two every so often.
When I can't dance anymore Mina takes me up to meet the DJ. As Mina starts to introduce us we hear a crash over by the refreshments and a table of cupcakes collapses. "Son of a Bitch!" Mina hollers and stomps off in that direction.
"Hey Alyx, it's nice to meet you," Shockwave says, taking off her hoodie and letting her long golden hair cascade down. She takes it and ties it up in a tousled pony with hot pink nails. "It's getting a bit hot in here, eh?"
I stare for a bit and then blurt out. "I had no idea you were a girl! I mean no offense. Of course, women can be DJ's. It's just that when you think of them you generally think of guys. Calvin Harris, Zedd, Deadmau5, Marshmellow, Avicii and David Guetta to name a few."
"All great DJ's, it's true." She laughs as I stumble trying to find a way out of putting my foot in my mouth. "I'm not trying to be at their level. I just like remixing the shit outta things and people seem to like it so yeah. As long as they keep liking it, I'll keep spinning."
I give a big sigh, glad that she let me off the hook. "Hey, did I hear some Beatles and Bread in that last track? I thought I heard a snippet of Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell smooshed into some Pat Benatar and Cyndi Lauper hits earlier as well."
"Wow, you caught that?" She says a little impressed. "Most people don't have any idea I use music from that far back, let alone who it is. How do you know so much about music?"
I blush, "Well, my parents were really into music and so was I by extension of them. I thought about being a music major but wanted to help people more." I stop. "Sorry I blather on when I get nervous. I'm thrilled to meet you. I've been trying to go to one of your gigs for years... But I was never cool enough to warrant an invitation. Thanks for playing for me tonight." I shake her hand enthusiastically.
She laughs and squeezes my hand. "You seem like a really cool chick. You are officially invited to the next gig, whenever that may be. And I think we should hang out sometime. You could come with me to Cactus records and help me find some good vinyl!"
"Really? That would be awesome! I love that place. Those guys really know their stuff. They've found me some cool new bands based on things I already like." I mention.
"Right?! They have helped me so much with my mashups!" She smiles. "The name's Karah BTW." She flips her hand and a card mysteriously appears. She pulls a pen out from her back pocket and writes her number on the back. "Here's my cell. Call me anytime, we could have a pretty healthy debate about music, to be sure." She smiles as she pulls the synthesizer toward her and the song ends. "Let's give it up for that last hit!" She shouts into the mike her voice scrambler forgotten. "I've had a request for a throwback from the birthday girl here. And this is throwing it way way back!" Patsy Cline's Crazy starts in and then she mixes in Crazy on You by Heart with Crazy by Britney Spears, Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, and even some Beyoncé, Crazy in Love all rolled together in one amazing mashup that shouldn't work but somehow does.
I point at her and mouth 'You're crazy!' she just laughs and winks at me and mouths back 'You better call me." I nod and go out to the dance floor and boogie down to my mashup. I don't know how she does it but all those songs melt together seamlessly in Karah's hands. Max comes over to dance with me and when it's over he leans on me. "That DJ sure makes a mean mix! Amazing how she fit five songs into one like that. No wonder she's so hard to book."
I smile then remember Mina and the cupcakes. I head over to the refreshments with Max close behind. "Mina, do you need anything?" I call before the next song takes over.
I see her arm shoot in the air and wave from the mess of cupcakes on the floor. "Nope. I got it!" She appears with frosting in her hair and on her cheek.
I stifle a laugh. "Are you sure? You know you've got frosting in your hair right."
She starts laughing and I can't help but join in. Max goes and helps her up. "Thanks, Max." She takes the nearest cupcake and smashes it on his head.
"Hey!" Then he starts laughing as well. He picks one up and hurls it at me but I duck out of the way and it hits an unsuspecting guy behind me. Before I know it there's an all-out cupcake war. Everyone is tossing them at anyone in their vicinity! Karah switches the song to some epic fighting music, a little Bond, a little Celtic, a little Jason Bourne, some Rains of Castamere and Mission Impossible. That girl is sharp.
Soon almost everyone is covered in frosting, licking it off themselves and wiping it off friends. We all laugh as Karah's voice booms through the speakers, "Now that we've had some fun, let's call it a night, shall we? This is the last song of the evening folks. This DJ has a test tomorrow." I glance at the clock marred by frosting and can't make out the time. Max gives me the finger method. One fifteen in the morning. I nod thanks and start trying to clean things up. A bunch of people come over to give me a hug of thanks and I let out a big yawn.
Mina sees and rushes over. "Oh, sweetie I'm sorry you must be exhausted! I've kept you out too late."
"No, it's fine." I insist with another huge yawn.
Max appears at my side with some towels. I grab one and try to wipe the frosting out of my own hair. "I'll make sure she gets home, Mina. Then I'll come back and help you clean things up."
She surveys the scene before her and sighs. "Thanks, Max. But I think I can get things cleaned up in a jiff, you don't have to come back. Just make sure Alyx gets home and into bed pronto! I can already see the little baggies appearing under your eyes!" she teases me.
"Oh, poof!" I try to hit her but Mina prances away laughing.
"Off to home now, Khaleesi!" Mina calls sweetly. "I'll check on you tomorrow." She smiles and I smile back as Max gently pulls me toward the door.
He gets me to his car that I didn't even know was here and buckles me into the front seat. I'm so tired it doesn't even dawn on me that my new outfit is ruined. I lean my head back against the seat and am asleep instantly. Max nudges me awake when we get to my place. "Alyx, I can't find the keys to your place. What'll we do?"
"Don't worry. Just get me up there. I've got the biometrics to let me in." He looks confused but wraps me in a blanket from the backseat. I burrow into the blankets and his shoulder as he carries me up to the door and deposits me on the landing. I lean against the wall and yawn. "Thank you for everything today Max. It was wonderful." I smile sleepily. "I got it from here."
"Are you sure?" He asks, hesitant to leave me alone, worried for my safety like always.
"Yes." I take a few wobbly steps to the door. "I'll be alright. Promise." I pull him in for a hug. "Thanks for always watching out for me. It's nice to know I have someone like you I can count on." I give him another cheek kiss. "Now go. I need sleep." I smile lopsided at him.
He leans down to kiss my forehead, "Happy Birthday, Alyx." He whispers into my hair and heads down the stairs.
I smile and lean against the door trying to get it open. It has some added features for if you have no key. "Thanks, Mina for protecting me too," I say out loud as the last of the wards falls allowing me to slip inside to the comfort of my place. I take the quickest of showers to rid myself of all the frosting and crawl into my bed to dream of the grand but exhausting day I just had.
