A/N: Thank you Heart of Demons for the review. Believe it or not, the changes are not only plot wise. There are benefits and drawbacks to any sort of entertainment format. Andrew Nichols, the head writer for season 1, noticed this when adapting the comics to a show format. Now, I notice it when adapting the show to a novel format. In the show, the focus shifts frequently between the main plot and subplots, such as between Caleb and the girls. However, this style of jumping around is not as effective in a novel format. To address this, I have separated these elements, which is not always perfect, but it works.

Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter IV: Happy Birthday Will

Will usually walked to school, but since she didn't get much sleep the previous night, she asked her mother, Susan, to drive her instead. When they arrived at school, Susan asked, "Honey, are you sure you don't want to invite at least 25 or 30 of your closest friends over for your birthday?"

"No, mom, not even just 25 or 30 of them." She didn't want to say that she only had 5 friends.

"Ok, birthday girl." Said Susan with a smirk. "But, remember, no matter how old you get, you'll always be my pink perky puppy pumpkin." Will closed the car door, turned around and saw Irma standing 6 feet away.

"Hey, Irma!" Said Will.

"So, it's your birthday."

"Friday." Will responded. "Promise me you won't do anything dumb like throwing me a surprise party."

"Oh, I love surprise parties!" Will gave her a warning look. "By that, of course, I mean I hate and despise them." Will wasn't a party girl, far from it, especially when she was the centre of attention. She'd rather spend her birthday with her mom and some friends that at a party.

The hours passed with the pace of a snail. It was now 1 o'clock meaning lunchtime. Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin and Elyon were eating at a table. Sheffield cafeteria had a reputation among the students for having food with questionable quality. Taranee picked up a carrot. "Does this look cooked to you?" She asked annoyed.

"Taranee, it's a carrot!" Cornelia replied. "The only way it can hurt you is if you're mugged by rabbits." At that moment Irma arrived with her food.

"Guess who's birthday it is friday!"

"I know, I know!" Hay Lin shouted with excitement. She paused. "I don't know."

"It's Will's birthday!" Irma announced.

"Are you going to throw her a party?" Asked Elyon.

"No." Irma replied. "She made me promise not to." She looked at the food stand and saw Will who was about to get her food. "Oh, I gotta warn her about the fish because I think it went bad they caught it. Hello Will! Pink puppy perky pumpkin!" Will shot her a deadly look as Irma headed over to warn her, leaving the rest of the group at the table.

"We have to throw Will a party!" Said Cornelia.

"But Irma promised she wouldn't." Elyon responded.

"Ok." Said Cornelia. "Then Irma won't. But we will. See this way we're giving Irma what she wants, a party for Will, and she doesn't have to break her promise."

"But Will didn't want a party." Hay Lin said.

"Believe me, when she sees the party I throw, she'll be to jazzed to remember what she said." Cornelia replied. "Elyon, Hay Lin, you guys are in charge of the decorations. Now we just need a place to hold it."

"Why not your place?" Asked Taranee.

"Yeah, right!" Joked Elyon. "After the last party Cornelia threw, her parents said the next one will be after she moves out."

"It wasn't that bad." Said Cornelia apologetically. "Sure, the living room and kitchen were a wreck but the rest of the house was intact. And I was the one who cleaned up after."

"Did you clean up before, or after your parents told you to?" Taranee asked skeptically.

"... That's not the point. We still need a place to hold Will's party... That's it! Irma wanted this party so let's have it at her house." Taranee looked hesitant.

"And what if Irma doesn't like the fact that we decorated her house without her knowing?"

"Oh, relax!" Cornelia replied. "She'll like it."

"... Are you sure?" Taranee pressed. "It seems like you are relying too much on assumptions insted of facts."

"You worry to much. Have a little faith in my plan."

"Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

"So, Caleb." Said Cornelia. "You're going to learn all about parties." Hay Lin, Cornelia and Caleb were at a shopping mall. Caleb had now solved his wardrobe problem. He was wearing a greenish brown t-shirt, brown pants and sneakers.

"We have parties in Meridian. To celebrate the end of clunderfeast we cook and eat an ox."

"We won't be doing that." Said Cornelia.

As they walked through the halls of the shopping mall, Caleb felt surrounded by the shoppers browsing the many stores and stalls. The smells of freshly cooked food filled the air. He looked around and noticed something that grabbed his attention, a strange metal box with a weird hammer attached to it.

The box was mounted on a post and it had strange markings and numbers on it. Caleb went to the strange contraption and grabbed the weird hammer. It was surprisingly lighter that a hammer. He hit it against the box seeing if it will do something. The box made a clinking sound but otherwise nothing happened. Confused, he went back to the group. There was now a boy in the group that Caleb had never seen before. He was about the same height as Caleb, with black hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a grey shirt with a purple vest over, lage white pants and grey shoes.

"Caleb," Said Cornelia. "This is Matt Olsen. He'll be the lead guitarist at Will's party."

"Nice to meet you." Said Caleb. They shook hands.

"Same." Said Matt. "... Was the payphone bothering you?"

"I was trying to figure out how it works. I've never seen something like this before."

Matt looked confused. "You've never seen a payphone?"

"That's because he's from another country." Cornelia intervened. "They don't have payphones there."

"Really?" Asked Matt.

"Yeah." Said Hay Lin.

"Oh kay" Said Matt. "When is the party again?"

"Friday at 5 o'clock." Said Cornelia.

"Ok, I'll talk to the other band members. I'll call you when I have the answer. See you later!"

"Bye, Matt." Said Hay Lin. Then they suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of wheels rolling on sandstone. They turned to see three figures approaching on skateboards. A skinny guy leading two fat guys.

As the trio came to a stop in front of the group, they were met with curious looks. The first of the skateboarders, Uriah, was a well-known troublemaker with a shock of bright orange hair and a face full of pimples. He was followed by his two cronies, Kurt and Clubber, whose lack of intelligence was only matched by their weight.

"Hey!" Uriah barked. "How come Kurt, Clubber and me didn't get invited to this party of yours?"

"Because I'm not inviting creeps." Cornelia shot back. "Oh, I'm sorry! Creeps, Caleb. Caleb, Creeps." She and Hay Lin kept walking, leaving Caleb behind and confused.

"Pleased to meet you, creeps... Are you related?" He asked confused. Then he went of to the group. "Those are your tough guys? I'd like to see them last one second in a scoldorian scream cage."

"Caleb, here you're not a rebel leader." Said Cornelia. "Everybody sees you as a normal earth teenager. Promise me you won't make a fool of yourself in public again." Caleb didn't like being told how to behave, like he was five years old, but he knew that arguing would only make things worse.

"Fine." He finally muttered.

"I better get going." Said Hay Lin. "Grandma said this morning that she had something to show me."

"See you later, then." Said Cornelia. Hay Lin got out of the mall. The restaurant was a few blocks away from the mall, and Hay Lin took her time to enjoy the walk. She strolled past shops selling all kinds of things, from brightly-colored clothing to exotic spices and teas. The sounds of street musicians filled the air, adding to the lively atmosphere of the city.

As she approached The Silver Dragon, the smell of delicious food came from the open windows of the restaurant. She took the stairs up to her apartment. Finally, she reached her door and unlocked it. "Grandma! I'm home!" She yelled.

"Just a moment!" Yan Lin voice echoed. "The french fries are almost done!" After 5 minutes Yan Lin walked out of the kitchen. "So, what bring you home this early?"

"You said this morning that you had something to show me." Said Hay Lin. "What is it?"

"Wait here." Yan Lin said. After a few moments she came back with an old piece of paper. Hay Lin looked a little underwhelmed.

"What is it, the world's oldest place map?"

"No, Hay Lin." Yan Lin said. "This was once part of a great map, hanging on Prince Phobos's wall. Years ago, a soldier, tired of serving the evil prince, tore off a crucial piece of Phobos's map, the part showing our world. And he escaped. He gave the map to a passling, one who moves between worlds, and, thus, it came to me." Hay Lin took the map and examined it. "In our world the map is blank. But, once in the presence of a powerful magical force, like the Heart Of Kandrakar, the map will reveal its secrets."

"Why wait 'till now to give me this?" Asked Hay Lin. "Is it cause my powers are finally mature enough that I'm worthy?" She asked hopefully.

"Nah, it was in the attic." Yan Lin said with a smile. "I've been searching for it ever since you became a guardian. I finally found it yesterday. Strange these magical objects, they're never around when you need them."

Finally, it was Friday. The big day. The day that everyone had been looking forward to all week. The anticipation had been building, as the promise of the weekend loomed on the horizon. The air in the classroom was charged with excitement, as students whispered and giggled, unable to focus on their lessons.

The clock on the wall seemed to tick by at an agonizingly slow pace. Each minute dragged on, as the teachers tried their best to keep the students engaged. But their efforts were in vain. All anyone could think about was what was to come.

Finally, it was 2 pm. The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Students cheered and high-fived each other, eager to be free of their classes. Backpacks were slung over shoulders, and the sound of lockers slamming echoed through the halls.

Everyone was excited except Taranee. She was probably the only one that liked school. The dread most people feel when the weekend is almost over Taranee feels when school is over. But no worries, she thought. She had two days were she could go over everything they've done that week. Maybe work more on math. Even though she was the best in her class she still felt like she had a lot more to learn. Then her phone rang. She took it out and answered it. "Hello?"

"Taranee, it's Cornelia."

"Hey, Cornelia!" Taranee said.

"Everything is ready for the party. We just need Will and Irma." Taranee was speechless.

"You mean the party is at Irma's house?"

"I told you it will work. Once we explained the situation to Irma's parents they gladly allowed us to decorate their house."

"...unbelievable."

"You better believe it because I need your help. You gotta get Will and Irma here. Make sure they're not dressed like total pigs, but without them figuring out why."

"And how do I do that?"

"You're smart, you'll figure it out. Gotta go, bye!"

Taranee sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Hey Taranee!" A familiar voice yelled. It was Will. She was with Irma. "Wanna go to The Silver Dragon? I've heard Hay Lin say that her grandma gave her some kind of special map."

"I've got a better idea." Said Taranee trying to think of a story. "Vance Michael Justin is having a free concert at the mall."

"You're kidding, let's go!" Said Will excited.

"... But, they're only letting in the 100 best dressed girls. So pick your best outfits and make sure you don't look like pigs." After a second Taranee realised what she just said. "Forget the pig part, let's go!" And with that Taranee left.

"What's up with her?" Asked Will confused.

"No idea." Said Irma. "See you at the mall?"

"Sure." And with that they went their separate ways to their houses. Will arrived at her apartment building. As she walked up the stairs, she thought about how she couldn't wait to see Vance Michael Justin in person, the perfect birthday gift. Upon reaching her apartment, she fumbled for her keys in her bag and unlocked the door. The familiar scent of her home welcomed her, as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Knowing that her mother would still be at work, Will made her way to her room. The space was small, but it was hers. She walked over to her closet and scanned her clothes, trying to decide what to wear. After a few moments, she settled on a blue shirt, a white jacket, and blue jeans. She changed and looked in the mirror. "Hope they'll let me in." She was about to leave her apartment when she got a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Will, it's Taranee. Can you come by Irma's house? She can't decide what to wear. Hurry up!" She hung up, leaving Will confused.

Then she realised something. If Vance Michael Justin was giving a free concert in Heatherfield how come she only found out about it now? Why wasn't anybody talking about it? And why was Taranee acting so weird? There was something very wrong about this whole thing. What if it was a trick? What if someone from Meridian was now posing as Taranee? She got her backpack and took the Heart Of Kandrakar. Whatever was going on, she was going to be prepared. She put the Heart in her pocket and got out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

The whole way to Irma's house, Will was terrified. She couldn't help but feel uneasy, her heart racing at every sudden sound she heard. Every rustle of the leaves or honk of a car made her jump in fear. Her mind raced with all sorts of possible scenarios, wondering what could be waiting for her at the end of her journey. When she got to the front door of Irma's house she thought about making a run for it in the opposite direction. Then she stopped herself. "Wait, why am I so afraid? I have lightning powers. Plus a magical jewel that can give me wings. Whatever is going on I can handle it."

So, with newfound courage, she opened the door. On the other side of the door, she was greeted by a loud roar of voices shouting, "Surprise!" The room was filled with balloons and green decorations, and she was met with a large crowd of people. Will's first reaction was relief. Then everything became clear to her. The whole Vance Michael Justin stuff was just a cover. A cover for this party. Her party. The crowd began going their separate ways. The party had started.

Will's eyes darted around the room, searching for Irma. She finally spotted her friend standing near the refreshment table, chatting with a group of people. Will marched over to her, a scowl etched onto her face. She approached Irma with an air of frustration and electricity and spoke in a low, angry voice, "I can't believe you did this. You promised."

Irma looked taken aback, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about, Will? I had nothing to do with this." she exclaimed, gesturing around the room.

Will glared at her friend, unconvinced. "But you were the one who promised not to throw me a surprise party, remember? You knew how much I hate them."

Irma shook her head, her expression turning serious. "I swear, Will, I had no idea this was going to happen. When I got here earlier, my living room was already transformed into a nightclub. My parents saw how excited everyone was and offered to help out anyone who needed a party venue. I had no control over any of this." she explained.

Will's eyes softened as she realized that her friend was telling the truth. She let out a sigh and gave Irma a small smile. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions, Irma. I guess I should have given you the benefit of the doubt. But if you didn't throw the party then who?" Then Cornelia joined in.

"Happy Birthday, Will! What do you think of the party. Do you like it? Irma wanted to throw it herself but, since she made a promise not to, I decided to throw it myself. What do you think?"

"... You knew that I didn't want a party. Why did you do it?"

"It was for you."

"Cornelia, this is not what I wanted!" Will said angrily. "I just don't like parties."

"Come on," Cornelia said joyfully. "Don't tell me you don't at least find it neat. The theme is frogs, your favourite animal." Will looked at the decorations and realised that they were all green. There was even a decorative pond. She didn't know what to make of the whole situation. She was mad at Cornelia for throwing her party in spite of knowing that she hated parties but at the same time it was nice to have Cornelia not constantly trying to get rid of her.

"How did you know I like frogs?" Asked Will.

"Well, you have little stuffed frogs all over your stuff, your backpack, your pencil case, that dangly thing on your hat." Will was taken aback by Cornelia's observational skills.

"Thanks." She finally said.

"Don't mention it. Now, come on let's have some fun!" The excitement was palpable in the room, and the anticipation for what was to come was electric. As the music began to play, the whole room transformed into a show of different lights, illuminating every corner of the space.

The band, Rec 55, led by Matt, was on fire, and the music roared across the room, making it impossible for anyone to stand still. The rhythm was infectious, and soon, everyone was talking, laughing, and generally having a good time. The atmosphere was filled with joy, and even the most reserved guests were slowly getting used to the lively atmosphere.

Will was talking to Elyon when Caleb appeared.

"Happy Birthday, Will!" He said. "I made you something." He took out a plank of wood. Will looked at it more carefully and realised that it was a carved drawing of her in her guardian form, with wings that sparkled. Will's heart skipped a beat.

Elyon was bewitched by the art piece. "Wow, it's Will," she said, bewildered. "As some kind of fairy."

"It's carved from driftwood. The wings are dragon scales." Caleb explained.

"Wait, dragon scales?" Elyon asked, confused.

"He means lizard scales," Will clarified. "He just likes to call them dragons." Caleb was about to protest, but Will shot him a warning look.

"How long did it take you to make this?" Elyon asked, still mesmerized by the piece.

"About two hours," Caleb replied.

"Wow! You're so talented." Elyon exclaimed, impressed.

"Well, wood carving is one of my pastimes," Caleb explained. "It sometimes helps me make sense of everything. I can remember the smallest details, and when I lay them out, they all seem clearer."

"You have a photographic memory." Elyon exclaimed, with a hint of admiration in her voice.

Caleb was curious. "What's a photographic memory?" he asked.

"It's when someone can remember things very, very clearly." Elyon explained. "It's like they took a photo of something and can look at it whenever they want, even if they saw it a long time ago. People with photographic memory can remember things like words, numbers, or places really easily, and they don't need to write them down or study them a lot. It's like having a superpower for your brain! What I wouldn't give to have this superpower."

"What's your name?" Elyon asked Caleb.

"Caleb." he replied.

"Mine's Elyon. So, are you going to ask me to dance?" Elyon asked.

"Actually, I'm pretty good at the Mandurian Kavak. I'll go find us a bucket." Caleb replied. Then he left.

"Oh kay." Elyon said, slightly puzzled. "Could have just said no."

"Don't take it personally," Will said, trying to explain. "Caleb, well... he's not from around here."

"I can tell." Elyon said, looking at Caleb with a new perspective. "There's something weird about him. He feels so alien yet familiar. As if he were a really old friend. But enough about that, happy birthday!"

"Thanks," Will said, with a smile on her face. The music continued to play, and the partygoers continued to dance and have fun. Irma and Hay Lin were in the kitchen however. They've ran out of pretzels so they were looking for another bag. Irma noticed that her father forgot his walkie-talkie on the kitchen counter. Her father was a cop, and it was important for him to have his walkie-talkie with him at all times.

"Look what my dad left here." Irma said, holding up the walkie-talkie. Just as she picked up the device, a voice crackled through the speaker. It was one of her father's partners.

"Hey Tom, it's probably just a prank, but we got a call about some kind of lizard monster at city hall. Can you pop over there and check it out?"

"Lizard?" Then realisation struck her. "If it's that thing from Meridian my dad could get hurt! Get the girls!" She said to Hay Lin. Then she ran upstairs to her parents bedroom. The door was opened.

"Mom, dad, some of us are going for pizza. Could you keep the party going till we get back?" Her parents were both excited.

"Are you kidding!" Yelled Tom excited. "I'm a party animal. Come on, honey." He said to his wife. "Let's show these kids how it's done!" The two of them got out of bed and went downstairs. Irma feared that her parents might embarrass her but right now she didn't really have a choice. W.I.T.C.H. gathered outside and went to city hall. When they got there they stopped, examining the landscape. The silence of the night was broken by the occasional sound of a car passing by or the distant barking of a dog. Taranee broke the silence "What now?"

"I know." Said Hay Lin. "We could use the map grandma gave me." She grabbed her purse and took out a old blank piece of paper.

"What good is a map that doesn't show anything?" Asked Irma.

"Grandma said it was activated by the Heart." Said Hay Lin. Will took The Heart Of Kandrakar from her pocket. As soon as the light of the Heart made contact with the paper, it began to glow. The map slowly came into view, and the girls could see two red X's marked on it.

"Hey, that's the bridge!" Said Irma, pointing to the first x. "And the alley behind the mall."

"The first two portals." Said Taranee. Then the x's disappeared. A third x formed near the centre, this time blue.

"Uh-oh there's a third one." Said Will. "Where's that?"

"We're standing in it." Said Hay Lin. "It's City Hall Park." Will took the Heart away from the map. As soon as the light of the Heart left the paper, the map disappeared. It was now just an ordinary piece of old paper. Will looked around at the town archives building. It looked normal except for one small detail. The light was on in one of the rooms. A silhouette could be seen through the window. It was a man, wearing a cloak, pacing the room. W.I.T.C.H. went inside the building, careful to not make a sound. The front door was smashed to pieces. It looked just like a scene from a horror film, the calm before the storm.

"Maybe we should call the police." Cornelia suggested.

"For this kind of problem we are the police." Said Will. She took out the Heart Of Kandrakar. "Guardians Unite!" In a few seconds the girls transformed into their Guardian forms.

"Alright!" Said Irma. "Anyone want lizard on their pizza?" The lizard was on an upper level. The only way they could get there without being seen was through the elevator. Except there was one small problem. The little ding the elevator made was enough to make their presence announced. So Cornelia forcibly opened the elevator doors with roots and Will kicked a table in place to keep the elevator doors from closing. W.I.T.C.H. flew upwards through the elevator shaft until they got to the desired floor. They went to the only room that had the door opened, only to find no one, except a giant mess. Books and documents were scattered all over the place. Taranee looked through the documents on the floor and picked up a book. "Female Birth Records 1970-2000"

"What does a big nasty lizard want with female birth records?" She asked. Then she noticed something. "Check this out! He ripped out the entire 1991 section."

"1991, that was 13 years ago." Said Cornelia. "So he's looking for a 13 year old girl?" Then they saw a silhouette moving through the halls, a man with a cloak over his head. They knew they had to act fast if they wanted to catch the culprit. The floors were more like large balconies. The cloaked figure jumped down to the ground floor. A fall like that should have injured him, but he landed gracefully and walked it off as if nothing had happened. It was clear that he wasn't human, and the girls knew they were dealing with a formidable foe.

The girls sprang into action, flying down to the ground floor and landing in front of the cloaked man. "Where do you think you're going?" said Irma, her voice laced with authority. But the cloaked man remained silent, refusing to answer their questions. The cloak covered most of his face, giving him an ominous presence.

Will stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the mysterious figure. "Listen," She said firmly. "I don't know what you are or what you want, but you're not going anywhere until you tell us what you're doing here."

But the cloaked man remained unresponsive, and Taranee knew they were dealing with a dangerous adversary. "You can't win!" she said firmly. "You're clearly outnumbered!"

Finally, the mysterious man spoke, his voice sending shivers down the girls' spines. It was rough, full of hisses and whispers, like a thousand snakes hissing in unison. "Maybe so," he said menacingly. "But you are clearly outmatched!" Then his body began to contort and convulse. The veins in his neck bulged and his muscles twitched uncontrollably. The girls watched in horror as his hands went to his head and he let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed throughout the halls of the building. Suddenly, lightning began to form around his body, crackling and sizzling with intense energy.

His mouth opened wide and his tongue slithered out like a serpent's. It was long and bifurcated, and it flicked around in the air like a deadly weapon. The girls could feel their fear intensifying as they watched this eerie transformation take place before their very eyes.

As the lightning grew in intensity, they could see the man's cloak beginning to merge with his body, forming a rough and scaly texture that glinted in the dim light. The scales were a dark green color, and they seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly energy. His legs fused together, creating a massive, powerful tail.

The man was now a towering, 20-foot-tall green snake with arms that looked like they could crush a car with ease. His eyes glinted with a sinister intelligence, and his hissing voice echoed throughout the room, sending chills down the girls' spines. It was Lord Cedric. Cornelia was the first to react, her quick thinking and swift actions on display as she slammed her hand against the floor. The impact was so intense that it sounded like a thunder strike, and the force caused cracks to form on the floor. In a moment, she shoved her hands towards the snake, hurling large chunks of cobblestone straight at Cedric's face. The attack took him aback, and he growled with frustration. "Time the Guardians learned a lesson in humility!" He bellowed, clearly angered by their resistance.

But the Guardians weren't intimidated. Hay Lin quickly made a gust of wind that shot the long carpet straight at the monster's face, causing him to fumble and stumble. Irma, meanwhile, shot a powerful jet of water at him, causing him to slide backwards and directly above a chandelier. Taranee saw her opportunity and shot a fireball at the support chain of the chandelier, sending it crashing down directly onto the snake.

Despite the impact, the snake managed to get back up and retaliate. He used his powerful tail as a whip, hitting Hay Lin and Irma with brutal force and sending them flying through the air. Taranee tried to shoot a fireball at him, but he deflected it with ease, as if it was nothing. But he was soon met with a lightning strike from Will, which caused him to bellow in pain. Finally he fell to the ground.

Then the sounds of police sirens filled the air. Cedric quickly got back up and started transforming back to human. He got smaller, his tail split into two legs and his scaly skin turn into a large cloak that covered his face.

"I have what I've come for." He said. "We shall meet again, Guardians." And with that he made a run for it. The girls followed behind. He got out and went to the back of the building. When the girls got there they saw him going through a portal. Will took the Heart Of Kandrakar. "And take your slimy portal with you!" The Heart shot a pink beam that closed the portal.

W.I.T.C.H. were now in their human forms. Since they needed to keep their covers, each was carrying a box of pizza.

"Birth certificates." Said Taranee.

"Of girls our age." Said Will. "Is Phobos looking for us?"

"Who wouldn't?" Said Cornelia. "I mean we are kick-butt cute."

"My parents have been ruining the party for an hour." Said Irma. "I hope you guys like pizza because there isn't going to be anyone left to eat it." Then she stopped, amazed. The people were outside, doing the limbo. Maybe she was to hard on her parents. She turned to Will. "Happy birthday, pink perky puppy pumpkin!"

"You know what will be a great gift? For you to never say that again." She said.

"What's that puppy? Ahrg!" Will zapped Irma.

"You heard me." She said with a smile. The people started going back into the house. Will saw a boy approaching her. It was the guitarist.

"There you are!" He said. "We've been waiting for you!"

"Really?" She asked.

"You're the birthday girl, aren't you? You haven't had your cake."

"Right!" She said "I'm Will, by the way." Then she realised that he probably knew that from the large banner that said Happy Birthday, Will!

"I'm Matt." He said. "Now, come on!" Will went inside and saw a birthday cake with 13 candles on it. She fully expected to hear Happy Birthday To You. But insted Matt took his guitar and started playing a guitar solo. Will couldn't believe it. It was the opening of "A Song Inside My Heart" By Vance Michael Justin, her favourite song.

"I wake up every morning,

With a song inside my head,

The melody's uplifting,

And the words have yet to be said.

I grab my guitar and start to strum,

The rhythm sets my soul on fire,

And as the sun begins to rise,

I feel my spirit soar higher."

Will was taken aback by how beautiful Matt's voice was. She liked his rendition better.

"I'll sing it loud, I'll sing it clear,

With every breath I take,

I'll chase away the doubt and fear,

And leave my heart awake.

The road ahead is winding,

And the journey's far from done,

But with each step I'm reminded,

That the struggle's just begun.

I'll face the trials and tribulations,

With a smile upon my face,

And when the storm clouds gather 'round,

I'll find my saving grace.

I'll sing it loud, I'll sing it clear,

With every breath I take,

I'll chase away the doubt and fear,

And leave my heart awake.

So let the music take you higher,

And let your soul be free,

Together we'll set the world on fire, With our melody.

I'll sing it loud, I'll sing it clear,

With every breath I take,

I'll chase away the doubt and fear,

And leave my heart awake.

Happy Birthday, Will!!!"

Sorry for the extremely long hiatus, I had some personal issues I had to deal with. But now I should be back to normal.

Next is Chapter V: A Service to the Community