I frown and pull out my Shakespeare textbook. Dylan and Kristen had been acting really weird for like a week now. They kept whispering with the guys saying things like; "have you got it ready" and "have you sorted out the..." Whenever I came near they changed the subject. I would grill Dylan and Kristen later, but for now I needed to actually do some revision in Study period, instead of talking and playing Truth or Dare or something. The teacher, Miss Howard, mysteriously disappeared outside for like the whole lesson so we did pretty much whatever we wanted.

"Hey, what are you doing Mass?" Kristen called from the other side of the classroom, sashaying round the tables to get over to me. Josh, Cam and Dylan follow. Cam looks surprised; "You're actually doing that crap? I thought it was optional!"

I playfully roll my eyes and smack his firm arm "no Cameron it counts for like 10% of our coursework or something. I dunno what Mr Mackenzie was talking about. I was kinda too busy playing on my phone. I've spent so many Literature lessons on Snake that I've got like the highest score in the world."

Derrick saunters over to our table. "Hey whassup?" he asks, pecking me on the cheek. He pulls a chair over and sits down. "Is it sorted?" he mutters to Plovert who's working his way through pages of Geometry. That dude is a whiz at math, but so darn dumb when it comes to common sense. Just like Kemp is so dumb and so clever at...Ok maybe he's not too clever but he's a great guy.

I slam my textbook on the table, but it doesn't make as loud a noise as I had hoped. "Hello? Will someone please tell me what's going on? Everyone's been talking and then like changing the subject whenever I come near. What are you scheming? To have a math strike or something? Because I'd really support you if it was that."

Everyone shifts in their seat and blurts out something different from each other at different times.

"We haven't"

"It's just kinda like"

"Well..."

"It goes like this, we-"

"I made fish!"

Kemp blurts out the last one and everyone is quiet. "Dude" Cam hisses, "you couldn't think of anything better than 'I made fish'" Everyone sniggers, even me, and just when I'm about to start asking them again, Miss Howard comes in for like the first time that semester. Talk about bad timing.

On Sunday it's my 16th birthday, so Kristen and Dylan say they'll take me out on Saturday. We go shopping after school on Friday to buy outfits and then on Saturday they come round to mine so we can dress up together.

The bell rings on Saturday and I shuffle out in my Havaianas from the living room where I'm lounging on the sofa watching a recorded episode of Gossip Girl. I open it and Kristen and Dylan tumble in, in a flurry of bags and makeup cases. "Heyyy!" I say. "Let's go upstairs. Oh my God Dylan is that your kitchen sink?"

A half hour later we're ready. Kristen keeps getting mysterious phone calls. "You're not seeing someone behind Josh's back, are you Kris?" I tease, running my GHD's through my hair. "Yeah and his name is Derrick Harrington!" Dylan laughs from the inside of the bathroom where she's changing. Kristen threads a drop-down silver earring through her earlobe and blushes. "Course not."

I step out from my walk-in closet and twirl so my short, asymmetric hemmed dress flares out. "Whaddaya think?" I ask, putting my hands on y hips. The dress is gold and dark turquoise with tons of sequins. It's glitzy, glam and very blingy. "You look amazing Mass!" the girls gush. So do they. Kristen is wearing a purple dress with a fitted bodice and short puffball skirt. Its scattered with glitter and her hair falls softly to her shoulders in blond curls. She looks incredible and I tell her that.

Dylan has on an emerald green wraparound mini-dress which brings out her eyes. It's made of raw silk with diamantes glittering from the hem. It's classic and stylish.

We grab our purses and go down the stairs. Dylan's bought her sister's car this time so we really do get to travel in style in the black BMW. When we're in the car I ask, "So where are we actually going then?"

"It's a surprise!" Dylan sing-songs as she pulls out of the drive. I'm very suspicious but don't say anything else. "Oh dammit, I left my wallet at home, can we quickly stop there?"

"Well, I can pay-"I start but Dylan interrupts, "no its ok we'll go back. It has her door key in it as well." I'm puzzled. How is she gonna get in now then?"

We reach Kristen's three story house and she gets out the car. "Come on in. Grab a soda or something." I do feel like a Diet Coke I guess, so I follow her up to the front door, Dylan behind me.

Inside, it's dark. All the lights are switched off. I follow Kristen down the hall in to the living room.

"Kris, this is kinda creppy, can we switch the-AARGH!"

"SURPRISE!"

I'm so shocked! Like the whole of the grade is there. I slap a hand over my heart and start laughing "Oh my God you guys!" I begin, looking around me. There's a huge silver banner with 'Happy Birthday Massie!' sprinkled across in purple glitter. There's a Jonas Brothers song on and there are streamers and loads of snacks and drinks, all in Kristen's living room. My eyes well up with tears. I'm so touched!

Derrick comes over to me looking hot in Ralph Lauren and True Religion. "Aww Mass don't cry!" he says flinging his arms around me.

"Thankyou!" I mumble in to his polo, breathing in his D&G The One aftershave. My other friends come over to me. I keep thanking them and then we go over to the centre of the room to dance.

I loved my friends like they were my brothers and sisters. (Except Derrick of course)

They were basically my life and soul.

I had them with me through whatever life bought.

Well, except when everything changed.

Then it was hard to imagine them ever being there for me.