What Noah Had Planned
“It’s not really a party,” Noah said.
Chloe folded her arms.
“You have more than five extra-large pizzas.”
“It’s a goodbye thing.”
“For who?”
Noah glanced toward the stairs.
“Eli.”
I recognized the name immediately.
Eli had been Noah’s best friend since they were eight.
The two boys had practically grown up together.
I hadn’t seen much of him lately because his mother had been seriously ill.
She had spent months going back and forth to hospitals.
Noah had mentioned that their family might move overseas to be closer to relatives.
I hadn’t realized they were leaving so soon.
On the recording, Chloe looked at Noah.
“Your parents never said you could invite people here.”
“He leaves Monday.”
“That doesn’t mean you can throw a party.”
“His mom’s been sick for five months. Nobody’s doing anything for him.”
Chloe sighed.
“Then invite five people.”
“Everyone wants to say goodbye.”
“How many is everyone?”
Noah hesitated.
Then two boys appeared outside the front window.
Chloe stared at him.
“You already invited them?”
Noah shrugged.
The doorbell rang.
Chloe stood there for several seconds.
She could have called us.
She probably should have.
Instead, she pointed at Noah.
“Garden only.”
He nodded quickly.
“Nobody goes upstairs.”
“Okay.”
“No alcohol.”
“Obviously.”
“If anyone brings alcohol, they leave.”
“Fine.”
“And keep the noise down. Your little sister is here and she needs to sleep.”
“Okay.”
“You clean every single thing before your parents get home. If I see one cup left out at four in the morning, I’m telling them.”
Noah smiled.
“Deal.”
Then the strangest party I had ever seen started.
Teenagers arrived in groups of two and three.
Almost no one came by car.
They walked.
Some carried backpacks.
Others brought grocery bags.
Then Noah sent something through a group chat.
Within minutes, everyone began putting on headphones.
Mark stared at the screen.
“No way.”
I suddenly understood.
“A silent disco.”
That was exactly what Noah had arranged.
No speakers.
No sound system.
No music blasting throughout the neighborhood.
He had sent everyone a playlist link.
They danced with headphones on.
Which explained why the neighbors had heard nothing.
The teenagers weren’t even listening in sync.
One group bounced around while another moved slowly.
It looked ridiculous.
But it explained everything.
Nobody on the street had been lying.
The party had actually happened.
It had simply happened almost silently.
I watched the screen.
Then I saw Mia.
She was still awake.
She sat eating pizza while Noah let her wear his headphones.
She looked delighted.
A sharp sense of guilt hit me.
I had pictured her abandoned in the middle of some chaotic teenage party.
But she had been supervised.
Fed.
Included.
And apparently having a wonderful time.
Then the camera showed something that made the entire situation much more complicated.
Eli had arrived.
