Chapter 15. Stupid Roses and Balloons

RUBY

A week had passed since the scandal, and I had been avoiding Toby as much as possible. It seemed he had been doing the same, and I was relieved that he seemed to respect the boundaries I had set. Our interactions were strictly limited to public events, and the online pictures had been taken down. The blogs had even managed to twist the story, claiming that it was Aiden, not Toby, who had been kissed by Yasmin. Given their striking similarities and the unclear nature of the pictures, it was surprisingly easy to debunk the rumors and scandals.

On this particular early morning, I was abruptly awakened by the sound of trumpets and piano. Confused, I opened one eye, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding before me. Strange faces, decorations of flowers, balloons, cakes, and teddy bears greeted me. And then there were cameras. Instinctively, I jumped up, startled by the sudden burst of activity.

"Happy birthday!" the room erupted with shouts and screa