It was a warm, golden evening as friends and family gathered in the backyard, fairy lights twinkling, music playing low, and a giant “19” balloon floating next to the dessert table. The setup was dreamy—flowers everywhere, a tiered cake with gold lettering that read “Gaby’s 19th”, and a picture wall filled with memories from over the years. Everyone was there to celebrate Gaby, who looked stunning in a white sundress, glowing as she soaked in all the love and attention.

Jake, of course, couldn’t resist messing with her.

As she cut her cake, he leaned in with a dramatic gasp. “Nineteen?! Wow. So old. Practically a fossil.”

Gaby rolled her eyes, still smiling. “Shut up, Jake.”

“I’m just saying,” he continued, grinning. “You’re one step closer to needing orthopedic shoes and forgetting where you parked your hover-round.”

She flicked a bit of frosting at him. “You act like you’re not two months younger than me.”

“Exactly,” he said proudly, dodging the frosting. “I’m still in my youthful prime. You, on the other hand… welcome to the elderly club. Do you want me to get you a walker with glitter on it?”

Everyone nearby laughed, and Gaby shook her head, trying not to laugh too hard. “You are so lucky this is my birthday and I’m feeling generous.”