Hali was crouching on the ground, leaning forward to try to catch her reflection in the smudged basement window across the narrow alleyway. She'd decided to pin up her bangs: since she was with her friends in their spot, it was safe to show her third eye. The rhythmic sound of Kaffir's rubber ball against the wall had lulled her into a false sense of security, almost causing her to lose her balance when Kaffir abruptly addressed her, breaking the silence.

[color=fb8158]"Yeah, my birthday's on Monday. Just four more days!"[/color]

She tilted from side to side, half-pondering what she wanted as a gift, half-trying to get a better view in her makeshift mirror. It wasn't really working out. Deciding to be satisfied with her handiwork, she pointed her three-eyed gaze at Kaffir. What could she ask for as a present? She didn't have birthday plans any grander than eating birthday cookies on her roof at sunset with friends and family, and that was what she did [i]every[/i] year.

[color=fb8158]"You guys should steal a spaceship for me, and we can ditch school and tour the galaxy instead."[/color] She smiled proudly, as if she had come up with the greatest (and most realistic) idea in the history of sentient life. [color=fb8158]"And then we'll eat cake. On the spaceship. Space cake!"[/color]