i'll have what she's having

[beyoncepadthai]

So, Mindy's last birthday went uncharacteristically uncelebrated. Of course, she shopped and drank and all of that, but this year she's more than in a partying mood and has more than enough invitees to put something on without seeming like a total loser.

Deciding to mix things up, Mindy's rented out a cool seat-reclining, wine and dine theater at High Street mall, splurged on snacks and booze and arranged for a viewing of her favorite film. Of course there are a bunch of cool new releases she could let her guests enjoy, but it's her birthday, and this is one way she can force everyone she knows to watch the wonder that is literally anything Nora Ephron.

She can hear Danny's whining already, and she couldn't care less.

What she can't help but care about is what Danny once said to her back in New York, his cruel reminder to her that she wasn't getting any younger, the promise of a hot husband and adorable children ticking away. She's all the more conscious of it this week, especially after freaking out momentarily thinking that Luke might have already moved on.

The right decision or not, a real relationship or not, it's one more shot at a future that she's managed to screw up.

Hence, the alcohol. Dressed to impress, Mindy arrives early to get her start on a super strong and super fruity cocktail while she waits for her first guests to turn up.

[Set to the night of the 20th of June at one of the fancier theaters at High Street Mall. From 8-ish cocktails (+ beer and wine) and finger food will be served in the bar area, and then the movie (viewable on YT, if you are so inclined) will be starting at 8:30. Tag Mindy, tag around, before or after the film. ENJOY.]

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[beyoncepadthai]

There's a hot bartender at the bar and Mindy's been picking apart his brain about how many free movies he gets to see, arguing that he has way better job benefits than her. She can rarely even find the time to see a movie, save for the ones that are on in the dead of the night in between deliveries.

So this is super cool. It's a movie she's seen probably a million times, one that pretty much defined her childhood (even if the I'll Have What She's Having scene was lost on her for long while, she'd laughed hysterically all the same) but enough to hopefully reinforce her romantic notions of the world. Notions that have kind of been dwindling since her failed Valentine's Day and her failed not!relationship and basically everything she's thought or felt since finding out about what she'd missed back home.

Cheating sports lawyers and broken engagements and plane kisses, for example.

On second thought, Mindy's starting to wonder if watching this movie in public might be the worst idea ever.

"Can I get another drink?"

And today's not even her actual birthday.

[Before or after the movie, I don't mind!]

[everyonetakes]

"Ooh, are we getting birthday drunk?" Kate asks when she comes up to Mindy at the bar after the movie. It's one she's seen a bunch of times, but mostly only in bits and pieces whenever it was shown on TV, and T had once very enthusiastically reenacted that whole diner orgasm scene when Kate was fourteen, which had been hilarious, but she's never actually sat through the whole thing until tonight.

It was cute. And Mindy likes it, which is really the only thing Kate thinks matters on her birthday.

"I am super into getting birthday drunk," she says. She also sort of wants to see when Mindy might be interested in having dinner with Derek, but she knows birthdays are weird sometimes. First thing she wants to do is feel out the atmosphere.

[beyoncepadthai]

"Are you kidding me?" Mindy starts, taking a sip of her drink (is it just her, or are they getting less and less strong as the night goes on?) before she turns to greet Kate with a smile. Yeah, she's minorly sad after seeing a movie she's seen a thousand times, but Kate's good company. The best company. "This is basically pre-gaming. The birthday drinking will be on Wednesday when I have aged up and given up. You should get one of these," she says, lifting the glass pointedly. "They're like candy."

[youfeelluckypunk]

Reid isn't sure at what point he decides it's a good idea to finally introduce himself to the guest of honor, but Luke has disappeared from his line of sight for a moment and she's standing right next to him, so it seems appropriate enough. He waits for her to get her drink, not wanting to be rude, and watches her take a sip before preparing his friendliest smile, which is probably just a purely awkward one, and steps forward to lift his hand in the air for a short wave.

"Hi."

There's a silent beat between them, and he realizes then how weird of a greeting that is when they've never met so he lets out a short, nervous laugh before slipping his free hand in his pocket.

"Sorry, hi, I'm Reid. Spencer. Either one. I'm Luke's... friend." It's still a little strange to be able to say that, even to think he's managed to make a friend here at all, though he's exceedingly grateful about who that had turned out to be. There's a small flare of panic in him, though, and he glances around quickly to see if he can spot Luke yet but comes up empty. He'd made the first move here, and he has no choice but to follow through.

"Anyway, I appreciate you letting me come to your party. Good birthday so far?"

[beyoncepadthai]

"Oh, hi," Mindy says, smiling in greeting. "I'm Mindy." In truth, she'd been a little uncomfortable when Luke asked if he could bring a friend, but only because to her "friend" tended to be code for the much hotter girls that her exes were now banging.

Luke had assured her otherwise, though, and even if it was a new girlfriend of his, it's not like she ever was his girlfriend. At least, not enough of one to allow her jealousy.

But it's this dude, and he seems like a nice enough guy. Mindy's always on the lookout for new friends, anyway. "No problem! It's awesome. Going to the movies is basically my favorite thing ever, so. How do you know Luke, again?"

[so_catholic]

Danny has come equipped with a survival kit - a pair of foam earplugs and a Ludlum tucked under his arm ready to read during the movie. He spots Mindy at the first place he looks, a gift bag dangling from his hand as he approaches the bar.

"A few days early, I know," he says by way of greeting, lifting the bag onto the counter, gift box buried inside among obnoxious amounts of colourful tissue paper. "More time for you to complain about the present. Hi." He flashes her a quick smile before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You look beautiful."

[beyoncepadthai]

"Oh, thank you," Mindy says, and she flushes a little in spite of her smile, something she'll put down to the super strong cocktail already in her veins. Absolutely nothing else.

She nudges him slightly with her shoulder, encouraging him to sit down. "I'm kind of surprised you made it. You hate this movie," she says, then grins even more broadly. "Am I allowed to open it, yet?"

[sciencesaggressively]

"I come bearing gifts!"

The announcement gets Newt nothing but a few weird looks, which he thinks is totally rude considering he's carrying an armful of whosits and whatsits that he'd picked up from home, some of them dual gifts from him and Kate, some of them just from Kate--probably the ones that are legit--and the rest of them stuff that Newt had looked at, thought was awesome, and grabbed just because it felt right. The Godzilla dress he'd found, for example, is undoubtedly something Miss High-Fashion Mindy is going to appreciate.

At least, she'd better appreciate because that shit doesn't come cheap, who the actual fuck regularly pays $48.27 for a goddamn dress? He makes a mental reminder to ask Kate about this later, seeing as she works in a boutique and all, but promptly forgets about it the second he sees Mindy on the other side of the room.

"Here, find a place for these," he tells a rando, shoving the gifts in the guy's arms--Newt doesn't recognize him in the slightest, and the guy looks a little bit like a deer in headlights, but he's dressed like Newt is, button-up and tie, so that makes him alright--and pushes his way through the crowd, pausing only to kiss his wife and promise that he'll find her in a bit, before he's finally made it to Mindy's side.

"Christ, did you invite the whole damn city?" he asks, grinning widely at her before pulling her into a hug. A good hug, too, none of those ass-out ones that he gives to people he isn't actually willing to touch, it's the least he can do for her on this day of celebration. "Happy freakin' birthday, what are you, like twenty-one now?"

[beyoncepadthai]

"Oof," Mindy laughs into Newt's pretty intense hug, delighted he's there. Not that she expected any less – she lives close enough to him and Kate that she could kill him if he was a no-show – but she wasn't sure whether to expect him in disguise or not.

Pedo moustaches aren't really in tonight, it seems, and she's a tiny bit grateful for that.

"I should have invited the whole city. I'd be making serious bank," Mindy laments, wondering why she doesn't have a few more friends. She needs to make amends with that one rich hospital admin guy she'd pissed off in the cafeteria by her next birthday. He seems like the kind of guy to gift fancy cars to his friends. "I am," she nods. "I am twenty-one. I love tasting alcohol for the first time, absolutely."

[notaretriever]

Luke hadn't thought even for a second to get dressed in anything other than jeans and a henley, one of his flannel jackets thrown over it, and when he sees Mindy he immediately feels like he should have known better. She looks great and he looks like he hadn't bothered to try, which is painfully true. Not because he doesn't want to try for anyone, but Luke has just been exactly who he is for such a long time that he struggles with pushing himself out of his comfort zone. This is practically a uniform by now and he frowns down at himself, feeling under dressed and out of place.

That he's nervous to begin with about having brought Reid with him makes him feel even worse about his choice of clothing. It's a stupid thing to focus on, but now that he's decided he should have dressed better, it's the only thing he can think about.

It isn't as if it's a date. They're just friends. But he's brought his just friend to the birthday of a former just friend he'd been sleeping with and he suddenly has no idea when his supposed love life got so strange. It's even more stupid to think Reid is looking at this as anything other than a friendly get together and Luke huffs out a sigh and wonders how much beer it might take to get him drunk.

[youfeelluckypunk]

Reid has absolutely no clue how to dress for a movie and cocktails birthday night. The last time he'd attended a birthday party, it'd been for Henry's fifth and he's almost one hundred percent sure that his five-year-old godson hadn't cared even in the slightest what he'd been wearing. His wardrobe in Darrow hasn't changed from what he wears back home, all button-ups and ties and vests and cardigans, and he thinks it might look odd if he tries to dress up too much; but he keeps doing this, keeps adjusting and re-adjusting his collar and tie before he leaves the apartment to meet Luke and for what? He continues to have no clue.

It's easier when they meet up, as it always seems to be. Luke had jokingly told him that he's been told he's comforting, that he had a soothing voice, and Reid had answered in the affirmative but without any playfulness intended. He's nervous each time they make plans together, mostly because he's been trying desperately to resist the feelings that go beyond friendly affection and couldn't possibly be returned, but when Luke smiles and says hello, something in him relaxes.

Of course, his nerves skyrocket again once they reach the party, and it isn't until he's avoided a number of bodily collisions and grabbed himself a glass of sparkling cider, which he's learned is a good enough beverage to hold to avoid questions of why he isn't drinking something stronger, that he manages to huff a sheepish sigh of relief as he returns to Luke's side.

"You were right," he says, glancing around at the crowd with an arched brow as he takes a sip of his cider. "She is popular. My birthdays at home were limited to a max of about eight people."

[notaretriever]

It doesn't make sense for him to feel both so nervous and so completely at ease around one person, but somehow Reid manages to inspire both feelings in him at once. Having a beer in his hands makes it all a little easier, it gives him something to do other than awkwardly shove his hands in his pockets and wonder if he's talking too much or too little. He wonders if people are staring at them, if it's as obvious to anyone else how much he likes Reid, because he feels painfully obvious. Since meeting Rae the other week he's been thinking about it, considering what it means to have seen someone with Jocelyn's face and still be able to be here with Reid and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's not thinking of him as simply a friend. She isn't Jocelyn, he's not so delusional as to think that, but it had been a bit of a shock to see her face. It had certainly stirred things up, made him wonder what he's really doing here, and while he doesn't know the full answer to that questions, he's established one thing for certain: he's tired of waiting on someone who will never love him. Someone who isn't even here. It's alright for him to be thinking of someone else and it's alright for him to want something more.

Wanting something more from a person who likely only thinks of him as a friend doesn't quite seem to be in line with his sudden sense of empowerment, but at least it's something resembling a step in the right direction. Now if only he could manage to relax about it. If nothing else, Reid is his friend and Luke doesn't want to do anything to endanger that in any way. If that means he has to keep his feelings to himself, then that's something he's willing to do.

"My last birthday involved Simon and Clary insisting I wasn't old without me ever saying that I felt old," he answers with a small smile, remembering that day. His birthday is actually coming up soon, but he can't imagine doing anything remotely like this and expects he'll most likely spend the day alone in the store. It isn't that he's adverse to celebrating, but he remembers his last birthday so clearly, the way Simon had looked at him all wide-eyed behind his glasses and said, You're really not that old, you know that, right? And until that moment he hadn't felt particularly old, but he supposes to a pair of fourteen-year-olds, thirty-seven seems practically ancient. "And an ice cream cake that had a clown on it. I have a feeling they forgot to get me a cake and it was the last one in the store."

Not that he had really minded. He hadn't expected anything at all. The fact that they had remembered, that they'd gone out of their way for him, bought him a card and a book they thought he'd like, then run out for the cake when they realized they'd overlooked that part, it had all meant a lot to him and he smiles just thinking about it. "I can't remember the last time I had a real party, though. I might have been only a teenager." But Shadowhunter birthdays were never celebrated in the same manner. They were warriors before they were ever children and while Amatis had done her best, he'd never had parents to give him gifts or make the day special for him. The only person to ever throw him a party had been Valentine. And that isn't a thought Luke wants to dwell on, not tonight.

[beyoncepadthai]

Momentarily freaking out thinking that Luke had already moved on had been one of Mindy's lower points of pride, but she's totally, totally over it by now. Well, okay, she can't help but glance around to see who he's brought along, if for some reason he was lying to her and has brought some crazy bangable blonde.

Which is dumb. They weren't an item, she's done away with all rights to jealousy.

Regardless, she's glad he's made it, even if she's not sure whether When Harry Met Sally is going to be his (or his friend's) kind of thing. They won't be alone in that if it's the case, but it's her birthday and she'll make all of her nearest and dearest cry with her over Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal if she wants to, goddammit.

"Hey!" she greets him, grinning broadly. "You made it. I was worried I'd maybe scared you off."

[notaretriever]

Luke isn't sure what Mindy thinks she could possibly do to scare him off anything, let alone her birthday party given what she's seen him do, but he smiles all the same and shakes his head. Being a werewolf isn't something he's going to talk about in a crowded, public area like this, but she'll know what he's referring to when he says, "You would think I'd be the one scaring you off with everything you've seen."

Maybe it's strange that her presence should relax him, but it does. She's always been easy to talk to, even when things hadn't exactly gone as well as he might have hoped. They've always communicated fairly well, even when Luke wasn't being as honest with either of them as he should have been.

"Happy Birthday," he tells her. "This is quite the party. I like it. I don't think I've ever had anything like this." Parties in Alicante had been far more extravagant than this, but they had never been thrown for an individual. Shadowhunters had never really been allowed to think of themselves as individuals.

[losttheright]

Admittedly, Molly isn't really big on romantic comedies. She doesn't mind them — the good ones, anyway — but it wouldn't really be her genre of choice, perhaps because her own approach to that sort of thing runs so contrary to what's usually depicted in the movies. Mindy, though, she is a fan of, and there's no way in hell she would have missed a night out to celebrate a good friend's birthday. June is full of them, it seems, something that will probably keep her busy, but not displeased for it. It's not like she intends to do much for her own, anyway. She might as well make the most of it for everyone else.

Standing by the bar beforehand, she orders herself a drink, the smile she casts at the bartender her typical warm one, though it occurs to her fleetingly that any flirtatiousness behind it is purely harmless, without any kind of intention behind it. She's not really sure when that started being the case, at least in terms of when she started feeling enough like herself to act forward again in the first place, but tonight isn't the time to question it. She's here for Mindy, determined to see to it that her friend has a good time.

[beyoncepadthai]

The trouble with most of her friends being crazy successful is that Mindy rarely actually gets to spend time with them, which is what makes tonight extra exciting (even if she tends to give off the impression it's all about the presents.)

Spotting Molly at the bar, Mindy makes her way over, already with 1.5 drinks in her and feeling a little lighter than she has lately. She so needs tonight, all birthday traditions aside. "I'm so glad you came!"

[losttheright]

"Oh, hey, of course!" Molly says brightly, turning and leaning in to give Mindy a quick one-armed hug. "I wouldn't have missed it. Happy birthday." It's almost weird, how many birthdays there seem to be in this month, but she's glad that other friends of hers are doing something for theirs. She hasn't really celebrated her own since she got here, and doesn't intend to change that now, but it's nice, getting to do something like this.

[driven_as_hell]

He's a little flattered to have been invited, if he's honest. Emmett has always prioritized work over a social life, and God knows he didn't exactly fit in with most of the other students at Harvard. The former has still been true in Darrow, too. There are a few people he might apply that label to, and Mindy would be one of them, but still, this had been something of a surprise. So he makes sure to clear his schedule for the night, especially with Elle obviously going, making sure he has everything for work squared away and won't be getting any unexpected calls. He isn't even sure that he's seen the movie in question, but that's beside the point. He's at least pretty sure he can't be the only person here for whom that will be the case.

Figuring he might as well, he goes to the bar to order a beer once he's inside, looking out for Mindy all the while, and to see who else might be showing up to this thing.

[beyoncepadthai]

Emmett is Elle's boyfriend, sure, but he's also someone Mindy just genuinely likes, and a success story for her introducing new people to Darrow anecdotes which have been kind of failing of late. He's always super busy (she gets it, she really does) so she's both thrilled and flattered to see he's made time for her birthday party.

Especially since it's basically just booze and a romantic comedy – the effort means all the more. When she spots him at the bar she quickly comes over, broad smile on her face. "Ready for the best film ever?"

Well, okay. One of. It's part of a Holy Trinity.

[likesboys]

With summer in full swing, and Kurt himself feeling celebratory after hitting a few critical milestones in Darrow, he decides that even a trip to the theater is worth breaking out a more fashionable choice in attire. One-eyed monsters in psychedelic colors, the latest trend has been described as. And Kurt couldn't be happier to show off something a bit more out of the ordinary.

In his hands, he has an immaculately wrapped present for Mindy — a Givenchy necklace that he thinks will suit her complexion perfectly. His only regret is that the pearls themselves aren't real, but he hopes that Mindy will forgive him the fact for now, given that he's still a student working on making it by day by day.

All those practicalities are flying out of the window tonight, however. Mindy looks like a million bucks, and it's Kurt's goal to at least be in the same ballpark and not drag her down. He grins as he makes his way to her seat, hoping to score himself a place relatively close to the birthday girl, if luck allows.

[beyoncepadthai]

"Hey!" Mindy exclaims the moment she spots Kurt, shifting in her seat so she can reach to hug him. He's another friend that she doesn't seem to see nearly enough, though that's as much her fault as his. If she'd known being a doctor was going to give her basically no social life, she might have partied it up in college instead of watching romantic comedies all the time.

Well, okay, maybe not. But the sentiment is there.

"That shirt is amazing, oh my god. Do they have it in my size?"

[confidenceman]

"Aw, hell."

As soon as Sawyer steps into the theater venue, he finds himself feeling distinctly underdressed compared to a lot of the other invitees to the evening. He's not exactly sure at what point a trip to the theater became such a spectacle, but with his flannel shirt and slacks, and hair admittedly a little longer than he usually keeps it, Sawyer glances around in slight amusement over how much he sticks out like a sore thumb.

But that's fine. He doesn't get the impression that Mindy will be too upset at him for it. He can always offer to suffer through a makeover later at her direction, if she requires.

Hanging out in the back of the theater, Sawyer's hands restlessly fumble with Mindy's present — a brightly colored silk scarf in red and magenta, a color he can easily imagine matching her brighter shades of lipstick. There's also a small framed painting of Clementine's creation; Sawyer thinks it's a little cheesy, but perhaps perfect for the friendship he's enjoyed with Mindy.

For now, he lingers by the bar, not yet taking a drink until he can find a more familiar face in the crowd.

[beyoncepadthai]

Mindy's way too excited that Sawyer's even there – even without Clementine in tow – to care what he's wearing. For the most part, she's only really concerned with her own attire in general, although she has been known to create lookbooks for most of the men in her life. Even when she's not dating anyone. Here, it's mostly Danny.

In any case, she excuses herself from her conversation she's been having with one of the theater employees about whether she can keep the leftovers the moment she spots him, heading on over. She's already wearing a grin, they could mess up the movie reel and she'd still consider it one of the best nights ever. "Hey!" she says. "Thank you so much for coming. Next outing will be a more kid-friendly event, I promise."

[beyondtheblonde]

There are a few familiar faces in the room when Elle arrives, and then there are a bunch of other people she doesn't really know. This, in her estimation, is exactly how a party should be: enough friends to be comfortable, enough strangers to make new friends. She's got a gift in hand when she gets there and Emmett in her line of vision. It's not long before she's also got a drink in hand, on the lookout for Mindy and anyone else she might encounter. It's been way too long since she last saw this movie anyway.

[beyoncepadthai]

"Hey, hi!" Mindy grabs Elle for a hug the moment she spots her, beaming. Both being crazy successful women, the time they get to spend with each other is limited at best, so this is one of those opportunities Mindy intends to take advantage of. "I'm so glad you're here. Nobody here appreciates Nora Ephron, Elle! Danny bought a book to read while it's on."