Two birthdays at one table

Text C: an original fiction extract.

For seventeen years, Nadiya had shared a birthday with her twin brother, Adam. Their mother kept an album in which every year began with the two of them behind one cake. As children, they had competed to blow out the last candle. Now Adam wanted to go climbing with friends, while Nadiya wanted a long meal at home where nobody needed to shout over music. Their mother proposed a combined celebration: climbing in the afternoon, supper afterwards. She said it would save everyone choosing between them.

Nadiya said that sounded fine. She was good at saying fine before she had worked out whether she meant it. Adam booked the climbing session. Their mother began a group message called The Twins Turn Seventeen. In the photograph she chose for it, they were six and wearing matching paper crowns. Nadiya watched the first cheerful replies arrive. She nearly asked for the photograph to be changed, then decided that explaining would make a small thing look needlessly important.

On the afternoon itself, rain delayed the bus back from the climbing centre. Nadiya had stayed home to cook with her aunt. At seven, the table was ready, the food was hot and four guests were checking their phones. Adam sent an apology and a photograph of wet shoes. Their mother suggested waiting another twenty minutes. Nadiya turned down the oven. Her aunt asked whether she wanted the salad dressed now or later. The practical question made her suddenly cross, although it was the only question she could have answered easily.

When Adam arrived, everybody cheered. He described the highest wall, the awkward final hold and how one friend had refused to come down until the instructor talked him through it. Nadiya stood with a serving spoon in her hand. People asked whether she had gone too. She said no, then explained the meal. Someone praised the potatoes and immediately asked Adam another question. He answered with a mouthful of bread. Nadiya put the spoon down harder than she intended.

Adam noticed. He followed her into the kitchen carrying two plates. She told him that the evening had become the after-party for his afternoon. He said she should have told him she minded the original plan. She began to say that she had not minded, then stopped. Through the door came their mother asking where they both were. Adam looked towards the sound, then back at his sister. He said he had assumed a quiet meal meant she did not want much attention. Nadiya said quiet was not the same as unimportant.

They returned together. Adam asked Nadiya to explain the dish she and their aunt had adapted, and this time he listened rather than preparing his next climbing story. When the cake arrived, their mother lined them up for the photograph. Nadiya asked for one picture together and one of each separately. Their mother looked surprised, then moved the cake. Later, Adam asked whether next year they should plan two events on different days. Nadiya said they should discuss it before anybody opened a group message. She still liked the photograph of them together. For once, she did not think liking it meant it had to be the only one.

You are Nadiya. Write your journal entry late that evening, reflecting on the birthday celebration.

In your response:

• explain your feelings about the original arrangements and why you did not speak sooner
• explore what happened during the evening and what you and Adam came to understand
• consider what you want to retain and change about future birthdays

Base your response on Text C, developing its ideas in your own words. Write about 250 to 300 words. Up to 10 marks are available for reading and up to 10 marks for writing.