Penguin charms

It had been a little more than a year since they has last spoken to each other. Kimberly was drumming her fingers on her phone screen, her mind restless and her resolve dying. It was his birthday, a day that had been so special for her for so many years until today, today it was just another day. Suddenly that day had lost all meaning. She tried to remember the last birthday...

You don't need to do this anymore Kimberly. 

I already had this planned, I'm sorry I couldn't cancel it. Hope you have a great birthday anyway. 

That's all, that's all they had said to each other on the same day last year. Kimberly remembered what this was about. There was a penguin shaped cake that was delivered to his house along with a couple of penguin shaped balloons. She sniggered even today as she remembered why penguins were so important. 

They'd met at a friend's party, both of them standing on either corner of the room on their phones. Finally, their friends coaxed them to join a conversation. 

"My spirit animal would be a panda," one of them said. And then a lot of other animals came about. Suddenly there were two people who said in unison, "my spirit animal would be a penguin." They were both surprised and so were the others, but just like penguins they were inseparable since. 

When the completed a year of being together, he gave her a greeting card with a penguin on it that said, "when penguins meet the right one, they mate for life. I've picked you mate." It was the sweetest thing she had ever seen but what was even better was that he became a penguin that day, throwing his head back and making a happy penguin song. 

She couldn't stop chuckling and reminiscing. Suddenly she realised her light drumming had turned to furious thunking. She finally picked up the phone and messaged him. She thought the reply would be instantaneous, but she got nothing. Before she knew it the day almost ended but then she heard a familiar ringtone. A tone she hadn't heard in ages. 

Hi. 

Hey, happy birthday! I texted you. 

I know you did. When did we start wishing each other via text? 

Now? 

Oh. Well. I thought you'd like to wish me in person. But maybe I should go home? 

You're here? Oh no. Please don't. I'll see you in 2 mins. 

She rushed out of her house and onto the street to see him standing there. The familiarity of this scenario hit her like a gush of wind on the beach. She rushed to him and gathered him in a rib crunching hug. 

Happy birthday! I thought you won't even reply this year. 

Thank you. And I thought you won't call, which you didn't so I was right. Wait I've got something. 

And there it was a cupcake with a penguin's face on it. 

I know what we have been through Kimberly but we're still penguins and we mate for life. And I pick you mate. 

I pick you too, mate.