Molly leaned against the wall of the alley, her eyes darting to the brightly colored balloons bobbing in the breeze. “You sure about this, Bill? I mean, it’s a kid’s party. What if they catch us?” Bill adjusted his black beanie, a grin spreading across his face. “That’s the beauty of it, Molly! Who’s gonna suspect two thieves at a birthday bash? We’ll blend right in!” “Blend in? You think we can just waltz in there with our masks and black clothes?” Molly raised an eyebrow. “What are we, ninjas?” “Exactly! Ninjas! Just think about it. We sneak in, grab the loot, and sneak out. Easy peasy.” Bill gestured dramatically, nearly knocking over a trash can. “We’ll be legends!” “Legends? More like the laughingstock of the criminal world. ‘Remember that time Bill and Molly tried to rob a birthday party?’” She crossed her arms. “What’s the plan, genius?” “Okay, okay. Here’s the plan.” Bill pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. “We go in through the back, right? There’s a cake table, and the presents are right next to it. We grab the gifts, and if anyone asks, we just say we’re the entertainment!” “Entertainment? You think they’ll buy that? ‘Oh, look, it’s the clowns who are here to steal our toys!’” Molly rolled her eyes. “What if they have a magician? We’ll be the first act to disappear… forever!” “Relax! We’ll just say we’re doing a magic trick. ‘Now you see the presents, now you don’t!’” Bill chuckled, clearly enjoying his own joke. “Yeah, and then we’ll end up in a magic box of handcuffs!” Molly sighed. “What if the kids scream? You know how kids are. They’ll alert the parents faster than you can say ‘party favor.’” “Okay, okay, I see your point. But think about the haul! There’s gotta be at least a hundred bucks’ worth of toys in there!” Bill’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “And cake! Don’t forget the cake!” “Cake? You’re willing to risk jail time for cake?” Molly shook her head, trying to suppress a smile. “You really are something else, Bill.” “Hey, it’s a good cake! Chocolate, I heard. And we can always eat it while we’re counting our loot!” He winked. “Now, are you in or out?” Molly sighed dramatically. “Fine! But if we get caught, I’m blaming you. And I’m not sharing the cake.” “Deal! Now, let’s go over the plan one more time.” Bill rubbed his hands together. “We sneak in, grab the presents, and if anyone asks, we’re the surprise guests!” “Surprise guests? You mean the surprise thieves!” Molly laughed. “This is going to be a disaster.” “Or a masterpiece! Just think of the headlines: ‘Thieves Steal Presents, Leave Cake!’” Bill chuckled, his excitement infectious. “Yeah, and the subheading: ‘Two Idiots Caught in the Act!’” Molly shook her head, but she couldn’t help but grin. “Alright, let’s do this. But if we end up on the news, I’m changing my name.” “Deal! Now, let’s go steal some joy!” Bill exclaimed, leading the way toward the party, his heart racing with anticipation.