Molly crouched behind a bush, peering through the fence at the vibrant chaos of the birthday party. Balloons bobbed in the breeze, and a clown was attempting to juggle while a group of kids shrieked with laughter. Bill, adjusting his black beanie, joined her, his eyes wide with excitement. “Look at all those presents!” he whispered, practically bouncing on his toes. “We could be rich!” “Rich in what? Wrapping paper?” Molly rolled her eyes. “We’re not here for the confetti, Bill. Focus!” “Right, right. But did you see that giant teddy bear? It’s like a fluffy goldmine!” He pointed, nearly losing his balance. “Stop pointing! You’ll give us away!” Molly hissed, shoving his hand down. “We need a plan. We can’t just waltz in there and grab stuff.” “Why not? It’s just a bunch of kids. They won’t even notice!” Bill grinned, his enthusiasm infectious. “Because kids have parents, Bill. And parents have eyes. We need to be stealthy. Like ninjas.” “Ninjas? I can’t even do a cartwheel!” Bill protested, scratching his head. “What if we just dress up as clowns? No one would suspect a clown!” Molly raised an eyebrow. “You want to dress up as a clown? You’d scare the kids more than the presents would.” “Hey! I could be a charming clown! Like, uh, Bozo! Or… um, what’s that other one? Ronald?” “Ronald McDonald? You want to steal presents while looking like a fast-food mascot?” Molly shook her head, trying to suppress a laugh. “No, Bill. We need to be inconspicuous.” “Fine, fine. What’s your brilliant idea then?” He crossed his arms, pouting. Molly took a deep breath, scanning the scene. “Okay, we’ll go in as party helpers. We’ll wear aprons and carry trays of snacks. No one will question us.” “Snacks? I like snacks!” Bill perked up. “But what if they ask us to help with the games?” “Then we improvise! Just follow my lead. We’ll grab the presents while they’re distracted with the piñata or whatever.” “Piñata? I love piñatas! Can I hit it?” Bill’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “No hitting! Just focus on the presents!” Molly snapped, then softened her tone. “Look, we’ll be in and out before they even know what happened.” “Okay, okay. But what if we get caught?” Bill’s voice dropped to a whisper, his bravado fading. “Then we’ll just say we’re lost clowns looking for a birthday party. It’s foolproof!” Molly grinned, her confidence returning. “Foolproof, huh? You sure about that?” Bill raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping in. “Absolutely! Now, let’s get those aprons and blend in. Remember, act natural.” “Natural? You mean like a clown?” Bill chuckled, shaking his head. “This is going to be the weirdest heist ever.” “Just stick to the plan, Bill. We’ll be legends!” Molly stood up, adjusting her imaginary apron. “Now, let’s go steal some joy!” “Joy? I thought we were stealing presents!” Bill laughed, following her lead. “This is going to be epic!”