The Mixed-Up Candles
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Ana and Leo each secretly buy birthday candles for the same office cake, and the result is far more candles than planned.
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Ana and Leo both worked in the same small office. Their coworker's birthday was on Thursday.
Ana bought a box of candles for the cake on Wednesday. She hid them in her desk drawer.
Leo also bought candles that same day, without telling anyone. He hid his box in the break room cupboard.
On Thursday morning, everyone gathered around the cake in the kitchen. Ana pulled out her candles.
"I have the candles," she said. She smiled.
"So do I," Leo said. He held up his own box.
Everyone laughed. The cake now had two full sets of candles. That made about twenty-four candles in total.
"That's a lot of candles," their coworker said. "It looks like a bonfire, not a birthday cake!"
They lit every single candle and turned off the kitchen lights. The cake glowed bright orange.
Their coworker laughed and took a photo. Then she blew out all the candles. "What a fun birthday," she said. "Thanks to both of you."
Ana and Leo looked at each other and laughed too. "Next year," Ana said, "let's just ask first."
"Deal," Leo said. "One box of candles is enough."
