𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥

10

SUNDAY

"Happy birthday, Maddie." My moms voice rouses me awake, I rub my eyes and grunt in response. She laughs and moves the hair from my face. "You wanna come eat your pancakes and open presents?"
My brain wants me to go back to sleep but my stomach disagrees. "Yes please." I sit up with a yawn, flattening down my hair.

"Come down when your ready." My mom says before leaving the room.

I grab my phone from the bedside table and check my new messages.

Logan

Happy birthday!! Me and the girls have a little surprise planned, come over in a few hours?

I smile to myself and text back saying I'll be there. I open up the next message and butterflies swarm in my stomach without my permission.

Quinn
Saturday 9:01 am

Happy 17th birthday, Mads. I hope you have a nice day, see you later. 🎉

9:30 am

Thank you, Quinn. See you soon. :)

I swipe back and open the other messages with similar replies. I roll out of bed and walk to the bathroom, taking out my retainer and brushing my teeth. I wash my face and change into a pair of blue flare jeans and a crew neck sweatshirt, adding my locket necklace and a few rings. I apply lip balm and mascara and head downstairs to the kitchen where a plate of pancakes are wating with some wrapped presents on the counter.

"Hang on, I need my camera!" My mom calls from her bedroom. We have this tradition where she records me opening my presents and we're going to watch them all when I turn eighteen. One more year but I wasn't ready for it to come.

"Okay, got it. Start." My mom grins and focuses the camera on me.

I take the smallest present first and unwrap it, a small box with a Pandora ring in. "Thanks mom. I love it." I smile and slide it on my middle finger.

"You're welcome. Next!" She says enthusiastically, earning a laugh from me. I open the next few, all books I've wanted and thank her again before she ushers me to the last present, an envelope. I open it up and there's a slip.

No. Way.

"You got me in to Daisy Keller's book meet?!" I grin and jump up, hugging her. "Thank you." Daisy Keller was my favourite author, and yes I admit, a romance author.

"You're welcome, honey. The only thing is there's two tickets but I'll be at work." She says, "You think you could find someone to go with you?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I can. Thanks again mom." I smile and sit back down on the kitchen stool and eating a mouthful of pancake.

"You could always take that boy from across to street. He's quite smitten about you, I can see it." She says.

I pause chewing and give her a stare to which she shrugs and smiles innocently.

I roll my eyes and chuckle before changing the subject. "Is it okay if I go over to theirs in an hour? Apparently they have something planned for me."

"Sure, that's fine." She says and kisses the top of my head before stealing a piece of my pancake.

-

I knock on the door and it swings open, revealing Quinn. Wearing a rather flashy party hat.

"Don't ask. I've been told to escort you to the living room. Please follow." He says in a formal tone that makes me laugh. I follow behind him until he pauses. "You also have to be blindfolded, per Logan's rules. Can I?" He asks, gesturing to tie the bandana over my eyes.

I nod and turn he covers it over my eyes and ties it gently at the back, his hands brushing against my hair in a way that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Don't worry I won't let you trip or bang into something." He chuckles and lightly puts his hands on my shoulders, guiding me into the living room.
I hear the girls whispering and I smell the faint scent of fire. Not worrying at all.

Quinn unties the bandana from my head and I have to stifle another shiver. I open my eyes to see Phoebe holding a cake in front of me. Vanilla frosting, sprinkles, seventeen candles and writing in frosting 'Happy Birthday Madeline!'

"Don't ask how we managed to fit seventeen candles on." Rowan says.

I laugh and I still can't wrap my head around it. I'd never had friends long enough or close enough to do this. And honestly it sent a massive wave of emotions in me. "Thank you guys. I love it."

"Blow out the candles!!" Olivia gushes, clasping her hands together.

I smile and close my eyes before blowing out the candles.

"Also we all pitched in and made this." Logan says. Behind them on the coffee table is a basket with various gifts in.

"Thank you so much!" I bring them into a hug, I'm not a big hugger but this was most definitely an exception.

For the next hour we dance to Taylor Swift and play board games, chatting about everything and anything. When I'm about to go, Quinn comes into the hallway.

"Hey, do you have a minute?" He asks, holding a small gift bag in his hand.

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