Live While We're Young

Chapter 19: End of Summer

Taylor: Today was Leo’s birthday, along with Niki’s last day here in London. I felt proud of what I had gotten Leo. I had gotten him tickets to watch a soccer game played by the Arsenal. They were even pretty good seats. Everyone was going over to the Tomlinson’s.

I walked into the Tomlinson’s house. “Hey,” Leo said, giving me a quick kiss. I held the tickets behind my back. He noticed, of course. “Whatcha got?”

“Your birthday present,” I said, smiling.

“Hm,” he said. I pulled them out to show him. He smiled and his eyes got wide.

“Arsenal tickets?” he asked.

“Yep,” I said, “One for you and one for your amazing girlfriend.”

“Ooh,” Leo said, “I can’t wait.”

“Me neither,” I said. He laughed and kissed me.

“GET A ROOM YOU TWO!” Amie yelled. I laughed. Since she had given us her blessing, things had gone back to normal between us.

“Hey,” I said, running up the stairs to plop down on the couch next to her, “What’s up?”

“Not much,” she said, “I think you gave my brother something better than you gave me for my birthday.”

“Did not!” I said.

“I know,” Amie said, “I’m just giving you a hard time.”

Darcy: We got to the Tomlinson’s at six. Niki sat by Taylor and Amie, chatting.

“Hey chica,” Niki said.

“Hey,” I said.

“Or should I say superstar?”Niki asked.

“Oh,” Jess said, running into the room, “I was just texting your dad about this. Darcy I had some really really cool news.”

“What?” I asked. Jess was beaming.

“I had to pretty much kick my boss off my back to make sure I could be the one to tell you,” Jess said.

“What?” I asked again.

“Darcy, I was wondering if you wanted a recording contract with Sony Music?” Jess said. My heart stopped.

“Are you serious?” I asked, blinking over and over, and pinching myself, and gasping in excitement.

“Would I joke about that?” Jess asked, “That would be cruel.”

“Oh my gosh! Yes!” I screamed. I ran up and hugged Jess, then I ran and hugged my dad. I was going to be a star. We heard the door open and Carly stepped in.

“Hey!” I screamed at her.

“Woah,” Carly said, “I feel like I missed something.”

“You did,” Niki said.

“I’m going to be signed by Sony Music,” I said, now crying with happiness. Carly ran up to me and hugged me.

“That’s great news!” she screamed.

“I know right?” I said.

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Amie: We sat around my brother, singing happy birthday to him. He was 16 now. It was just a happy day. Darcy got a record deal, Niki was getting ready to head to college, it was my brother’s birthday. I loved it.

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Carly: We sat in a circle in our pajamas. It was our last sleepover before Niki went off to college. Her room seemed bare, striped of many of the posters that used to litter Niki’s walls.

“I have some stuff for you guys,” I said. I pulled out my bag of stuff I had made for them. “For Darcy,” I said, handing her the picture I had drawn.

“It’s beautiful,” Darcy said, “I love it Carly! Thank you.”

I smiled, “For Taylor.” I pulled out the basketball shaped pencil holder.

“That, my friend, is cute,” Taylor said, “Thank you.’

“For Amie,” I said, pulling out the mirror.

“That’s so pretty,” Amie said, “This is going straight on my wall when I get home. Thank you Carly.”

“And for Niki,” I said. I pulled out the collage.

“Wow,” Niki breathed, “I love it. I’m going to need it, all the way across the pond.” She gave me a hug. “Thank you.”

“I’m going to miss you when you leave,” I said.

“All of us are,” Taylor said.

“I think you guys will be amazed how much you don’t realize I’m gone,” Niki said.

“I think you’ll be amazed how much we don’t,” Darcy said.

“Please,” Niki said, “You’ll be halfway through your first album by the time I come back. Taylor, you’ll probably be engaged for all I know. Or playing for some girls football league. Or maybe a full ride to Manchester, who knows. Carly, you’ll have your art hanging somewhere awesome, and you know you will. Amie, you’ll have found some super cute boy who you’ll go on and on about when I get back. You guys won’t even notice I’m gone.”

“I don’t think I’ll be getting engaged in three months,” Taylor said. We laughed.

“But you guy will be fine,” I said.

“Yeah,” Darcy said, “We’ll be fine. But we’ll still miss you.”

“Do I need to go through my entire inspiring speech again?” Niki asked, “And its not like I’m trading galaxies.”

“But we’ve had you our whole lives,” Amie said.

“And you’ll still have me. I just won’t be there to pick you up from school,” Niki said. We all sighed.

“We have until tomorrow,” I said.

“We have until tomorrow,” I repeated.