Becket Drive - h.s.

Chapter 21

THIS IS A DOUBLE UPDATE so make sure to read 20 before this one. Enjoy!

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Vera

My mind struggles to comprehend what I'm seeing in front of me. Through the door to the patio I see Niall, Grace, and Zayn lined up in expectance with smiles on their faces. To their right is a table lined with food I can't really see from here. Near the back of the patio, there's a projector set up, not turned on but aimed at what I can't see but assume is a screen. There are pillows and blankets set up clustered a bit in front of the projector, setting up a place for all of us to sit.

Behind my friends are the tall buildings that sit near our apartment building, their lights on and bright, magnifying the lights that are now lining the patio. My eyes scan around, finding lights in virtually every corner.

My confusion is replaced with an intense warmth in my chest, my heart beating faster.

This must have been why Grace said no to getting dinner.

A smile grows on my face in understanding as I turn back to Harry, finding his eyes already on me, his usual smirk plastered on his face. "What the fuck?" I ask in sheer surprise.

He doesn't answer, still staring down at me.

"For me?" I ask, just to make sure I'm not understanding this wrong.

"No it's for me," he says dryly before placing a hand on my lower back to push me forward. We step onto the patio and I walk closer to everyone else.

The chilly air hits me as I take a breath in, expecting it to be colder than this. There are heaters in each corner of the patio and blankets for that but luckily it's not too cold.

Harry's hand drops from my back as I reach Grace. "Happy birthday," she says excitedly.

"Are you crazy, why did you do this?" I ask.

"Why not?" she asks with a shrug.

Turning to Zayn and Niall on either side of her I say, "You guys didn't have to do this." From the looks of it, this took a while to set up and I don't want them to have gone to any trouble.

"Would you let yourself enjoy something for once?" Zayn asks, giving me a look.

"Seriously, it's your birthday," Niall interjects.

"We want you to have fun," Grace adds.

Her words hit me and I realize that I've never had friends who were willing to do this for me. Whenever I was growing up anything like this fell onto my parents and they always did their best to make me happy. When I moved away, I started dating Ethan and the idea of making friends kind of fell away. He was all I needed.

It's not that Ethan's never done anything like this for me but it's always been just us two. I didn't think anyone else would want to do this for me.

Speaking of Ethan.

This is the first birthday that either of us hasn't spent together. It hurts me to think how little of an effort he put in today, even if we're not on the best terms.

I try not to think about it anymore. I can't force him to be here. If he wanted to he would have. I'm not going to let him ruin the rest of my night.

"Thank you," I say to all of them, thankful that they took the time for all of this.

"Of course. Now let's eat something before this food gets cold," Grace says, starting to walk to the table they set up. I follow after her, getting to the table and seeing what they ordered.