Do I wanna know? - Jamie Cook

48 - Back home

Coming back home was like getting a bunch of fresh air after being underwater for a long time. I felt like I had been drowning and now I was finally able to breathe.

The comfort that my own home brought me helped to slowly heal the wounds that my heart had. I started to go out a little bit more, instead of only focusing on work. Charlotte invited me to a couple of parties, and sometimes I went out to have a drink with Tom after work.

I hadn't had any contact with the Monkeys; not even with Nick, which was strange. I knew they were touring in Oceania in a few months, but that was it.

My dad and Jessica were still together, and me and Olivia were starting to get along well. Sometimes we watched movies together, or she would ask me some song recommendations, which I happily gave her. Slowly, I started to feel like we were a family; and that made me very, very happy.

A couple of months passed and spring arrived. Work hadn't been so demanding and I had a few weeks until I had to go on tour with a band around the country.

Everything had been pretty calm and nothing interested had happened, until one night I received a call from Nick.

- Hello Nick - I answered the call, and a smile appeared on my face. Nick was one of my closest friends and I was very glad to be hearing from him.

- Phoebe! How are you, love? - I heard him ask through the phone, but I couldn't hear him very well because there was a lot of noise wherever he was.

- I'm doing good, thanks - I replied. - And you? How's the tour? - I asked, and Nick replied but I couldn't understand a thing he said.

- I can't hear anything - I said to the bassist, and I could hear through the call that he was moving somewhere else.

- Can you hear me now? - he asked after a few seconds.

- Yeah - I answered him.

- Okay. Everything's good, we're going back home in a few days actually - he said.

- Oh, that's great - I smiled.

- Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't call you before - he apologized.

- It's fine - I reassured him. - You're a rockstar and you're busy, I get it - I joked and he chuckled.

- So, I'm going to throw Kelly a surprise party for her birthday next week and you're invited - he said.

- That's so cute, and of course I'll be there - I smiled. - Text me all the details -.

- Okay. Tom is invited as well. I don't have his phone number, so please let him know -.

- I will. Do you need help with anything? - I asked him.

- It would be amazing if you could help to decorate that day while Kelly and I are out - he replied.

- I will gladly do that - I said and nodded, even though he couldn't see me.

- Uhm, I'd also offer you two to stay at our place, but it would be a little suspicious - Nick said. - But I can talk to the lads and ask if you can stay with any of them -.

- It's okay, Nick, thanks. We will book a hotel - I thanked the bassist. - I don't want to bother any of them - I said shyly.

- Hey, you don't bother us, okay? You are our friend - he said, and it made me feel so good to hear that. I was really fond of the band.

- Okay - I said with a big grin. Then somebody said something to Nick but I couldn't understand what.

- I'll be there in a minute - he said to that person. - I've got to go, but I will text you the details - he then said to me.

- Okay. Bye Nick - I said to him.

- Bye Phoebe. Take care -.

- You too - I said and then hung up.

The next day I got a text from Nick with all the details, so I called Tom and we immediately booked a hotel room for both of us. We booked it for two nights; the party was on Saturday night and we were going to arrive a day earlier so Tom could visit the city.

A week passed and Friday finally arrived. We were leaving work after lunch, picking up our bags and then going to the train station. In just under 3 hours we arrived to Sheffield, and we took a cab to the hotel.

- Do you feel like going out? - Tom asked me as he searched for something in his bag.

- Yeah. I need to buy Kelly her present - I said while I brushed my hair. - I was thinking of getting her a dress she said she liked. It would be from both of us -.

- I like that. Let's go - he nodded and started getting ready.

In under 20 minutes we were leaving the hotel and walking through Sheffield city centre. I had previously searched for the location of the store that sold the dress, and we went straight there. Once we bought the present, we wandered for a while and ended up having dinner at a nice restaurant we found.

As soon as we got back to our hotel room, we fell asleep. The next day, after having lunch, Tom and I went to Nick's house. Alex was already there and had everything we needed to decorate. Nick had taken Kelly out during the afternoon and were supposed to come back for dinner, and that's when we were going to surprise her.

After a few hours, the three of us got everything ready and slowly, people started to arrive. I didn't know most of them, so I stuck to talking to Tom while we waited.

At around 7 pm, Alex got a text from Nick saying that they were on their way back, so we turned off the lights and we all stood in the living room. After a few minutes, we heard a car park outside so everyone got silent. The door unlocked and footsteps could be heard from the entrance hall. In just a few seconds, Nick turned on the lights and everyone yelled "Surprise!".

Kelly stood under the door frame with her jaw open, and a smile slowly formed on her face as she looked at the room full of people.

- I can't believe this - she said and let out a squeak of happiness. - Thank you - she said looking at all of us.

- It was all Nick - Alex said.

- Thank you my love - Kelly said to her boyfriend and kissed him.

- Now let the party begin! - Nick said and everybody cheered.