Thanks To You

Chapter Twenty Nine(Zack)

It was the 19th of April, Friday morning, and all four boys had the day off as well as the weekend. After a bit of bickering on what they could do.

"We could go skiing!" Alex exclaimed
"It's April!" Rian remarked

"But I want to go skiing" Alex responded pouting softly at Rian.

"I promise all four of us will go skiing together in the winter" Rian replied "for our joint birthday" Rian added.

"Speaking of birthdays" Jack cut in quickly to steer the conversation back to the original topic "it's Zack's birthday on Sunday" Jack said pointedly.

Zack let out a groan quietly "no it's not" he replied

"I completely forgot!" exclaimed Alex, wide-eyed. "We have to do something special for Zack."

"We should throw him a surprise party!" suggested Jack, excitement lacing his voice.

Zack rolled his eyes, but a small smile tugged at his lips. "You guys don't have to do anything. Really."

"Nonsense!" Rian chimed in. "We're celebrating whether you like it or not."

"Fine, but keep it low-key," Zack begged.

"Let's just agree to make this weekend about Zack, no party no drinks, just whatever Zack wants to do" Jack said softly.

Zack scowled at Jacck at the suggestion, tapping his foot on the floor softly. 'Too much pressure, not for me, too much attention please make it stop' he thought to himself.

Alex rubbed Zack's knee under the kitchen table "hey it's okay we can just spend the day watching movies" Alex said "or go to the carnival"

"I don't know, I usually just go out for a ride on my motorbike" Zack shrugged.

"Zack" Jack warned

"What? It's true, I like being alone on my birthday" Zack responded shrugging.

"I can go with him" Rian suggested "I mean I only have a provisional, so it'll help me get my licence" Rian said. "Then I can stop putting it off" Rian added.

Jack looked at Jack then at Rian "no no no no!" Jack exclaimed panicked "I do not plan to lose you both to bikes" Jack said "or you both getting injured"

Zack frowned "Jack-o-boy, surely going with Rian would calm you down more considering he's a nurse" Zack pointed out.

"True," Jack conceded reluctantly, "but I still don't like the idea of you riding unsupervised."

Rian nodded in understanding. "We can compromise," he suggested. "I'll ride with Zack, and we'll stick to safer routes. Plus, I'll make sure he wears all the protective gear."

Zack glanced at Rian, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. "Deal," he said, finally cracking a smile. "But no crazy stunts, alright?"

"Agreed," Rian replied with a reassuring smile. "Just a leisurely ride to enjoy the day."

As the conversation continued, Zack couldn't shake off the feeling of reluctance about celebrating his birthday. He had always been the type to prefer solitude, finding comfort in the simplicity of his own company rather than being the center of attention. The thought of a surprise party made his stomach churn with anxiety, but he didn't want to dampen his friends' enthusiasm either.

Jack noticed Zack's apprehension and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Seriously, Zack, we just want to make sure you have a good time. It doesn't have to be a big ordeal if you're not comfortable with it."

Zack appreciated Jack's understanding but still couldn't shake off the unease that bubbled within him. He glanced at his friends, each one eagerly brainstorming ideas to make his birthday memorable. Their intentions were pure, but the thought of being the center of attention for an entire day was overwhelming.