Snapshot [2] ON HIATUS

Chapter 5

QUICK A/N: Still in the old Zalfie pad, not quite sure how I'll incorporate them moving house yet.

Two months had passed since that photoshoot, bringing us into March. I've always loved having my birthday in the month of March - every year, the daffodils spring up just in time and the sun tries it's best to leak through the layer of clouds.

To tell you the truth, I'm still adjusting to celebrating my birthday. Obviously my birthday has always been there, but it kind of just lay near enough untouched, with the exception from a few cards from kids at the home. They never sang happy birthday to me or threw a 'party' like they did for the others. I was seen as the 'troubled' and 'weird' one and I think they were fearful of how I would react. Not that I minded, back then it would've been my worst nightmare to stand and listen to twenty or so people sing 'Happy Birthday' to me, but maybe it would've been nice for me to at least be acknowledged.

Now, with a week or so until my sixteenth birthday (A/N: TIMINGS ARE QUESTIONABLE, just roll with it haha), Zoe and Alfie had asked what I wanted to do to celebrate. They'd already suggested a party, to which I hastily declined - really not my cup of tea.

"I don't really mind to be honest." I replied truthfully. "Just something nice and low key and I'll be happy."

They took that without trying to persuade me to be more adventurous, knowing that I wasn't that type of person. "Leave it to us", Alfie had replied, with a mischievous smirk working it's way onto his face, making me slightly apprehensive.

As the days rolled on, I was actually feeling excited for my birthday to arrive. The last birthday I'd spent with Zoe and Alfie was when I was fresh out of the orphanage and I was still adjusting to a somewhat 'normal' life, and so we kept it as quiet as possible. This year though, I was a fully fledged member of the Sugg-Deyes family and it was weird having my birthday feel like a special occasion in the family calendar.

The day/night before my birthday, Poppy and Sean and Mark stayed round (Mark Ferris FYI). I loved all three of them and so when Zoe asked if I minded having them there on my birthday, I was quick to assure her I didn't at all mind. Poppy and Sean had arrived that morning, after going out food shopping for their own place and also buying croissants and things so we could all eat breakfast together. As they walked into the kitchen, Poppy came over into the sitting room where I was sat on my laptop and embraced me in a hug. "Hiii! You looking forward to tomorrow?" she asked.

"Hiya! Yeah, I am actually!" I replied, a smile beaming across my face. From the moment we met, Poppy and I have always had a special bond, both of us describing each other as the sister we never had. Of course, she's technically my auntie but she does a stellar job at both roles. I got up from the couch and made my way over to the kitchen table, still in my pajamas as it was still only 10am and I'd only been awake half an hour. I'm very much like Alfie in that sense - we both love our sleep. Sitting down next to Sean, I grabbed a croissant and ate whilst scrolling through Instagram on my phone.

Once done, I put my plate in the dishwasher and went up to my room to get ready. After taking a quick shower and brushing my teeth, I dried my hair and then got changed. Since living with Zoe and Alfie, if one thing has evolved even more than me it would be my fashion sense. Before I was adopted, I was very much into collars and cute jumpers and skirts with tights and boots, practically copying what Zoe would wear in her vlogs. Nowadays, I've develloped my own style and much prefer to dress in skinny jeans and a casual shirt or t-shirt and trainers. For some reason, altough I'd put it to the back of my mind, ever since the day of that photoshoot, I'd been even more interested in fashion and makeup, in the least vain way possible.