My best friend's brother and my brother's best friend (2016)

Happy (yet slightly awkward) Birthday!

"... happy birthday to you!"

Everyone finishes singing as the birthday boy eagerly blows out nineteen candles in one magnificent swoop while still clutching onto his beer bottle.

"Firstly, I'd like to thank my parents for without them, I would not be here," Ollie announces with a cheeky grin on his face as he addresses the party goers all around him who cheer back in response.

"Alright, enough with the sentimentalities," Josh interrupts, gripping Ollie's shoulders before pulling him into a playful headlock, "who wants cake?"

The crowd cheers and whoops as they hold their drinks up in celebration. Then in seconds, everyone gets right back into the party, talking and laughing and fighting over the playlist on Spotify.

I dare a glance over at Josh who doesn't seem to have a care in the world, laughing and joking with his mates as he cuts the huge birthday cake. How is he so chilled out right now? Did I imagine what happened in that dark cupboard only ten minutes ago?

"You want some?" Cara asks happily pulling me from my internal debate and offering me a slice of cake.

"Yes please," I accept eagerly, breaking off a piece of icing and savouring the sweetness, "mm, definitely the best part."

She nods in agreement, taking a bite into her own soft sponge.

"Come on, let's go into the front room," I blurt out as I notice Josh heading over in our direction before grabbing Cara's hand and yanking the poor girl into the next room with me.

"Hold up, Usain Bolt! You'll pull me out of my heels," she laughs as I turn to face her once we get to the next room, "is everything alright?"

"Fine," I state somewhat unconvincingly, in fact almost hysterically.

"Sure you are," she says unsurely, giving me the side eye.

"Hey Cara!"

"Oh hey Samantha!" Thankfully she's easily distracted by one of her old school friends and turns her attention away from my terrible acting.

I spend the next couple of hours immersing myself into the party zone and chatting to Cara's friends, familiar from spending regular summers here. It turns out to be a lot of fun apart from the fact that I'm very tactlessly moving from room to room to avoid you know who.

I don't know what I feel more guilty about; kissing him or potentially making him feel guilty, like he's somehow betrayed Eli.

"You ok?" Samantha asks with a small laugh from opposite me in the group circle we're all sat in.

"Yeah I'm totally fine," I giggle drunkenly, "I'm having a great time."

She casually raises her eyebrows at me in a slightly amused expression. She's not convinced that I'm "totally fine".

"You know what," I start, getting up abruptly, "I think I'm actually going to head outside and get some fresh air."

"I'll come with you," Cara says, starting to get up whilst grabbing her bag.

"Don't worry! I'll stay on the porch," I exclaim, getting up as steadily as possible and grabbing my jacket, "I have my phone."

"Dani, I'm not letting you go by yourself."

"She's not," I feel his hands on my shoulders before I even notice his voice.

Turning around, I force a carefree smile up at Josh as he gently takes my arm and guides me through to the back of the house and out of the sliding doors.

"Hey, do you want some water Dani?" He carefully bends down into my view as I sit on the garden bench that rests on the porch.

"No I just need a minute," I sigh, resting my head on my hand and focusing on the little colourful dots behind my eyelids.

I hear his musical laugh outside of my interior darkness and it doesn't fail to instantly put a smile on my face.

"Hey Dani ... you know you don't owe me anything," he starts on unsure footing, "if you want we can just forget that anything ever happened."

"What do you want?" I ask him, looking up from under my dark lashes.

"To make sure that you're ok, that I don't cause any trouble," he says frankly, staring straight at me.

"You could never do that," I affirm quietly.

"Good," he says, getting up to go back inside, "I'm gonna get you some water."

"Josh?"

"Yeah?" He turns to answer, his hand still on the door.

"Just so you know, I don't want to forget about anything."

All I get is a shy nod before he reluctantly goes back inside.

Sighing and rubbing my forehead some more, I lean forward on the seat trying to stop its swinging from making me feel sick. I lift my head to gaze up at the millions of stars that sparkle right back from far above me.

A beacon of hope I suppose?

As I'm staring intently up at the illuminations dangling almost ominously from above, a shooting star soars across the sky in such a sudden flash that I almost miss it.

A small smile forms on my face as I close my eyes and make my wish. However as I do, the darkness takes me back to the moment earlier tonight and the intensity of being alone in the dark with Josh. I look back up into the sky instead. Now there's only one question left.

Who do I wish for?

Hello my lovelies! So this chapter is shorter than usual but I thought it would be stupid waffling just to make it longer. Anyway, thanks so much for reading and as usual don't forget to vote, comment and share if you enjoyed! ☺️