I followed Matt's advice on self care all week and even if I didn't feel like it, I told myself that I owed it to myself since it was my birthday week and for the rest of the week, I hadn't felt better.
Waking up on Friday, I was still in bed when I had a knock on my door. Without answering it, in entered my parents.
"Happy birthday!" Mum and Dad burst in excitedly.
"Hi," I yawned, sitting up on my bed.
"Get dressed, grandma's making crepes," Dad hugged me, kissing my forehead.
Downstairs, Mum, Dad and grandma sat at the dining table, waiting for me. Sitting together, we served ourselves, chatting as we ate.
By eight o'clock, there was a knock at the door.
"You should answer it," Mum told me, as if she knew who was there and what was happening.
Walking to the door, I opened it to Matt holding a large bouquet of dusty pink, cream and white roses with added foliage.
"Happy birthday," Matt hollered, hugged me, holding his left arm away from me to not squash the flowers. Kissing him, I couldn't help but grin like a madman.
"I got you these," Matt gave me the bouquet, kissing my cheek.
"Matt," I grinned, smelling the bouquet. "Thankyou," I kissed his cheek. "anyway, come in, we have crepes,"
Bringing Matt into the kitchen, everyone welcomed him with open arms, grandma immediately making him a plate.
"Wait, let me get a photo of you two," Mum stood up, pulling her phone from her back pocket, pulling it out to take a photo. Wrapping his arm around me, we both smiled, Matt pulling me close to him.
Sitting together on the table, we ate all together until we had to go to school.
School was like any other normal day, just with extra love from my friends and a little celebration.
After school, Jaden and Bridget insisted that they would be taking me to Stevie's for a birthday snack and then to Bridget's house to get ready for tonight. I didn't understand why we were going to Bridget's to get ready for a birthday celebration at my house. I was suspicious but after everyone telling me not to worry, I decided not to fight them.
"As you know, we're doing presents tonight, but, we had to give you this before," Bridget began, Jaden pulling out a box.
"So this is from us and your Mom," Jaden pushed the box to me.
"The three of you?" I rose an eyebrow, examining the box, before untying the ribbon wrapped around it.
Taking the lid off, black tissue concealed the contents.
"Well, open it will you?" Bridget poked me impatiently.
Peeling the sticker which kept the tissue together, I pulled the tissue away from the contents to reveal an Off-White houndstooth skirt.
"Your favourite sneakers are Off-White and we asked your Mum what your favourite brands and things are," Bridget explained as I admired the skirt, its thick woollen fabric and yellow belt.
"And to look through your closet," Jaden added.
"So was this all co-ordinated?" I put the skirt down, grinning.
"Only a little bit," Jaden showed a small gap between his fingers.
"What else have you guys done?" I asked.
"Nothing else, we just wanted to get the perfect skirt," Jaden insisted, taking a sip of his vanilla milkshake.
Soon enough, we went back to Bridget's to get ready.
"How does it feel to be an adult?" Bridget asked, the three of us in her bathroom, sitting and doing out makeup with Jaden sitting on the bathtub.
"Like it felt like to be a kid," I shrugged, applying concealer. "Really, I can't feel any profound difference,"
"Okay, well what can you do at 18 that we can't at 17, anyway?" Jaden asked, pushing his hand through his hair.
"I can vote, buy cigarettes, own land, get a tattoo, sue," I listed, powdering my face.
"You can star in porn," Jaden added.
"I'm only really excited for voting," I shrugged.
"That's all?" Bridget looked at me, unimpressed.
"I could move out when I graduate," I added.
"Would you?" Bridget asked, bouncing a makeup sponge on her cheek.
"Would I what?"
"Move out when you graduate," Bridget confirmed.
"I want to," I said.
"Would you stay around here?" Jaden asked.
"I want to go to New York, get signed, make music," I told them.
"But New York's expensive, how would you be able to do it?" Bridget pointed out
"My Mum's parents, they have a spare room," I told them, brushing my hair with my fingers.
"So you live with your grandparents, then what?" Bridget asked, unconvinced.
"I get a job, I get by," I explain, applying a natural coloured lipstick.
"What if it doesn't work out?" Bridget brought up .
"Then it doesn't, but first I'm going to work my ass off. I've already released songs on Soundcloud, I'll get somewhere," I defended, standing back to look in the mirror.
"Well we believe in you," Bridget threw her arm around me
"Speak for yourself!" Jaden chuckled, getting a glare from Bridget. "Margot, you know that we are you biggest stans,"
"Thanks," I hugged him, sitting next to him on the bathtub.
