Everyone Loves You... Once You Leave Them

Chapter 01

Harper sat at the island in the kitchen typing away on her laptop, she had been so swamped with work these past few weeks. She finally took her holidays from work but while she was gone the temp worker they had for her left her with a ton of work that she could have finished but she didn't. This was one of the reasons why Harper didn't like to take time off work. She was a receptionist at the local healthcare but in the home care department.

"Ugh.. why do they always have to get lazy people to do my job? It's not even that complicated in the first place," she sighed.

"Please, I beg you, just put your fucking laptop away already. We were supposed to leave for Matt's BBQ like half an hour ago." Zacky said.

He got up from the chair and closed Harper's laptop. Harper looked up at Zacky and opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"You finished?"

She nodded her head and grabbed her phone. The two of them made their way to the front door and as the opened the door Brian stood there.

"The fuck took you guys so long? Everyone's been waiting on you to." Brian said and looked over at Zacky. "I can take Harper from here."

"It's all good Brian. I've got her," Zacky said.

The two men stood there, silent and giving one another this "look." Harper rolled her eyes and walked over to her car.

"I'm not a child, guys. I've got my a vehicle of my own. See you guys there. Oh and be a doll Zack and lock my door would you?"

Zacky nodded his head and locked the door behind him. Brian already pulled out of the driveway and sped off down the street leaving Zacky all alone. Harper sat in her vehicle in silence. All she could think about was her work and everything she had to have finished by the end of the week. When it came to her work she was OCD, everything had to be up to date, in its place, and everything had to be filed away. Her phone lit up and she looked down at it, it was a text from one of her coworkers.

"Cheryl was wondering when those order forms were going to be here? Melody didn't order any at all while she was here."

"They should be there by tomorrow morning."

Harper set her phone back down and pulled into Matt's driveway. There were a lot of vehicles here so she had to park more down the street but she didn't mind. It was a nice neighbourhood. Brian pulled up behind her and she could see him reaching in the back of his car trying to grab something.

Harper got out of her SUV and a few minutes later Zacky's vehicle came into view. Brian got out of his car with a plastic bag, most likely it was more alcohol.

"So how's Harper doing today?" He asked.

"I'm alright. I just can't stop thinking about all those forms I have to go through and correct everything that Melody messed up. You know, they really should hire people that aren't in their teens for this, not that I have anything against teenagers but every summer student or fill-ins that we had sure do not know what were doing."

"Rough. Well now's not the time to think about work. We've been planning this shindig for a while now so why don't you quit thinking about work and try to have a little fun?" Brian asked.

Just as Brian was about to put his arm around Harper Zacky run between them. Brian mumbled something under his breath but smiled when Harper looked at him. The three of them walked into the house and made their way to the backyard. Right as Zacky opened the door everyone in the backyard shouted surprise.

"Happy birthday!" Everyone yelled.

Harper stood there in silence looking around at everyone that was there. She had been so caught up with trying to get everything ready for work that she had completely forgotten it was her birthday.