Picking You

Fireworks

RUE'S POV

I smiled as Jess squealed as she came out of the car, running up to me and squeezing me tightly in what she thought was a hug. "Happy birthday to my sugar bunny!". I coughed as I said, "Thank you now please release me". She laughed as she let me go, immediately entering into another one with Jace and Jeff, after which I got a less tight one with Skylar and Shawna, who happened to be the only emphatic ones in the room. They each handed me a gift, "Awwnn thanks you guys", I gave my cutest smiled. Jordan, my brother is spending the day with Flynn just so that I get to have this day with just my friends and I. Mum is helping with the preparations but that's about it.

"Woah woah woah, what do we have here?", Jace announced as he entered the kitchen to see Jordan frying eggs with an apron and a chef hat. "I'm Chef Dan at your service. What would you like to eat?", Jordan said with his very clear Canadian accent. "Definitely not those eggs", Shawna said as she eyed the eggs. "Ooooooooooo", everyone screamed at Shawna's diss. "That's gotta hurt", Jeff sighed patting Jordan's back while the rest of us were giving Shawna high fives.

"The life of the party is here!", Sam screamed as she strolled into the house few minutes after we eventually ate up Jordan's eggs which weren't really that bad. "Yasss babyyy", Mira squealed along with her as they walked into the kitchen with gifts, directly beginning them were Blake, Tyler and Bryan, Mira's boyfriend. Everyone got up to greet them while Blake completely avoided me.

I walked up to him and whispered, "Hey can we talk?". "Rue! Happy birthday! Here", Tyler hugged me handing me his gift then followed by Bryan who was less loud and more polite. I thanked them while I dragged Blake up to my room with the gifts in one hand.

"Look I'm sorry but it's really not what you think it is", I said softly holding his hands. He sighed before looking at me, "I don't think anything. I trust you. I just don't like that guy", I smiled. "His driver wasn't going to be able to drop him today so he had to come yesterday evening. That's it". He looked away scanning the room. "Come on, smile", I said as I used my fingers to form a smile on his face. "Fine", he said before smiling and kissing my lips, pulling away almost immediately.

"So I was thinking of what to get you for a birthday gift because nothing could beat that", he said pointing at the necklace he gave me last year which was currently resting on my neck. "But then, after months and weeks and days and hours and minutes and seconds of endless thoughts, I finally decided on the best birthday gift ever!", He yelled as he spread his arms wide apart. I laughed as he continued talking as his face fell, "Which now that I'm thinking about it would definitely be hard to beat next year". I couldn't contain myself anymore as I put my hands around his neck pulling him down towards me and kissing him deeply, "Oh yes yes, I knows I'm quite hard to resist", he smirked before kissing me again.

By the time we came downstairs, Bri, Natalie, Ben, Jules and Jake had arrived. "You guys finally decided to pull away from each other. Applause everyone!", Jace yelled as we came down the stairs. Blake flipped him the finger while I went to hug Bri and my friends. "Happy birthday baby girl", Bri screamed as she hugged me tightly. I looked up to see Jordan staring hard at Blake who was equally glaring back. Oh God please don't let anything terrible happen. I prayed as Jules pulled me into another hug.

"We have to go shopping for bathing suits, Ben", Jules whined followed by Sam, "Exactlyyyy! They don't get it". "Wait, so you girls want us to be the ones to shop for the food, drinks and everything we'll need for the party while you go shop for your bikinis?", Jeff asked pointedly as we glared at them. Bri smacked his head as she said, "Bikinis are important. They determine our mood!"  "Well somebody get this girl a red bikini because she's pissed", Jace laughed before immediately stopping because of the look on Jess's face. "But it's not fair! We want to get our swimsuits too!", Ty said as he put his arm around Sam. "Fine let's just split it. We'll take care of the food while you guys do the drinks and other stuff we'll need. Deal?", Jess said to everyone. "Deal!", we all yelled smiling.

"Are you sure that's how it's done?", I eyes the dough Mira was rolling on the board. "Trust me, my grandma owns a pizzeria. I know all about these things", Mira smiled as she focused on rolling her dough. I nodded as I turned back to washing the crabs and lobsters in the sink with Sam. "I have never been so intrigued by something in my life. How does it sting with this?", Sam asked as she eyed the lobster's tail making us all laugh. "I'm almost done with the last batch of samosas!", Shawna announced. "I'm getting this all wrong!", Jess whined as the fillings for the shawarma kept spilling as she wrapped it. "Here, I'll show you again", my mum smiled as she came to stand beside Jess who smiled gratefully, "Thanks Mrs Evans!". "The cupcakes have arrived!", Bri yelled as she walked into the house with cupcakes in her hands and the cake in Natalie's. "Natalie, if you drop that cake because of your chit chat with Ben. I swear to God. I'll...", Jules yelled walking in with the bag I assume our swimsuits are in. "Fine! I'll drop it but you won't know how it feels till you get a boyfriend", Natalie grumbled as she dropped the cake gently on the counter. "We trusted you with our swimsuits Jules, I hope we won't regret it", Shawna smiled at Jules. "Oh trust me sweetie, you won't", Jules smiled proudly. "I wonder how the guys are doing", Jess laughed as she said. "Terrible, I'm sure", Bri laughed.

Meanwhile.....

SKYLAR'S POV

The car stopped in front of the hardware store and everyone turned to look at Jace. "What are we doing here dude? We said we're going to get fireworks", Ty asked confusedly. "They don't sell them at the hardware store?", Jace asked looking wary. "Why the fuck would they do that?!", Jeff yelled. "Alright sorry sorry", Jace said as he drove out.

"I like this one", Blake said as he held a pack of fireworks in his hand. "This one looks better", Jordan said pointing at another one. "Then save it for your girlfriend's birthday", Blake smirked as he took two packs of the one he chose and walked off. "It happens bro", Ben said patting Jordan's back.

"We should rent a volleyball net", Bryan said as we paid for the stuff. "I think they have that at the beach", Tyler said. Bryan's eyes widened as he replied, "They do? I thought people normally brought theirs to the.....". "Sh sh sh don't say that outside ever again", Tyler whispered to Bryan who nodded and started looking around to make sure no one heard him even though we all did.

"Oh shit, we forgot the speaker", Jeff said as we exited the store. "We need speakers? For what?", Ben asked puzzled while Jeff smacked his forehead, "For the music bozo. We can't just play it from just our phones. It won't be loud enough". Ben nodded his head, "Oh right. Let's add LED lights, they radiate my inner awesomeness". Jack scoffed, "More like LDE radiating your little dick energy". "Woahhh that was a good one", Jace as he high fived Jack.

"God we're so good. I'm sure we pulled this off more than the girls", Tyler confidently said as we walked up the porch. "Um guys", I said. They all stopped to look at me, I braced myself as I said, "We forgot the drinks and the mats and ice for the coolers and red cups and our swimsuits". They all turned to each other,

"Shit", Blake muttered

"Fuck", Tyler sighed.

"I'm so dead", Jace grumbled.

"Can we get refreshments sometime in the middle of all this hustle", Jordan groaned as he rubbed his stomach.

"We're never going to make it in time", Jeff glared at me.

"We have to drive all the way back?", Jack whined.

"Let's just go! Move! Move! Move!", Ben yelled as we all scrambled back into the cars.

RUE'S POV

"Yay, we did it! Just in time", I smiled as I clapped my hands at everyone.

"I wonder where the guys are at. They've been gone for hours", Jess said as she dried her hands with a towel.

"They're here! They're coming up. Oh wait, Skylar's talking to them". Mira said as she looked through the window. We rushed to the window to see them.

"They don't look happy", Shawna chuckled as we watched them closely.

Soon enough, they started scrambling back into the cars as we rolled on the floor laughing.

Best birthday ever, I tell you.

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