*January 14*
Today is a very special day. Dad gave me permission to not go to school today, and he's gonna take Bella watch tonight so that I could celebrate today and spend the night celebrating, like I did when I was little.
"Hey Uncle Billy! Just wanted to make sure it was okay that I take Jake from school today." I asked into the phone as I was driving to the Rez high school. Dad also let me borrow his non-work truck for the day.
"Only this once, yes. You two don't get into too much trouble today," he said lightly, but there was a little warning in his voice. I couldn't help but laugh.
"We won't! Thank you!" with that I parked in the Rez high school parking lot. It was morning break right now so everyone was outside in their own little groups. I had 16 baby blue balloons tied to my wrist, present under my arm, and a box of brownies in one hand. People were staring at me like I was crazy, but the others that recognized me said hey.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!" I screamed as soon as I got behind Jake, who was sitting at a picnic table with Quil and Embry. I popped a little confetti cannon and it went all over him. He was shocked but laughed and smiled looking at the confetti. He turned and his smile somehow got bigger.
"Linnie!? I wasn't expecting this! Thank you!" he yelled out, getting up and crushing me in a bear hug, which I returned.
"What are you doing here?" he happily asked and sat back down.
"Hey Eva!" quil shyly said, and I smiled at them.
"Hey Eva! Come to steal our boy from school?" Embry asked, and I laughed sitting down.
"Hey boys and yes actually! Your dad already called the school so you're all free to go. I made brownies so dig in boys." I said opening the container of brownies I spent the early morning making. I knew better than to try to get one while they were, so I waited a moment. Jake handed me a corner piece, which is my favorite and smiled, eating his own.
"How many cups of coffee did you have?" Jake asked, nodding a little to my slightly shaking hand. I put it under the table and smiled.
"I don't know like 2..." he gave me this look like he didn't believe me, and I sighed.
"Just about a pot of it," I admitted and they all had wide eyes.
"I made one for the brownies! I found a recipe, and I was up, so I figured I'd try it, and if they ended up bad I'd still have time to make a different batch. The recipe called for like a cup of coffee, so I just made a whole pot of it for the morning, but it was calling out to me! By the time I got here I finished the last cup! Plus the brownie with it, so basically a lot," I innocently shrugged and smiled, and they blinked.
"Oh, so you choose to have a coffee high for a week?" Quil asked, and I laughed.
"Man you didn't even bring us some," Embry fake pouted, and I laughed more.
"You could literally die from that much coffee." Jake said, and I looked at him.
"Yeah but I'm not going to. So many people do that all the time! It's fine! I feel like I'm going a million miles an hour, but it's fine! We're gonna have such a fun day!" I said pushing the present to him.
"Starting with a present!" he laughed, opening the little box. It was a little black rock with the Native American protection symbol painted on it in white.
"There's a leather string attached to it, so you can hang it on the rearview mirror of the rabbit when it's finished or as a bracelet, but you'd have to adjust the string. It's for protection," he was holding it up and had a gentle smile on.
"It's perfect. Thank you," he said, hugging me. I wasn't expecting that, but I quickly returned it.
"Shall we get going?" I asked him, and he nodded, grabbing his book bag and box of brownies away from the two boys who were shoving more in their faces.
"Hey! Those are mine!" He said, and I laughed.
"It's fine Jake, making a cake is on the list for today! Big dinner at the Black's for 6. Don't be late, you two. Also, enjoy the caffeine rush!" I said giggling at their faces, they forgot I had put coffee in them and just ate like 3 each. Jake's boom of a laugh caught eyes, and I smiled at everyone we passed as we basically ran to the truck.
"Where to first?" he asked, and I shrugged.
"Your birthday, you pick!"
"La Push?"
"La Push it is Jakey." And with that, we spent most of the day running around the beach, despite it being freezing outside. We hiked, exchanged childhood memories and had a picnic, then it was 2 and time for us to go.
"Okay now to the grocery store! I'm cooking one of your favorite meals for everyone! And we're making a cake." I said dusting sand off, and he nodded. He pushed the balloons out the way as he got in, causing me to have to push them back at him so I could get it.
"Should we pop the balloons?" he asked, and I gasped.
"No!"
"I'm gonna pop a balloon." he had a mischievous smirk, and my eyes widened.
"Jake don't!" I pleaded, but then he did and my ears felt like they popped. Dang super hearing!
"Ow! Jake!" I yelled, rubbing my ear. He just had to pop one right by my ear.
His response was just laughing. The balloons were tied to the clutch and were blowing out the middle back window as we drove to the little grocery store on the Rez.
"Are you staying tonight?" he asked, glancing at my bag in the small back seat.
"Yap!"
"Okay, so I've taken it my dad hasn't told yours how we sleep in the same bed every time you've stayed over since being back?" he asked, and I nodded.
"Yap! so don't say anything at the dinner." I said, and he nodded his trademarked smile on.
"I'm glad you are. Bella's nightmares have been keeping you up to much. You need a good night's sleep, and it's been like a week and a half since you've been here." he said and I sighed, running my hand through my hair.
"Yeah, hopefully she gets over the nightmare part of her heartbreak soon. Enough talk of Bell's. Here's the list, divide and conquer? Or stay together and probably take an hour longer than necessary?" I asked, and he pretended to think about it.
"Divide and conquer. I'm starving and that Picnic at the beach wasn't enough, great but wasn't enough. Let's make it a challenge! Whoever gets to the checkout area with all the items on their list first, wins." he said as we walked into the store.
"Deal! Wait what does the winner get?" I asked and he shook his head with a goofy smile on.
"You already said deal. Now tear the list and let's go!" We laughed and I did, making it about even items on both parts.
"Ready?" I asked, and he nodded.
"Go!" I yelled out, and we both took off running, pushing each other as we grabbed the wooden baskets then went our own ways. I had most of the baking needs on my list plus snacks for the little get together, so this is gonna be easy!
*40 something minutes later*
"Ha, I win!" I yelled out as Jake finally made it to the check out area looking so confused. I laughed and did a little pout.
"Aww is little Jakey confused?"
"Shut up. What even are a few of these items? And where do I find them?" he asked helplessly, and I giggled.
"It's a good thing you're cute, and it's your birthday black. Come on I'll show you." I said holding my hand out, which he took and showed me the items he couldn't find. We got them and as we were walking back to the check out area a little old lady stopped us.
"Aw, you two are an adorable couple. It reminds me of my youth." she smiled at us. I went to take my hand away and tell her we're not a couple, but Jake's grip tightened a little and he smiled at her.
"Thank you ma'am. Have a great day!" He told her and kept walking. I smiled at her as we passed.
"Jake, we aren't a couple, you just lied to her." I was confused on why he wouldn't correct her. Last time I checked, he still likes Bella, all though they never hang out.
"You're doing your confused puppy face again. And I didn't technically lie, I didn't say we were a couple. I just didn't want to upset her, she seemed nice, and like she was remembering her youth. I let her have that. Anyway, it's almost 3:30, we should hurry." He said, and I smiled up at him, he's so thoughtful. He's gotten a lot taller since I've been back, must be the spirit warrior gene, at least 6 feet now. I was a little hurt by him saying we weren't a couple, but I shouldn't be. I know we aren't and we'll probably be nothing more than best friends for the rest of our lives, which is a long time, but him saying that is basically him saying we'll never be anything more. We checked out and went back to his house.
"Eva's famous chicken mac' and cheese smells so good in the oven!" Uncle Billy said, coming out by the grill about an hour after we got there.
"Still have a little cooking time with the chicken. One chicken goes to two, and since there's 11 people, if Bella comes, I need about 10 chickens. Jake and I are just about to start the cake!" I told him, putting the last chicken on the grill.
"Oh your dad called, Bella isn't coming tonight." he said, and I saw Jake slump a little.
"Oh okay. I'm sorry Jake, I know you wanted her here. She's just been going through a lot lately." I made an excuse for her even though I was a little mad at her. She claims Jake is one of her good friends, yet she never spends time with him and won't even put on a fake smile for his birthday dinner.
"It's fine. I got everyone else I wanted either here already or coming," he said, and I smiled at that. 10 minutes later I chopped all the chicken in slices and put them on top of the two medium size silver cooking trays filled with a little spicy mac and cheese. I mixed the pieces in and set the tubs on the table with help from Jake.
"Time for the cake!" I did a little happy dance at how the dinner came out and because I'm happy to bake. Jake laughed and we did the cake, getting in a small flour war.
When it was in the oven, we cleaned up then got dressed in separate rooms for the diner. I put on a and applied a little make up, mascara and lip gloss. Jake put what he had worn when he stopped by prom, and I playfully rolled my eyes. We watched his favorite movie, Transformers, and when the timer went off, it was time to frost the cake. We finished setting up a little decoration just as there was a knock on the door. Dad arrived first, then Quil and Embry, Harry Clearwater, his wife, Sue, and his two kids, Leah and seth. We ate, laughed, told stories, Leah and I reconnected, had smores around the campfire and sang happy birthday to Jake in the living room. The night ended with me and Jake cuddled up together in his bed, uncle Billy allows it as long as the door is open, and dad doesn't have to know everything. It's one of the best days I've had in months.
~since its a jake story after all i had to write a chapter of his birthday! Hope you liked it! Happy reading!~