Edited: 30/06/2022
"I hate waking up at this time?" I mumbled, searching for the cancel button.
"Stupid tradition" I groaned, dragging myself out of the bed and towards the bathroom.
As I excited as I was, I continued to curse under my breath as I turn on the shower. I let the hot water run over my body, ensuring that I soaked up every ounce of heat before getting out and getting dressed into some tracksuit pants and a singlet.
Katie and I made it a tradition to wake up and be at each other's houses' first thing in the morning. I have no idea why we do not just stay over each other's houses the night before but this way is a little more interesting at least. It is kind of like a surprise as the birthday girl will never know when you will turn up, they could turn up at one A.M. or five A.M. We tried to get Noah involved in the tradition but, he requires his beauty sleep and still, to this day, thinks we are mad for continuing the tradition for this long.
After I had grabbed all of Katie's presents, I made my way into Caleb's bedroom. I shook his sleeping figure just enough to wake him up.
"Bianca?" he asked. "What time is it?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes, and looking around the bedroom.
His hands landed on my waist as he moved into a sitting position however he quickly let them drop.
"It is really early; I am sorry for waking you but I just wanted to tell you that I am going over to Katie's"
"Okay, I will see you tonight." Even in the dark, his well-defined stomach muscles were glistening in the moonlight.
"So, you are definitely coming to the party then?" I asked
"I would not miss it for the world princess." He reached up, wrapping his arms around my torso and burying his head in my torso.
"Bye princess" he mumbled, kissing me cheek before instantly falling back to sleep.
My hand reached up and touched my cheek where his lips were seconds ago before heading out of the house and towards my car.
The drive to Katie's was shorter from Julie's than mine which I was thankful for on this extremely early morning.
I parked my car out the front of Katie's house and pulled my phone out to send a message to Sam.
To Sam: Hey, I am here. Can you please let me in?
A few seconds later, I heard the door unlock and swing open revealing Sam in his tracksuit pants.
"Every year, like clockwork" he smiled, bringing me in for a hug before softly kissing my cheek.
"I did not want to wake anyone" I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist.
"Yeah, I figured that" he chuckled softly.
Looking up from our hug, I lent up and pecked him on the cheek, "hey" I smiled.
"Hey peanut" Sam said kissing me on the head.
Sam has known me my entire life. Mike and Sam used to babysit me and then when I went into kindergarten, Sam introduced me to Katie. Sam is my second brother and he treats me as if I am his younger sister.
He is twenty-three years old and he has chestnut brown hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin. He is easily over 6ft which means my 5′ 8" frame is tiny against him. He had invented the nickname peanut almost five years ago, I constantly asked him why he called me peanut and he would always respond with 'you are tiny'.
"What do you want me to carry?" he asked.
I passed him my overnight bag and my costume bag that had my outfit for tonight in it.
"Thank you" I smiled picking up the bag of presents, my handbag and the bouquet of flowers that had light pink lilies and red roses included.
"They are beautiful. Her favourite flowers in one bouquet" Sam nodded his head in approval.
"I have only been her friend for how long? You would hope that I would know her favourite flowers" I laughed quietly. "I got them on my way here at the 24hr florist".
"I am familiar with the one, it is usually where I buy your birthday flowers from" he smiled.
Every single year on my birthday Sam buys me a bunch of flowers. Sometimes they are big bunches and other years they are small but every single year I can expect a bunch of gorgeous flowers.
"Okay, shall we do the balloons peanut?" Sam asked as we finished putting everything down in the spare bedroom.
"Yes, I believe that would be a great idea good sir" I bowed laughing.
"You are an idiot. Now, help me blow these up" he said referring to the white, pink, and silver balloons that were scattered on the bed.
An hour later, we had finished blowing up every single balloon and we had also attached strings to each individual one.
We walked silently through the hallway carrying as many balloons as we could until we got to Katie's room.
We carefully opened her bedroom door without making a noise. Group by group, we dropped the balloons off in her room. We kept doing that until her whole roof was covered in balloons.
Placing the flowers and balloon on her bedside table, I looked at her sleeping peacefully. "Happy 18th Birthday beautiful" I said as I retreated back to the spare bedroom for a few more precious hours of sleep.
As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out like a light.
"Bianca, it is time to get up" Sam shook me.
"Go away" I mumbled.
"It is Katie's birthday" he laughed.
I sat up straight away with the biggest smile on my face. "I am so excited, I love birthdays."
"Trust me, I know. I swear you get more and more excited about birthdays every year" he laughed. "Mum and dad are nearly finished breakfast"
"Okay" I smiled, getting out of bed.
I looked outside to see that it was slightly cloudy so I quickly changed into a pair of black jeggings, a grey knitted jumper, a black scarf, and a pair of red vans.
I brushed through my hair, leaving it in its natural beach waves and added little makeup before silently walking down into the kitchen where Cory and Becca, Katie's mum, and dad, were cooking breakfast. Although I felt like I had walked into a fight, they hid it pretty well and wore large smiles. I only had to look into their eyes to know that I was right.
"Good morning" I said, giving them a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Morning sweetie"
"I seriously do not understand how you can come over at some ridiculous time in the morning, do all that work and then be this awake" Cory laughed hugging me back.
"You know she loves birthdays" Becca said, flipping an egg.
"I think everyone knows that" Sam laughed, walking in.
"I cannot help it; it is just so exciting" I jumped up and down on the spot.
"Okay, breakfast is done" Cory said, dishing out the bacon, eggs and hash browns onto the plate.
Once we got into Katie's bedroom I walked over towards her bed and started bouncing on her.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Katie, happy birthday to you. Hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray" We all sung together
"Thanks guys" she smiled, sitting up in bed.
"Happy birthday" I laughed, kissing her forehead.
"Happy Birthday sis" Sam said, giving her a hug
"Happy Birthday honey" Cory smiled
"Oh my god our baby is eighteen, I remember when you were born" Becca said, wiping away a tear that had fallen down her cheek.
"Do not cry mum" Katie said, hugging both of her parents.
"Now, breakfast is served" Cory said, sitting the food on Katie's lap.
"Thank you it looks amazing, the whole bedroom does".
After having breakfast, it was time for the birthday girl to open up some presents. This was always my favourite part about birthdays. I loved spoiling people and watching the anticipation in their eyes as they try and figure out what lies beneath the wrapping paper. I especially love the look of shock or love in their eyes when they open their presents.
"Can I go first, please" I begged.
"Of course" Sam laughed, rolling his eyes, "like every year."
"I just love birthdays" I smiled.
"We know!" everyone yelled at once making me blush.
"Whatever, okay open this one first" I said handing her the first present.
She tore the present open and screamed when she saw the Polaroid camera. "Oh my god, thank you so much. I have wanted one for ages."
The next present she opened was the eighteenth birthday wish jar. "I could get everyone to do one of these when they arrive for the party."
"I think that would be a great idea" her mum smiled.
"Now these two" I laughed. Turning towards Katie's family, I smiled innocently, "just in advance, do not yell at me for this present."
She ripped the paper off the two bottles of alcohol and laughed. "For tonight" she said shaking the bottles in the air.
"How did I know you would have bought her alcohol Bianca" Sam laughed.
"If it's a problem I can drink them" I offered.
"You will do no such thing" Katie guarded her vodka and tequila
The next thing she opened was the bra and underwear sets.
"Argh my eyes. Put them away" Sam healed covering his face with his hands.
"What these?" Katie said jumping out of bed to put them in his face.
Sam did not hear Katie get up out of the bed, so when he did open his eyes, the bra and underwear sets were right in front of his face.
"Argh" Sam screamed in shock, tripping over the rug.
I was holding in my laughter but when Sam screamed, I just could not take it anymore. We were all rolling around in fits of laughter as Katie started chasing Sam around with them in her hand.
"You are the worst sister" he said to Katie as they made their way back into the bedroom, "and you" he pointed at me "suck, why would you buy her those. She is not even allowed to date".
Katie and I snickered under our breath and I could not help but laugh internally as I knew, for a fact, that Katie was not even a virgin anymore.
After a few minutes, the laughter died down but our grins did not fade.
"This is the last present" I smiled giving her the scrapbook
She carefully ripped the wrapping paper off the book and a gasp escaped her mouth when she saw what it was.
"Oh my god" she said turning the page ever so carefully.
The first page was a photo of the both of us hugging, the second page was about how we met, the third page was about our first sleepover, the fourth page had some of our special moments on it, the fifth page had all of our hopes and dreams, the sixth page was about all the places that we had travelled together, the seventh page had quotes and secret sayings that we share, the eighth page had notes that we had passed during class, the ninth, tenth and eleventh page had random pictures of us ranging from when we were kids to now, the twelfth page had concert, movie and theme park tickets on it, the thirteenth page had things that reminded me of her, the fourteenth page was full of embarrassing moments, the fifteenth page had a poem on it, on the sixteenth page I told her why I love her and the seventeenth page had a quote with another photo of us.
"This is the most beautiful present I have ever received" she said crying
"Do not cry, I am glad that you like it" I hugged her.
"You are the bestest, best friend anyone could ever ask for."
"You are too."
"This is why you should never go first!" Sam exclaimed, "how are we supposed to top that?"
3 hours later...
"Do you want to go for a ride?" Katie asked
"Of course I do" I jumped in joy, running out to the stables.
I quickly took my vans off placing them on the rack so I could put the riding boots on.
"Hey boy" I said kissing Leo's head.
Leo is a male Buckskin horse with a dark brown, almost black main and tail. I remember when Katie first brought him home when he was only a baby.
"I missed you" I said as he nuzzled his head under my arm.
"You ready?" Katie asked already on top of Belle, a chestnut girl with a brown main and tail.
"Yep" I said putting on a helmet and getting on Leo.
"Come on boy" I gave him a kick and then we started running beside each other.
We rode for a good twenty-five minutes until we stopped at the familiar opening where the river was. I jump off Leo and tie him up to a tree shortly followed by Katie.
"Bee, look at this. Do you remember doing this?" Katie asked, looking at the tree
"I do" I smiled as I run my fingers over the carving that read B + K + N = BFF
It was a warm summer day. Katie, Noah, and I wanted to go and ride the horses.
We took them out all day and as we were riding, we found the most gorgeous opening. There was a bench where you could sit, a small lake and trees everywhere.
Katie, Noah, and I were only eight or nine so we spent ages looking for our perfect secret hangout spot. This was perfect and it ticked all of the boxes.
That day, we had made a pact to always stick by each other and never let anything happen to one another.
To make the pact official, we carved our first initial into the tree as if we were signing a contract.