For the first time in weeks I wake up to someone next to me. I immediately try to jump out of bed, but I'm stopped by another standing over me, pushing me back down.
"Niall?" I look up, to his smiling face, turning around I try to see who's next to me, "Zayn."
"Harry! How are you?" Niall says, sitting on the bed next to us, Zayn stays over the covers, as I'm underneath.
"I'm holding on." Barely. Suddenly I get flooded with questions in my brain.
"What are you doing here? How did you get here? Why are you here? Does school not exist anymore? Who let you in? Is my mum okay?" Many more questions flood me, I'm not even surprised if they don't answer.
"Good morning to you too." Niall starts.
"Do you not know what day it is today?" He asks, sitting down, "And your mum is fine, we just skipped school today."
"Todays Friday, right?" My dates have been messed up recently.
"What month?"
"Januar- oh shit." I look at my alarm clock on my bedside table, it reads-, "February 1st."
"Have you been to caught up to forget it's your birthday?" My birthday.
So much has changed since my last birthday, my whole life style has flipped upside down it feels.
"Oi- Stop with the dwelling, Harry. Let's go look at your new shit, yeah?" Niall shakes my shoulder, snapping me out of it.
"Okay." I know deep down I don't have any 'new shit' well from Lottie anyway, she's spent every quaking minute awake with me.
~~
I get pushed down the stairs by Niall behind me, Zayn stays asleep in my bed. He hasn't been sleeping for what Niall's told me, he needs this.
"Happy Birthday, Harry." Lottie immediately hugs me, "Well boys,I didn't think you could get him up. The first time I tried, it took a solid hour to get him out of bed. Where's Zayn?"
"We left him to rest, you know." Niall says, jumping over the back of the couch onto the front. I run my tired eyes before walking around to sit on it, still l half asleep.
"I know it's not much but..." Lottie hands me a bag, two more rest on the coffee table, "This is from me, these are from your mom and my sisters, they wanted to be here but they had school." She sits down on the other side of me.
"You shouldn't have- Thank you Lot." I smile at her before opening the bag.
A small bear lies in the bottom, I pick it up, it's brown and small but extremely warm, "Is it heated or something-"
"I realise how cold it gets in Lou's room so I got you a heated bear! Do you like it?"
"I love it. I really appreciate it thank you." I wrap my spare arm around her.
"I knew you would like it! Niall took me on a late night shop a few days ago when you were asleep, I was going to pick you up a few more bits when you were at school."
"No this is more than I could ever want."
"Mate open mine next!" Niall says, handing me a wrapped present, I recognise the paper from Christmas.
I unwrap it to reveal another small box within, one like a proposal- "Niall I don't know what you're trying to say..." I look up to him.
"Hey! That's not very nice, considering I got you a really expensive present... Now open the damn box!"
A small ring lays in it, it shines golden in the morning light. A small oval onto wear a normal ring would be...
"Fucking hell, it's gorgeous." I recognise it from somewhere, I feel as if I've seen it before.
"Do you recognise it?" Niall asks.
"I feel like I do but I can't place my finger on wear it's from.." Lottie grabs my hands and pulls it into hers to look closely at it, it fits like a glove on my finger.
"Wait..."
She walks to a table on the other side of the room, picking up a picture frame that has a candle lit next to it.
"Is it Louis' ring? How did you-"
I turn to Niall with anger in my eyes, he hasn't been messing with Louis' shit. Has he?
"No! No! Me and Zayn thought of this project that we all get the same ring, gifted at our birthdays, Zayn and Louis have gottan there's... You were just next, Harry."
My heart turns at the mention of his name.
"That's beautiful, Niall."
"When do I get mine?" Lottie asks, laughing at her own joke, Niall laughs aswell.
The laughing stops at the sound of footsteps down the staircase.
"Have you opened it?" Zayn calls from the stairwell.
"I have. It's amazing Zayn." He smiles as he comes into sight, now leaning against the banister.
I notice a chain around his neck, a gold one.
"So you like it, mate?" He calls out, walking towards the couch.
"Thank you." In a way I feel closer to Louis then ever, I feel him watching over me and our friends and us admiring him and all he lived for.
It's hard basically being in love at 18 to someone who isn't around anymore, but with friends like these... They make it worth it.
I hug Zayn as soon as I stand up, I know he's going through it aswell, brings me comfort.
"You have a few more now, Harry."
"Yeah the one from the twins! You'll love it!"
I pull open the pink bag to find a pink hair brush in the bottom, pulling it out, we al laugh.
"They clearly don't know about your new... haircut." Niall says.
"It's the thought that counts, eh." I shrug before playing it on the coffee table.
"Harry! My little birthday boy! Finally 18! You grew up oh so fast!" My mum hood down the stairs.
"Mom do you need your meds? Lottie do you mind-"
"Oi- It's your birthday, let's celebrate first. Open mine!" She hands me a massive box, planting a kiss on my forehead, "Lovely ring, Zayn got you that, yes?"
"Yeah, of course Mrs Twist, anything for your son."
"Oh polite and handsome..." She sits down next to him, I turn back to my box.
I unwrap this one slower than the rest, it reveals a brown, wooden instrument inside.
"A guitar??" I look up to my mum, confused.
"Louis always told me about how talented you are, at school with the different instruments you play, so I took it into my own hands to get you an instrument for at home. Now you can be creative here aswell, only if you play me a song every once in a while." I look down, smiling.
"Thank you mom. This is so amazing. I love it!"
"Only for my son." She rubs her head on Zayns shoulder smiling, so beautiful even in her old age, always has been.
"That's it, thank you all so" I start to pack away the paper when...
"Wait!" Lottie says, "There's one left!"
I look up to her, "Where?"
"In your room, let me go get it." She hops up before running to my room.
"Tea? Coffee? Anyone?" I offer, standing up.
"Nope!" Niall pulls me back down, "It's your birthday-" He sings, "It's your birthday, we have to do everything for you! It's the birthday code."
"Here!" Lottie hands me a gift bag smaller than the rest, smaller than Nialls.
"Who's this one from then?" I say, pulling out a box from inside.
"Louis." She smiles, sitting back down.
"How-"
"Just open the present."
It clicks open, to reveal the most beautiful, real silver cross necklace. I look up to her, I feel a tear puddle in my eye.
"He got this for you a little bit before the trip, he told me all about it one night. I came over late to this house after my boyfriend dumped me-"
"Wait you're single?" Niall calls out.
"Shut up!" She responds, we all laugh, "And we had a chat that lasted all night. Just before you woke up, I left. He told me about how it's for your birthday and that it comes up ages from then but when it does come up, he couldn't wait to see the look it your eyes-"
"Pure happiness." I finished her sentence.
"Yeah his words exactly. How did you-"
"Can you put it on for me?" I turn around, she helps me click it on as everyone watches.
"Thank you for this, thank you for everything. Best birthday ever."
"Your very welcome, Harry."
"Yeah no probs mate, anything for you."
"Now that I'm allowed to drink- who wants a morning margarita?"
Zayn, Niall and my mum cheer at this but Lottie stays quiet, "Sorry forgot you're underage."
"Ill have a virgin one?"
"That's my girl!" Niall says, jumping up, "Margaritas all around!"
During this past year I have felt many things, including love. I will hold onto that feeling till I drop dead, but until then, I'll hold onto my smiles and enjoy the time where I'm happy, my sadness goes and comes around but, with people like this in my life I'll be okay.
And you will too.
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