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"ᴵ ˡᵒᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘ, ᴳᵃᵇᵇʸ."
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The three girls were stood in Gabriella's bedroom at the elder Gilmore residence, looking in awe at themselves in the mirror that stretched to the ceiling.
"We're so pretty." Leah breathed, smoothing down her dress.
"And vain." Gabby snorted quietly. Everyone was quiet, the whole room still as they stared at themselves in the mirror.
"It doesn't matter, we're pretty." Demi scolded, twirling her own dress as she watched.
"We are pretty, but we have to get downstairs, we're late. I'm late to my own birthday." Gabby laughed, tearing her eyes away from her own dress, still obsessed with the colour of it. The smooth blue fabric hugged her figure like a second skin, her warm brown eyes and blonde hair contrasting delicately. Miss Celine had given her a thin silver necklace with a little flower charm and a matching bracelet, with some blue flowers pinned into her hair, which was plaited in an ornate up-do. She did look pretty.
"Who cares, we're pretty." Leah exhaled, pointing to the reflections. Her own dress was long and flowy, white with golden embroidery. Her mother had made it, with the help of Miss Celine. It suited her beautifully, and her long blonde hair flowed down to her waist.
"Okay, we actually have to go." Demi sighed, fixing her own hair. It was smoothed back into a large bun at the base of her head, two strands left to curl in front and frame her face. Her dress was the longest, a proper princess dress that reached the ground. The soft pink colour contrasted against her dark skin amazingly and she was positively beaming.
"Yup. Come on." Gabby giggled, linking arms with the two as they started off downstairs. They were all grinning as they walked down the stairs, greeted by a crowd of both teenagers and adults. A pile of presents was threatening to break a table as waiters walked around holding platters with flutes of champagne and mini pizzas. Her mother had wanted to serve lobster rolls and vol au vents, but since moving to Lorelai's, Gabby's taste in food had changed drastically. She had managed to convince the five-star-chef to make mini chicken burgers and little tubs of chili fries, much to Lorelai's delight.
Eyed immediately turned to the three as they walked down, Marcus waiting at the foot of the stairs, clutching a glass of Coke in his hand as he smiled at them. He was wearing a black suit, tie tight against his neck and watch flashing on his wrist, his hair fluffed up slightly at the front. "Hi. You all look so nice." He greeted, linking arms with Demi who was closest to him. They all preened under the praise, making him snort in laughter. The four had been trained from a young age how to thrive in these situations, but the girls still loved dressing up and showing off.
"Ooh food." Leah pointed out, dragging the other three with her over to the buffet table. Gabby caught sight of her mother and excused herself from her friends, knowing that it was easier to get the 'socializing with adults' part over and done with.
"Hey Mom, thank you so much, this is the best party ever." Gabby thanked, smiling sincerely at her mother, who smiled back proudly.
"I'm so glad you like it, Gabby. Oh, look at you, all grown up." She cooed. "It was only yesterday we brought you home for the first time." Emily reminisced, and Gabby smile only grew, "Now, come and meet Marshall Hammond, he's lovely and I think you'll get on just fine." Marshall Hammond was lovely, and so were the five other young men she was introduced too. She was very polite as she spoke to them and their mothers, and discreetly put the cheques that fathers handed her to her own father who tucked them into his blazer pocket with a wink and a smile.
"I'm going to find my friends now, Mom. I'll see you later." She announced as they walked away from Mrs and Mr Peyton. She kissed Emily's cheek before bee-lining to the library, hoping to not get stopped on the way.
"Hey, Gabs!" Lorelai called her over, and Gabby turned to her, hiding her disappointment.
"Hey Lore, thank you for coming!" She greeted, smiling widely.
"No problem. It's my little sister's birthday, of course I'd come. I did leave your present at home, though, so you'll have to get it tonight." Lorelai told her, clutching her champagne tightly. "Having fun with all the vultures?" she joked, making Gabby laugh.
She stilled for a moment before asking, "Did Rory come?"
"No." Lorelai shook her head, "She said she had studying to do." She told her, "Sorry, I know that you two haven't been getting on that well."
"It's fine. I'm gonna go see my friends now." Gabby excused and remained on her way to the library. The whole room, lined with books and globes and oil paintings, was filled with teenagers, drinking champagne and wearing gowns and suits like the little trust fund babies they were. Demi was trying to flirt with Paris who was rapidly turning the conversation into one about the political state of Europe. Leah was drifting around, giggling and only slightly drunk, hanging on the arm of a very somber Marcus, dutifully dragging the girl away from any conversation that turned strange.
"Hey." She greeted, giggling at the tipsy Leah who gasped at the sight of her, throwing her self onto Gabby enthuastically. "Having fun, Lee?" She asked as Leah hugged her tightly.
"You're like my best friend." She slurred, holding Gabby's face between her hands. "I love you, Gabby." She nodded very seriously and then burst into giggles, collapsing back onto Gabby.
"It's alright Marcus, I'll look after her. Go mingle." She offered and Marcus smiled softly.
"Happy birthday Gabs." He said, leaning down and pressing a fleeting kiss on the top of her head before going over to his swimming friends. She smiled and then gently moved Leah over to one of the sofa, soft snores leaving the girl's mouth as she slept, very elegantly and not at all drooling. She smiled softly at her friend, brushing a loose lock of blonde hair away from her face before leaving her be, wandering off to a gaggle of people from her science class.
Halfway through a drunken story about a rumor of three boys in Kenji Sakurada's school, someone touched her elbow, guiding her to look around.
"Hey." Callum smiled, "Happy birthday." He told her, leading her away from the group, towards the library door.
"Where are we going?" she laughed, as he pulled her out of the library, gently holding her wrists.
"I want to dance with you." He shrugged, guiding her through crowds of people, towards the back garden.
"I didn't know you were coming." She commented, smiling.
He nodded, "Marcus mentioned that I was on the invite and then my mother and father forced me to come. I've been stuck for the past hour talking about accounting."
"Oof. If it makes you feel any better, I've been talking to eligible bachelors suitable for me for the past hour and half." She comforted as they walked onto the patio, just round the corner so they were out of view.
"And I wasn't mentioned? How rude." He chuckled, pulling her into him, both hands around her waist as her's settled around his neck, fingers gently playing with the hair curling on the base of his neck.
"Thank you for coming." Her words were quiet against the muffled party inside.
"Anytime darling." He chuckled, the sound reverberating through her as she layed her head on his chest as he moved them softly. "I'll give you your present after school tomorrow." He told her softly.
"You didn't have to get me anything," She protested gently, but made no other effort, too comfortable in his embrace.
"Don't be silly." He hummed, swaying to the tune of the imaginary music. "I think you'll like it."
"Oh yeah?" She asked, eyes closing.
He nodded, "Oh yeah. Definitely. It's something we talked about on our date." He hinted and she looked up.
"You got me a unicorn?" She gasped in mock-excitement, making him laugh. "Thank you!"
"Not quite," he laughed, looking down at her, blue eyes meeting her brown ones. "But I think that I deserve a thanks now, sort of like a down-payment, you know?" He teased.
"Oh really. And what should that be?" She asked, eyebrows raised.
"Hmm." He nodded, "And... you know what? I think it should be.... a kiss." He proposed, pulling her closer again.
"Okay." She shrugged and then leaned up, aiming to press a kiss on his cheek when he swerved, once again capturing her lips with his own. He was leaning down to her, almost on her and she was pressed up against him, begging to be closer, holding each other up as they kissed, foreheads resting against each other. She pulled away softly, him following, as if he couldn't bear to leave.
"Cal, we really shouldn't." She murmured, eyes half-closed as she gazed up at him, in a daze. He chuckled, before leaning down and kissing her again, silencing her worries. By the time she pulled back again, her cheeks were flushed pink and the only sound that filled the air was them, trying to breathe.
"Happy birthday." He grinned smugly.
"Don't ruin it."
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