Ally sat in a seat too.
I don't understand why she's here.
Okay, obviously she's got detention, but why?
I walk in, my smile completely dropping from my face as I took my usual seat in this class. Ally was on the other side.
When she saw that I sat kinda far from her, she moved closer. To the seat just beside me, Zoë's seat.
"How'd you land up here?" Ally asked with a beaming smile.
"I didn't complete the work in English." I shrugged not sparing her a glance.
"Oh." She said quietly. "Have I done something wrong? I feel like we haven't been talking as much." She asked me softly.
"You haven't ally. I just have a lot going one right now. I'm sorry." I turned to her to look at her.
Her blue eyes looked into mine with a sense of hope. Like a flame rose within them. I wanted to switch the flame off, but do it gently.
Just because she's annoyed me in the past doesn't mean I have to be a bitch to her.
"Okay, I was worried I'd done something." She let out a small sigh of relief.
I wanted to say something but in came Valentina.
She has this powerful walk if you will, it's filled with a sense of pride that I've noticed she uses when she wants to assert her authority in a situation.
"Alright. I'm sure you have work to do. Do it. You only have forty-five minutes. Go." She said harshly.
I sat silently doing the work I missed in English that day and it was easier than I expected. And dare I say even a little fun to create the character profiles.
I finished that and moved on to my maths work from this morning. I finished that too and now had a spare ten minutes.
I pulled my phone out slyly under the table and texted Valentina.
Me
What did you get me for my birthday?
Val ❤️
Go back to work darling.
I smirked at my phone. I peaked up to just steal a small glance at her.
She looked amazing today. But then again, when does she never. I bit down on my bottom lip and message her back.
Me
I've done it all, what did you get me???
Val ❤️
Alright, I'll take your word for it this time. Hand it to me after.
Me
What did you get me???
Val ❤️
Heard anything back from NYU or any of the other colleges you applied to?
Me
Valentina stop deflecting the question!!!! What did I get??
I accidentally let out a loud annoyed huff. Even ally turned to look at me.
I switched my phone off and packed everything I had away.
"You're both free to go. Collette, I need your sheets." Valentina spoke coldly.
Both ally and I packed up what was remaining and she left quickly while I stayed back to give Valentina my work.
"What did you get me?" I asked her a little louder than I meant to but still in a whisper.
"Your work." She held her hand out, I handed her my two pages worth of characters profiles.
"Miss Fairbourne." I deadpanned using her surname.
Her eyes lifted to me and a smirk spread on her lips.
"I'm not telling you, you'll see on the day." She said. I groaned in annoyance.
"Fine. I'll ask Zoë." I said in a whisper, now that students for after school clubs and all.
"She won't tell you." She said slyly as her eyes moved along my page.
"Fine." I huffed.
"It looks complete. I'll give it back to you tomorrow." She placed my pages neatly with the rest of the papers on her desk.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I said flatly as I could to her without letting a small smile peak through.
"I love you." She whispered and I probably shouldn't have but I kissed her lips softly for a second.
"I love you too." I said blushing and then I walked out of her class.
I walked down the school hallways and at my locker was Ally.
"You were in there for a minute." Ally said.
"She was scolding me for the work I didn't complete and how I needed to start doing more in class." I lied hoping it was enough.
"She's such a bitch. I actually don't like her." Ally rolled my eyes.
I kept a neutral face but on the inside I was pissed at ally. Valentina isn't a bitch, she's cold and harsh sometimes but not a bitch.
Maybe to you, Ally, because she doesn't like you very much but she's not a bitch.
And if she ever is, it's usually beneficial to me.
"She's not that bad." I shrugged.
"No she really is. It's been my third detention in the last two weeks and each time she looks at me like I've killed her dog, or some shit." She scoffed.
"Oh that's not good." I said closing my locker and walking towards the doors.
"Exactly. Whatever." She said. "Do you want to go to the strip and grab some hot chocolate?" Ally asked.
"I..."
"It's been forever since we've hung out." She said and I felt a little obligated to go now.
"Alright. Sure, let's go." I said and the smile that spread across her face was large.
"Alright! I'll meet you there." She said.
I walked to my car while she walked to hers. The drive wasn't long.
We park in an easy access spot and walked into the strip.
We talked as we walked to a nearby cafe. We ordered our hot chocolates and some chocolate croissants.
She asked about my girlfriend and I gave her the basics she told me she was happy for me. We talked a little more and the more the conversation progressed, the less awkward it felt and more like we were back to being friends again.
After a lengthy two hour talk and four hot chocolates, we finally went home.
✾ ✾ ✾
Friday rolled around quickly. It was my nineteenth birthday.
"Happy birthday!" Kinsley came into my room, jumped on my bed, dressed and ready for school.
I felt so grateful I didn't have to go to school today.
"Thank you Kinny." I hugged her as I sat up from my bed.
"You're really old now." She said with a giggle.
"I guess I am." I said yawning.
"Colton made you birthday breakfast. It looks so nice. And I have a present for you downstairs. Can we go down?" I got out of my bed as she asked me. She smiled widely with her two front teeth missing.
"Let me get ready first." I chuckled at her.
"Do it quickly, it's going to get cold." She said.
I grabbed a hoodie and put it on and she giggled sitting on my bed.
I quickly went into my bathroom and brushed my teeth, did some of my skincare and brushed out my hair.
I didn't care for anything else. Im not seeing anyone anyways.
I walked with Kinsley back downstairs where I was greeted with rose gold balloons, a big one and nine, decorated cupcakes with candles in them, a small mountain of presents and my girlfriend, Quinn and best friends were there too. Even Emerson came, Birdie's brother.
So much for not seeing anyone.
I wanted to tear up. I haven't spent a birthday properly in a while, this all felt so luxurious.
Surely Birdie and Zoë have school and Kinsley had to go too so I wondered how late I'd actually gotten up.
"Happy birthday." They all said as I walked further down the stairs.
Happy tears welled up in my eyes. "Letty!" Zoë and Birdie wrapped me in a hug as I smiled widely into the hug.
"Hey, you're squishing me in here." Kinsley said between us.
"Oh sorry Kinny." I sniffled pulling away.
"Sorry Kinny." They said simultaneously pulling away as well.
"Happy birthday my love." Valentina said as I wrapped her in a hug too. She placed a kiss to the side of my head and held me tighter.
Next I hugged Quinn and thanked her for coming too. Then Emerson and thanked him too.
And finally after everyone, I thanked Colton.
"Happy nineteenth kiddo." His large frame wrapped around my smaller one.
"You really didn't have to do this." I said to him.
"Bull, of course I had too. It's your last year as a teenager. Of course I had to. And this counts as family breakfast before we all leave for weekend." He said and I stepped back from him.
"I'm going to the city with Nala, and her moms and Colton." Kinsley said in a matter of fact tone.
"Right. I did in fact make a birthday breakfast. And it is getting cold." Colton said.
"Please I've been waiting for the waffles since I got here." Birdie said.
"I second that." Zoë and Emerson said.
"Thank you for coming. Even if I was going to see you later." I said to Valentina before we walked with everyone into the dining room.
"Of course I'd come my love. But you should really thank Zoë for getting everyone here." She added brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.
"Zoë?" I questioned.
"It was her idea."
"Thank you for coming" I leaned up to kiss her slightly. She kissed me back but pulled away quickly, way too quickly, I wanted more.
"Later my love. Let's go eat for now." She took my hand and lead us in.
I sat next to Birdie and Val sat next to me. Emerson and Colton were talking while I talked to Birdie, Kinsley had started talking Valentina's ear off and Zoë and Quinn seemed to be in their own world.
I looked over slightly to see Valentina and Kinsley making shapes and people out of the cut up fruits. Blueberries, apples and strawberries.
It made me realise how much I really love her.