Hey Guys. Above^^^^^^ is an image of how the backyard was kinda set up. This chapter is also kind of a filler so there are no fireworks. i want to explain that for the cast i haven't put up any pictures or likened most of them to any celebrities because i want you guys to have your own ideas of how the people look though i do describe them. i am very welcome to any suggestions so do feel free to tell me who you see playing some of these characters. again, thank you for reading. please remember to vote:)
Nick's POV
"Wow this place looks AMAZING!" I exclaimed as I marveled at the beautiful décor that had been done in Kris's backyard. "You did all this?" I asked her as I turned around to look at her where she stood behind me.
"I had LOTS of help, but yeah," she grinned.
"It's really beautiful," I told her as I walked around. I had met up with Kris last Saturday, having explained that my dad had asked to see me the night I was supposed to meet up with her. Initially I had wanted an indoor party but she had other ideas.
"Indoor birthday parties are for losers Nick," she had said dismissively and I had given in thinking that if she thought like that then Katy most likely would too. Now as I looked around I knew I had made the right decision asking her to plan this party. She had the colours all down to a science. Purple, pink and aqua blue. It was a poolside party and she had set up open space tents where everyone would sit for a formal dinner then on the opposite side was a makeshift dancefloor and of course the pool, which had pink water, I don't know how she had pulled that off.
"She is going to love this," I said gratefully.
"Of course she is." Kris said proudly.
"You know considering that you had two weeks to plan this and it was during school days you outdid yourself here."
"Come on Nick. I'm good at this, you have only come to one of my parties. Though I must admit this is probably the best I have ever done," she said walking over to where I stood. She held up a checklist. "Everything is done. Now I hope you took care of how she is going to get here. Everyone I invited said they are coming. There isn't going to be anyone inside the house except for the catering team. You, Xander and Katy are welcome to sleep over here for the night, your rooms have been prepared already but that's a matter of choice. As we are going to be serving alcohol, lots of it, I hired chauffeurs who will pick everyone up and drop them off. That will also help me to avoid having too many cars parked outside. I think that's it." She finished as I listened.
"Well I asked those girls you said Katy hangs out with to bring her to the party. They gave her gifts in the morning to hide any suspicion and I just came from lunch with her. I also gave her a gift. I apologised to her for not being able to see her tonight due to prior commitments, the two girls will ask her to come for this party and since she has no plans tonight I know she is going to agree." I told Kris the plan.
"Well I would have done it way better than that but that will do, those two girls' names are Heidi and Layla by the way," she said looking at her watch. "People are arriving in an hour so I have to go and shower. Sylvia will open the gate in about an hour and everyone will be coming in at that time. I will see you then." She said as we walked back to the back door.
"Thank you Kris." I said to her before I walked to the car park
"It was your money," she said with a laugh. "but you are welcome. I hope everything goes well tonight." She said as she went inside the house.
As I drove away in my car I felt so grateful and excited. I couldn't wait to see Katy's reaction. I had met Kris almost two months ago and the fact that she was doing this for me meant a lot to me. These past two weeks she had been spending so much time at my apartment. Either with Alex or planning the party with me. I didn't know much about her life but I already felt like I knew her, like I had known her for a very long time and I was glad she seemed to be growing on my best friend as much as she was growing on me. She was a real burst of sunshine in our apartment and I knew that even after this party I would continue to see a lot of her.
Kris's POV
To say the least Katy was definitely surprised. The girls brought her out through the back door and as the multi-coloured lights went on we all shouted, "Happy Birthday Katie." Nick handed her flowers as she hugged him and looked around her in bewilderment.
"When did you plan this?" She asked him.
I didn't get to hear her response as the DJ blasted some music through the speakers and the party started. I was looking down at the party from my balcony. People were really having a good time and I was happy Katy and Nick both looked happy. Usually I would be in the midst of the fun, making sure I drank as much as I could but lately I hadn't really been feeling like partying. When Nick asked me to host this party I was excited to have something to do, I mean I could have just thrown one for myself, but I felt useful. Now knowing that in a few hours' time this will all be over, it makes me a bit sad. It means I will have to go back to worrying about Grandpas Will and everything in between. I will not have Nick to argue with or tease me anymore, I mean I have done what he wanted and now I'm sure we will not have a reason to hang out. That's sad but by now I am used to it, I just hate feeling hopeless though, like when I left home two years ago I really thought I would not have a single worry in the world and I would be happy but once again the world has proven me wrong.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Xander says behind me. I am startled but I relax when I realise it is him. Spending time with him these past few weeks has made his voice very familiar to me. I turn around and accept the glass of wine he hands me with a smile. "Sylvia let me in, she told me I would find you in here." He explains.
"I was just thinking I am quite a bad ass, it looks so beautiful outside." I say as I take a sip of the wine.
Xander chuckles and nods his head. "Well I was actually going to tell you, you did a good job but you beat me to it." He says. "Makes me wonder why instead of being down tk2here with the rest of us you are up here." He looks at me questioningly.
I shrug. "I am just not in the mood, I don't want to spoil it for everyone else." I tell him quietly.
"Anyone I need to kill?" He asks as he comes over to stand by the rails, beside me.
Despite my mood I find myself laughing. "I will send you a list tomorrow morning."
"I will be waiting," he says with a cute smile. I look at what he is wearing and decide he dresses up quite well. Everyone is dressed formally and he has on a black tux with a white shirt on and his hair has been slicked back. He is freshly shaven and I find myself smiling, I love guys who shave. He raises an eyebrow at me and I laugh. "You look nice," I tell him.
He laughs and then stands up tall and takes a step back then bows with a, "Oh why thank you Miss Wayward, you don't look so bad yourself."
"Thank you," I tell him as I laugh and deep down I feel butterflies dancing around my stomach as he extends his hand to me.
As I put my own hand in his he asks me, "Shall we go down for the dinner?" Playfully.
"Yes please," I say to him with a giggle and then he ushers us through my bedroom, down the stairs and through to the back yard.
"Am I not stealing some girls date?" I ask him as we settle down on one of the tables.
"You are my date." He states and I smile.
The tables start filling and after the waiters have served everyone champagne Nick and Katy walk onto the red carpet into the tent and everyone shouts, "Happy birthday Katy," again.
We all then settle down to eat and I am so proud to say that I hired the right people.
Shortly after the birthday speeches are done, I feel someone tap my shoulder and I look back to see Katy. We hadn't really been formally introduced but I guess she was the one at a disadvantage seeing as she didn't know much about me but I felt like I knew a lot about her, I mean I had thrown her birthday party. I smiled at her as I stood up.
"Hey Katy."
"Hey, can I talk to you outside." She asks, gesturing to the outside of the tent.
"Sure." I said as I walk us outside. Some people are already standing up, some headed for the bathrooms to change into more flexible clothes for dancing and getting real drunk. I lead Katy to some chaise lounges I had bought some time ago for my pool side and she sits beside me.
"What's up?" I ask her as i turn to fully face her.
"I just want to say thank you Kristina. I really appreciate it, this night has just been off the charts." She says with a smile. She looks rather uncomfortable around me and I find myself warming up to her.
"There is no need to thank me, Nick paid for all of it, you should thank him." I laugh.
She visibly relaxes. "You still planned everything. Heidi told me, I mean even if she hadn't Nick couldn't have pulled this off," she said gesturing around us. "To be quite honest these past two weeks when I saw you talking to Nick I was getting worried. I thought that you guys were...you...know..." she says awkwardly.
I laugh. "I would probably think the same," I reassure her touching her shoulder, "But it's not like that at all."
"I believe that," she laughs along, "I mean after seeing you and Alex tonight I doubt you have eyes for anyone else and neither does he." She continues.
."Okay you are drunk," I tell her as I stand up, trying to hide my blushing face. "You better go back there before Nick starts looking for you."
"Thank you again Kristina," she says standing up, "you have a good heart."
Quite taken aback by her last remark I hug her, "You can call me Kris," I told her. She nods then waves as she walks back to the tent where Nick is talking to Xander. I sit back down on the chaise and look at the changing rooms where some girls are coming out in their swim suits. I decide I could use a swim so I get up and head for the door. As I get closer to the door i hear a couple of voices coming from the corner where I had huge pot plants and a couple of chairs. I am about to walk on when I hear my name being mentioned. Moving closer I realise it was Roses' voice.
"Well which one of you guys is going to ask Kris? It needs to be done tonight because I can pay for the tickets but everything else we need her." She asks whoever she is talking to.
"Well why can't we go somewhere we can actually afford?" I hear Brooke asking her.
"We can afford the Maldives if she is coming with us." Rose retorts.
"I just don't think that it's a good idea inviting her to the Maldives when for the past two months we haven't really invited her to any of our events." Brooke argues.
"You weren't complaining last year when she rented the club out for you for your birthday," Rose reminds her.
"The Maldives is kinda cool though," Harry says, "And I wouldn't mind having her with us, she's a pro in bed." He says with a chuckle.
"So who is going to ask her?" Rose asks again.
"Why don't you do it Rose?" Reed asks her.
"I think she knows I don't like her, I mean I haven't been that nice to her lately," I could picture her rolling her eyes, "but if one of you goes I am sure she will say yes. I mean she has enough money to spare, she threw a party for someone she doesn't even know and since when does she hang out with fourth years. Who knows she might be sleeping with Kate's boyfriend for all we know." She finishes.
"Yeah well you have a point," Reed agrees, "She does sleep around. And she has a lot of money. Where does she even get it?" He asks.
"I haven't ever asked but I heard she owns some pharmaceutical company. Who knows? Maybe she has a very rich older boyfriend or something, either way we need her to pay for this vacation guys so who is going to ask." Rose says.
"I'll ask her," Brooke volunteered after a short silence, "but I am not sure if she will want to come."
"She will," Rose says, "She doesn't really have friends and she is desperate for literally anyone's attention. She will want to come with us."
"Okay then I will ask her."
"Great." They all say in unison.
"To the Maldives," Rose says and I hear their glasses clinking.
I don't know how I manage to move from where I am standing. In my mind I try to tell myself that that conversation wasn't about me and that it probably wasn't my friends considering I hadn't seen them, just heard voices I thought belonged to them. Deep down in my heart though, i know that it was them and I am hurt but I think a part of me has always known that Rose does not like me.
"Are you okay?" Sylvia asks me as I get I into the house. "You look like you are going to be sick." She says looking at me worriedly.
"I just have a headache," I force a smile for her, "I am just going to lie down, thank you for staying over tonight Sylvia." I say as I headed upstairs.
"I will bring you something for the headache in a bit," she tells me.
Getting to my room I take out my check book and write a check for twenty-five thousand dollars. That should be enough. A few minutes later there is a knock at my door and Brooke comes in.
"I thought I would find you in here," she says cheerfully. She looks beautiful in a short cute white dress. "I haven't seen you in so long, I miss you," she says as she walks over to where I am sitting by my desk.
"Yeah, I have just had a lot going on," I tell her. I hand her the check. "I hope you guys have fun in the Maldives." I smile at her.
She actually has the grace to look shocked. "Oh my gosh, you heard us?" She asks as she looks at the check. I nod.
"It is not what it sounds like Kree. I mean you are just so unavailable and really..."
"It's okay Brooke, I understand. Just take the check and go please I really need to lie down," I tell her as I get up from the chair.
"I'm sorry Kris," she says as she heads for the door. As she leaves Sylvia comes in with a glass of water a bottle of painkillers. She quietly hands them to me.
"You heard that?" I ask her. She shakes her head and I know she is lying.
"Thank you," I say as I drink the pills. I hand her the glass and start to change into my pajamas.
"I will see that everyone leaves safely and that your guests sleep well," she tells me as I get into bed.
"Okay thank you," I smile politely at her as I look at her sitting up in bed.
"You are a good person Kris," she says to me as she heads for the door, "Don't ever let anyone make you think otherwise."
I nod and smile at her. She means well and I wish I believed what she just said. I do not think I am a good person, Rose was right, I crave for attention. I do not fight with people because I am scared that if people decide to take sides i will be left fighting on my own, leaving me alone. And I do have a lot of money which i do not really spend all that much so i don't mind when people interact with me just because i am rich. At least that is what i've told myself over these years. It is really sad though because I actually thought Brooke, Reed and Harry just genuinely liked me.
Strangely before i fall asleep my mom's words come to mind. "You cannot control what people do to you but you can control how you react to them. Always show love, even to those who do not deserve it." I did not understand it then but i guess now i do.