I wasn't granted any luck as soon as I woke up on my birthday. I realized I slept in past all my alarms and to my surprise Ashton has disappeared from my apartment somewhere before the time I could hear Luke banging around in the kitchen. My heart was broken, but somehow expecting of this to happen. I wasn't going to get the incredible twentieth birthday I had dreamed of, I was going to have to settle for what live was giving me.
"So, I had this plan to make you waffles, but it sounded like you had a late night." Luke smirked at me. So much for him being a heavy sleeper.
"It's okay." A birthday morning without waffles was okay.
I wasn't expecting anything from anyone at this point today. I just wanted the day to get over with. I couldn't allow myself to be even more disappointed than I already was. I wasn't going to give anyone that power today. And as much as I wanted to text or call Ashton and ask him what was up, I wasn't going to do that. Not today.
"But don't you worry, Kozma. I have an amazing day scheduled." I flinched when he booped my nose.
"Will this amazing day involve sleeping all day?" With class out of the way, my bed was eagerly awaiting my arrival. The cold weather made me want to snuggle in bed and sleep away my worries.
"We're going to explore the city." He proudly said.
"Hemmings, it's too cold. Can you see my nose right now?" I pointed to the tip of my nose that was rosy. "It's about to fall off."
"If it falls off, at least we can say that's your karma."
Cool.
"Where are we going first?"
"We're having lunch at that weird ass bistro you always talk about."
-
Lunch at the bistro was crowded and loud. I had never gone at two in the afternoon, so I was surprised to see the place packed at that time. Conversation was dull, I couldn't hear myself or Luke talking and people sitting beside us were having conversations so loud that I started to mentally join in.
"Now what?" I rubbed my nose to warm it up. I also had tissue handy because my nose started to run if I was in the cold too much.
"Now I take you shopping." Luke kept his hand on the small of my back as we crossed the street. I felt like he spent too much money on Arina and their partying lifestyle I couldn't accept the offer.
"No."
"There's no time to protest!"
"Suck my ass, Luke!"
-
After an arduous shopping spree, where I was able to buy anything, no matter the price, my feet were killing me and I was more tired than this morning. We left a little boutique and Luke dragged me all the way too Central Park. He held my bags for me and guarded me from "evil" pigeons if he thought they were going to attack me. Funny enough, a pigeon pooped in his hair while we waited for Luke to get a hot dog.
"Hemmings, I'm really tired." I yawned and rest my head on his shoulder as we walked.
We end up stopping right in front of my apartment building. Luke stood before me, appearing as if he was preparing to say something. He took his time putting together his words. A few times he opened up his mouth to speak, but closed it quickly. I had never seen him put so much thought in what he wanted to say. He was just talking to me. I was beginning to get antsy and even colder by the second.
"Look, I know things have been a little rocky for you lately, but there is nothing that you can't get through." He finally said
"Where are you going with this?"
Was he going to give me some speech on how I was strong and could get through anything? Was he like a personal Oprah now?
"You've been really sad because, you already know why, and I really want to make you happy." Luke swayed side to side.
"You've always made me happy, you dummy." I started to do an odd jumping dance to keep me warm.
"You know what I mean." He let out a long sigh. "I just want you to be okay."
I nodded my head because I didn't know what to say back to that. I would keep his advice in mind, though.
"I guess what I'm trying to do is lead up to your first birthday present." He reached in his jacket, pulling out a white envelope.
"You didn't have to get me anything." I let an accidental disappointed tone slip. Sure, I loved gifts, everyone did, but I felt like Luke had already bought me so much that I was not deserving of. "You already treated me to lunch and to a shopping spree and you're here. All of those things are enough to make my birthday complete."
"Shut your pretty mouth and open the gift, T." He handed me the envelope - rather, he shoved the envelope at me.
"The Vaccines, November 7, 2014 at The Barclays Center." I recited from the ticket. "Luke..." I looked up at him and then back down, reading over what I just read to make sure I didn't read it incorrect.
"What?" Luke questioned before trying to reason with me. "I can always return them and buy tickets to something else. Like a play? Yeah! We can go see a play instead."
"Luke." I held my hand on his mouth, stopping him from talking because life was just better sometimes if Luke did not talk. "Fuck a play! We're gonna see The fucking Vaccines!"
I threw myself into him, hugging him tightly.
"Okay, okay, okay I can't handle any more hugs!" He laughed. "Now for your next gift."
He led me in the building, pressing the button for the elevator enough times to jam it, until it finally came down.
"I'm not accepting anymore. I'm closing down." I crossed my arms and stood up tall with a playful sneer.
"You're actually going to like this one!"
"Who's saying I didn't like the other gifts?" I countered.
"You know what I mean." Luke let me out of the elevator first and he followed, bags and all.
"I'm really hoping you don't kick my ass because you hate this gift."
"Why would I kick your ass? Did you get me male strippers?!" I exclaimed. "Oh my god, Hemmings! You know I couldn't even handle watching Magic Mike! I will turn around and get lost in this city so you can't find me."
"T!" He shouted.
"What?!"
"I didn't get you male strippers. I'm saving those for Mikey." He shrugged, resembling a quiet apology.
"Okay."
"Lets just go inside..."
I might have landed the quickest time for a person to unlock a door, that was how keen I was on getting in.
I switched the light on and the simultaneous shouts of "surprises" startled me almost to a panic attack.
I saw Jet, Noelle, Xander, Sofia, Ana, Jack, my Mom, my Dad, Dick as well, some other friends I had made at school, and other people I didn't know, but Luke let me know that they were some of his friends from here that he met over the year with the band.
How did Dick get in on this?
The living room was decorated with streamers and balloons. I could smell candles burning. The guests were wearing assorted colors of party hats and holding party blowers.
"What is all this?" I asked, still looking around and taking everything in.
"I thought I'd cheer you up for your birthday, what do you think?" Luke smiled proudly. He was well aware he topped any birthday gift I could possibly ever get at this point.
"I love it!"
"Come here, baby." My mom reached out for me and I stood in her arms. She smelt of fresh laundry detergent like always. "You look so beautiful. Happy birthday."
I said my rounds of hello's and thank you's for showing up and was introduced to the couple of people I didn't know.
Music played while everyone nibbled on finger foods and interacted. I talked to Ana, throwing every pregnancy question at her that she hadn't been asked a hundred times already. She must have answered the same question at least five times a day.
Dick was walking towards me with a cake.
"Luke called me and said he was doing this for you, so I offered to make you a cake." He handed the sweet dessert to me and turned it around, looking at it all around. "Red velvet with cream cheese icing."
"You didn't have to do this."
"You turn twenty only one time and this is the least I could do for you." He patted my shoulder.
He wasn't all that bad anymore. He might actually have a heart.
"Thank you, it really means a lot. It looks really good."
To be around the people I loved the most on my birthday, when I was usually miles away from a lot of them, felt amazing. I didn't know what sadness was tonight - today - and I had Luke to thank for that.
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