Fast forward to Ava's 20th birthday.
That is right ladies and gentlemen, today is my birthday and guess what? I get to go to work! That is right, my day is going to be filled with me standing at a cash register serving customers until I knock off at 5 o'clock. In all honesty though, it is not really that bad. I actually don't mind it and when you think about it, really all this means is I am getting paid on my birthday which I am going to change and say is me getting paid for having my birthday because I am truly a blessing to this world.
I throw my uniform on and make my way to work. The day starts off not too bad, it's not too busy which is a nice change. Everything is going well until I hear an announcement over the speakers.
Good afternoon customers. Today is a special day as it is Ava's birthday today. She is working at register one so if you happen to see her, feel free to say happy birthday!
The customers I am currently serving wish me a happy birthday and my cheeks flame red. They repeat that message all day so I have continuous people coming up to me wishing me a happy birthday. But it doesn't end there. I'm just about to go on my break when I hear happy birthday in the distance. I look to the right and see one of the ladies from the café is walking down holding a cupcake with a candle on it. I know my whole face must be on fire but it is actually quite nice that they have gone to so much trouble just to make me feel special on my birthday. It ends on a high note and I leave feeling happy. I really am lucky to work where I do because they really do treat their employees with the utter most respect.
I get home and I can see Mason's car in the driveway. I let myself in and let everyone know that I'm just going to go and change.
When I come back down, I'm ushered into the living room and pushed to sit down on the couch. Mum and Mason sit beside me and I can see they are both holding a present. Mum gives me a card first and I already know who it is from just because of the handwriting.
"I know you probably don't want this one but I always pass them on to you," she says with a sad smile on her face.
I open it and skim the words, not really caring for what it says. I read the last two words - Love Dad. Scrunching it up, I throw it onto the floor.
"So, who's do I get first?" I question excitedly, not letting him bring my mood down.
Mason hands me his present and I'm so excited to open it. Inside there is a necklace with a red rose as it's pendant.
"That bloody red rose," I laugh before I give him a quick kiss, "thank you, I love it."
I hand it to him to clasp around my neck and I make sure it is sitting centre.
I turn to mum and she hands me her present. It is a big square and I try to shake it to get a sense of what it is. I have no clue so decide my best option is to probably just open it. I know, you've got a genius on your hands here. Opening it up I realise that it is a massive scrap book. I open the first page and there is me all ready for my first date. As I flip through each page I realise that it is filled with all the photos she took before my dates and then it gets to Shay and Jessie's wedding and there is the one of Mason and I kissing with the words SUCCESS! The last few pages after that are filled with photos of Jessie, Shay, mum, Mason, myself and of course Alyssa.
"Oh mum, this is so perfect," I say as I turn to give her a hug.
"I told you it was necessary for me to take a photo every time," she laughs into my ear.
I go back through it again and laugh at the titles she has given each page. To give you a little bit of insight, there is one called THE SWEAT MACHINE which was good old Samuel, MUMMA'S BOY for Charlie, CRADDLE ROBBER for Tommy and THE MAN'S MAN which is actually referring to Samuel and the fact that he is into guys.
"I love it mum, so much," I say giving her another hug.
"Well we have no time to discuss it right now because we have to get going," she says as she stands up.
"Get going where?" I question.
"It's your birthday Ava, we're going out for dinner," she responds as if I'm a child.
I run to my room and grab some shoes, and quickly take off my shirt and shorts and replace it with a simple white dress. I run back to the lounge room but see that no one is there and so I make my way to the garage and see that they are already in the car.
"Shouldn't I automatically get the front seat since it's my birthday?" I question as I slide into the back seat.
"Snooze you lose," is all Mason says in reply. I don't even have time to respond because he turns the music up loud but I catch the smirk on his face. That stupid smirk.
©
We pull up in a parking lot and I see that we are at Sizzlers. Nice choice. There's no queue so we get in straight away and I expect that we get to chose our own seats but instead we get taken to a table where Lizzy, Grace, Jessie, Shay and Alyssa already are.
"What a surprise," I say genuinely shocked as I go and give everyone a hug.
"Why are you always shocked when people remember your birthday?" Jessie says jokingly.
I take a seat at the table and straight away Lizzy shoves a gift in my face.
"Happy birthday cutie," she says as she watches me with excitement.
I open the present and inside is a onesie.
"I have a matching one!" Lizzy blurts and I can see how excited she is.
"Well we will just have to have a fashion show with us wearing these now, won't we," I giggle as I pop it to the side.
Jessie passes over his present and says "happy birthday little sis."
I open the gift and inside is a polaroid camera with a little note attached which says 'make your own memories xx'.
"Thank you," I say looking up at Jessie and Shay, "thank you to everyone. You have all spoilt me rotten."
"I don't know about you guys but I'm ready for some food," Mason says as he rubs his stomach. Everyone mumbles in agreement and most of us get up to serve ourselves some food. My plate is full of potato wedges and pasta but before I walk back to the table I grab a piece of watermelon. I've got to balance it out, you know.
"Wow Ava, carbs, carbs and more carbs," mum laughs as she sets down her bowl of soup.
"It's my birthday, I'm allowed to eat whatever I want," I say with a mouth full of food.
"You have been hanging out with Lizzy too much," she laughs as I continue to stuff my face.
"Do you still want to kiss me?" I ask Mason as I smile with mashed up potato in my teeth.
"I think I might try your brother instead," he jokes and Mason and Jessie wink at each other.
Shaking my head, I stand up so I can go and fill up my cup. I decide on a raspberry flavoured soft drink and make my way back to the table.
Jessie holds his cup up and everyone joins him. "To Ava!" he cheers and everyone clinks their classes together before taking a drink. I follow their lead but somehow, I miss my mouth when I go to take a drink and I consequently pour it all over myself. All over my white dress may I remind you. With a red drink. Mental note, if you are clumsy do not wear white because you will become a magnet to any and all spillage.
"Why am I like this?" I cry and everyone looks at me before bursting out laughing. "I'll be right back," I mumble as I make my way to the toilets. I dry myself off as best as I can but I know that there is no getting rid of this stain so I make my way back to the table, defeated by a drink.
We laugh and talk the night away. I take plenty of photos with my new camera and I tell them all about mum's present.
"You really do have to tell us this whole story Ava," Shay says and I look to see everyone nodding their heads in agreement, "I mean you've told us bits here and their but we want to here the whole thing, from start to finish."
"Are you guys sure? I mean it's a pretty long story," I say before I take a bite out of my watermelon.
"We've got nowhere else to be," Jessie says as he sits up to pay attention.
"Okay. Well it all started on my nineteenth birthday. So this time last year. I woke up and I don't know what had changed but I had decided it was time that I got a boyfriend and that you see, lead me to signing up to findyourlifelonglover.com which is actually where I found Mason," I say laughing. Everyone looks shocked for a moment but then I add "just kidding," and everyone has a chuckle. "No, but I really did sign up for findyourlifelonglover.com and Lizzy was the first person I told because she came over to my house to celebrate my birthday and her engagement."
Everyone listens attentively as I tell my story. They laugh when I talk about the disasters of each date and add their own commentary as I go. As I tell my story, I can't help but look at how much everyone around me is enjoying it and how hooked they are on each sentence. I guess it was actually a good thing that I experienced it because it ended up giving me a really good story to tell.
Maybe I should right a book about it since everyone seems so interested about it?
Nah, maybe not, I highly doubt anyone would want to buy a book about me going on a bunch of different dates.
Mental note, push yourself to do things out of your comfort zone. I promise you, it will give you a good story to tell.