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Chapter 18
“Aerial’s birthday is next week!” Hayden hollered, as we all gathered at his house.
My head snapped towards him, as I frowned. I don’t recall ever telling Hayden when my birthday was. “Did Clarice tell you?” I asked curiously.
Clarice shook her head, as she laid her head on Damian’s shoulder. “I didn’t tell him anything.” She raised her hands up innocently.
“Alex told me.” Hayden said, holding a can of beer in his hands.
Frowning, I looked over to Alex, who he had head dipped low. The only time I ever remember telling Alex was months ago, when we first met. How the hell did he remember that?
“You remembered?” I asked, clearly surprised.
Alex grumbled something under his breath, as he shot a glare over to Hayden. He shrugged, kicking his feet up to the empty seat beside him. “I’m not forgetful.” He simply spoke.
“But I told you my birthday months ago.” I pointed out.
Alex rolled his eyes, giving me a look. “Just be happy I even remembered.”
Hayden chuckled, cutting the both of us off. “Would you two stop bickering like an old couple already?” I blushed, as Alex looked away from me. Hayden took the seat beside me, as he threw an arm around my shoulder. “So, what do you want to do for your big one- seven birthday?” Hayden eagerly asked.
I honestly didn’t know.
I almost forgot that my birthday was coming up until Hayden brought it up moments ago. I guess more important things have been happening so far.
“I don’t even know. I was just planning on staying home and having a Family Guy marathon, yeah?” I gave him a small smile.
Clarice piped up, shaking her head. “No way! I might’ve missed your past two birthdays, but I’m not going to miss another one.”
I gave her a weak smile. “It’s okay, guys. Turning seventeen isn’t as big of a deal as eighteen, or twenty one.”
“We have to do something.” Damian paused, as a wicked smile spread across his red lips, rosy from kissing Clarice all day. “Say, Aerial. You’ve never been to a club, have you?”
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t. I’m still underage.”
Damian shrugged. “No problem. I have connections to this really awesome club downtown. The place always has a line waiting outside the door, but I know a few people who work there. We could get in.”
Hayden’s face lit up, as he jolted up from his seat. “Are you talking about the club where Natalia first met Alex?”
Damian nodded with a grin across his face, as Hayden hooted. “No way! That place is amazing!”
“It sure is.” Alex mumbled sarcastically under his breath.
I stole a glance from him, pursing my lips.
Great. I was going to have my birthday party at the place where Alex met his ex-girlfriend that brutally slapped me after trying to convince me to snort cocaine.
“So, we’re all agreeing on the club, right?” Damian asked, already taking his phone out of his pocket.
Everyone seemed so eager, and I didn’t want to be the one to pop the balloon. “Sure.” I forced a smile.
“Great.” Damian grinned, pressing away on his phone. “I’m making plans right now.”
Clarice giggled beside Damian, as she snuggled up against him. She pressed the side of her cheek against his chest, beaming. “This is going to be great!” she laughed. “I’ve never been to a club before.”
Damian kissed the top of her head, placing a hand on her stomach. “No drinking for you, alright?”
Clarice pouted. “Okay.”
“You won’t be near a drink.” I told her protectively.
A small smile slipped across her face. “I know, I know.”
*
“Quit moving!” Clarice hissed at me, trying to curl my hair. “I’ll end up burning you before the boys come.”
The two of us were running a tad bit late. The boys were about to show up to Clarice’s house any minute now, ready to pick us up to go to the club, while Clarice was trying to curl my hair to perfection.
Suddenly, the door bell rang. Clarice groaned, as she handed me the handle of the curling iron. “Hold this and don’t move.”
She tried to walk as fast as she could down the stairs in her heels. I heard the sound of the boy’s voice, as I bit my lower lip.
“Where’s the birthday girl?” I heard Hayden’s smooth voice ask.
“She’s still getting ready.” Clarice spoke.
Moments later, Clarice bustled in the room. She took back the curling wand, quickly trying to finish up my look. Once she was done with my hair, she sprayed some cold mist all over it, making me wince. “What is that?” I asked.
“Hairspray, so your curls don’t fall out.” She said, pulling me up from the seat in front of her vanity. “What do you think?”
I stared at my reflection, my eyes going wide. Once again, Clarice never failed to make me look like an entirely different person. She made me look like I was some kind of royal-status heiress from the Beverly Hills. She chose an exotic red cocktail dress for me that wrapped me tight in all the right places.
“I’m so jealous of you.” Clarice smiled, handing me a pair of nude pumps. “Your legs look like they could go on forever.”
I smiled, opening my arms out wide to give her a hug. “Thanks, Clare Bear.”
She laughed lightly. “Happy birthday, Aerial.” She pulled away from me, a relieved smile on her glossy lips. “Now come on, we should get downstairs before the guys break something.”
I chuckled. “Your mom would be pretty pissed if they broke her vase.”
Clarice looked mortified. “Don’t even go there.”
I laughed one last time, as I stepped down the stairs.
“The birthday girl’s finally here!” Hayden was the first to spot me, as he opened his arms wide to give me a tight squeeze. “Happy birthday! How does it feel to be seventeen?”
I grinned. “I don’t feel any different from when I did a day ago.”
Hayden picked up a sparkly bag that was by the door, as he handed it to me. “This is from all of us. We all pitched in for it.”
I bit my lip from smiling, as I took out the tissue paper nicely, not wanting to rip any of it. When I finally got to the gift, I couldn’t help but beam from happiness. “Are you kidding me?” I asked with disbelief, as Hayden nodded with a grin across his lips. “You guys got me an iPad?”
“Do you like it?” Damian asked nervously.
I scoffed, throwing my arms around him. “I love it! Thank you guys so much.”
My eyes met Alex’s, as his gaze tore away from mine, dropping to the floor. He told me that we should be friends from now on, but it doesn’t even feel like we are.
“We should head out now.” Damian said, reading the time on his watch. “It’s around ten, and the clubs get real packed around eleven.”
We all headed out, and got into the limo that they rented for me today. “You guys even got me a limo?” I asked when we settled in. “Quit spoiling me.” I teased.
“It’s your birthday.” Clarice smiled, snuggling up against Damian’s arms in the limo. “You get to be spoiled.”
I was surprised when Alex decided to take the seat beside me in the limo. He didn’t say a word, and had a blank stare in his eyes.
Hayden turned on the music that was built in the limo, pouring himself a drink from the built-in bar.
“Happy birthday.” Alex muttered beside me.
I licked my lips, staring up at him. His blue eyes reached down to mine, as a small smile appeared on my face. “Thanks.”
It took thirty minutes to get to the club downtown. Pulling up to the entrance of the club, I could tell that it was definitely a hot spot. There was a massive line outside the club, and there were many people trying to get their way in the club without waiting an hour. The five of us walked straight up to the line, as Damian gave the bouncer a man hug. “Damian! Man, it’s been a while since you’ve been here.” The bouncer chuckled.
“I’m here today with a birthday girl.” He pulled me forward, as I blushed. “You think you could get us in?”
The bouncer laughed, giving me a wink. I looked up, giving him a weak smile. He moved out of the way, giving us space to go in. “Thanks, man.” Hayden told the bouncer, as we all followed Damian into the club.
I heard people complaining in the background, and I almost felt bad for skipping them all. “It’s fine.” Hayden assured me, as we entered the club.
The club was lit up in all different kinds of colors, varying from yellow to purple. The music was blaring so loud that I could feel my heart racing. We all found ourselves a table, and Hayden was the most eager to get to the bar.
“Any one was drinks?” he grinned.
“Get us anything strong, to start off the night.” Damian grinned. “Except Clarice, get her a soda.”
I wanted to open my mouth to say something, like I didn’t want a drink. I was strictly off limits with drinking, and the only time I’ve ever touched alcohol was when Alex tricked me into thinking I was drinking lemonade, not some spiked lemonade.
Clarice suddenly snapped her head over to mine, raising an eyebrow. “Aerial? You’re okay with a drink, right?” she asked aloud, making Hayden stop before he went off to the bar.
Everyone stared at me curiously, except for Alex.
He had a worried expression on his face.
“Y-Yeah. I’m okay with it.” I laughed nervously, immediately regretting it. “It’s my birthday, right?”
Hayden nodded, as he disappeared through the darkness. Clarice stared at me with a frown, as she scooted over to where I was. “What the hell, Aerial? I thought you didn’t want anything to do with alcohol, especially since your father-“
“Clarice, I don’t want to be a party pooper, okay?” I smiled weakly.
Clarice licked her lips. “Don’t feel like you’re being pressured, okay?”
I hesitantly nodded, as Hayden returned with a tray of drinks. “Four Suicides and one Coke.”
“Suicide?” Damian asked, examining his glass. “That’s a new one.”
Alex was the first to take a sip, immediately chugging the whole thing down in just a few gulps. “That’s a strong one.” He said, setting his empty glass down on the table.
“That makes me want one.” Clarice said sarcastically, taking a sip from her soda.
Hayden was the next to try, coughing after a few sips. “Damn, this thing is crazy.”
“What’s in it?” Alex asked.
“The bartender told me it had a little bit of everything in it.” Hayden said, drinking down another few sips.
Damian drank the whole thing, letting out a burp of delight. “I actually like it.” He turned over to me, noticing that I haven’t even taken a single sip. “Are you finishing that, Aerial?”
I gulped, licking my lips. I saw Alex give me a look, as Clarice raised an eyebrow at me. “Be careful.” Alex muttered.
I pushed the cup towards my lips, as I took a large gulp. Immediately, the stingy alcohol began to burn my throat, as I coughed uncontrollably. Alex snatched the drink away from me, patting my back. When I stopped choking, I blushed furiously, as Damian gave me a cocky grin. “You’re definitely a weak one, Aerial.”
Clarice shot him a glare, making him shut up.
I sulked back in my seat, groaning. How ridiculous did I look coughing up my first drink on my birthday?
“How about we go dance?” Clarice suggested, as Damian pulled her up.
“I want to dance with the birthday girl first!” Hayden called out, dragging me out of my seat.
We all went off to the dance floor, except for Alex. He sank back in his seat, looking bored and miserable. I almost wanted the night to end, just because I didn’t want to see him so unhappy.
“Keep doing that.” Hayden said, as I swayed my hips.
I frowned, looking up at him. “What?”
Hayden chuckled. “I didn’t mean it in a perverted way. I mean, just keep doing what you’re doing. It’s making Alex fume.”
My eyes widened, but ultimately, I followed his instructions. Hayden pulled me close to him, as I moved my hips back and forth. “I wish you could see him right now. He looks so pissed.”
I blushed, biting my lower lip. “Shut up, Hayden.”
“You want to get him jealous, right?” he asked seriously.
“If I said yes, would it seem like I’m using you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hayden shrugged, shaking his head. “Not at all.”
I laughed, as I kept on dancing with Hayden, following the rhythm of the music. “I’m surprised that you can actually dance that well.” Hayden said, once the music ended.
I chuckled. “Shut it, Hayden. Now go dance with that girl in the blue dress.” I pointed over to the petite brunette that had her eyes on Hayden for a while now. “She’s been creeping up on you since we’ve gotten here.”
Hayden smirked, giving me a hug. “I’ll see you later.”
I made my way over to the bar to get a drink, but nothing alcoholic. I didn’t want to deal with being drunk, or choking like a maniac. “One Shirley Temple, please.” I told the bartender.
Moments later, he reappeared with a bloody red drink in his hands, sliding it over the counter towards me. “Thanks.” I muttered, taking a sip from the sweet drink.
“I hope that’s not alcoholic.” Alex suddenly spoke, sliding in the empty stood beside me. “I wouldn’t want you to have a coughing fit, again.”
I smiled, shaking my head. “Don’t worry. It’s just a Shirley Temple.”
“Good.” Alex said.
I looked up at him, forcing a smile. “Don’t look so miserable.” I laughed bitterly, slapping his shoulder. “It’s my birthday.”
Alex looked up at me with a glint in his eyes. “I could say the same about you, too.”
I pursed my lips, staring down at my drink and away from him. “What do you mean?”
“You obviously don’t want to be here, around sweaty dancing sluts and alcohol.”
“I’m just new to this stuff, that’s all.” I shrugged.
Alex looked hesitant, like he was trying to say something, but he didn’t know how to. “D-Do you maybe want to get out of here?”
“Ditch my own party?” I chuckled. “And go where?”
A small smile, the smile I haven’t seen in ages, finally appeared on Alex’s face. “I have just the place in mind.”