"Mar!" Izzy chirps as she reaches up for me. I pick her up and she nuzzles her head into my neck. I'm slightly fuzzy from the immense amount of cocktails Becca insisted on us drinking last night, and the shock of seeing my Aunt Carol and Isabella.
"Come in." I say frantically as Carol picks up the luggage from the ground. "It's your birthday?" Becca gapes as her and Jess arise from the kitchen, with Jess giving me a weak smile. I don't like making a fuss over my birthday, I wasn't even planning on celebrating it at all this year.
"Where's your mom?" Carol asks breathlessly as she places the bags at her feet.
"Still in bed, I think." I say, my head reeling from the frantic situation unravelling.
"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?" Becca says in panic. Just as I open my mouth to answer, the doorbell rings.
"I'll get it!" Carol chirps as she makes her way to the door. Shuffling as she holds her seemingly larger baby bump. I attempt to place Izzy down, but her arms remain tightly around my neck, whining for me to keep her in my arms.
"Carol?" I hear Mason's voice echo from the doorway and my eyes widen. Shit.
"Mason!" Izzy smiles as he walks inside. "Izzy?" he scratches his head.
"We're here for Mar's birthday!" she yells and Mason's jaw drops, "It's your birthday?!" he gasps.
"Is that Mason I hear?" my mom's sleepy voice breaks the catastrophe that has broken out as she enters the room scratching her head.
"Carol? Izzy?!" she squints her eyes at our surprise guests.
"It's her birthday?" Mason repeats as he tugs his hair back in frustration.
"He didn't know either?" Becca raises her brow.
"You two didn't know?" Carol scratches her head as she looks between Mason and my newly made friend.
My head is pounding and I feel like I'm in the middle of a sit-com. This really couldn't have been any more hectic if we tried. I place Izzy down and rub my head.
"Jess, Becca, will you take Izzy into the kitchen? She can finish my pancakes." I say, giving them 'the look' to which they both luckily catch onto. "Sure." Jess smiles awkwardly, "Come on, Iz." she takes her hand and leads her away.
Now I'm standing in between an extremely confused and rather awkward Carol as she realises she has dropped a bomb. A half-asleep, equally as confused mother.. and Mason. Who looks pissed, undeniably confused, and sort of hurt.
I take a deep breath, "Yes, it's my birthday. No, Mason and Becca didn't know, I hadn't mentioned it. Yes, Carol and Izzy are here. They showed up 15 minutes ago, right before Mason. Did I cover everything?" I ask tiredly as I rub my eyes.
"I'll make some coffee." my mom says awkwardly. "Want some?" she asks Mason to which he just nods.
"Where's Steve?" I furrow my brow.
"He's off on a business trip, he's sending his love, though." she smiles as she looks between Mason and I.
"Izzy and I were planning on staying for a few days, is that okay?" Carol asks as she places her hand on her back with a pained look on her face.
"Of course, stay for as long as you like. Sit down, rest. That's a long drive for somebody so heavily pregnant." I say a little concerned.
"Can I talk to you?" Mason asks and I sigh, "Come on." I say as I lead him to my room. I take a seat on the edge of the bed as he closes the door behind him, standing in front of me with his brows furrowed.
"It's your birthday, Mar? Why wouldn't you tell me that?" he asks, his voice confused with a hint of hurt from my lack of communication. I choose to ignore the fact he called me Mar, besides the fact it made my heart melt.
"I don't like my birthday. I was going to tell you, just later when we didn't have to celebrate, I didn't know Carol was coming." I tell him with a weak smile on my face. I await his questions but they don't come. Instead, I look up to see his soft eyes boring into me.
"I have a surprise for you, I'll be back in a few hours, okay?" he says, bringing his finger to my lips as I attempt to tell him no.
"It's your birthday, Amara. We don't have to celebrate—just let me do this." he says weakly and I nod.
"Okay, I'll call you soon." he says as he pecks my lips softly, pulling away and smiling slightly. "Happy birthday." he whispers with a smile, planting another small kiss on my forehead before leaving.
I make my way back into the kitchen where everyone seems to be conversing normally, which was a pleasant surprise to the awkward tension that could have been cut with a knife ten minutes prior.
"Where's Mason?" Becca asks.
"He had to go do some things, he'll be back." I tell her, "Does anyone want some breakfast?"
"I'll make it, sit down and enjoy the company." my mom smiles as she takes out her cooking equipment. I do as she says and talk with my two friends and my family. Despite how incredibly awkward the entry was, I'm elated that Carol and Izzy are here. It's only been a matter of days since I seen them, but my day is already ten times better.
Mason's POV:
"I hope your female caller is gone, because I'm opening the door." I yell as I bang my fist on my dorm room door.
"Just open the damn door, Mason." he retorts and I scoff at his audacity. I walk inside to find him perched on his bed reading, of course.
"I need your help, now." I say as I snatch the book out of his hand.
He glares at me and sits upright, "What is it now?"
"I need a birthday present for Amara, it needs to be.. meaningful and I need your help." I groan as I slide down the wall onto the floor.
"Okay.. when is it? I'll think." he shakes his head.
"Today, now. Think harder."
He almost looks as though he might have a heart attack, "Today?! Why the hell haven't you got it yet?!" he says in a panic.
"Because I didn't know, now are you going to help me?" I run my fingers through my hair in frustration.
"You didn't know your girlfriend's birthday?" he raises his brow.
"She isn't my.. girlfriend." I say, before realising how stupid I sound. Why isn't she my girlfriend? Because I'm a pussy, that's why.
"Whatever, if you want it to be meaningful you have to think of what she likes. What does she like?" he asks and I think as hard as I can.
"The Notebook.. sunsets, the field I took her to.. flowers.. my tattoo.." I squint as I try to connect the dots.
"Anything else?" he asks.
"Me, somehow." I chuckly lowly.
"Then she won't care what you buy her, just spend time with her." Matt says all sentimental and shit.
"That isn't enough, she deserves more than that." I sigh, "This is driving me crazy."
"Think of how you can combine some of her favourite things to make one perfect gift. Does she wear jewellery?" I can tell he's trying hard to think, so am I. But anything that comes to mind doesn't feel like it's enough.
I snap my head up, "I know exactly what to do, I just need your help."
——————
Amara's POV:
We had a nice breakfast together, talking and laughing, it was effortless and fun. Nobody really mentioned or made a big deal of my birthday which I appreciated. Jess and Becca left to give me some time with my family, so we watched the lion king, due to Isabella having a total meltdown over wanting to watch it.
Ten minutes in she fell asleep and I put her to bed, yet we finished the movie anyway. It's now just after five and Izzy is still asleep, Carol is unpacking her bags and my mom is in the kitchen washing up.
I decided to try and get myself ready a little since I look like something from a horror movie. I take a hot shower and dry my hair, throwing on a pair of jeans and a shirt, nothing special. As I straighten my hair, I ponder what Mason can be up to. I know it's something for my birthday, but I know him. I know how thoughtful he is, but also how bad he is at coming up with ideas or actually being sentimental. I haven't been excited about any aspect of my birthday in years, until now. He always finds a way to make the not so easy times, that little bit easier.
Just at that, he calls me.
"Hello?" I fumble to put the phone on speaker, so I can continue with my hair.
"Hey, I'm picking you up at six-thirty, are you ready?" he sounds out of breath, and a little frantic.
"I am, I'm just straightening my hair. Where are we going?" I ask, my curiosity growing stronger with each second that passes.
"You know it's a surprise, but nice try. See you soon, birthday girl." he says before hanging up. It made my heart skip a beat—the way he said it, I bite my lip slightly as I wonder what he has in store.
I glance at my phone screen, the time reads 18:17, I have just under fifteen minutes to finish straightening my hair. Somehow, I make it in time and grab a jacket before heading out.
"Where are you going?" Izzy's small voice appears in the hallway behind me as she rubs her eyes, just awakening from her nap.
"I'm going out with Mason, I'll be back soon." I smile.
"Can I come?" she pouts and I chuckle, "Not this time, but once I'm home we can hang out, okay?"
"Okay." she chirps as she skips into the livingroom.
I walk outside to find Mason leaning against the hood of his car, smiling at me as my eyes meet his. His hair is messy and his eyes look heavy and tired, but he looks perfect.
"Ready?" he smirks as he reaches out his hand.
He takes my hand in his and opens the car door for me, I giggle at his chivalry and climb inside of the car. He starts the engine and begins the drive, turning on the radio to which an old 70's song begins to play through, warming my heart.
"You hate this music." I chuckle.
"No I don't, I just.. dislike it." he smirks slightly as his eyes flicker from the road to me.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I roll my eyes playfully. "Are you saying you want me to turn it off?" he raises his brow.
"No!" I whine and he laughs, "I try to be nice and you just break my little heart like that." he holds his chest with one hand, acting wounded.
"Oh, stop it!" I laugh and he does too. I enjoy these little moments so much, it makes me unbelievably happy.
"We're almost there." he tells me and I notice his brow furrow slightly.
"What? What's wrong?" I ask.
"Nothing, you'll see."
I peer into the back seat and look around dramatically, gaining his attention.
"What are you doing?" he asks with a confused look on his face.
"I'm just checking you don't have a gun in here or something, you're acting like you're going to murder me in the woods again." I chuckle and he shakes his head, "At least it'd be a real surprise." he laughs, earning a glare from me.
"We're here." he exclaims as he parks the car, I look around outside and my concern grows, what the hell?
"Where exactly is.. here?" I scratch my head.
"Come on, you'll see." he smirks, exiting the car.