Dear Gravity You've Held Me Down

“Fuck,” I shriek, my eyes opening wide as I hear my phone ring right next to my ear.

“Hello?” I answer sleepily not bothering to look at the screen.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” I hear Patrick shout on the other line.

I wanted to get mad at him for waking me up early, on MY birthday but instead I smile in the darkness, “thank you,” I yawn and close my eyes.

“So what are we going to do today?”

“How about I get some more sleep and then I’ll call you?”

“Alright sounds good.”

I hung up hoping to drift back to sleep but then my phone begins to beep constantly. I groan and look at my phone; I had several messages wishing me a happy birthday. I turn off my phone and bring my covers up to my face. I am determined to get more sleep.

--

I hear a knock on my door that causes me to open my eyes; I can see the light beaming from under my curtains.

There’s another knock.

I decide to get out of bed and walk to my door; I unlock it and open it.

“Happy Birthday,” Megz beams happily as she hands be a little box

“Aww, thank you Megz,”

“It’s not much but I hope you like it.”

“I love everything you get me,” I smile at her and give her a hug.

"I know you probably wanted to get some sleep in but I wanted to see you before I headed out to see my Councilor."

"I was up already, so no worries," I lie with a smile.

"I'll see you later, and happy birthday, again," she laughs a bit and gives me another hug.

I wish her good luck at her session today and wave goodbye before closing my bedroom door and heading back to bed, not feeling tired anymore.

I pick up my phone and turn back up, slowly the messages start coming again and I reply to them with a simple 'thank you :)” and then I call Patrick.

“Good morning sleepy head,” he answers and I can’t help but to smile.

“I’m not ready,” I tell him.

He stays silent.

I take in a deep breath and lay back on my bed, “I thought I would be ready, and that today would be the perfect day to tell everybody that we’re together but I feel like it’s not time yet, we should wait a little longer.”

“If you don’t think it’s the right time then we won’t say anything.”

“Are you okay with that?”

“Of course, as long as you still want to be with me, I’ll wait for as long as you want to wait.”

I smile to myself and let out a sigh of relief. “Of course, I would be crazy not to.”

Patrick and I had decided to keep our relationship to ourselves- for a little while at least. Mainly because we aren't sure if this relationship is actually going to work out, and we don't want our friends to feel like they're stuck in the middle if it doesn't, especially after what happened between Megz and Pete.

“So what do you want to do today?” Patrick asks me a couple of moments later.

“I have class tonight, so probably nothing, I was thinking of dinner Saturday night?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“What are you doing?” I ask him as I look at the small box Megz had given me.

“I’m at Pete’s going over tour dates and stuff.”

“Fun, well I’ll talk to you later.”

“Happy birthday, I’ll stop by tonight.”

“Kay, bye.”

I hang up and pick up the box making sure to open it cautiously. I smile as I look at the blue and pink ribbon bracelet, I knew Megz had made it and it was perfect. She had added some charms to make it personal. I put it on and admire it happily.

I wanted to text and thank her but I didn’t want to interrupt her session.

---

"That isn't how this is supposed to work," Megz tells me with an amused smile as she watches me open the oven.

"I think it is, if I don't take it out now it will burn," I say with a grin as I take out the cake from the oven and put it on top of the stove.

"That's not what I meant," Megz replies with an eye roll.

"I know," I laugh and close the oven.

"You shouldn't be making you're own cake, and besides your party isn't until Saturday."

"I know but this one is for us, and Patrick he said he was going to come over." I say non chelantly and join Megz at the dining table.

"So you guys are friends again?"

"Yes, we have always been friends."

Megz raises an eyebrow, "what about that whole month you guys went without talking?"

"That was over something stupid and we are over that." I say not caring to go on further.

"About?"

"Like I said something stupid, it doesn't matter."

"Was it about me? Is that why you don't want to tell me?" She asks sounding a bit hurt.

I shake my head and give her a small smile, "it had to do with Cora, and other stuff. What matters now is that Patrick and I are friends again." I say trying to reassure her, even if it was not entirely true.

I hate the fact that I have to keep it a secret from Megz, she's my best friend, I'm supposed to tell her everything, it's just that if I were to tell her, it would be another thing on her mind.

She sighs but smiles nonetheless.

"Thanks for the gift, it's amazing." I tell her as I touch the bracelet she had given me this morning.

"I'm glad, I've been doing a lot of crafts, my councillor suggested I should."

"I think that's great."

A couple of minutes later the front door opens and Patrick walks in with a bouquet of sunflowers causing my stomach to flutter.

"These are for the birthday girl," he says handing me the bouquet along with an envelope.

"Aww thanks." I say trying to hide the fact that I had started blushing.

"I'm going to put these in some water," I say in a low voice and walk to the kitchen and start looking for a vase.

I can hear Patrick talking to Megz, telling her that she was looking good and was happy to see her.

"Are you going to help us?" I hear Megz asks

"With what?" Patrick questions.

"Frosting Jenn's cake."

"Only Jenn would bake her own cake."

"There's nothing wrong with that," I say innocently as I place the cake on the dining table along with different colored frosting.

---

"I'm glad you two made up, makes it easier to hang out together." Megz says with a smile as she hugs Patrick good night.

"Yeah, definitely." Patrick agrees with a smile.

"I'm going to walk him out." I tell Megz and exit the apartment with Patrick.

"Thanks for coming," I tell him as we walk down the stairs.

"Thanks for the delicious cake," he replies with a small laugh.

I just look at him with a smile on my face as we stand by the building's front door.

"What?" he asks curiously.

"I'm glad that I have you in my life."

"And I'll always be here," he tells me as he takes my hands in his.

"We'll tell them soon, before you go on tour."

He nods and gives me a small kiss, "good night."

"Good night,"

I smile at him as he goes into the snowy streets of Chicago, and once he disappears I head back up to the apartment. I sigh and close the door and start heading to the door, but then I notice the envelope Patrick had given me on the table. I pick it up and head to my bedroom.

I close my door and lay on my bed not bothering to change. I open the envelope cautiously making sure not to rip the card inside it.

I can't help but to smile as I read the front of the card:



I open the card and gasp as few rose petals fall.



24 doesn't look like a bad age at all.