Edge of Seventeen

Before I knew it, it was Friday, my seventeenth birthday and the day of my party. All the details had been set, I got the perfect dress and shoes and the cake had been ordered. When I woke up, the Sanders surprised me with a gently used electric blue Jeep, which was a huge surprise to me. I’ve had my license since I was fifteen since one of my old foster parents made me work and found a clause that allowed me to get it six months early, but I had never had my own car before. When I told them it was too much, they insisted it wasn’t and handed me a fifty to do with whatever. I was so excited and happy; I thought I might just cry.

Matt and Zack told me I would get my presents from them at my party tonight. I told them I didn’t need any more presents, but they insisted, and told me the whole band had a surprise for me at the party as well. I just smacked them both and went about my business, at least until Zacky decided to kidnap me and take me to the studio that day. I didn’t see why exactly he felt the need to kidnap me, I was planning on going in later anyway, but I spent ten minutes with my face level with his nice ass. Let’s just say the blood rushing to my head was worth the view.

Zack and I went in my car, since Matt was impatient and annoyed with our early morning routine of fencing with random house hold items until one of us fell in the pool or gave up. I pretty much always won. Anyway, Matt left us, so Zack kidnapped me in my own car, the creeper, and we stopped off at IHOP on the way to get waffles, laughing the whole time. I really enjoyed my time alone with Zack. We really didn’t get much time just the two of us, just one time when Matt crashed at his ex-girlfriend’s, and I fell asleep to the sounds of Zack practicing his guitar after watching Firefly with the commentary on, so it was really nice to get to be ourselves without having to worry about Matt yelling at us for being too close or whatever. Zack was kind of a combination of all the guys in one; goofy like Jimmy, protective and considerate like Matt; sweet like Johnny and cocky-in-a-cute-way like Brian. I liked my time with him and I think he needed someone other than Matt to talk to about his family and things like that.

Eventually, we actually made it into the studio and Matt was finishing his vocals on a song called I Won’t See You Tonight Part One. It was a really emotional song for him, so I was glad that it was almost done. It was about one of Matt’s old friends and I knew it meant a lot to him, but it was really depressing… and I know it’s selfish, but not what I wanted to hear on my birthday.

“Yeah dude, that sounds good,” Brian said after Matt finished. I just sat quietly on the couch, waiting for someone to give me something to do, or someone to talk to me. I didn’t like to get in the way, knowing that they were close to finishing.

“Alright, let’s do a few screams for Second Heartbeat, and then head out,” Matt replied. I couldn’t help but giggle. The guys all looked at me like I was crazy and I just laughed harder.

“What the hell Mei Mei?” Matt asked, with a slight chuckle, using his new favorite nickname for me. Let’s just say we watched firefly way too much and leave it at that.

“Second Heartbeat… Is it a song about Time Lords?” I snickered before laughing again.

Zack and Matt, being the only two who lived with me and having to watch old television with me, were the only two that got my joke. The other guys looked at me like I was psychotic, but I was used to it, even though it would be the pot calling the kettle black.

“Anyway…” Matt rolled his eyes, “Let’s hurry up so we can all go out to lunch or something.”

I just stuck my tongue out at him and snuggled back into the couch as he went back to ‘work.’ Zack kissed my cheek and went off with Brian to do a bit of guitar work, Johnny stayed at sound board and Jimmy skipped over to sit next to me. He dropped a toy in my lap and beamed at me.

“Happy Birthday, Kitty!” He cheered, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as I looked down at the toy. It was a cute baby black leopard, “A kitty for my kitty!”

I smiled and hugged the toy close, “Thank you Jimmy Jam!” I beamed before hugging him back, still holding the leopard in my right hand.

“What are you gonna name it?” He asked excitedly as I began playing with it, “It’s a girl!”

“Then Plague after her daddy!” I grinned.

Jimmy beamed,” I get to be her Daddy?”

“Duh! You gave her to me; we shall raise her evilly together!” I chuckled darkly.

Jimmy laughed loudly, hugged me tight again before kissing Plague on the head and running off yelling about being a daddy. I just giggled and cuddled the toy close, watching everyone watch Jimmy.

“What’s Jimmy going on about?” Matt asked, leaving the booth to come sit next to me.

“Oh he’s just excited that I named our child after him,” I said nonchalantly, waving the leopard in his face so he wouldn’t freak.

“You two are so weird,” he said, rolling his eyes before pulling me in a hug, “Happy birthday Mei Mei.”

I just giggled and hugged his waist tightly.

“So where do you want to go for lunch?” he asked, keeping his arm around me, “My treat… well and mom and dad.”

I giggled and shrugged, “I don’t really care… as long as it’s not Asian and I get ice cream.”

Matt’s face scrunched up as he laughed, “Interesting description… but okay. We live in California, Ice cream is easy to get.”

I just giggled and shook my head at him, resting my head on his shoulder. I felt him kiss my hair and squeeze my shoulders. I just smiled and looked around at everyone else in the studio. Jimmy was chasing Johnny around; Brian was finishing a riff with one of the engineers while Zack watched. Zack noticed me looking his way and smiled in my direction. I grinned and smiled back, waving slightly. Zack rolled his eyes but waved anyway before turning to listen to something Brian was saying.

“Damn it fine! I will see your child Jimmy, okay?” Johnny yelled, causing all of us to laugh.

“YES!” He yelled, before turning towards me, “Ellie! Hold up Plague!”

I rolled my eyes and obliged, holding the stuffed toy up in the air for everyone to see. All the guys laughed at Jimmy, but murmured about its cuteness anyway, just to appease the drummer.

“On that note, let’s go get lunch. No one’s focused anyway,” Matt suggested, gently shifting me off his side and stretching.

**********

The guys and I ended up going to Olive Garden. I laughed at the fact that in LA, that was the best we came up with. After lunch, I went home to start getting ready while the guys went back to the studio to work on something else. By the time I got home, Kim and Gary were already home from work. They wished me happy birthday again and we talked a bit before they let me go upstairs to get ready for my party. Earlier in the week the twins and I had gone out shopping for a dress. All I was allowed to know about the party was the location and that it was a Carnival themed, the festival season before Lent, not the traveling games and rides. My dress was strapless, about mid-thigh length, the top, pleated pastel blue silk with black under bust embroidery and a tulle skirt that was the same light blue, but shone light green and laced up in the back. It fit my figure perfectly and I loved it. I honestly felt like a princess when I wore it. I pulled my dress out of my closet and hung it on the hook on my bathroom door. I hopped in the shower, using the steam to naturally make sure there were no wrinkles in my dress. I cleansed myself quickly, knowing Xander would be here soon to do my hair. As soon as I was done I hopped out and started toweling off just in time to hear the doorbell ring.

I squealed and quickly ran over to my closet to pull on a pair of lacy underwear and one of Matt’s old basket ball jersey’s that fit me like a dress… a stripper’s dress that barely covered my big Latino ass, but a dress none the less.

“I’m here bitch!” Zander yelled, slamming my door open, his arms spread with jazz hands, making a spectacle of himself as always.

“And I’m ready for you slut,” I giggled, making the same hand motions.

“I resent that!” Xander gasped, “I’ve only had butt sex!”

“Yeah because that doesn’t make you sound gay at all,” I teased.

“Eh, I’m halfway there anyway. Now get your sexy little ass in the bathroom so I can work my hair magic.

“Still gay!” I said in a singsong voice, laughing as I walked into the bathroom.